Norway (Part B)
Namely, a whale sandwich, and some delicous whale 'finnebiff'
(thanks Asle - it was fantastic!)
I won´t tell you that I actually hunted it down Ahab style, but I felt like I could brandishing these razorsharp fishing knives in "Attack Mode" on Anette's grandfather's old fishing boat. These pictures were taken up in Hovden, a small fishing community up north, where a lot of Anette's extended family lived early on. In the 60's it was a hot spot for fishing, which continues, though it's been slowed by reductions in fish populations (some say by a mythical whale, with a bejewelled belly...yarr).
Mostly summer houses and empty fishracks remain in this beautiful area.
We've been determined to see as much of the beautiful fjords right outside the door as we can, and have clambered up quite a few moss and blueberry covered 'mini-mountains'. In general, there are no trails here, only a half meter thick carpet of soft growth and an invitation to pick you own way up to the top. The spectacular views and encounters with easily suprised sheep (blow their minds with an umbrella opening!) are just a couple of the perks to Anette and I enjoyed along the way.
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Apart from whale hunting, I've been meeting and learning more about Anette's family. Even with my limited Norwiegian, I could tell they have a pretty wicked sense of humour and I was not spared from the melee of devastating verbal parrying going on. Made an effort to get pictures of me with the whole family.... I've been waiting a very long time to meet them all.
A few random, but thoroughly postworthy photo's. Anette's cousin Simon showing us the biggest strawberry in their garden, the midnight sun (almost!) and Anette holding the "Man from the Sea's" 'tisselur'.
We're travelling to Oslo (Norway's Capital) next and will be spending the day there, hopefully checking out some viking museums and a pizza place called 'Pepe's Pizza' which Anette has elevated to a near religious experience.
I hope they have whale pizza.
UPDATE
They didn't.
But, it was a great place otherwise. We had a great trip into Oslo, checking out the 1000 year old viking ships preserved in a museum there and a famous park filled with 200 lifelike and often amusing statues of people. The long journey home brings us back to Canada on August 20th!
posted by Brad and Anette at 9:47 AM
2 Comments:
Dear Brad and Anette
We just wanted you both to know how very much we've enjoyed reading about your travels across Europe and north, to the land where it looks like it's cloudy all the time and the sun only shines after midnight!
Over the past few months I've checked your Blog (with much anticipation) at least every couple of days, looking for your spectacular pictures and your interesting (and sometimes HILARIOUS) prose. Thank you for taking the time to keep us all in touch. We hope this is just the first of many such journeys to come.
We're looking forward to your next Blog, as you start Grand Adventure II, to Ontario.
Have fun in Idaho!
Luv CKC and the dog
P.S. Cooper wants to know how the goats get on the roof. He also had other questions about some of the pictures (eg: what's Anette TOUCHING???), some that I answered and others that I..."oh darn it, something just happened to the computer...where did that photo go? Gee, I have NO IDEA what that was..." Going forward, I think I'll preview future pics, as the enlarged photos pick up MUCH more detail than the thumbnails.
P.S. Brad - that one photo of you on the boat with that big knife and menacing hook and the manic look on your face, with your hair sticking out in every direction reminded me of a really scary horror flick I saw not that long ago...what was it called???? (sheesh - I thought you wanted to impress Anette's relatives - not scare the bejeebers out of them!!)
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