Røros Road Trip!

Monday, 31 August 
Today, Geir had to go back to work  ):
Solfrid, Ned and I packed up after breakfast to start out road trip to Røros and Savalen (the Savala). We stopped by the local market to purchase some more brown cheese and saw our new friend Hanne in the parking lot. Such fun to know someone to greet!

Hanne Naess Tremoen, Ann and Solfrid

En route to Røros, we stopped to stretch our legs at Haltdalen. 

Røros
Røros (I still can't properly pronounce it...) is one of Europe’s oldest preserved wooden settlements and is included on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites (1980). In 1644, copper ore was found in the Røros Mountains. Between 1644 and 1977, over 100,000 tons of copper and 525,000 tons of sulphuric pyrite were produced here. Needless to say, it wreaked havoc on the landscape. In addition to the unsightly slag heaps, entire forests were cut down in order to provide wood to feed the smelting furnaces. Heating homes also taxed the timber resources. 

 The church was built 1780-84. Rather than religious art, most paintings in the chapel are of the patrons. The rich sat in front pews, folks from the middle class in back, and the poor had to stand up in the gallery.

Mormor

Sunday, 31 August

Solfrid is Mormor (Mother's Mother) to both Henrik and Tyra. Henrik spent the weekend with his Farfar (Father's Father) on a boat, so we met him for the first time, along with his rabbit Kanini

 

 Ann is not as practiced...

Nidarsdoman Concert

Sunday, 30 July 2017

Nidaros Cathedral is the world’s northernmost gothic cathedral. Built from 1070-1300 over the tomb of St. Olav, it was fashioned after the Canterbury Cathedral in England of green-grey soapstone. It has been Northern Europe’s most important pilgrimage site for almost 1000 years. 

Olav II Haraldson, also known as Olav the Stout (as in fat), is renown as the Viking king who supposedly brought Christianity to Norway, although this claim is questioned…

Kristoffer Hivju (Game of Thrones)

This evening, we went to a concert at Nidaros Cathedral, the program being JS Bach and Georg Philip Telemond (German, 1681-1767). The cathedral and acoustics are magnificent. 

Archbishop’s Palace Museum

The Archbishop’s Palace was the home and administrative center of the Norwegian Archbishops since 12^th century until the Reformation in 1537. No fewer than 27 archbishops have lived here. After the Reformation, ownership passed to the Danish King. In 1983, a fire destroyed two large wooden buildings. A new museum was erected in their place, housing many of the more spectacular finds from archaeological excavations in the 1980’s on the site.

The Crown Regalia

The King’s crown and other Regalia of Norway are exhibited in the west wing of the Archbishop’s Palace (NOK 90; closed Mondays and off-season). This priceless historical collection symbolizes more than a millennium of the Norwegian monarchy. The current King’s crown was acquired by King Charles III John for his coronation in 1818. The crown has since been used for four coronations and two benedictions.

Britt's Norwegian Waffles

Sunday, 30 August ~ Trondheim 

 At midday we went to visit Britt Akslen and Birger Melå.

Britt and I met at UCSB in 1982. 

She suggested that I might need "a good Norwegian au pair"...  

Brit and Birger live in Trondheim in an area called Byåsen 

(the name of Britt's handball team) 

with spectacular views of Trondheim. 

 Britt prepared Norwegian waffles, which are soft and shaped as a row of three hearts. 

One smothers a dollop of house made strawberry jam and perhaps a slice of the Norwegian brown cheese we have come to love.

Walks in the Woods

Every morning, Solfrid and I take a long walk in the forest with the dogs. It is definitely one of my favorite times of the visit, spending quality time with this amazing adult woman whom I knew as a young nineteen year old, once upon a time. 

Kasper (back) and Buskas (front)
Kasper is Buskas' father.
In fact, his nickname is "lover boy"
as he has fathered many pups all over Scandinavia.

All littering is forbidden, including garden waste.
Violators will be reported to the police.
(with whom I am walking!)