Fjords!

Fjords - We have officially seen fjords. They are absolutely amazing. During our quick 3-day driving tour around central/western Norway we saw some very diverse landscapes: rolling hills of farmland, deep and steep fjords with forested cliffs and tranquil water, barren mountain tops dotted with snow, and charming small towns with colorfully painted buildings and clear air. We started in Lærdal, took the 3 hour ferry ride to Gudvangen, a short drive past Voss, then a ferry to Utne. Gorgeous, gorgeous views everywhere. This was the largest fjord in the world, Sognefjord, and it cuts so deep into Norway's middle that we could travel there from Oslo in just a few hours driving. At places it is over 4000 feet deep! And if you have an urge to see waterfalls, this is place to be! "Foss" after foss after foss. Some are tiny, some drop thousands of feet, and some come rushing down the cliffs splashing into the fjord water. And we saw a glacier too! Please visit... we would love to take you here.

Boller - These are yummy sweet rolls. Nils is an excellent boller baker. On our journey, we tasted an award winning bolle filled with little chocolate pieces. You'll never guess who the baker was. A gas station owner! He sells them at his gas station in the town of Voss.

Interview - I have an interview Wednesday for a project manager position with portal installations. Wish me luck.

Cabin - We visited the family cabin in the mountains (the ones I mentioned above that are barren with lakes and snow. And sheep! We saw a herd of sheep every day, travelling back and forth to graze. Not much to graze on there! The roof is a grass roof which Lars had just cut. Nice, freshly clipped grass roof. Could anything be cozier?

Norah Jones - Last Friday, before we left on our excursion, a good friend took me to a Norah Jones concert in Oslo. One word - unbelievable. Every time she started singing a song, we could not believe her voice was real. It is that good. She had a wonderful show, filled with diverse songs (old, new, experimental/instrumental). I forget we no longer have huge American venues that hold tens of thousands of spectators, with lines to get in. We just walked right in 5 minutes after the starting time, saw plenty of open chairs, and got to sit about 100 yards from her.

Koselig - (koosh ih lee) This Norwegian word sort of means cozy and nice. It is said often. This is a very "cozy" culture. Maybe because it is so chilly most of the year, people have to be cozy to stay warm. The concert was koselig (small audience, intimate, relaxed, casual) and being on someone's sailboat is koselig (at night when you sit out on the boat together talking enjoying the view) and in general life here is koselig!