Forgive the lack of order in when these little stories and albums were posted. So much depended on when I could get photos sorted and had time to post. Just enjoy.

THE DRIVER

STARTING POINT

We’ve crossed the mountains from Neset Camping today, down to Lysefjord, then up and over to this small oil-based city on Norway’s west coast. Stavanger, where around 872 King Harold finally planted his sword after many bloody battles and declared Norway united. Since oil production has been cut back drastically Norway, and especially Stavanger, have experienced a spike in unemployment but the rest of the Norwegian economy hums along, rich and intelligently socialist and even-tempered—so  different then the present state of the U.S. it’s hard to believe they’re entities on the same earth.

What a wildly beautiful drive over. The boys and I took part of this same route in 2006 and even as humans seem to get a little crazier all of the time, geography keeps on reminding us that there is majesty and wonder in the natural environment. And almost best of all are the magic of the mountain cairns—like flowing lava and gleaming blue icebergs they charm and beguile and bring good luck.

Two more days in Norway, then it’s on to London Town. The trip so far exactly as planned—Greenland adventure and Norway family. Teresa knows new cousins and how to drive in a foreign country as well as the pleasures of evening waffles and strawberries. I feel renewed reconnected revitalized. I’ve written often for classes and other writing projects about how I grew up in a Norwegian immigrant community with a dad who always introduced himself as a ‘Norski’ so my feeling of being part of this lovely land is very strong. All of the northlands actually, but especially, and quite naturally, Norway and Minnesota.

I have many plans for more writing about this trip from multiple perspectives, especially once I’m back home hiding out from the August sun in the writing corner of my bedroom. However for these next few days I intend to post a flurry of photo albums about the glories of the geographic northlands as experienced these three weeks in 2016.

This has been today’s drive from Neset Camping to Stavanger, Norway. Too many cairn photos you say…who can resist though. My sons and I made one last time here in 2006 but I could not identify it. Nevertheless it has kept the trolls at bay all of these years.