The night before our final concert, when most people were busy packing and saying goodbye, I took a deep breath and leapt down a new path. Having had my own heart broken more often than I'd like, I have a tendency to be overly cautious both with my own emotional well being and that of others. The feelings I'd been having for David (a classmate) kept getting stronger the more time I spent with him; the more I thought about it, the more sure I was that I wanted to spend even more time with him. We are both very aware of the potential for negative ramifications if things go poorly next year, however things are going very well and I haven't been happier in a very long time.
Our first adventure as a couple was a cross-country tour. We took off from Rauland on a Saturday afternoon by bus. The plan was to catch the night bus to Uppsala (yippee!), but that plan fell through when the bus was full. I called everyone we knew in Oslo. A classmate of ours came through with his mother's apartment in a very nice neighborhood in Oslo. His mother was moving so, we got the place to ourselves for the few hours we were there.
Early the next morning we found our way back out of the courtyard (we were very nearly locked in) and back to the bus station. After nine long hours on the bus, we arrived at the central station in Stockholm where we met David's mother, Nina. We were very happy that she was in the city and driving up to Uppsala, because we were very hungry and had run into some money trouble (my bank card had stopped working and David was broke). She made good time and we arrived at his home outside the city and met his brother, Thomas, and father, Anders. Everyone was very welcoming - it was fantastic to be home.
After dinner we went for a walk in the forest, then took a shower, and played some music. We were generally exhausted from our journey, but it was good to move, good to play, and phenomenal to be clean. I could have slept through the whole following day, but it was Thomas' birthday so we got up early and woke him up with cake, song, and presents. It was very festive.
In the afternoon, David took me on an Uppsala sightseeing tour. We met a couple friends of his for coffee and sat outside at a cafe in the almost too warm sunshine. We did some shopping (cough drops and a new tooth brush), visited David's high school, the cathedral, and the salvation army. Before leaving town we stopped at the concert hall, both to admire the building and the view from the top floor.
Hot and tired, we headed back to the cozy valley David grew up in, stopping only for Swedish summer essentials (soft serve and dill chips). Back at the Rönnlund ranch (which is not a ranch in the slightest), Anders was preparing Thomas' birthday dinner (steak!). The brothers worked together to produce homemade pasta. As if all that weren't enough, the meal was rounded out with a caprice salad and a second round of birthday cake. David took me sightseeing in the neighboring valley afterward; the pleasant drive and long walk gave us ample time to talk about all kinds of things - and test the temperature of the water. I ended the evening having a somewhat involved conversation with Nina about my thoughts on Judaism; her mother was jewish, so it was an interesting discussion for both of us.
The next day we packed Thomas' car with our things and headed back toward Norway. We spent the evening with Peter, David's uncle, in Karlstad. Well rested we took off toward Geilo and the first NM in folkemusikk (formerly Landskappleiken). Our journey was slowed by a very punctured tire that we limped along on from Kongsberg to Geilo; we filled it once with air and once with foam. Upon arriving in Geilo ten hours later, we changed to the mini tire to be certain that we could drive to the gas station in the morning. In the morning we found out that the tire had four holes in it and we didn't manage to leave before replacing two tires (they wouldn't let us fix just the one).
Showing posts with label buses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label buses. Show all posts
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
A day in Aberdeen
I arrived in Aberdeen after flying from Seattle via Copenhagen. It was a long, long trip that was not made shorter by the fact that I had managed to dump most of a glass of wine on my lap in the early hours of the first flight. Having arrived in Scotland, I exchanged what was left of my US currency and hopped a bus to the Youth Hostel.
That sounds pretty good, except I didn't really know where I was or where I was going. At least not at the level that I like to know these things. The result was not catastrophic, but I did wind up getting off the bus about ten blocks early and hauling all of my luggage along the bus route to the Youth Hostel.
I got checked in, stashed my stuff (up three flights of stairs), and decided to go for a walk. Seeing as how I'd botched being prepared arriving in Aberdeen, I figured I might as well be prepared leaving the city. I walked through a long street of shops (stopping for coffee and a sandwich) and made a sharp right to the harbor. I had acquired a map, so I knew where I was headed.
I was headed to the ferry terminal. I wanted to know if there were luggage lockers that I could leave my bags in during the day, since check out was at 10am and the boat wasn't leaving until 5pm. What I could see through the tinted windows didn't indicate the presence of lockers, and I didn't really want to appear too suspicious on the deserted dock, so I started formulating a plan B. That consisted of 'there must be lockers at the train or bus station' which I had walked past on the way down.
I went grocery shopping and tried to refrain from purchasing the whole store. I only needed food for one day and I already had coffee. (I bought coffee and a travel mug/french press in Seattle) I found myself with cheese, crackers, smoothie, and a couple bottles of water. I'd been walking for a couple hours by the time I made it back to the hostel, ate, showered, and crashed.
In the morning, I got up, had breakfast, repacked, and checked out. I took a bus to the bus station and asked about luggage lockers; they directed me to the train station a bus away. At the train station I paid £4 to have my bags searched and stored while I wandered around. I figured both the search and the price were reasonable.
Freed from my burdens, I headed off to the art gallery. There I made a painstaking survey of everything (just about) on the first floor. Then it was lunch time (spicy carrot soup!) before almost the same consideration was given to the upper floor. There was a lot more to look at on the upper floor and I was getting tired so I didn't quite study everything. Also, there were a few rooms closed. I suppose I'll just have to go back if I want to really see everything!
Having exhausted the gallery, I headed into the toasty early afternoon sun. I read in the park for a while. I drank coffee in a shop where the Canadian barista asked if I was reading Swedish. I bought a pen to write postcards and then wrote them. Then, I reclaimed my bags and headed back to the ferry terminal. It was time for adventure.
That sounds pretty good, except I didn't really know where I was or where I was going. At least not at the level that I like to know these things. The result was not catastrophic, but I did wind up getting off the bus about ten blocks early and hauling all of my luggage along the bus route to the Youth Hostel.
I got checked in, stashed my stuff (up three flights of stairs), and decided to go for a walk. Seeing as how I'd botched being prepared arriving in Aberdeen, I figured I might as well be prepared leaving the city. I walked through a long street of shops (stopping for coffee and a sandwich) and made a sharp right to the harbor. I had acquired a map, so I knew where I was headed.
I was headed to the ferry terminal. I wanted to know if there were luggage lockers that I could leave my bags in during the day, since check out was at 10am and the boat wasn't leaving until 5pm. What I could see through the tinted windows didn't indicate the presence of lockers, and I didn't really want to appear too suspicious on the deserted dock, so I started formulating a plan B. That consisted of 'there must be lockers at the train or bus station' which I had walked past on the way down.
I went grocery shopping and tried to refrain from purchasing the whole store. I only needed food for one day and I already had coffee. (I bought coffee and a travel mug/french press in Seattle) I found myself with cheese, crackers, smoothie, and a couple bottles of water. I'd been walking for a couple hours by the time I made it back to the hostel, ate, showered, and crashed.
In the morning, I got up, had breakfast, repacked, and checked out. I took a bus to the bus station and asked about luggage lockers; they directed me to the train station a bus away. At the train station I paid £4 to have my bags searched and stored while I wandered around. I figured both the search and the price were reasonable.
Freed from my burdens, I headed off to the art gallery. There I made a painstaking survey of everything (just about) on the first floor. Then it was lunch time (spicy carrot soup!) before almost the same consideration was given to the upper floor. There was a lot more to look at on the upper floor and I was getting tired so I didn't quite study everything. Also, there were a few rooms closed. I suppose I'll just have to go back if I want to really see everything!
Having exhausted the gallery, I headed into the toasty early afternoon sun. I read in the park for a while. I drank coffee in a shop where the Canadian barista asked if I was reading Swedish. I bought a pen to write postcards and then wrote them. Then, I reclaimed my bags and headed back to the ferry terminal. It was time for adventure.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Visitors from abroad
Last weekend my wonderful friends Christa and Rania came to visit me in Rauland. Rania is studying in London right now and Christa made the trek all the way from Astoria. They had never met before, but the way the timing worked out, they were both available to visit me the same weekend.
Christa was scheduled to arrive from Sweden (where she had been visiting relatives) on Wednesday with the 6:20 bus. I went out to wait for it. A young man got off at the school, but I'd told her to get off at the student apartments, so I wasn't worried. I asked him if there were any girls still on the bus, and then if there was an American. He thought there was an American girl, so I went after the bus.
I walked up to the main road, thinking I might catch the bus there as it came back down from the rehabilitation center up the hill. When I didn't see it, I started walking toward the center of town. I walked on the road because I figured I would see the bus, and Christa, if it drove by me. It hadn't passed me by the time I got to the gas station, so I went in and asked if they'd seen the bus. After looking at me like I was crazy, they said no.
I headed back to my apartment. Slightly frantic, but telling myself the whole time that Christa is perfectly capable and it's not possible to get lost in Rauland. She must be coming on the next bus. I ate dinner and went to the evening concert. Not before considering calling or emailing Christa's company to see if they had heard anything from her...
The concert was Trio Nor, a star studded cast of Knut Hamre, Anders Bjernulf, and Arto Järvelä. As one can imagine, the concert was fabulous. They played individually and together. They played tunes that were related from each of their respective countries. They most certainly did not disappoint on the entertaining chatter.
After the concert, most of us were too shy to play solo. I had to run out to wait for Christa on the next bus, so I didn't get much time to dance. I headed back out into the cold mountain night with a glass of wine for company. Christa arrived at the student apartments shortly thereafter. I crammed some food into her and rushed her back down to the party.
Back in Årestoga, all of the students had started playing (strength in numbers), which left few people and not much space for dancing. That was fine, since I was excited to catch up with Christa. The jam session had taken an English turn, since we were also hosting a young English fiddler that week.
A tune came on that I really wanted to play. I had been talking to Anders Bjernulf and he said I could play his fiddle (mine was locked in the school). What a thrill! It is always a little awkward playing on an instrument you've never tried before, especially when it's such a nice fiddle. I must have looked terrified while I was playing!
On Thursday, Rania arrived on the 6:20 bus. She hadn't been stopped at the Swedish border like Christa, so she arrived on time! We had dinner with my roommate and one of the other art students. The art students had just finished all of their exams and were planning a party at my place that evening.
The party wound up being fairly low-key for once. A bunch of us sat in the kitchen talking and a bunch in Birgit's room listening to music. After a while, some more musicians (including the visiting Englishman) showed up and things got a little rowdy. Eventually though, it was time to go to sleep - especially since Rania had been travelling since 3am!
Christa was scheduled to arrive from Sweden (where she had been visiting relatives) on Wednesday with the 6:20 bus. I went out to wait for it. A young man got off at the school, but I'd told her to get off at the student apartments, so I wasn't worried. I asked him if there were any girls still on the bus, and then if there was an American. He thought there was an American girl, so I went after the bus.
I walked up to the main road, thinking I might catch the bus there as it came back down from the rehabilitation center up the hill. When I didn't see it, I started walking toward the center of town. I walked on the road because I figured I would see the bus, and Christa, if it drove by me. It hadn't passed me by the time I got to the gas station, so I went in and asked if they'd seen the bus. After looking at me like I was crazy, they said no.
I headed back to my apartment. Slightly frantic, but telling myself the whole time that Christa is perfectly capable and it's not possible to get lost in Rauland. She must be coming on the next bus. I ate dinner and went to the evening concert. Not before considering calling or emailing Christa's company to see if they had heard anything from her...
The concert was Trio Nor, a star studded cast of Knut Hamre, Anders Bjernulf, and Arto Järvelä. As one can imagine, the concert was fabulous. They played individually and together. They played tunes that were related from each of their respective countries. They most certainly did not disappoint on the entertaining chatter.
After the concert, most of us were too shy to play solo. I had to run out to wait for Christa on the next bus, so I didn't get much time to dance. I headed back out into the cold mountain night with a glass of wine for company. Christa arrived at the student apartments shortly thereafter. I crammed some food into her and rushed her back down to the party.
Back in Årestoga, all of the students had started playing (strength in numbers), which left few people and not much space for dancing. That was fine, since I was excited to catch up with Christa. The jam session had taken an English turn, since we were also hosting a young English fiddler that week.
A tune came on that I really wanted to play. I had been talking to Anders Bjernulf and he said I could play his fiddle (mine was locked in the school). What a thrill! It is always a little awkward playing on an instrument you've never tried before, especially when it's such a nice fiddle. I must have looked terrified while I was playing!
On Thursday, Rania arrived on the 6:20 bus. She hadn't been stopped at the Swedish border like Christa, so she arrived on time! We had dinner with my roommate and one of the other art students. The art students had just finished all of their exams and were planning a party at my place that evening.
The party wound up being fairly low-key for once. A bunch of us sat in the kitchen talking and a bunch in Birgit's room listening to music. After a while, some more musicians (including the visiting Englishman) showed up and things got a little rowdy. Eventually though, it was time to go to sleep - especially since Rania had been travelling since 3am!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Winter Break Part V
It takes two buses to get to Trysil from Hamar. Fortunately, they're relatively short and inexpensive. I arrived on a bus full of ski tourists eager to get to their hotels, trying to jump off at every stop starting in the town before Trysil.
Else and her father met me at the bus station and we piled my luggage into the car. As usual, the Myhr home was full of friendly faces. In addition to the Else, her three siblings, her parents, and me, they were entertaining a visit from an aunt and uncle. While I was there the family received a constant stream of guests.
The Myhr family is extremely good at entertaining guests. Coffee and cookies are always around. Usually there is some kind of game played; we played lots of cards, Fantasi (think charades), a relative of Monopoly, and did I mention, lots of cards.
One evening we went on a road trip to Sømådalen to see a play. Sømådalen is about an hour and a half away from Trysil and is a very small place. From what I could tell, in the middle of the night, it consisted of an intersection with a community building and not much else. The play was put on by the theater club of local kids. They were presenting Trekkspillkrigen (the Accordion War), a rather bizarre story about bad meat and conflict between fiddlers and dance band music.
While in Trysil I made my first outing on skis in Norway. It's almost not worth mentioning, it was so short. We managed three laps around the small field by Else's house. In our defense, it was a delightfully beautiful day, but also a chilly -10C (14F).
We spent New Year's Eve enjoying each other's company in their cozy living room. At midnight we went outside to watch the fireworks the tourists were shooting off the mountain across the river. (It was really cold then -24C/-11F.) Once we were thoroughly frozen we came inside and started the new year with cheese and crackers and a movie.
I spent my New Year's Day on the bus back to Rauland. The moon was an amazing harvest moon that we chased all evening across Southern Norway. I arrived to an empty Studentheim, happy to be home and filled with good memories of my winter break.
Else and her father met me at the bus station and we piled my luggage into the car. As usual, the Myhr home was full of friendly faces. In addition to the Else, her three siblings, her parents, and me, they were entertaining a visit from an aunt and uncle. While I was there the family received a constant stream of guests.
The Myhr family is extremely good at entertaining guests. Coffee and cookies are always around. Usually there is some kind of game played; we played lots of cards, Fantasi (think charades), a relative of Monopoly, and did I mention, lots of cards.
One evening we went on a road trip to Sømådalen to see a play. Sømådalen is about an hour and a half away from Trysil and is a very small place. From what I could tell, in the middle of the night, it consisted of an intersection with a community building and not much else. The play was put on by the theater club of local kids. They were presenting Trekkspillkrigen (the Accordion War), a rather bizarre story about bad meat and conflict between fiddlers and dance band music.
While in Trysil I made my first outing on skis in Norway. It's almost not worth mentioning, it was so short. We managed three laps around the small field by Else's house. In our defense, it was a delightfully beautiful day, but also a chilly -10C (14F).
We spent New Year's Eve enjoying each other's company in their cozy living room. At midnight we went outside to watch the fireworks the tourists were shooting off the mountain across the river. (It was really cold then -24C/-11F.) Once we were thoroughly frozen we came inside and started the new year with cheese and crackers and a movie.
I spent my New Year's Day on the bus back to Rauland. The moon was an amazing harvest moon that we chased all evening across Southern Norway. I arrived to an empty Studentheim, happy to be home and filled with good memories of my winter break.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Winter Break Part II
I arrived in Oslo both hungry from not eating enough and queasy from being on the bus all day. Not a fun combination. The bus was a few minutes early, so Åsmund hadn't quite made it to the bus station yet. That gave me time to try to help a little old lady call her granddaughter (also named Ingrid) who was meeting her at the station. Åsmund and the granddaughter arrived at the same time and we all headed off to enjoy the holidays.
Well, Åsmund and I headed off in search of food. The restaurant he thought we could go to was closed; in the sense that a completely gutted storefront is a closed restaurant. We wound up eating cheeseburgers across the street from Bondeheimen. Marianne, Åsmund's girlfriend joined us just as her food arrived. Note, in Norway cheeseburgers come with corn and special sauce in addition to the cheese, burger, pickles, and lettuce; you really do need the knife and fork.
To make our Sunday evening in the city complete, we headed to the cinema to see Max Manus (see it when you get a chance). Then we headed back to their apartment and relaxed for a while. Åsmund hung up his laundry. Marianne wrapped his Christmas present. I lit Chanukah candles and played ukulele. In the morning, that is before noon, Åsmund and I got up and hit the road for Ottestad (just outside of Hamar).
We arrived to an empty house (only the dog, Tutta was home). We put our bags where they belonged and decided we needed to take a trip to town. Åsmund was after an almost last minute gift and we both figured it would be a good idea to stop at the liquor store before it closed for the week (this was a Monday!).
Well, Åsmund and I headed off in search of food. The restaurant he thought we could go to was closed; in the sense that a completely gutted storefront is a closed restaurant. We wound up eating cheeseburgers across the street from Bondeheimen. Marianne, Åsmund's girlfriend joined us just as her food arrived. Note, in Norway cheeseburgers come with corn and special sauce in addition to the cheese, burger, pickles, and lettuce; you really do need the knife and fork.
To make our Sunday evening in the city complete, we headed to the cinema to see Max Manus (see it when you get a chance). Then we headed back to their apartment and relaxed for a while. Åsmund hung up his laundry. Marianne wrapped his Christmas present. I lit Chanukah candles and played ukulele. In the morning, that is before noon, Åsmund and I got up and hit the road for Ottestad (just outside of Hamar).
We arrived to an empty house (only the dog, Tutta was home). We put our bags where they belonged and decided we needed to take a trip to town. Åsmund was after an almost last minute gift and we both figured it would be a good idea to stop at the liquor store before it closed for the week (this was a Monday!).
Monday, November 3, 2008
Folkemusikkhelga i Suldal
This weekend I enjoyed a trip over the mountains to the West with two of my classmates. We descended to sea-level on the bus (I hate traveling by bus) to Sand in Suldal, which is in Rogaland.
Sveinung's mother was the course organizer for the weekend, and also let us stay at her house. Over the course of the weekend, Sveinung and I took a kvedar (singer) class with Halvor Håkanes and David took hardingfele with Arngunn Timenes Bell (who is the sister of one of our classmates here in Rauland).
After we arrived on Friday, we unpacked and then headed up to Mo Laksegard where the courses were held and where most people were staying. Like Seabeck, they have houses that people sleep in, you can order your meals whether or not you're staying there, there's a small but functional bar, two fireplaces, a pool for warmer times of the year, and a dance hall.
We got straight to work on Friday, singing a few soothing melodies; a lullabye or two and a couple of stev. I raised the excitement level by getting locked in the bathroom during the break. I, like most people, lock the door when I use a bathroom. Somehow, the wrong key had been placed in the lock. After several minutes of trying, unsuccessfully, to unlock the door, I was about ready to call for help when several other class members arrived on the other side of the door.
We sent the key out the window and they tried unlocking it from the other side. Eventually the solution became clear. I would have to exit the bathroom the same way as the key. They brought around a chair and faster than Sveinung could get my camera, I was out the bathroom window and back on solid ground.
The rest of the weekend was considerably less exciting, but fun nonetheless. We learned a bunch of good tunes (stev, ballad, and slåttestev) from Halvor. We learned Suldalspringar, which is a super peppy dance. Saturday night was a presentation of everything we had learned, plus the teachers played solo. Some folks played for dancing after the concert as well.
On Sunday, we finished the courses in the morning and then began our bus journey home. We finally arrived in Rauland and made the decision (David and I) to go straight to dance. We were already a half hour late. It's always a small crowd, but it's fun and it's good to dance on a Sunday evening. Last night was the first time I've played for dancing and that was really fun.
This morning I was going to get up early to wash at the dentist's office (at 6am). I was in the middle of a dream about being late for a doctor's appointment when suddenly I woke up and realized that it was far too light outside to be 6am. It was in fact 8am. I had time to take out the garbage and vacuum, but that was all. I guess I was tired from the weekend!
Sveinung's mother was the course organizer for the weekend, and also let us stay at her house. Over the course of the weekend, Sveinung and I took a kvedar (singer) class with Halvor Håkanes and David took hardingfele with Arngunn Timenes Bell (who is the sister of one of our classmates here in Rauland).
After we arrived on Friday, we unpacked and then headed up to Mo Laksegard where the courses were held and where most people were staying. Like Seabeck, they have houses that people sleep in, you can order your meals whether or not you're staying there, there's a small but functional bar, two fireplaces, a pool for warmer times of the year, and a dance hall.
We got straight to work on Friday, singing a few soothing melodies; a lullabye or two and a couple of stev. I raised the excitement level by getting locked in the bathroom during the break. I, like most people, lock the door when I use a bathroom. Somehow, the wrong key had been placed in the lock. After several minutes of trying, unsuccessfully, to unlock the door, I was about ready to call for help when several other class members arrived on the other side of the door.
We sent the key out the window and they tried unlocking it from the other side. Eventually the solution became clear. I would have to exit the bathroom the same way as the key. They brought around a chair and faster than Sveinung could get my camera, I was out the bathroom window and back on solid ground.
The rest of the weekend was considerably less exciting, but fun nonetheless. We learned a bunch of good tunes (stev, ballad, and slåttestev) from Halvor. We learned Suldalspringar, which is a super peppy dance. Saturday night was a presentation of everything we had learned, plus the teachers played solo. Some folks played for dancing after the concert as well.
On Sunday, we finished the courses in the morning and then began our bus journey home. We finally arrived in Rauland and made the decision (David and I) to go straight to dance. We were already a half hour late. It's always a small crowd, but it's fun and it's good to dance on a Sunday evening. Last night was the first time I've played for dancing and that was really fun.
This morning I was going to get up early to wash at the dentist's office (at 6am). I was in the middle of a dream about being late for a doctor's appointment when suddenly I woke up and realized that it was far too light outside to be 6am. It was in fact 8am. I had time to take out the garbage and vacuum, but that was all. I guess I was tired from the weekend!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Farsund
From where we are (in the center of Norway) it takes 9 hours on the bus to get to Farsund where I was going to a music festival (Nordsjøfestivalen) with six of my classmates. We had a good time on the bus, but were really happy to finally get to Farsund. We were less happy when we started walking in the dark with our small orchestra of instruments the 2.5km to the hotel.
We arrived at the hotel and got our room assignments. All the girls (5 of us) in one room, and the boys in another. Fortunately, the hotel was really nice and there was plenty of room for five girls. We could also walk straight out of our rooms to the pier where some of us played music and some swam and some just got a head start on the party.
The second year students and instructors had some concerts. There were also concerts from bands around the North Sea. Really awesome bands. Lots of concerts! My recommendations for listening are Benedicte Maurseth for Norwegian and Fiddler's Bid for Shetland music. Of course, I've already made recommendations for Bruvoll/Halvorsen and RUSK. One of the better concerts was two of my instructors and titled 'songs they don't play on the radio'. Eight concerts in one day - and that was just one day!
I saw a several friends at the festival that I didn't realize would be there. The best surprise was Håvard. Even better was getting to listen to him play Saturday night during the buskspel! The evening parties were pretty fun. Hard to go wrong with friends and music!
The bus trip back was really long, but we made it. The worst was the train; I always feel ill on the train between Kristiansand and Bø. Luckily, we all got dropped off at our houses and no one had to schlep instruments too far. Man, was I happy to take a shower and crawl into my comfortable bed!
We arrived at the hotel and got our room assignments. All the girls (5 of us) in one room, and the boys in another. Fortunately, the hotel was really nice and there was plenty of room for five girls. We could also walk straight out of our rooms to the pier where some of us played music and some swam and some just got a head start on the party.
The second year students and instructors had some concerts. There were also concerts from bands around the North Sea. Really awesome bands. Lots of concerts! My recommendations for listening are Benedicte Maurseth for Norwegian and Fiddler's Bid for Shetland music. Of course, I've already made recommendations for Bruvoll/Halvorsen and RUSK. One of the better concerts was two of my instructors and titled 'songs they don't play on the radio'. Eight concerts in one day - and that was just one day!
I saw a several friends at the festival that I didn't realize would be there. The best surprise was Håvard. Even better was getting to listen to him play Saturday night during the buskspel! The evening parties were pretty fun. Hard to go wrong with friends and music!
The bus trip back was really long, but we made it. The worst was the train; I always feel ill on the train between Kristiansand and Bø. Luckily, we all got dropped off at our houses and no one had to schlep instruments too far. Man, was I happy to take a shower and crawl into my comfortable bed!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Today we play & Back to Bø
August 21, 2008
The main focus of Thursday's classes was learning tunes and playing together. We did that all morning and part of the afternoon. Then we were assigned instructors and there was the optional class in beginning music theory. I took the music theory, mostly because I figured it would be helpful to know what everything was in Norwegian.
After class I got a ride to Bø from one of my instructors, Ragnhild Furholt. The drive takes an hour and a half and it is difficult to get there and back in one afternoon on the bus. I was really glad that she was willing to take me as a passenger. I tried to keep up conversation, but as we wound our way down the mountain, I began to feel more and more carsick and talking much just wasn't an option. It all worked out and we made it into town without any major catastrophes.
In Bø, I collected my suitcase. By that I mean, I walked into the basement of the student home that was the motel I'd stayed in during the Telemarkfestival, grabbed my suitcase, and walked out. It was that easy, and I'm glad no one else had done it! Then I waited at the bus stop for three hours and couldn't make phone calls because the phone card wasn't working. I did get to talk to a very nice lady who had had a rather irritating day travelling on the late Norwegian trains.
Back on the bus, I tried to sleep. That didn't exactly work since the lady behind me was talking incessantly in a very high-pitched whine. I was also worried about the connection in Åmot. I shouldn't have been.
We pulled into the bus station in Åmot and the only vehicles parked in the bus zone were a minivan and two SUV's. I was trying to decide if I should ask someone if the bus to Rauland had left, when the guy with the minivan asked where I was going. When I said Rauland, he pointed to the first of the two SUV's. It's a pretty smart system. In day time I haven't seen more than six people on the bus; why should they spend the gas on driving a whole bus up the mountain when they could just send a small vehicle? Needless to say, I was the only passenger heading to Rauland and I got delivered back to the dorm.
Once inside with my suitcase, I started unpacking. Suddenly, I have have doubled my wardrobe! It's like going shopping without spending money or trying things on! Plus, now I have batteries and chargers and dictionaries that I didn't have before. Hannukah in August!
The main focus of Thursday's classes was learning tunes and playing together. We did that all morning and part of the afternoon. Then we were assigned instructors and there was the optional class in beginning music theory. I took the music theory, mostly because I figured it would be helpful to know what everything was in Norwegian.
After class I got a ride to Bø from one of my instructors, Ragnhild Furholt. The drive takes an hour and a half and it is difficult to get there and back in one afternoon on the bus. I was really glad that she was willing to take me as a passenger. I tried to keep up conversation, but as we wound our way down the mountain, I began to feel more and more carsick and talking much just wasn't an option. It all worked out and we made it into town without any major catastrophes.
In Bø, I collected my suitcase. By that I mean, I walked into the basement of the student home that was the motel I'd stayed in during the Telemarkfestival, grabbed my suitcase, and walked out. It was that easy, and I'm glad no one else had done it! Then I waited at the bus stop for three hours and couldn't make phone calls because the phone card wasn't working. I did get to talk to a very nice lady who had had a rather irritating day travelling on the late Norwegian trains.
Back on the bus, I tried to sleep. That didn't exactly work since the lady behind me was talking incessantly in a very high-pitched whine. I was also worried about the connection in Åmot. I shouldn't have been.
We pulled into the bus station in Åmot and the only vehicles parked in the bus zone were a minivan and two SUV's. I was trying to decide if I should ask someone if the bus to Rauland had left, when the guy with the minivan asked where I was going. When I said Rauland, he pointed to the first of the two SUV's. It's a pretty smart system. In day time I haven't seen more than six people on the bus; why should they spend the gas on driving a whole bus up the mountain when they could just send a small vehicle? Needless to say, I was the only passenger heading to Rauland and I got delivered back to the dorm.
Once inside with my suitcase, I started unpacking. Suddenly, I have have doubled my wardrobe! It's like going shopping without spending money or trying things on! Plus, now I have batteries and chargers and dictionaries that I didn't have before. Hannukah in August!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Transition
August 17-18, 2008
That evening, it was Peder's turn to head to school. He packed and cleared out his room. I packed my things and prepared for my 4am wake-up and 5am bus departure the next morning. We had dinner as a family. I stayed up way too late watching one more movie before going to bed. I didn't really want to leave.
I was so nervous that I would oversleep, that I woke up before the alarm. I was just about ready when Oddmund came to check on me. I grabbed an apple and headed out the door with all of my luggage. The bus was waiting for me and I climbed on board.
Three and a half hours later, I got off in Oslo. I got a sandwich and the ticket to Åmot. Confusingly, the displays listed two bus number 180's, one going through Vinje and one that didn't. The one going through Vinje never arrived, so just before the other one took off, I asked the driver if there was another bus coming. Nope! He was the only one. I'm sure glad I asked.
Four more hours on the bus, plus a little extra for some new asphalt (I took that as a good omen), we pulled in Åmot. The drivers change buses there and get a little break, so it's hard to miss your stop if that's where you're supposed to get off. One last short trip in a minibus up the mountain and I had arrived at Raulands Akademiet.
I checked in and got my key from the super helpful Anne Margit. She has been helping me via email for months now, so it was nice to meet her in person. She introduced me to the vaktmester (janitor just doesn't quite cover it) for the school and the student housing. He drove me up the hill, carried my bag, and showed me my room. It was then that I met Birgit.
That evening, it was Peder's turn to head to school. He packed and cleared out his room. I packed my things and prepared for my 4am wake-up and 5am bus departure the next morning. We had dinner as a family. I stayed up way too late watching one more movie before going to bed. I didn't really want to leave.
I was so nervous that I would oversleep, that I woke up before the alarm. I was just about ready when Oddmund came to check on me. I grabbed an apple and headed out the door with all of my luggage. The bus was waiting for me and I climbed on board.
Three and a half hours later, I got off in Oslo. I got a sandwich and the ticket to Åmot. Confusingly, the displays listed two bus number 180's, one going through Vinje and one that didn't. The one going through Vinje never arrived, so just before the other one took off, I asked the driver if there was another bus coming. Nope! He was the only one. I'm sure glad I asked.
Four more hours on the bus, plus a little extra for some new asphalt (I took that as a good omen), we pulled in Åmot. The drivers change buses there and get a little break, so it's hard to miss your stop if that's where you're supposed to get off. One last short trip in a minibus up the mountain and I had arrived at Raulands Akademiet.
I checked in and got my key from the super helpful Anne Margit. She has been helping me via email for months now, so it was nice to meet her in person. She introduced me to the vaktmester (janitor just doesn't quite cover it) for the school and the student housing. He drove me up the hill, carried my bag, and showed me my room. It was then that I met Birgit.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Hamar III
August 15, 2008
Before returning the the Hedmark Museum, I stopped at an electronics store (El-kjøp) to check out cell phones. I'm still not quite ready to make the leap and purchase a phone, but it gave me the opportunity to read about the various plans. I now have a better idea of what it is I want, I think. It seems like I talk on the phone more than I send text messages, and that I talk on the phone a lot. So, it makes the most sense to me to get a slightly more expensive monthly plan with a less expensive rate by the minute. I'd welcome feedback on this topic.
I continued on my way to the Hedmark Museum and arrived just as Bjørn Sverre was pulling into the parking lot. We had lunch in his house, which is on the museum grounds, with another friend of his who was visiting from Oslo. She was also a fiddler and a dancer. She was also a jeweler and super sweet.
After lunch, Bjørn Sverre gave us a tour of the museum. The museum includes buildings from all periods of Hedmarks history from the ruins of the medieval church (ca. 1250) to early twentieth century buildings that aren't quite open yet. Bjørn Sverre had to go in and water the plants, so we got to see the house in the process of being staged.
Then he showed us the highlights from the 17th century exhibit, including a whiskey still, a mechanical thresher, and ornate sleighs. Before potatoes came to the area, many of the smaller households were dependant on the income the women of the families made working with the linen and wool textile industry. After the advent of potatoes, the fields that had been used for linen were used to grow potatoes and many families lost up to 46% procent of their textile based income. At least, that's what I think Bjørn Sverre was telling us.
In the end, he arranged a ride for me back into town. I'd done a lot of walking and was a little worried about coming back to Trysil. I got a ride with a lovely woman who dropped me off at the train station just in time to catch the train to Elverum. Of course, there were a couple guys getting on the train who had at least eight suitcases between them, so we were a little late leaving the station.
I should have had twenty minutes to walk to the bus station in Elverum, instead I had eleven. I hurried and arrived at the bus station at exactly 4:50 when the bus should have been leaving. But it was no where to be found. I went inside and it didn't appear to have arrived. I figured that I had time to risk heading to the pay phone to call Else and let her know I was coming. A half hour later, the bus showed up. Again, student price! I was on my way back to Trysil.
Before returning the the Hedmark Museum, I stopped at an electronics store (El-kjøp) to check out cell phones. I'm still not quite ready to make the leap and purchase a phone, but it gave me the opportunity to read about the various plans. I now have a better idea of what it is I want, I think. It seems like I talk on the phone more than I send text messages, and that I talk on the phone a lot. So, it makes the most sense to me to get a slightly more expensive monthly plan with a less expensive rate by the minute. I'd welcome feedback on this topic.
I continued on my way to the Hedmark Museum and arrived just as Bjørn Sverre was pulling into the parking lot. We had lunch in his house, which is on the museum grounds, with another friend of his who was visiting from Oslo. She was also a fiddler and a dancer. She was also a jeweler and super sweet.
After lunch, Bjørn Sverre gave us a tour of the museum. The museum includes buildings from all periods of Hedmarks history from the ruins of the medieval church (ca. 1250) to early twentieth century buildings that aren't quite open yet. Bjørn Sverre had to go in and water the plants, so we got to see the house in the process of being staged.
Then he showed us the highlights from the 17th century exhibit, including a whiskey still, a mechanical thresher, and ornate sleighs. Before potatoes came to the area, many of the smaller households were dependant on the income the women of the families made working with the linen and wool textile industry. After the advent of potatoes, the fields that had been used for linen were used to grow potatoes and many families lost up to 46% procent of their textile based income. At least, that's what I think Bjørn Sverre was telling us.
In the end, he arranged a ride for me back into town. I'd done a lot of walking and was a little worried about coming back to Trysil. I got a ride with a lovely woman who dropped me off at the train station just in time to catch the train to Elverum. Of course, there were a couple guys getting on the train who had at least eight suitcases between them, so we were a little late leaving the station.
I should have had twenty minutes to walk to the bus station in Elverum, instead I had eleven. I hurried and arrived at the bus station at exactly 4:50 when the bus should have been leaving. But it was no where to be found. I went inside and it didn't appear to have arrived. I figured that I had time to risk heading to the pay phone to call Else and let her know I was coming. A half hour later, the bus showed up. Again, student price! I was on my way back to Trysil.
Hamar I
August 14, 2008
I got up early and was delivered back to the bus station. The plan was take the bus (really two buses) to Hamar, visit the Hedmark Museum and Bjørn Sverre, spend the night with Jan and Alvhild and return to Trysil on Friday. Things went really well for the first stage of the plan. Once I got off the bus in Hamar, however, I had to start thinking on my feet.
First, I realized that I didn't really know where it was that I was going. Travel tip: The Hedmark Museum is a fabulous open air museum, but if you want to get there, look for Domkirkeodden on the map. I wound up going to Husfliden and asking them how to get there. They gave me excellent directions and said it would take 15-20 minutes to walk. Since it was drizzling and I didn't feel like pushing it, I took closer to 25 minutes. The rain stopped just as I arrived at the museum.
When I arrived at the museum, I asked at the gift shop if they could call Bjørn Sverre for me. I said I wasn't sure if he was expecting me, but that I thought he knew I was coming. They said he'd had a couple of other guests arrive shortly before and was I with them? No, but I was fairly certain that it was Alix and Roo, and I wouldn't mind joining them. So the girl at the desk tried his office and his cell phone. No answer. I wandered around the museum for a half an hour and we tried calling again with the same result.
I left my bag at the gift shop and took a detailed tour of the grounds. We tried calling again, but still no answer. So, I had an ice cream and a bottle of water, wrote a letter, and enjoyed the sunshine. As I was getting up, just before 3:00, I saw Bjørn Sverre, Alix, and Roo coming down the path from the restaurant! Naturally, they had been there for an hour and a half and I hadn't gone back in to check after my first short tour. Bjørn Sverre was encouraging us to attend the miniconcert in the cathedral ruins (covered by an acoustically resonant glass protective structure), but he had to hurry to make it to his mother's birthday party. We agreed that I would return tomorrow for lunch.
The concert was splendid and brief. Roo, Alix, and I took a short tour to the outdoor, permanent wooden dance stage. We looked at the older farm buildings that were the earliest part of the museum. Then, they needed to look at the gift shop and I needed to get back to the entrance. I was scheduled to meet Jan and Alvhild at 4:00.
I got up early and was delivered back to the bus station. The plan was take the bus (really two buses) to Hamar, visit the Hedmark Museum and Bjørn Sverre, spend the night with Jan and Alvhild and return to Trysil on Friday. Things went really well for the first stage of the plan. Once I got off the bus in Hamar, however, I had to start thinking on my feet.
First, I realized that I didn't really know where it was that I was going. Travel tip: The Hedmark Museum is a fabulous open air museum, but if you want to get there, look for Domkirkeodden on the map. I wound up going to Husfliden and asking them how to get there. They gave me excellent directions and said it would take 15-20 minutes to walk. Since it was drizzling and I didn't feel like pushing it, I took closer to 25 minutes. The rain stopped just as I arrived at the museum.
When I arrived at the museum, I asked at the gift shop if they could call Bjørn Sverre for me. I said I wasn't sure if he was expecting me, but that I thought he knew I was coming. They said he'd had a couple of other guests arrive shortly before and was I with them? No, but I was fairly certain that it was Alix and Roo, and I wouldn't mind joining them. So the girl at the desk tried his office and his cell phone. No answer. I wandered around the museum for a half an hour and we tried calling again with the same result.
I left my bag at the gift shop and took a detailed tour of the grounds. We tried calling again, but still no answer. So, I had an ice cream and a bottle of water, wrote a letter, and enjoyed the sunshine. As I was getting up, just before 3:00, I saw Bjørn Sverre, Alix, and Roo coming down the path from the restaurant! Naturally, they had been there for an hour and a half and I hadn't gone back in to check after my first short tour. Bjørn Sverre was encouraging us to attend the miniconcert in the cathedral ruins (covered by an acoustically resonant glass protective structure), but he had to hurry to make it to his mother's birthday party. We agreed that I would return tomorrow for lunch.
The concert was splendid and brief. Roo, Alix, and I took a short tour to the outdoor, permanent wooden dance stage. We looked at the older farm buildings that were the earliest part of the museum. Then, they needed to look at the gift shop and I needed to get back to the entrance. I was scheduled to meet Jan and Alvhild at 4:00.
Trysil I
August 13, 2008
The train from Trondheim was relatively uneventful. It arrived late in Elverum after traveling at about 45km/hr for roughly an hour due to signal problems. When I got off the train, I still had to get to my friend's house in Trysil and I had no clue how to do that. So I called her.
When Else didn't answer her phone, I called her parents. When they didn't answer, I called Tom not stopping to think that it was 7:30 in the morning and there was no way he'd be awake. Then I called my sister and Anna. They didn't answer either, so I called Else again. This time, she answered right away, and gave me directions to the bus station.
The bus station was a reasonable walk from the train station (not my design, but better than Seattle), but I had a half an hour so I wasn't in a hurry. When the bus arrived, the driver very kindly gave me the student discount, even though I don't have a student ID yet. It's a 50% discount in a country where everything is expensive, so I was very appreciative.
After an hour and twenty minutes' ride, Else's mother met me at the bus station in Trysil. She took me to their house, helped me get my laundry in the wash, and instructed me to wear one of Else's rain jackets. She also helped me realize what day it was. I had managed to lose a day in my travelling and ticket purchasing. I figured things would all work out, since I didn't have any hard and fast plans.
Before long we were back in the car to pick up Else from work. From the hospital, where both of Else's parents are nurses and Else works in the kitchen when she is on holiday, Else and I headed to one of the local restaurants. We met a couple of her childhood friends (Anne and Kari) who were also back in town for their summer holiday and enjoyed a pizza and a beverage.
Back at Else's house, I met her aunt and uncle and their son who will be moving into the apartment downstairs while he goes to school next year. Of Else's three siblings, two of the other's were home and the oldest was expected to arrive any time. Inga, the younger sister, was giving up her bed for me, and I gratefully passed out.
The train from Trondheim was relatively uneventful. It arrived late in Elverum after traveling at about 45km/hr for roughly an hour due to signal problems. When I got off the train, I still had to get to my friend's house in Trysil and I had no clue how to do that. So I called her.
When Else didn't answer her phone, I called her parents. When they didn't answer, I called Tom not stopping to think that it was 7:30 in the morning and there was no way he'd be awake. Then I called my sister and Anna. They didn't answer either, so I called Else again. This time, she answered right away, and gave me directions to the bus station.
The bus station was a reasonable walk from the train station (not my design, but better than Seattle), but I had a half an hour so I wasn't in a hurry. When the bus arrived, the driver very kindly gave me the student discount, even though I don't have a student ID yet. It's a 50% discount in a country where everything is expensive, so I was very appreciative.
After an hour and twenty minutes' ride, Else's mother met me at the bus station in Trysil. She took me to their house, helped me get my laundry in the wash, and instructed me to wear one of Else's rain jackets. She also helped me realize what day it was. I had managed to lose a day in my travelling and ticket purchasing. I figured things would all work out, since I didn't have any hard and fast plans.
Before long we were back in the car to pick up Else from work. From the hospital, where both of Else's parents are nurses and Else works in the kitchen when she is on holiday, Else and I headed to one of the local restaurants. We met a couple of her childhood friends (Anne and Kari) who were also back in town for their summer holiday and enjoyed a pizza and a beverage.
Back at Else's house, I met her aunt and uncle and their son who will be moving into the apartment downstairs while he goes to school next year. Of Else's three siblings, two of the other's were home and the oldest was expected to arrive any time. Inga, the younger sister, was giving up her bed for me, and I gratefully passed out.
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