Sunday, April 13, 2008

COUNTING STARS

The eight days between uncle Leif's death and his funeral were dark, but also time for searching bright stars. Gunnar and I live in the neighborhood of historical sites, graves from the stone age, ruins of ancient medieval churches, the supposed tombstone of our first king, Harald the Fairhaired, who assembled Norway to one kingdom in 872 according to the sagas.

On our way to Cross Hill, the cross said to be erected by Saint Olav who Christened Norway in 1033.
Passing an ancient grave.
Gunnar enjoying the sea view from Cross Hill.
The cross is said to resemble the eldest Celtic crosses.
It's a mighty mark, a point of orientation for sailors
coming up the North Way.
On the other side of Cross Hill facing the open sea was a thing held twice a year in times of the vikings.
Laws were made and strides were settled.
They were true democrats long before the English Magna Carta.
Our National Assembly is called The Great Thing.
In the background the memorial over King Harald from 1872, a national celebration of the Millennium Jubilee of the Norwegian kings.

Gunnar walking home in the darkness.Sun and rain on historical sites.


A kitchen with a view. Turid's home has a wonderful location. Thursday mornings I usually go to see her for treatment of my toiled body. New energy via the chackra points.
Liv and I had this wonderful hike to Ryvarden lighthouse. Mating time for frogs!
The sea outside Ryvarden is called The Plain. It's wide open , but has some dangerous reefs below sea level.
Just nine years ago a brand new catamaran sunk in a December storm. 16 people drowned, including a neighbor son of us. Liv is reading their memorial plate. After this fatal accident the district were finally granted light bows on the reefs.
Most of the lighthouses along the rough coastline of Norway are now run by long distance operators. Back in the sixties the lighthouse guard and his family had to live on the premises all of the time.

Serina returned from Azerbaijan with mighty impressions from a strange culture. The pics are dragged from her photo site and does not grant her fair credit. This is from a highland desert.
A proud inhabitant of the "Fire Country."
The country is situated on the old Silk Way to China.
There are rich oil wells, but only a chosen few are allowed access to the wealth.

The capital is called The Windy City. Serina at the top of the Maiden's tower.
The Cherry trees were in full blossom and the temperature around 20 Celsius degrees.
"When the sky is dark, it's the best time for counting stars and admire God's greatness."