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Norway Journal, Day 7

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June 16: Mari Anne and her husband Michael drove me out to Bø farm, near Randaberg, north of Stavanger, where Cousin Sigve lives (turns out he’s not actually a cousin, but a relation by marriage. But he’s had trouble finding relatives in America, and has settled for me). He’s retired, but used to be a farmer and was be involved in scientific breeding programs for hogs and cattle.

He told me he had a chest that had belonged to the grandmother of Prof. Sven Oftedal of Augsburg College, one of the people we study in the Georg Sverdrup Society, whose journal I edit. Oftedal’s mother, he explained, was born on a neighboring farm and he had acquired the chest.

Me sitting on the Oftedal chest. I’m happy to report I did not crush it.

He took me up to Hodnefjell on Moster Island (not to be confused with Moster on Bomlø, which I visited the other day). Some of my ancestors lived there and were converts to the Moravian movement. They heard about Hans Nielsen Hauge, the Lutheran lay evangelist, and invited him to visit them there. It was with them Hauge stayed when he first visited the Stavanger area. They became followers (“friends”) of his. One of their community was John Haugvaldstad, who went to Stavanger and became a prominent Haugean leader and businessman. He established several businesses, always with the goal of employing the poor and supporting mission work. I understand he was considered the de facto head of the Haugeans after Hauge’s imprisonment for leading meetings while not ordained. My relatives were friends and supporters of Haugvaldstad. There is a bust of him in Stavanger, outside the mission school.

Hodnefjell farm, home of my ancestors, in the background.

We visited Utstein Kloster, the only medieval monastery in Norway that remains standing. Smaller place than I expected, but very interesting. A chance to get in out of the rain, which was pretty steady all day.

We went to another medieval church, whose name I forget. But it is well preserved (or restored) and quite beautiful in a simple, Romanesque way. We visited a German coastal installation from World War II along the coast, which included gun emplacements and a tunnel through the rock.

On the island of Finnøy, we saw the replica of the sloop “Restauration,” in which Cleng Peerson led the first organized group of Norwegian immigrants to America. 52 people (53 on arrival, as a baby was born) traveled on this tiny vessel, which authorities later declared inadequate for the purpose and seized (after it had arrived). These people were mostly Quakers, along with some Haugeans, fleeing religious pressure from the state church. Finnøy was Cleng Peerson’s home.

The replica of the “Restauration”

Sigve also drove me past the one place he has found in the area where (he’s personally satisfied) Hans Nielsen Hauge set up a sea salt refinery. (After several years in solitary confinement, the pressures of the Napoleonic Wars induced the government to grant Hauge temporary parole so he could set up sea salt refineries to relieve the salt shortage. After he had performed this service well, the conditions of his imprisonment were eased a little.)

Plausible site of Hauge’s sea salt refinery.

Back to Sigve’s house and a lovely dinner with his wife and daughter. We talked quite a long time about Vikings and other matters. Then back to Sandnes and my hosts. I am stimulated but tired. I hope I’m not coming down with a bad cold.

Sigve and I.
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Norway Journal, Day 6

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June 15: I experienced a certain measure of distress this morning, when I found that the zipper on my jeans had broken. Einar convinced me that there was no shame in wearing my Viking pants, so that’s what I did. I greatly missed my pockets, however.

We used Einar’s girlfriend’s car, and they drove me to Stavanger. We left right on time. It was a pleasant drive, interrupted by several tunnels of varying lengths (under fjords) and a ferry ride. We arrived in Sandnes, home of Mari Anne, a local historian, and her family, precisely on schedule. We were treated to a tasty lunch. To my amazement, we had buns to make sandwiches with, and no knives or forks. So everybody ate their sandwiches with their hands. You’d have to know Norwegians to know how surprising that was to me. In my experience, Norwegians always cut sandwiches up with a knife and fork. I can only assume they were going the extra mile to make me feel at home. (Only the same thing happened everywhere I went. I can only conclude it was a conspiracy. The idea that I’m mistaken about Norwegian eating habits is obviously absurd) I got to meet their nephew who is staying with them, and who is keenly interested in Vikings. This gave me ample opportunity to hog the conversation.

They took me to a store called Dressman (“Dress” in Norwegian means “suit,” so don’t get the wrong idea). There, in spite of the fact that you rarely see a Norwegian as fat as I am, we were able to find a pair of black chinos that fit me. This was a great comfort to me in my old age.

Then they took me on a tour. We saw the ancient stone circle popularly called Erling Skjalgsson’s Thingstead, though it’s certainly much, much older than Erling. A sort of Stonehenge thing, but the stones are much smaller and there are no capstones. Its original purpose is a mystery, but it provides plenty of scope for speculation.

“Erling Skjalgsson’s Thingstead,” as it’s called.

We went to Sola Ruin Church, which can plausibly be considered the site of the place where Erling worshiped (though not in this building, which must be later). If this is where Erling’s church stood, I’d wager he must be buried under the floor. Nearby, I assume, his farm lay, though no archaeological evidence has been found in that well-worked soil. So I greeted Erling again on his home ground.

The Sola ruin church. The Germans actually dismantled it during the war, but thoughtfully numbered the stones. So after the war it was simply reassembled, like an Ikea kit.

Then they showed me the two stone crosses at Tjora, whose age is uncertain but which are certainly among the earliest memorials of Christianity in Norway. There were originally four, but now only two stand, and their location has been moved a bit. Still and all… they are unquestionably early medieval.

The stones at Tjora. Unquestionably Viking Age. Certainly dating to Erling’s time; perhaps to Haakon the Good’s.

We also saw a weathered petroglyph near a farm fence.

Then back home for a delicious supper. They brought out a bunch of books about Vikings to discuss. And I tried to book bus tickets to Haugesund on the Norwegian mass transport web page, with great frustration, as I discovered that my credit card, which I made sure to be acceptable in Norway, is not usable over the internet (validation issues). A resolution was found, but not one that pleased me greatly.

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Norway Journal, Day 5

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June 14: I got up in good time to leave at 9:00 a.m., in spite of getting very little sleep. Our goal: Etne and Hardanger, two of the most picturesque areas of Norway.

Einar and Tore Ravn with King Magnus Erlingsson. Note the “Tinghus” in the background. I’ve told you about “Tings,” right?

At Etne we stopped at the statue of King Magnus Erlingsson, who was not the son of Erling Skjalgsson but of a later magnate, Erling Skakke (“Erling Wry-neck,” due to an old injury incurred during a Crusade-adjacent raid in the Mediterranean). Norwegian law said that only a king’s son could inherit the throne. The problem was, there were no acceptable kings’ sons available at the time. So Erling Skakke, who was married to a daughter of King Sigurd the Crusader, managed to get his son Magnus crowned. In order to wangle this, he agreed to have his son crowned by the archbishop in Nidaros Cathedral (Norwegian kings had always been elected by the Things up to that point). This was the first time a Norwegian king was crowned and anointed in a religious ceremony, and it won him support from the Church. Resistance to this innovation led to generations of bloody civil war in the country.

We also stopped at the ancient church on Erling Skakke’s one-time estate.

As we drove through the Etne area, I realized I had to tell my sister-in-law, whose maiden name was Frette, that she absolutely must visit the land of her ancestors. The Etne area features stunning mountain and valley landscapes, made doubly dramatic by the misty weather today. I thought it was some of the most glorious scenery I’d ever seen.

Langfoss

We stopped to photograph the Langfoss, one of Norway’s largest waterfalls. I don’t have words for it. Dramatic and powerful.

After passing through a long tunnel we reached the area of the Hardangerfjord, even more dramatic than Etne, though I might not have believed it. The drama was increased by the ridiculous precariousness of the road we took. It clung to the shoulders of the mountains, often only one lane wide. In some places, if you encounter a driver coming the other way, one of you has to back up into one of the periodic pull-over spots. Farms and even small communities teeter on mountain ledges high above you, and sometimes when the rock ledge falls away on your right, you catch a glimpse of an isolated clearing where someone has built a smallholding, in a valley or a fjord cove. It all took my breath away. I came home drunk with beauty.

The ferry to Skaanevik

We were delayed returning by a one hour wait for the ferry going to Skånevik, which used to be the address of the farms across the fjord where my Swelland ancestors came from (because before cars and road-building, the water united rather than divided). But that governmental arrangement has been changed now.

Viking ships docked at Kopervik.

After we returned, I was taken to visit Gerd, who I think is the oldest of my relatives on Karmøy, by Cousin Tor Bjørn. He also took me to the docks at Kopervik, where most of the Viking fleet was docked. Tomorrow they’ll head for Stavanger.

And so will I.

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Norway Journal, Day 4

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June 13: Another stellar day. No matter how I worry, things seem to turn out well. This worries me.

Got up, joined Einar’s friend Tore Ravn for a drive north. First through winding, narrow roads to a lonely farm on the border between Rogaland and Hordaland. There was a stone on the bank of the inlet (we couldn’t get close and it was raining too hard to walk through tall grass anyway) where Raven-Floki, one of the discoverers of Iceland, made a sacrifice before setting out to sea. There were originally three stones there, but two have been removed over the centuries.

Raven-Floki’s stone.

At Førde, we viewed an ancient Thing site which has been made into a park by its owner.

The Law Rock at the Thing site at Forde.

Then we drove north (passing through a tunnel under a fjord) to Stord Island and Fitjar. I’d wanted to see Fitjar because I write about it in my work in progress, and hoped to describe it better. This was the royal farm where King Haakon the Good was born and died. During the reign of King Olaf Haraldsson, its steward was Aslak Fitjaskalle, Erling Skjalgsson’s cousin and murderer.

Einar and I with Haakon the Good at Fitjar.

Then to Moster, on Bomlø island. This is considered the place where the first Christian mass was held in Norway (not true – masses were held under Haakon the Good) under Olaf Trygvesson. Later, in 1024, Olaf Haraldsson would declare the first Christian law in Norway, which included a provision for the freeing of one thrall at every annual Thing. We got to walk through the Moster Amfi, an open-air theater where they do a play about Moster every year. Einar and Tore Ravn are both members of the acting company. A local historian gave us a short lecture. Some of it I didn’t know or had forgotten. They told us he once played Fridtjof Nansen in a film.

Moster Church.
Tore Ravn, Einar, and our guide at the Moster Law Rock.

Then back to Einar’s apartment for a late lunch. Not long after, Cousin Anne Britt came to pick me up for my visit with family. First we went to her place and saw her mother. Anne Britt gave me a Constitution Day medallion, which I’ll be able to wear to future Constitution Day celebrations. Delighted to have it. Like Ibsen, I love wearing medals. Her mother gave me some family photos to keep.

Then to Cousin Anne Grethe’s house, for a cookout. Lots of relatives, lots of good food. A very nice time. Cousin Tor Bjørn gave me a very special gift – a nail from the Viking ship Draken Harald Fairhair, on whose construction crew he’d worked. He’d mounted it on a plaque for hanging on a wall. I’ll treasure that.

The Viking ship nail.

When I complained about trouble I’d had with the European sim card (French) I’d bought, Cousin Tor Bjørn – unknown to me – went out and bought me a Norwegian one, then walked me through setting it up. Much thanks to him.

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Norway Journal, Day 3

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June 12: An unexpectedly splendid day. I was rather glum as I got ready and Einar drove me to Avaldsnes. I was still feeling the walk (climb) in my legs, and the weather forecast predicted rain all day. However, it was only spitting a few drops when I arrived at the Viking Farm, and I sat on a rock to put on my Viking shoes and headed up to our camp. I was told I had fire duty again, but somewhat later in the day. I begged off with some guilt, as I’d been hoping to quit a little early and visit the Nordsjøveien History Center before it closed at 5:00. They said no problem, there were always plenty of volunteers.

The visitor turnout was low at that point. No doubt the weather was a major reason, but I’m also told Sunday is always lighter than Saturday, in terms of attendance.

I decided to get some good pictures with my old digital camera, and made a circuit of the place, snapping whatever seemed interesting. When the rain started coming down harder I ducked into the longhouse, where Kjell the musician was preparing to give his talk about the history of music again. This time I stayed to hear the whole thing. I was intrigued when, at one point, he delivered a farmer’s cattle call, “Kom baas.” I told him later that my father in Minnesota always called the cattle with “Come, boss.” Very likely transmitted directly through the generations from Karmøy.

By the time I got out of the longhouse again, the sun had come out and the day had brightened. More people had shown up to visit. The day had turned out all right after all.

I bought a hot dog for lunch, took some more pictures, and then went up to the camp to tell the leader goodbye. I explained I probably wouldn’t be participating as a Viking at Stavanger [editorial note: I changed my mind later]. Not that I hadn’t had a good time – it was great, and everyone was very cordial. But I’m old and tired, and my host had planned some other things.

An artistic installation on the sound, to give you an idea of what the place looked like when Viking ships sailed through.
Another view of the path up to the Avaldsnes Church. I had plenty of time to contemplate it.

Then I trudged up to the History Center (taking my time. Happy to report I again didn’t have a heart attack). The History Center has been built since my last visit, and I’ve wanted to see it for a long time. It’s devoted to explaining how the North Way trade route formed the germ of Norway as a country, and the importance of Avaldsnes on that route. As I passed the Viking ships’ docks, I noted that some of them were gone now. When I reached the History Center, I bought a ticket and went in. It offers an interesting film about the history of Avaldsnes and its place in Norwegian history, and then you can walk the exhibition using a recorded guide via headphones (English available).

The center has an impressive exhibition, though I think if they want the English speaking tourist trade, they might think about making it a little more accessible. English signage is limited, and I had some trouble figuring out how the sequence of exhibits worked. Also, how to operate the earphone device. In case I haven’t mentioned it, I’m old.

King Harald Fairhair and his Queen Gyda, as portrayed in the History Center.

Still, the center was on my bucket list, and I’ve seen it now.

As Einar was driving me home, crossing the Karmsund Bridge he noticed one of the Viking ships moving south through the sound by sail, headed for Stavanger. He did a quick U-turn in a roundabout and rushed to a spot he knew along the bank, where we were able to take photos of the ship as it passed by. I have never before seen a Viking ship actually under sail. That’s a bucket list item I hadn’t even realized I had.

Really an excellent day.

Fiction, Reviews

‘The Echo from the Past,’ by Hervey Copeland

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I figured I’d need to download at least one extra book so I’d have reading material during my Norway trip. As it was, I didn’t have a lot of time for reading, and the book I was on, The Wake (reviewed yesterday) was pretty slow going. But I got to The Echo from the Past on my trip home. It was nice to read a book that featured places I’d visited just days before. But beyond that, this was a disappointing read.

Craig McMillan is an unemployed English journalist and hobby sailor. He’s running out of cash, so he’s interested when an acquaintance tells him he can earn a good amount of money transporting a passenger to Norway. The passenger plans to enter the country unofficially, but Craig is assured that he’s not carrying drugs or wanted by the police. Still, anyone who’s ever watched a Noir film knows that no good can come from a deal like this.

As it turns out, the weather in the North Sea turns tempestuous, and Craig wants to turn back. At that point his passenger, who’s been affable up till now, pulls a gun on him and tells him to sail on. They barely make it to Norway, and the passenger sails away in a rubber inflatable boat. Craig plans on staying in the country for a while and sightseeing, in order to establish his cover story for the police.

But then he learns that his passenger has turned up dead, his throat cut. Then a man with a gunshot wound shows up on his deck. Craig wants to take him to the hospital, but the man says no. He needs to get out of the country as soon as possible. He tells Craig an incredible story about Nazi gold and modern corruption and betrayal.

Craig’s investigative instincts are aroused, but he will find himself up against powerful and ruthless enemies.

The problem with The Echo from the Past was amateurish writing. The author talks too much. He tries to lay everything out for the reader, not trusting their intelligence. Take a sentence like: “It meant that there wouldn’t be any prying eyes sticking their noses in things that were of no concern to them.” Aside from the mixed metaphor, that sentence could be reduced by half and be much more effective. This is a book by someone who has never learned to prune his prose.

Also I found the ending implausible. I don’t recommend The Echo from the Past.

I might mention, however, that the language was pretty subdued. Not much profanity. I’ll say that in its defense.

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Norway Journal, Day 2

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From half way up the slope, looking up at St. Olav’s Church, Avaldsnes

June 11: The weather, which was supposed to be rainy, was not. In fact it was almost a perfect day for a Viking event. Cloudy skies, windy, cool, but warm where the sun shone. Much better for wearing Viking clothes than our usual summer weather in the Midwest.

Einar drove me to Avaldnes Church, the 13th Century stone church where my great-grandfather was baptized, and we walked together down the slope, along the shore and over the footbridge to Bukkøy. About half a mile in all, I’d guess, and much of it on hills. I have described the walk and climb to the church several times in my Erling books, but I’d forgotten how steep and high it is. (I wore my modern shoes to climb, with my Viking shoes in a backpack). I met the leader of Vikingklubben Karmøy, and she told me I’d been assigned to be the fire guard in the longhouse from 1:00 to 3:00. Another woman gave me more detailed instructions. Basically, keep kids out of the fire, close the door if you get more than 40 people inside, put fresh wood on the hearth when it burns low. I felt I could handle this.

The naust (boathouse) at Avaldsnes.

I wandered around to familiarize myself with the layout. Naust (boathouse, used as the great hall when they filmed the first season of Norsemen here). Longhouse. Some other smaller buildings, and lots of tents where reenactors camped. Many booths for merchandise sales. Chatted with Vikings. Met a couple Vikings from Poland. Saw the Viking ships at the docks. Finally 1:00 came around (13:00 in Europe) and I went in to do my job.

Inside the naust.
The longhouse.

A musician was on duty there, telling stories, playing instruments (flute, jaw harp, lyre) for passers-through. We talked about various reenactment matters. Good guy. Then met Kjell, who set up his collection of ancient instruments so he could lecture at 2:00. He told me he was a former member of Wardruna, a famous Viking-period musical group, and has worked on the Vikings: Valhalla TV series and The Northman movie. I was impressed. Very tall fellow. He lectured on the history of music – I gave up trying on to keep excess people out in the end. My efforts were becoming disruptive.

Me and my cousin Edna in the longhouse.
Two of the Viking ships docked at Bukkoy.

After that, I basically wandered about, or found stones to sit on and rest. I was tired and jet-lagged. People kept asking me for photos – I expect to show up in a beer ad one of these days. Finally called it quits at 5:00 p.m. and walked back up to the parking lot. That climb up to the church was as bad as I feared, but on the positive side I didn’t have a heart attack. Most strenuous thing I’ve done in years, though. Nodded off a couple times while Einar was driving me home. It was a good day – really a fine one, and better than my expectations. But I am tired, and rain is predicted tomorrow with considerable confidence.

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Norway Journal, Day One

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The memorable blotkake served for me by Einar and Tore. I forgive the horns on the Viking, because trust me — if you tasted one of these cream cakes, you’d forgive pretty much anything.

June 10: Today and yesterday are but one long, long day in the Einsteinian continuum of eastward travel on a continental scale. I woke up yesterday, spent about nine hours in flight over three legs of the journey, and am now ensconced in the home of a new friend in Haugesund Norway, ready to face my first day playing Viking in actual Viking country, tomorrow morning.

A kindly friend drove me to the airport in Minneapolis. We had lunch before we left, and he patiently listened as I obsessed over every awful travel experience that would “probably” happen to me on this trip. I’m an obsessor, and travel is one of my triggers. The idea of being stranded in a foreign country is high on my list of consummations devoutly to be avoided.

But I made it to the airport despite my fears, put on my warrior face, and went to face the indignities of the baggage check-in and the security check. To my amazement, they didn’t reject my checked bag (just at the limit of allowable size), and nobody arrested me for having a big Viking knife inside it, either. I fumbled a bit over the security scan, but again I wasn’t detained by the authorities. I think they appreciated the laugh.

Then the long, long flight to Reykjavik. I had a book to read on my Amazon Fire, but even so, time seemed to have achieved a semi-viscous consistency. I calmed myself by worrying about swelling ankles and blood clots, as is the custom among old men.

My stopover in Reykjavik was short, but I did manage to lose my Amazon Fire. Didn’t notice it was gone till I was on the outbound plane, and you can’t exactly go back to search at that point. I’ve got my business card inside the hard cover, so maybe the finder will contact me. Or I could check the lost and found on my return trip. But let’s face it, Icelanders survived for centuries as ship wreckers. My Fire is probably just spare parts now. (Note the use of my favorite word, “probably.”) Fortunately, I could read on the Kindle app on my phone.

The flight to Norway was only a couple hours, and palpably shorter in subjective experience. The feeder flight I took to Haugesund from Oslo was almost too short to mention – except that they offered free snacks, which is pretty classy these days. (It was SAS. A free candy bar deserves a plug. Especially when it’s Freya, the Norwegian brand.) The Haugesund airport is not actually located in Haugesund, but across the sound on Karmøy island, which happens to be the home of my forefathers. The farm where my great-grandfather was born almost neighbors the airport. Einar Berdinessen and Tore Ravn Ottesen, my two new friends, met me with great fuss, then drove me to Einar’s apartment in Haugesund, where I’ll be staying for this festival. Supper was exquisite Norwegian smørbrød (open faced sandwiches), and for dessert a bløtkake (cream cake) of great delectability, with a cartoon of a Viking drawn on top.

The Five Foolish Virgins
And now, six foolish virgins.

Later Einar gave me a car ride around Haugesund and Karmøy, where he grew up. (At Hinderaker farm, the likely spot where Asbjorn Selsbane paused to view the royal farm on his way to murder Thore Sel. If you’re a saga fan, you’ll know what I’m talking about. And I’m writing about the event in my Work in Progress.) We looked at some Bronze Age grave mounds on Karmøy, and the Five Foolish Virgins, an ancient array of standing stones. Legend says they are all that remains of five heathen girls who taunted St. Olaf, but they’re actually prehistoric.

All of this was balm to a worrier’s soul. The fears of the day had failed to come true (I’d never actually worried about losing the Amazon Fire), and the fuss these people made over me raised my spirits infinitely.

To crown all, Pres. Biden and the CDC announced that the rule requiring that Americans get a Covid test within 24 hours of flying home would be suspended on Sunday. That test was one of my major causes of worry all through the day.

Is it possible God is not against this trip?

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Wodehouse and other trivia

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Above, for no other reason than that somebody posted it on Facebook, a bit of an interview with P. G. Wodehouse. I’m guessing it’s from the 1960s or so, and he had a long and productive career still ahead of him at that point. An inspiration to us all.

I note that somebody blocked sharing on the video of Norwegian Constitution Day festivities I posted yesterday. Just as well, I suppose. I thought it was from the same day, but I’ve since seen actual 2022 footage, and everybody in the Royal Family looks older. I won’t delete the post – a man might as well stand behind his honest errors and take his lumps.

The May 17 celebration last night went well, and I think my lecture was a success. So I was told, anyway. We had an actual Hardanger fiddle player there, dressed in a bunad (folk costume), which lent plausibility to the proceedings.

Gradually I am completing my preparations for my Great Adventure in Norway. Today I finally succeeded in alerting my credit card company to the fact that I’ll be traveling to unaccustomed spaces. They have a button for that purpose on their member’s page online, but pushing that button produces no results at all, like those “Close Door” buttons in elevators. So today I called them, worked my way through the phone tree, and got the notification done. I looked about me for the praise of the multitude, but alas, I was by myself. So I tell you now.

Next challenge, activating the European sim card I bought for my cell phone.

I think I’m making progress on my Norwegian language comprehension. I decided yesterday that I was understanding just a little more of the news broadcasts on Norwegian state radio. Not enough to be of much practical use yet, but something. A little. Maybe. I hope.

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Syttende Mai, 2022

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https://youtube.com/watch?v=Lo9lo_z6qDw

Above is a video of the Syttende Mai (17 of May, Constitution Day) festivities in Oslo. I think it was recorded today. The big celebrations were cancelled for the last couple years; I’m told this year’s had record crowds everywhere.

We see the Royal Family greeting the people, as is traditional for the holiday, from the balcony of the royal palace (surely the least beautiful royal palace in the world). The old king you see there is the same Harald you saw as a little boy in “Atlantic Crossing.”

Norwegians celebrate Constitution Day as their great national holiday for peculiar historical reasons. They adopted a constitution in a rash bid for independence in 1814. Sweden, which had just been awarded Norway as spoils of the Napoleonic wars, quickly stepped in to quash that notion. But they allowed the Norwegians to keep the constitution, with some alterations.

Thus the constitution became the center of independence-minded sentiment over several generations. Through the 90 years of union with Sweden, the celebration of May 17 was a quiet act of protest. Once independence was achieved in 1905, Syttende Mai possessed a traditional, sentimental value that could not be dislodged, even if anyone had wished such a thing.

I’m posting early today because I’ll be lecturing on Syttende Mai for a celebration banquet tonight. I hope I get it right.