AFTERNOON ROCKING IN STAVANGER NORWAY MY WAY

                                             
                                                     SOLA     AIRPORT
I am in a different world after my four hours and 1,600 mile trip
from Kerkenes . It is only 3:30 pm and we have lots of time to see part of Stavanger.


This city dates back to the Vikings. It didn't become an important Norwegian city until oil was discovered in the north sea in 1969. Now it is booming.  I hear it has a slightly foreign mood because several international oil companies are based here. Nicklas has worked for one for ten years.
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There they were!!  Asta (56) and Eve (65) are waving at me and grinning from ear to ear. "Over here, Annie, over here."
 Asta facsimile                   Eve facsimile


They have come to the airport all by themselves. Nicklas has leased a car for them to drive the year they are in Stavanger.
You may remember that we got to know each other during our 6 hr. wait in O'Hare before flying to London. Their hometown is Enderlin, N. Dakota. 


They already had a list of things to show me in the remainder of this afternoon.
 movie theater

 "This is the church where Nicklas and Bethuna will be married tomorrow."

Asta said, "Nicklas had told us he was engaged, but NOT that they were already living together. Eve was really annoyed! But she has recovered and we are looking
forward to tomorrow and so happy you are here too, Annie."
So we went lickity split around Stavanger the rest of the afternoon.


 
                                                     Museum of the arts.
   I had already arranged to spend two nights at Stavanger Hotel.  We ran in long enough for me to check in and find my room. That is where I told them about Henry being arrested.  They were crushed. We shed a
few tears together. I said that I didn't want Nicklas to know or he would never let his aunts out of his sight again.


SISTERS AGREED...then Eve spoke up.
"Annie, I think that Henry is still young enough to have a good life ahead of him." Asta and I nodded yes.
More of Stavanger.
"This is Pulpit Rock. Nicklas and Bethuna came here to make their engagement vows. Let's get out and walk around."
I was happy to see this place. Of course I have seen many spectacular things on this trip. But this is special because of its meaning to the SISTERS.
I knew my backpack had nothing suitable to wear to a wedding. I went to a store on the main shopping street  and quickly found a blue dress I liked. Whoo hoo.
This is the neigborhood where Nicklas and Bethuna own a house, which will be home to his aunts for a year.
vTo protect their privacy I won't be specific. It is one of these,  not too far from the wharf. 


We arrived before Nicklas and Bethuna got home from work. SISTERS were interested in all the details about the cruise. I wanted to hear about their train ride to Stavanger from Bergen and what they had been doing here.  They had been to a chamber music performance; and knowing how much I love music, they wished I was with them!
Another evening to hear the string quartet. I would so loved hearing both of these performances!!
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FINALLY!!!! I got to meet Nicklas, I had heard so much about.
                              facsimile
Nicklas is so handsome...and friendly too. Bethuna had gone by the bakery and would arrive shortly. When I mentioned that I might be in the way with the wedding about to take place. He said that EVERYTHING was ready. Not to worry. No wonder SISTERS are so proud of this lovely man.


Bethuna had already prepared most of our meal before work. It was a traditional Norwegian dinner. Bethuna had lived in Norway all her life. But she is tri-lingual, in addition to her native tongue she speaks English and French. Also she can read and translate several other languages. She translates documents at the same place Nicklas works. Getting back to the food. We had seafood bisque, Norwegian cabbage, grilled salmon flatbread with cheese,v potato lefsa with whipped cream. It was an OUTSTANDING MEAL! I had not eaten since breakfast on the Hurtigruten. They probably thought that Memphis women sure know how to eat!!
After dinner we had lively conversation. They were interested in Memphis!!   Nicklas was a real fan of country music and rock and roll too. Two weeks before they had gone to Skein for an Allan Jackson performance. Way back in N. Dakota, he began to love music like that. He showed me his collection of books about musicians...so many. One caught my eye because it was written by a friend of mine, Roben Jones. 
He said he saw this on Amazon; it said click to look inside. When he did, he was hooked and ordered it. We talked a very long time; he had found someone (ME!) who knew about all the details he wanted to discuss...and we had a lot of fun. It was midnight before SISTERS (begging me to spend the night there) reluctantly took me to my hotel.
One more day in Stavanger....and I was looking forward to a wedding...
When I know more, I'll tell YOU MORE!!! Love, annie of Memphis inching closer to home.