NORWAY MY WAY (in Bergen all day)

Sisters woke me up with, "Good morning, annie!" It was September 10, only four days since
we met at O'Hare. After spending 24 hours a day together and sharing so much, parting is a little sad. I promised them I will come to Stavanger for a visit before I go home.


 Our hotel is situated in the center of Bergen, walking distance of the train station.     


Their train would depart at 10 am; so after a complementary breakfast at the hotel, we started walking. We passed the historical wooden buildings.


Bergen was founded in 1070 AD (four years after the end of the vikings!!) It was important for its trade in dried cod. 
By 1400 it had established itself as the center of Norwegian trade and for a time was the capital. It is awesome being here! Now the population is 263,600; it is the second largest city in Norway but to me it has a small town feel to it. 



As the train pulled away, I heard an out of breath voice behind me. Henry had run to the station and arrived too late!! 
"Miss annie, I wanted to say goodbye to Miss Eve and Miss Asta!! 


As we walked away together, Henry said he was going to
Troldhaugen, the home of Grieg this morning. 


"I want to do that too; it is on my list of things to do. But now that I am here...I don't know how to go about it."


Henry answered, "Oh, Miss annie, stick with me. It is only a twenty minute bus ride out there."  I recognized  people I had met on the train now riding our bus.
It was a gorgeous day, 63 degrees.


 Well, Henry was becoming less of a pest and more of a buddy. I did appreciate his help. He said he had been listening to a lot of Grieg music before he came to Bergen.


"I can't believe we are here, Miss annie. My grandmother would have loved this so much!"




Troldhaugen was the home of Nina and Edvard Grieg. 




It is built overlooking a lake.



The interior of the house and red cabin is authentic, original furniture. Steinway still there.
The statue is near the red cabin.

My brain started hearing over and over  the first twelve notes of the morning incidental music he wrote for  Peer Gynt, Henrik Ibsen's play. Even people who never heard of Grieg, know that melody.        b in Bergen,




                        The Griegs playing
The red cabin  is where he worked.

The Griegs are buried in this tomb on the hillside overlooking the sea.
 
On the floor of the parlor is a rug his sister in-law made for them. I wish I had a picture to show you.

            ;
Many wonderful old pictures were there, also old sheet music and album covers; I enjoyed them all.
 It was such a pleasure to visit  Troldhaugen. I will never forget it.
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Before I left Memphis I booked passage on a cruise ship. Since monopoly money was unlimited, I got the most expensive  cabin suite on the ship!! Next to the owner's, it was the BEST. Henry was also going. He got one of the smaller cabins; he would be out and about all the time anyway.


The Hurtigruten ship will leave this evening. I left a lot of clothes in Oslo; I will now travel with what I can cram in my backpack. Henry told me that people thought I was an eccentric rich American anyway...I'm okay with that!
 I will leave you now...
will tell YOU more as I know more !! 
...Love, annie



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