Journal entry by Joanne Negstad — Oct 13, 2018
Living off the largess of Ellen and Berger, I thought the least I could do is take them out for a meal. To that end, I proposed I treat them to brunch after church tomorrow. Thinking this was a good idea they began brainstorming places we go to eat. Then they began calling, and after a fruitless hour, they had not found a place that was open on Sunday! How un-American I thought...Norway, is indeed a foreign country!
Berger and I delivered a load of firewood to his hitte, (cabin) which in reality is more of a hus (house). It sleeps 16?, has multiple rooms, is loaded with antique furniture, has a great view, according to Berger, but was fogged in today, and is near great cross country ski trails. It's near the original Birkebiner, ski race.
When Berger explained the ownership of the hitte my prejudice showed itself. He explained that he, with six friends had inherited it from a childless widow whom they cared for. With carefully written rules they have stayed in this cooperative endeavor since 1970. Naively, I thought, 'how nice, these five guys have made this work all these years.' In the hitte there is a picture of there of the seven. Much to my surprise the group is co-ed, 3 women and 4 men! Egalitarian Norway should not surprise me, but......😕
Driving back to Brumunddal we visited Lillehammer, which I'd last visited in 1990, well before the Olympics. L, Joanne and I had stayed in a pensjonate in February that year on our first mutual trip to Norway. The gogata (walking street) brought back memories from that initial vist. Today, we did not climb the steps up the ski jump.
Ya, then.....
Blessings,
Al
1. In front of the Hitte
2. Inside the Hitte
3. " " "
4. " " "
5. The world's tallest wood structure in the background, a hotel/condo in Brumunddal.
Berger and I delivered a load of firewood to his hitte, (cabin) which in reality is more of a hus (house). It sleeps 16?, has multiple rooms, is loaded with antique furniture, has a great view, according to Berger, but was fogged in today, and is near great cross country ski trails. It's near the original Birkebiner, ski race.
When Berger explained the ownership of the hitte my prejudice showed itself. He explained that he, with six friends had inherited it from a childless widow whom they cared for. With carefully written rules they have stayed in this cooperative endeavor since 1970. Naively, I thought, 'how nice, these five guys have made this work all these years.' In the hitte there is a picture of there of the seven. Much to my surprise the group is co-ed, 3 women and 4 men! Egalitarian Norway should not surprise me, but......😕
Driving back to Brumunddal we visited Lillehammer, which I'd last visited in 1990, well before the Olympics. L, Joanne and I had stayed in a pensjonate in February that year on our first mutual trip to Norway. The gogata (walking street) brought back memories from that initial vist. Today, we did not climb the steps up the ski jump.
Ya, then.....
Blessings,
Al
1. In front of the Hitte
2. Inside the Hitte
3. " " "
4. " " "
5. The world's tallest wood structure in the background, a hotel/condo in Brumunddal.
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