One of the joys of travel is meeting people on the road that you otherwise would not normally meet. Ove and Bodil fall into this category. We were seated with them at a table for lunch one day, and a friendship bloomed. We, and others, had dinner together after debarking in Barcelona. Now we were meeting them in Kristiansand, their hometown.
Bodil is a nurse, and works in the hospital. She has a flat in Kristiansand proper. Ove has a house out on Flekkerøy, an island off the coast that is connected by tunnel to the mainland. The area is strategically located, and was heavily fortified by the Germans in WWII.
We spent a few nights at Ove’s place and the last night at Bodil’s flat.
Flekkerøy island has a population of about 3500, but is being developed at rather a fast clip, (too fast, at least for Ove’s taste). He has a beautiful house with easy walking to one of the many harbors where he keeps his boat. We were privileged to see a side of Norway that most tourists probably don’t see. The house itself is filled with familial karma. There is furniture and photos originally obtained by his ancestors all over the place.
It was casual and nice. One night we sat around as a bunch of young former sea scouts came by and visited. Throughout the visit, there were many discussions of Norwegian culture and the issues of the day. Ove and Bodil were both a little shocked when the saw what Americans need to do and pay to obtain health insurance, (which we were trying to do). They wondered why we would have such and inefficient system, when their nationalized plan works so easily and inexpensively. Hmmm.
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Haven’t a drop of Norsky blood, but living in Door County and working for Al and Ingert Johnson, wearing dirndl and clogs, I’ve learnt a lot about Scandinavia. The uncle who built the furniture is an artist! What a lovely setting which you have again photographed with loving concern!
So much beauty!