February 21 2011- Another blah week falls behind us, and looks like another approaches. The weather has been gray and bleak. No snow, so the nasty gray stuff is hanging around. Did get some rain to wash some of the yuckiness away. We've all been fighting colds this week, so have spent most of the weekend lounging about.
And with a synopsis like that, surely it means a lack of photos for this weeks blog.
But have no fear.....We will go on another vacation this week! Once again living vicariously through others lives on!
A little background, in August, my mother, sister and niece took a trip to Norway to visit cousins. My mother's side of the family come from good Norwegian stock. (well, I'm sure we could dissect that sentence as to which side of my mother's side and all that, but we shan't go there....another project to put in my mind....a blog of nothing but genealogy, that'll keep me busy).
Anyway, their trip was in August, hence the greenness of the country!
Above: The Red Mill in Tau. Tau is a small village and a good part owned by the Tau Family. This is an old flour mill.Below: Home of the Tau's (the cousin) in the village of Tau. Also once the home of my great great grandparents. (it is nice that some things have stayed in the family)
Above: Downtown Stavanger. (note the name of the store "Japan Photo")
Above: Downtown Stavanger. (note the name of the store "Japan Photo")Below: Stavanger Domkirke. A very old cathedral. Building of it started around 1100 and finished around 1125. It is very ornate inside. It's not the "family church" but it is where my cousin and his wife were married.
Above: Oh look! A Norwegian version of a flying rat!
Above: Oh look! A Norwegian version of a flying rat!Below: A small town along a fjord. My tour guide for the photos was unable to remember the name of the town.
Above: Jorpeland, about 7 miles from Tau.
Above: Jorpeland, about 7 miles from Tau.Below: "A tourist trap" says the cousin. Near a recreated village called Landau.
My mother and the traveling troupe took a car ferry. I am wondering at how safe it is to have to evacuate the ferry. I guess you just have to hope that you can get out of the way of the next incoming human....(above)
My mother and the traveling troupe took a car ferry. I am wondering at how safe it is to have to evacuate the ferry. I guess you just have to hope that you can get out of the way of the next incoming human....(above)Below: Lighthouse taken from the car ferry in the North Sea en route to Skudeneshaven. (boy, spell check is just having a fit with me today)
Above: Lysefjord. Taken from the car ferry.
Above: Lysefjord. Taken from the car ferry.Below: A home along Lysefjord. The only place where some lives year round...thinks the tour guide (the tour guide being my mother)
Above: Katie in the large chair at Hjelmeland. (though really, this branch of Norwegians, with their stout legs, look like this sitting in any chair)
Above: Katie in the large chair at Hjelmeland. (though really, this branch of Norwegians, with their stout legs, look like this sitting in any chair)Below: Katie, Tova and Cousin Ole-Per at the Harsfjord memorial near Stavanger.
Above: This memorial commemorates the Battle of Hafrsjord in 872 after which Harald Fairhair united the 3 districts of Norway. The crowns represent the 3 districts.
Above taken in August 2010, below taken in probably the 1950's (I may have to correct that). The big building is Tou Mille (Tau Mill), where great grandfather Ole Torgersen worked in his early teens. The pictures were taken from Torger's Mountain. Torger Torgersen (Tau) owned this mountain, hence the name. It is still in the family.
And so a brief explanation of the name, Torgersen/Tau: Ole Torgersen Tau...son of Torger from the town of Tau. Upon coming to America my great grandfather dropped the "Tau" as it was hard to pronounce and "not needed". When his son Torger (my grandfather's brother) returned to Norway, he reclaimed the surname of Tau. (confused yet?? you should try doing the genealogy for this....thank goodness Cousin Tom already did!)
Above: This memorial commemorates the Battle of Hafrsjord in 872 after which Harald Fairhair united the 3 districts of Norway. The crowns represent the 3 districts.
Above taken in August 2010, below taken in probably the 1950's (I may have to correct that). The big building is Tou Mille (Tau Mill), where great grandfather Ole Torgersen worked in his early teens. The pictures were taken from Torger's Mountain. Torger Torgersen (Tau) owned this mountain, hence the name. It is still in the family.
And so a brief explanation of the name, Torgersen/Tau: Ole Torgersen Tau...son of Torger from the town of Tau. Upon coming to America my great grandfather dropped the "Tau" as it was hard to pronounce and "not needed". When his son Torger (my grandfather's brother) returned to Norway, he reclaimed the surname of Tau. (confused yet?? you should try doing the genealogy for this....thank goodness Cousin Tom already did!)So that concludes today's vacation. Don't know where we are going next week. One can only hope that we actually get out of the house next week. If only the sidewalks were free of ice, it would be fine walking weather as the sun has been out, the sky blue and flying rats abound.
