Heading to Bergen

We are continuing north to Bergen where in a few days we will board our ship to go further north to Finland. But before we leave we will visit some locals – two local families.

Unique. A robo mower plies it’s way around the garden in front of the hotel!
The wife feeds the sheep who have come back early from the mountains that surround the town. She also makes various potions from wild flowers and plants and knits with wool from her sheep. She also makes jam.
The husband’s family has had the land for many generations, like many others in the village they intend to maintain their farm even as the life of their farm changes. The couple operates the farm with little outside help. They have a son at university who they hope will retain the land but they l know they must change the nature of the farm. Instead of growing much of their food they now only raise sheep who spend months on the mountains and they build and rent small houses to people who want to experience nature. The farmer has become a builder and entrepreneur.
Their house is part of the heart of the town and some of the family land was given to build the church.
This is the new family house finished last year with two rooms and bathrooms that they can rent to visitors. The area attracts people from cities who want to hike, bike and fish. The farmer is becoming more and more an entrepreneur with ideas for milling speciality woods for builders after having invested in milling equipment necessary for the buildings he has added. He is ambitious and enthusiastic.
Our next stop after lunch in an outdoor dining room owned by a couple who purchase only quality lambs like those raised in the mountains which meat is flavored from the new growth available in Spring and summer. Lambs raised line this are more but also can bring a high price from high quality restaurants and quality markets. After our lunch we went down to the station to get on a train the took us further up and through the mountains to a long distance train. This short special train gives a unique view down into the fjord.
The force of the water makes one think it will always be there, but even here there is a worry about shrinking rivers where water gets to the flat rivers that flow into the towns and cities.
The picturesque train took us to the large train that took us from the hinterland to the city of Bergen 3.5 hours away throwing countryside that was bring back down to sea level.
As we descended the skies darkened and rain began. And somehow I fell asleep.

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dailywoodring

On the planet in California

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