Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from Erik (1), his
mom Kjersti, his uncle Kjetil and his
grandparents Olav Bergo and Eva
Dagen Eek, Bergen, Norway to family
and friends everywhere!

Olav

My wife Eva throwing a coin over her shoulder into Fontana di Trevi in Roma, after a late dinner at a ENPA board meeting. May 2003. 

Tango in Hallingdal

This place used to be a tiny farm called Tango,
plural modalis for Tangene in the Halling dialect.
The farm was flooded each spring, when the snow melting in the mountains increased the level of the river. The flooding stopped when the river was regulated for hydro electric power production just after the war, in the 1950-ies.

In the photo, my father Kaare, my wife Eva and the nearest farmer, Steinar Breie.

The last farmer on Tango was Mikkel. Steinar remember him wagely, from his childhood. My wife is a decendant from the Tango farmers. 

Kvivik, Faroe islands

This is Kvivik outside of Torshavn, on Faroe islands. It is probably one of the first viking settlements on the islands. Lovly place in nice weather. Excavated viking settlement down by the seaside.

Rakafisk from Norway

This is premium rakafisk from Aal, Hallingdal, made by Embrik Gjengedal, master rakafisk maker!

The fish is freshwater trout. Is is cleaned thouroughly immediately after it is catched, salted and placed in an airtight container in a cool place. After some weeks, it is ready for eating. Served raw with boiled potatoes, mild and chopped leek, strong aquavit and chilled beer. Homemade flatbread and rumme (sour cream) are optionals.

Cool food for a Christmas party.

PS Deadly if sloppily prepared!

I have been to the Guiness headquarter

Great beer!  

A sunday excursion to Ulriken

Olav (59) and Erik (1) taking a timeout on our
climb to the holy mountain Ulriken, Bergen, Norway, October 05.
Erik is enjoying a homemade oatmeal biscuit. We Norwegians have great outdoor traditions, creating respect for nature, adding life quality and good health to the good life of a wealthy nation.

Look out for polar bears

Look out for polar bears! Eva and I have been to Svalbard, to Longearbyen and to the Russian coal mine city Barentsburg, on Norwegian territory on Svalbard! Great experience in August, but it is said to be even more exotic in the spring, around March. The polar bear follows the ice, so during the summer months it usually is hunting for seals further north.

Erik on the day he was born

A sceptical first look at the world! 

This could be a young prince in disguise!

If you believe in fairytales, try with a kiss!

Frogs are born in great numbers in the lovely lake by our summer house in Drammen, Norway, a little paradise in the woods. 

Stokkastova, Kyrkebo, Faroe islands

My wife Eva and I in front of the ancient entrance to "Stokkastova", the log house, in the Royal farm Kyrkjebo outside of Torshavn, Faroe islands. We were there in August 2005, with newspaper people from the Nordic countries, to discuss press freedom issues.  

Erik, 12 months

Erik is my grandchild, tough and full of energy! Here, he just celebrated his firs year, running around the house before his evening bath! 

Floybanen, Bergen

On my way down with the cablecar Floybanen, the most visited tourist magnet in Bergen, the gateway to the Norwegian fjords. The picture was taken with a digital camera, through at glas covered with tiny raindrops. The second cablecar is just approaching, about to cross with the car coming down. You can barely see it, through the tunnell opening.  

A great mouse hunter

The cat from the nearest farm visiting our summer cabin outside of Drammen, Norway, after a chilly night in the woods, hunting mouse. He is very thursty, enjoying two servings of milk, and even coming back later for more. 

Gjogv, Eysturoy in the Faroe islands

A stunning natural harbour in a tiny fishing village. My wife Eva and I came by car from Torshavn in August 2005, crossing over from the main island Streymoy by a bridge. It is quite a nice trip by ferry with Smyril line from Bergen, Norway, via Leirwick, Shetland. 

A woman in silence in a Buddhist temple in Bongseunsa in Seoul, Korea. The area was founded in 794, and restored in 1498. Several Buddhist temples in a peaceful parklike, environment. Near the COEX mall and conference center, I visited the place several times during my stay in Seoul in June 2005, attending the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) conference. 

Me in Torshavn, Faroe Island

The Faroe Island parliament is the red building in the background. We are leaving the harbour, for a sailing trip around the island. August 2005. 

My family in national costumes from Hallingdal, Norway

This is the national costumes from Hallingdal, the mountain walley between Bergen and Oslo. It is a strong costume tradition in Hallingdal, dating long back. When I grew up in the 1950-ies, old women used a traditional dress on a daily basis. What you see in the photo, is the grand galla dress. It is generously decorated with silver buttons and chains. A silver knife goes with the dress.

From left: Me, my wife Eva, my daugther Kjersti and son Kjetil. We are in the middle of a 17th May celebration on the city square of Bergen, "Torgalmenningen".

Severin Otto Oss from Drammen

Mr Severin Otto Aass (to the left) emigrated from Drammen, Norway in May 1881, to Nihau, Hawaii, where he changed the writing of his name to Otto Oss.

His youngest son Norman Alfred married Anna Juanina Theodora Weiss. The children are June (born in 1921) and Norman Alfred jr (born in 1925). Their younger sister Thora Ann was not yet born, when this picture was shot, probably around 1930.

Free spirits

What a brave and wonderful world we live in! Never have the present been more exciting, never have the future been more promising. We just have to organize ourself in an orderly fashion! But how do we do it?