Plum harvest checked out!

Erik is checking out the harvest of plums on an early Sunday morning. 

St Basils church by the Red Square in Moscow, last night at 11 pm. There is a storm warning for tomorrow, so this is probably my only possibility for a night shot of the signature Moscow skyline.  

Erik (2) and Olav (59)

Erik and I celebrated the constitution day of Norway by playing football in the garden and eating cake, having a good time!
Olav 

Mamma mia, London October 2005

Eva, Ulla, Kjersti and Mari on stage with the stars of the Abba musical Mamma Mia in London, October 2005. 

A summer paradise in Drammen, Norway

Wit a cup of coffee on the front porch of our cabin in the forest south of Drammen, Norway, last summer. Just finished the veranda floor, feeling very proud. 

Young beach bum on Gran Canaria

Erik, 18 months tomorrow, is trying out his mini surfboard at the beach, just down from Donana and Green Beach in Patalavaca in Gran Canaria, one of seven Spanish islands off the west coast of Africa.

We had a great holiday, returning home to Bergen on Friday, back to job and kindergarden tomorrow! 

Erik in the snow

Pretty little snow, and a very little boy (18 months tomorrow), with proud parents and grandparents (behind and in front of the camera): Erik, Antonio, Kjersti and Eva. Today, Sunday 5th March in Bergen, Norway. 

12 drawings of the prophet

The Danish liberal newspaper Jyllands-Posten commissioned 40 artists to make a drawing of the prophet Mohammed. Twelve of them rose to the challenge and their drawings were published in the newspaper in September 2005. The newspaper probably intended to challenge the tolerance of the muslim communities in Denmark, and the conventional wisdom that such drawings would create an outcry.

My newspaper did not publish the drawings of the prophet. I have supported Jyllands-Posten for printing the drawings, but criticised the extremist christian newspaper in Oslo for copying Jyllands-Posten.

But how is it possible to blame the Danish and Norwegian government and burn down the embassies in Damascus and Beirut in order to protest against twelve drawings in an independent newspaper? If you are a muslim, and feel insulted by the twelve drawings, what impression do you think burning of Danish and Norwegian flags creates of muslims in the Scandinavian public opinion? And if you demand do be respected for your religious feelings, would it not be fair to demand the same respect to work both ways?

The Norwegian and Danish governments, public opinion and media are very sympathetic to the just cause of the Palestinian people, and have been supporting their struggle in many ways for many years. How bizarre it is to see wild demonstrations in Gaza agains the best friends of the Palestinian people! A shot in your own foot, if you ask me.

Kreml, Moskva

What a signature! A marvellous logo for the Russian capital! 

Christmas shopping by the Kremlin

The shopping center by the central square
in Kreml, Moscow, had nice shops. But the price tags did not match the wages of the ordinary Russians. When the shopping center opened, the Moscovites jokingly said that the figures on the price tag was a phone number, not the price! 

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.