http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Lana62/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Lana62 en-us Thu, 31 Dec 2009 07:17:34 +0000 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 07:17:34 +0000 I apologize to everyone first off...this entry will not be long. We arrived safe and sound and will be spending the night in Athens in a lovely hotel called Hotel Amalia. Very close to the Plaka and the Akropolis 2 must sees in Athens.We arrived at 630 am Athens time and have already been to the Akropolis. So...I'm fading fast It is super hot here and if I don't sweat off pounds it'll be amazi http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/blog-432673.html Sadly I had to leave Fresvik and say goodbye to all the relatives new found friends green green hills and the fjords. Ingvar so kindly drove me to Vik to catch the bus to Voss. From there I was to take the train to Drammen and then another train to Holmestrand. It was raining in Fresvik but as we left and started to drive along the fjord the sun came out and it was beautiful shining on the w http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Oslo/blog-321144.html Gyda has corrected me there are only 275 people in Fresvik and I do believe I am related to most. It's quite funny Today Reidar introduced me to his parents Kre pronounced Cora and Ragnhild. Ragnild was a Hgheim...which was changed to Hoium when my Great Grandfather moved to Canada. Ragnild's Father Peder is my Great Grandfather's brother. You should see the notes and notes and family tre http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Vestlandet/Sognefjord/blog-318576.html I just can't believe how beautiful this place is. It is so peaceful and calming. Yesterday we met Olav and his wife ydis at the hut for breakfast. They have renovated the original hut that they family used to milk the cows and bring the sheep down from the moutains. This is what Olav and ydis were on their way to do that day. The hut looks old and original from the outside but the section that http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Vestlandet/Sognefjord/blog-318247.html Hello My FriendsWe have finally made it to Fresvik. This is where it all started for me folks This area is truly the heart and soul of Norway. Very Very Scenic and full of traditions. This is a place where generation after generation still live in the same house and maintain thier farms. The Btuns my relatives are farmers and grow raspberries apples strawberries and raise sheep. We have dis http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Vestlandet/Sognefjord/blog-317700.html Hello Everyone....or as they say here... Hei Hei. They say it twice very quicklyWe left Bergen and made our way to a little place called Rauland in the Telemark area. We stayed in a lodge way up on the Hardanger Mountain Plateau. Please excuse my spelling but we figure you guys probably won't know the difference anyway...Our guide ivind whom all the women have fallen in love with by now http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Nord-Norge/Tromso/blog-316120.html We have had a couple of really early days BUT well worth our while Our tour guide rvind has been FANTASTIC The knowledge that he has of Norway is incredible I guess he should considering he's Norwegian. We have decided that we need to bring him home with us to teach us Norwegian and other things.......hmmmmm........We left Loen and made our way to the Stalheim Hotel which is at the very http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Vestlandet/Sognefjord/blog-314243.html Skl EveryoneWow...I LOVE Norway It feels like home to me. We spent our first day of our tour in Lillehamer toured the Olympic Ski Jump. We made a trip down the ski lift and watched the althetic young lads training on the hill. It was very funny to see this in the middle of summer. But the jump is covered in green plastic fringey stuff and they wet it down. They were jumping right beside us http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Hamar/blog-313552.html We made it We left Calgary at 130 pm on Thursday and arrived at 830am on Friday in Oslo. Air Lufthansa was great Free Booze roomy seats Very easy to make our way thru Frankfurt airport. It seems that Darlene and I have perfected the deer in the headlights look We make a good team. She stands and spins and I stare wideeyed monitors until some nice young man asks us if we need assist http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Oslo/blog-312554.html With a little help from my friends and some red wine...I think I'm ready to go http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Alberta/Calgary/blog-312112.html So here I am technically challenged trying to set up this Blog. Not sure if it's going to work but we'll give it a shot. Tonight is packing night and then off to the airport tomorrow morning. My flight is direct to Frankfurt and then to Oslo where we may be greated by Darlene's cousin. I've got my iPod charged up and all ready for the long flight. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Alberta/Calgary/blog-311821.html