Folkestad Finale

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I feel like I won't be able to capture this day either, but here we go. It's another nice day, a quiet morning. Cecelia, the much younger sister of Gunn, rode the ferry over, walked up the hill to visit and have breakfast with us before going home to work. Tor then drove us up further on the hill where family farm land is now inhabited with various small cabins above a small lake. Cabins are without electricity or plumbing, but many have solar panels and 11-liter gas tanks. Very peaceful. Of course, Allan really got his fix of tractors, too. We almost missed the ferry to Volda as he was engrossed with the neighbor cutting hay! (well, almost true) On our drive around the community Tor stopped to visit with a man harvesting turnips and potatoes from the garden. He had a John Deere sitting there, so there went Allan, too. This man has just been back in the village one year after serving in the Norwegian parliment for four years in Oslo. He had us look at a small water turbine on the river for generating power. This occurs in other mountain towns, as well. It is real "clean energy."

After a short stop for a cold drink in Volda with Peter Henning's cousin, Aud Osdal, whom we had met at Peter's 90th birthday party in February we went through the five tunnels to Ulsteinvik to find Guri's home. One of the tunnels opened up four years ago, is 7.8 meters long, and the deepest tunnel, maybe in Europe or the world! The Norwegians get great infrastructure for their money, though they are also paying a toll of $15 each way until next year when it will be paid for. Another tunnel just opened up out in the Volda area which is free and saves significant driving time to another community. We were able to find Guri's home with no trouble, so that will be another post.

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