We have settled into our new apartment and we have gotten to know our neighborhood, which is surprisingly rural while still being very close to the big town. On a walk along the fjord this week we stumbled on an amazing find: petroglyphs from the Bronze Age 1800-500 BC. These are carvings in a beautiful bowl-like rock just along the fjord. There are ships (complete with oarsmen), sun, deity representation and other types of carvings/paintings that are not yet interpreted.
The boat is apparently the most common carving or painting in Scandinavia and particularly Norway from the Bronze Age.
Archeologists believe that the hands represent a god which can not be depicted. There are also carved basins which they believe were used to hold sacrificial offerings, but they were difficult to show in a picture.
A view of the Fluberget Rock from the side.
Here is a view of our school. It is from a bit away, but the chestnut colored buildings are all part of our campus.
These are old wooden fishing boats that are usually anchored in the fjord by our house. It think they are so beautiful.
A view of one of the bit frightening curves in our bike ride to school.
This picture shows where our apartment is in our neighborhood.
On our cruise to Lysefjord we saw many beautiful boats with mountainous backdrops...these are just a few that picked from the many.
Daddy and Maarit on the fjord cruise.
More gorgeous Norway.
Mommy and Maarit on the fjord cruise.
Norway!
A Sunday afternoon woodland hike. The forest behind our house reminds me exactly how I imagined the woods in Bridge to Terabithia, one of my favorite books of childhood.
Maarit and Daddy on our woodland hike.
The Three Swords of Hafrsfjord.
This is a monument to the unification of Norway. Norwegian history says that at the time Norway was divided into small districts and was ruled by many minor kings and earls. One of the more powerful local kings, Harald Harfagre (Harold the Fair-Haired) wanted the daughter of a local earl. He sent his men to go and capture her and bring her back to him to be his wife. However, she refused and told his men that she would not give up her virginity to a man who didn't have the foresight to rule over the whole of the country. Harald decided that the maiden was right and he launched a campaign to conquer the other minor kings and earls. The final battle of the campaign took place in Hafrsfjord (where we live) in 872 AD. The fjord is narrow and relatively shallow, Harald coxed his enemies into the fjord and then his men blocked the entrance. None of the boats could escape and they say that the fjord ran red with the blood of the defeated Vikings.
In the end, King Harald married the maiden who gave him the idea to unify Norway. But it isn't a great love story since Harald was a Viking and had about 10 other wives before her and eventually left her as well. However, I appreciate the story for the simple fact that Norway was united because of the idea of an intelligent woman.
This is the windiest day we've had in Norway thus far. On our hike back home we were caught in a sideways rain down pour....hot chocolate and a nap for all! Wonderful.
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