Lista Fyr

On July 24, which was a sunny and warm day, Odd and Karen-Mai took us over to the town of Lista to the lighthouse (fyr) there which overlooks the North Sea. It is well over an hour's drive from Kristiansand, and along the way we stopped in a couple of small coastal towns. In Mandal we walked along the shopping street and Karen-Mai and I went into Husfliden, a store that sells bunads (traditional Norwegian clothing) and related items. In Vanse there is a shop called Trunken that sells American items--it was strange to see some familiar items as "imported." When we arrived at the lighthouse, we enjoyed a lunch that Karen-Mai had packed. We looked around the small museum near the lighthouse, and then Mike and I climbed up the steps to enjoy the view from near the top of the lighthouse. The countryside is strewn with large rocks, and smaller rocks have been piled along fields as fences. It is very beautiful there.

Happy Anniversary!

Cousins Michael and Erik raise a toast to Odd and Karen-Mai in the garden at Vindmøllegangen.

The restaurant Makrellen; photo taken from Erik's boat.

Karen-Mai and Odd on their 49th wedding anniversary, photo taken at Ravnedalen.

We only discovered when we arrived that Odd and Karen-Mai's 49th wedding anniversary would occur on July 23. Uncle Odd took us all out for dinner to celebrate at the restaurant Makrellen, where they serve the best-tasting mackerel. Erik came by the house in the afternoon to visit with us a bit before we all went to dinner. The last time Michael had seen him, he was only a couple of years old. The restaurant was in walking distance—only 15 or 20 minutes away—taking the walk along the seaside that passes the round fort. It was a very nice evening.

Ravnedalen

On the afternoon of the 23rd, Odd and Karen-Mai drove us a short distance to Ravnedalen, a park that was "constructed" in the mid-1800s by order of General Oscar Wergeland (who was the brother of Henrik--see previous post). He had soldiers who were stationed in Kristiansand plant local and imported species, construct the pond and foutain, and many other details to make a really beautiful garden.

City Center

The cross, which is located next to the cathedral, marks the center of the original city of Kristiansand.

Statue of writer and poet Henrik Wergeland (thinkin' "I wish someone would get this bird off my head").

The morning of July 23, we walked to city center with Karen-Mai and saw more of Kristiansand, including the cathedral and some of the original buildings that were at the heart of the city that King Kristian IV built. We also walked along the pedestrian shopping street nearby.