MacGougan at Large

Notes on A Trip to Norway - 14

On to Arendal

We leave the Lofotens by ferry - back to the mainland town of Bodø. It seemed to me that it should be pronounced “Bod” because the second O is crossed out, but it’s actually pronounced close to “Buddha”.

I’m still recovering from my sore throat and don’t see much of the city. Here’s the view from the window of our hotel room. The red boat in the middle that looks like a tugboat wearing a huge platform shoe is actually a fishing boat. It was designed that way because of a regulation prohibiting boats over a certain length from fishing close to shore.

The next day, we fly to Oslo, squeeze into a rental car, and drive to an island near Arendal, where we’ve rented a house on the water.

We’re now about as far south as you can get in Norway. It’s very different from where we were for our first week. The Lofoten Islands have a wild grandeur. Think the Rockies or Alaska. In the greater Arendal area, you can be out in the country, but it’s posh country. Think Lake Winnipesaukee or Kennebunkport. We’re in an area of wooded, rolling hills with pretty houses looking out over water so peaceful it could be a large lake. It is, in fact, ocean water sheltered by lots of islands and peninsulas. It’s early fall, and the days are sunny and warm.

The house comes with a dock, and the braver among us take the leap into the cold water. It also comes with kayaks, which we use to explore the nearby coastline.

Finally and a surprise to me, it also comes with a motorboat, which enables us to boat our way to the town of Arendal and back.

We’re joined by a second cousin, Karl Erik, a charming man with a distinctive personal style.

And his equally-charming wife, Gro. It’s her birthday, and we get to celebrate with them.

Arendal is a beautiful town. Here’s a view from the “Glass Elevator”.

Arendal is the town where Linda’s mother’s was born and where her grandmother grew up. We make a pilgrimage to the old family house and meet the young family that currently lives there. The husband has been doing renovations on the house and is very interested to learn more about its history.

The sisters, meanwhile, are very happy to know that the place is not only still standing, but continues to play a part in family histories.