South Africa

C sent me a few of her photos from her current stay in South Africa.

 




And these brought to the fore of my memories my trip to South Africa .....

Thank you - what a wonderful photo. That should really be framed.

Gosh! You are reminding me of my fabulous trip to South Africa. It was in about 1990 I think. I was there for just over 3 weeks. What a trip.

I started in Cape Town and drove to many fascinating areas (including Paarl and Stellenbosch as I was drinking then - actually it wasn't in excess at that time but then I was in a relationship ironically with an Italian man whose father made exceptionally good wine, from the grape. I was also eating eating eating).

 

I went to Hermanus Bay and I was so very fortunate to sit with my feet in the water where whales were swimming around. And then we drove around some of the towns and areas at the beginnings of the Garden route.

It was also along this journey that I discovered polished semi precious stones for the first time. They were so cheap I bought bags and bags. I had them in a glass vase but Joe took those too. I was always and still am disappointed I didn't get to keep them, along with some of the things we bought in China and Hong Kong and Bali. He took all of those things. Just material possessions but I suppose meaningful representations of trips and memories. As well of course as memories of time with him. That was a long relationship and not to be written about right here and now. So many tangents!!!!

 

 

There were a number of towns and scenes we passed through and visited.

 

The Cape of Good Hope of course was amazing. The meeting point of the two oceans. It was a clashing of waves and a bashing of winds coming together with such force. I remember it as wind noisy and boisterous.

 

I had only arrived the night before and was fast asleep when the hotel room phone went off. It was a colleague of mine from the UK phoning urgently to say that we had to get to Hermanus Bay, he'd been on the night shift and watching the news about the whales at Hermanus and didn't want me to miss them. We went off that very morning.

I did this .....

 

 

 

I hope you get to see them.

I lived in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire at the time we went on this trip. One evening driving around Cape Town we came across Aylesbury ice cream. I think it was on the way to an a very trendy area - it may have even been the port area? Oh I just looked it up - V&A Waterfront. Is it a well known place for restaurants and shops? I can't quite remember. I do remember that we were stopped by the police and asked for ID. I remember acting as if that was all OK and that I was street-wise (in a way I was having travelled extensively and already lived quite a "high" life) but inside I was alarmed and nervous. I've lived those two people all my life. Pretending as if I'm all knowing, cool and calm, taking it all in my experienced stride. But inside very sensitive to these situations I've found myself in all over the place.

 

I thought Paarl and Stellenbosh were alluring and not just for the wine. I enjoyed going from wine estate to wine estate - tasting. We bought wine as well. You know I can remember feeling embarrassed as we weren't big wine drinkers and I thought they'd really only be interested in people buying lots from them. Or in coach trippers because they'd end up with good sales. Not a couple trundling around on our own - uneducated in anything really and not big spenders. That's a theme of my lack of self worth in many, many situations.

We did a touristy visit to KWV wine emporium Paarl. A fascinating history of the cooperative of the wine estates.

But I was charmed by the estates and the white buildings. It seemed funny being amidst these places that had previously only been TV or film experiences. It's often been quite surreal a feeling when I end up being in the reality of something I'd only ever seen with the limits of the screen size. I remember that odd feeling the first time I was in the States.

Then we took a train (not the Blue Train) from Cape Town to Jo'burg. My want an interesting journey. We took a first class sleeper which back then was tuppence ha'penny. I was really amused at one station we pulled into. All the cute little children were lined up by the First class carriages - begging. They got given food and money in abundance. The noise levels were incredible - laughter and joy. As the train pulled out the little children turned into bigger children who starting spitting and throwing things. The noise of the angry First Class passengers was equally amusing. They were furious and some I overheard were raging about the cheek of it. I smiled as I listened to them ranting about being duped.

Resourceful and angry local people.

Ah yes the TransKaroo - the scenery was pretty stable until approaching Johannesburg. Leaving Cape Town started out quite changeable but then same same same - I guess the timing of the departure was scheduled so that the sleeping happened when the journey was most boring.

 

 

I did walk through the train and found Third Class. It sounds ever so grandiose but I don't mean it that way. Whilst I appreciated the cheapness of First class for me on my earnings which weren't so incredible by the way compared with the average in the UK at the time but comfortable enough, in South Africa, my money really gave me a high quality of life. But I felt guilty. Sitting in Third Class was where it was all happening. At the time I was there some people started singing and the whole carriage started to join in. White and black.

I did though return to the luxury of my private first class sleeper cabin.

Arriving in Jo'burg was a real change of atmosphere. i wasn't expecting to but I felt the undertones of danger. Having hired a car from the station and not knowing the area at all I realise it was rather stoopid of us at the time. We drove to our hotel and on the way heard gun shots. It seemed that at this time it was fairly normal. IN the paper the next morning we read of a shooting in Mayfair and some people had been killed. That was exactly where we were driving through. I think at the time we were there it was still very troublesome. I know there are still troubles but I truly hope it has improved.

The next day Joe and I decided to go for a walk around Jo'burg. The hotel concierge was most alarmed that we were going to stroll off. Only after a few 100 yards we realised why. It felt hostile.

Being in the travel industry albeit business travel I was very privileged and managed to negotiate a private Safari with this chap called Wally. It was Kruger. We were there for 4 days I think.

I decided to have my hair permed - as if it's not curly enough. At that time in my life I was all make up and hair dryers, straightening my hair every morning by pulling it under the intense heat of full power!! It took ages and a lot of sweating. So I decided that to go to the national park I'd have to be able to leave my hair curly. What a disaster. And then I had to face the hut accommodation and spiders! AAAAaRGH!

 

He really did treat us. Early starts to silently observe the dawn at a watering hole. M that was amazing watching the animals come in turn. First the lions, then the jackals, then the baboons, and so on in pecking order. I remembering sitting there thinking the show was all over when suddenly I noticed giraffe appear in the bush around the watering hole. They stood thre still for ages looking and gradually they moved towards the water along with the zebra and wildebeest - they seemed to all herd together. Finally the impala - by that time they were so passe but when we first drove in the reserve I was oohinh at aaahing at them springing about all over the place.

There was one day we were parked up and I enquired about this little fluffy cotton like balls in the bushes were beside. He explained that they were spider nests. Spiders that were minute in size. But as there were so many in each little puff ball nest that accumulatively they could sting and kill. Singularly it wouldn't even notice. At that time in my life I was terrified of spiders. Ironic really as were sitting watching a pride of lions at very close distance. I was afraid I'd be compelled to stick my arm out to try and touch them. A little like I feel compelled to jump off tall buildings. But then I was more terrified of these spider nests.

 

 

 

 

 

Joe was a very good looking fella. It would be nice to have a phot of him and many other of the wonderful men I have known but it just wasn't compatible.

 

We saw a elephant herd, rhinoceros, a lion pride, crocs, water buffalo - incredible birds of all varieties.

Claire I just loved that visit to Kruger. As I'm writing all sorts of memories are coming back to me.

We decided to go off in our hire car and went to Pretoria rather than stay in Jo'burg. Wow! What a beautiful city. The jacaranda were in full bloom and the entire city seemed to be mauve. The atmosphere was entirely different.

 

From there we spontaneously decided to drive to Sun City. When I think back on that drive now we were crazy. We went off completely unprepared in a little hire car. I think it was a 3 hour drive to Bophuthtswana. We barely saw a person apart from the odd person walking along carrying wares on their head. No petrol stations, no places to stop for food or water. Nothing. That's how I remember it anyway.

 

We had a couple of days in the gambling-fest and to be honest I found Sun City all so fake and pointless after the glory of the wildlife. It's a good job really that I never really had a big win because very time I've been gambling in any shape of form I feel the buzz. It was the same in Las Vegas. A couple of wins on arrival and I thought that was the way it was going to be ad then nothing. It then became tedious and boring. Phew. Mind you i do love the whole atmosphere and adrenalin rush of the horses and a race meet.

I remember they were preparing for the big Miss World competition to be held there at some point - so that was how long ago it was Joe and I were there - 1992. It was pretty quiet people-wise unlike Las Vegas. And it was still very much under construction.

 

 

I was sad about the wild life though - squashed out of the plains really by people into this tiny corner that rarely received enough rainfall to fill the rivers and lakes. I was praying every day for rain as it was particularly dry.

On the crazy drive back from Sun city to Jo'burg we were travelling into the night. And there was the most incredible light and colour display of lightening. Apparently it was common we later discovered but didn't mean rain. I was a spectacle of a light show and my memories don't do the experience justice.

 

And then we tipped over the top of a large hill down towards Jo'burg. what a glorious sight that was. Jo'burg twinkled like a glittering diamond. All the city lights surrounded by complete darkness all around. It was it's own beauty and spectacle for a city. But with the knowledge that it was also a city ravaged with angst and hatred. Today I pray for that to be lifted ad love to be strengthening. I suspect that will take a lot of time. If only people could find the trust in God and then the trust in people would not be tainted.

The next day we were leaving South Africa and the rain came down. Enormous drops of rain plopped on the car windscreen - washed the car of its dusty trip across what could well have been dangerous territory. I hope that the wildlife parks would also receive rain and that the animals, birds and creatures would be dancing in it. I really cried for them and their stifled lives. Elephants no longer roaming the entirety of Africa.

 

This doesn't quite capture what I recall. We were further away and saw the entire city from on high.

 

Oh and I did enjoy the tour of the diamond mines at Kimberly. Set up really as a masive museum. With a tour into the mines. I had an eye out for a diamond but I guess so had every tourist before me and no doubt since.

And not long after that we flew home.

So your visits to South Africa and your photos bring all of these memories flooding back.

wow isn't it great to have memories like these and have them all stirred again and actually run through them.

Obviously this may make boring reading since you are there yourself and experiencing these tings for real and in your own way.

Lucky you. I would hope some day to return and visit you and my gorgeous friend Kim.

How lucky I am to have seen so many glorious corners of our magical world. I do miss the ability to travel at will. It was if for a period in my life I had wings. Pity addiction was clouding the views.

Bliss
XX

Miracles

Miracles 19th Juy 2012 (written in Word first as there ws no Internet signal)

Phew! I was sooooooooooooo tired. We set off from home for Merthyr Tydfil about 6pm. Not a long turnaround from our demanding walk. I noticed that T was quite excitable and on the journey M was joining her. I didn’t feel up there. I started to feel separated, sitting in the back quietly was good enough for me.

We arrived at the AA meeting and it seemed we had contributed to more than doubling the usual attendance. They said there was normally 3 or 4. Here were the three of us plus 2 characters visiting from Cardiff, although clearly well known to this meeting. I loved listening to Deborah’s accent. I think in the past I’ve mocked the Welsh accent. Rude me. And this brings me to yesterdays Twenty-Four Hour a Day reading about not gossiping or criticising.

I made a conscious effort to change any thoughts of criticism and not to gossip. I was aware of others going down that line and when there were raised eyebrows at someone else’s expense, I was able to ask in a light-hearted way I think what this meant or that directly with the person. And then I stepped aside from it all. But, and oh yes there’s a BUT of the bigger variety, what I did do was judge the others for being critical. Ha! I didn’t notice until I heard my tone this morning when speaking with my sponsor. God please help me to stop this comparison. I think it has been useful in seeing the differences but it’s to be stopped as soon as I notice it.

I also spoke about the way in which I felt slightly detached from the other two last evening in the car and even when we go home. I think the way in which I turned on myself for getting lost started it. But also being tired I just wanted to have down time and be quieter. It’s OK. Otherwise I turn on myself more and then as my sponsor says this turns into my head lowering, despondency creeping in and then there is not the will or the ability to be, do and enjoy. So lift my head up and be. Lovely.

My sponsor talked about faith being an action. And I read in Bill’s Story about having the willingness to turn to the God of my understanding. Of my understanding being the important thing. Like Bill I really believe that Jesus existed, and the equivalent person through other belief systems too. And with their incredible humility and wisdom it’s doubtless that they were very special people. Hence the direct link with God. The Dalai Lama is another of those people. And I really enjoy the teachings and what I can learn from them if I listen and apply them. There’s the need for action again. Nothing spiritual occurs as a result of reading it in a book or sitting and listening.

So I need to practise my faith. I am practising when I remember to get on my knees and ask for God to enter my life. The serenity then flows. I could have asked God to help yesterday when we were lost. I did have faith that we’d arrive somewhere that would get us out of the spot we were in. And it did happen. I didn’t turn to God directly.

I would really like to be in more conscious contact with God. God please help me reach out to you. I truly know you are there. In the shape and form that I believe in you which is more abstract and unnecessary to define. That’s a release in itself.

The reading this morning suggests the need to believe in miracles for other people. I do. I am praying for people in my life to have everything they desire. Then the negativity in me becomes jealous. What about me? And that’s another reminder that I have not practised gratitude. I am very grateful for this break this week. I feel relaxed and far away from the stress of my work environment. I am grateful for the time to observe myself interacting with people and practise doing things differently. I am grateful for the opportunity to explore a little area and enjoy the discoveries. I am grateful to be around creative people and allow myself to do a little of each. They’ve done their degrees in their area of speciality and I am able to dip into their worlds. Even though I feel as if I’m not in the middle of it. I am grateful.

OK I think I will end my writings there for today. We are off towards Merthyr Tydfil again for a ride on a train pulled by a steam engine. Then we will head for Swansea – a visit to the show caves and hopefully a walk around Swansea. Lunch en route, dinner back here and then a visit to the pub!

I am grateful for my abstinence.

Bliss

XX

Holiday yay!

Finally it's booked!
We arrive in this cottage on Monday afternoon. It's near Abergavenny. Looking forward to just being in the company of M & T.
Now it's just working out the windy route there. Hopefully via Bath as I want to visit an Exhibition called Presence: Portrait Sculpture



It's taken a while to finally get something under way and now it's just to find somewhere cheapish to stay in or near Bath for one night.
I feel awkward about meeting T en route but it was agreed with M even though she is taking it that I am blaming her for my awkwardness. I am not. I'm not sure I'm as bothered as her about us all being together for the entire time. On the other hand 3 people can be complicated and in a way it already is without us even having set off. It's my codependency. Worrying about what each of the others want and think and not wanting anyone to be hurt or upset.
I'm sorry M thinks I am blaming her.
This exhibition is at The Holbourne Museum and looks so interesting. Of course other sculptures from Henry Moore and similar are there but also Degas and older sculptures from Ancient Greece and Rome. What a wonder this will be.
M wants to take a steam train ride which runs between Bristol and Bath. I think. I hope.


Anyway the adventure trail is set and anything can now happen.

I am so uncomfortable with the idea of T making her own way and meeting us when we have already spent some time together. That feels odd when normally I wouldn't mind at all. I hadn't considered her not joining us for the entire trip having agreed that she could join us at all. But once M mentioned she would not feel happy spending time in a city with two of us needing to organise our food then it made sense to have the first few days just the two of us. As I thought about it it would be nice to just be M and I and then T join us. And that's what I said. Was I trying to put the onus on M? Yes I probably was. If on the other hand M said it was OK for T to join us from the beginning I wouldn't have that strong an opinion to say no. I would be happy either way. That's the reality I truly would be happy either way.
Bloody hell, it can be so complicated for me trying to keep everyone else happy.
I did say that I was worried that M wouldn't want to go on hols with me if I asked about T joining us at all. My priority is going on hols with her. Why does it get so complicated? Because I try always to keep M happy because she likes things a certain way. I think I would be easy going if it wasn't for wanting to keep people happy and trying to accommodate all their needs.
If it was just me I'd say yeh let's all pile in. It will be fun.
The thing is we are set to go and let's see what will unfold. God please guide me as to how to be.....
Thank you God
Bliss
XX

It's been a while ....

Morning
I've been busy but busy really doing other things than computer stuff.
Oh I went to Norway to stay with my Friend T and M came along with me too. It was lovely. Interesting too. There's so much to catch up on I don;t where to begin without taking up the entire morning. I guess this avoidance of starting my accreditation document.
Today I am going for a walk with LouLou and then meeting up with S this afternoon. Let's work backwards then.
Meeting up with S is interesting for me. When in regular contact with S I was finding the interaction increasingly difficult. I found her quite nasty about people actually. I have a personal discomfort though as at times I can be nasty about my friends and need to speak to someone else sometimes to see my part. But actually what I heard often was blame and then retribution, cutting contact often the solution but with a venom. I understand that S is very hurt by her past and is working continuously on that. The difficulty escalated for me when I felt at times at the end of a sharp tongue directed at me all said in jest supposedly but  it felt mean. And so gradually I just didn't make contact. Oh and S would only want compliments unless asked for. I understand the prerogative to ask for feedback but the way in which it was said I didn't know how to communicate my feelings about things. I have not "broken" friends simply withdrawn further back. I do not dislike S at all, quite the opposite. It's just that somehow there is something that tells me to be cautious for myself. So I will go along this afternoon with interest. I also am aware that I get concerned that I am being nasty and judgemental as I know for example that M is still in contact. Some of me doesn't want to the thought of as withdrawn and unfriendly. I am therefore not sure my motives for staying in contact are pure. Therefore this afternoon is really an exploration of me with her. I am wary indeed.

Oh yes and my dad has invited me to visit his home for coffee. He actually invited me for Saturday 29th October but I had already arranged to meet Annie for a walk and lunch. She and I had a lovely picnic lunch at Frensham Little Ponds and sat opposite the construction site for the film Snow White and the huntsman. Apparently Ray Liotta is in it and Bob Hoskins. Julia Roberts is the Evil Queen. Reading about it, it sounds loosely based on the concept of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves as I know it but this version involves Russia and war etc. Wow! How creatives extend beyond original ideas. I will go to see it simply because I saw the set being built.
This is way of the subject. I was very pleased with myself for telling my dad that I had arrangements as in the past I would have said yes to him and then have to let down my friends by cancelling and not showing them any commitment or sense of importance. So my dad and I rearranged only to discover that I needed to work this Saturday just gone 5th November. I did enquire if we could move it to the afternoon to which he said no. I felt very angry and jealous about this. I wondered what alternative arrangements he has with Theresa and how much I hate that she is a priority. I was hurting when I heard during a previous phone call how upset he sounded when he thought she had nearly died. I did not see or hear that when my mum was dying. He didn't even turn up when we called to say she was dying. I HATE that he would be able to be there for Theresa but not for my mum. I feel sad for my mum and that reminds me how I always tried to protect her from his nasty words at and around her.  She was my lovely mum. I didn't expect to have a real gut wrenching cry as I wrote that. So many little pockets to heal. And they only become apparent as I explore them usually when writing or talking. Phew blimey! What is pleasing about that is that I truly feel that the big knot of pain and rage has been released and there are just these little blobs of emotionally connected memories of incidents and situations. Anyhow I called my dad in good time. Again in the past I would keep leaving it and putting it off in fear thereby making it worse and my dad would of course then be angry. With advance notice and facing my fear it was easier. Maybe my dad is more forgiving and understanding too. Who knows? So we have re booked for Saturday 12th November. A momentous occasion. I have been only once to his house. I went a few times to the first house he and T had but eventually I was completely disliked by T following just the weirdest sequence of events when my dad was preparing for and after having the operation on his heart. She and I were talking each day in the build up and then one day she said to me that my dad did not want me to visit. I said that he was my dad and of course I was going to visit. She then went off at me down the phone accusing me of this and that and me not knowing how much I upset my dad. I said that she had no knowledge of all the things between us. I was so tempted to say something to her. I had a sense anyway that she had issues with me. Perhaps jealousy, something anyway. She seems very insecure and walked out angrily on another occasion when a friend of my mum and dads and I were laughing about my very funny mum. It was clear that I am not allowed to talk about my mum in her presence. This is problematic I suppose in similar situations. I would find it difficult with my own insecurity I know. Yet I am furious with her. I feel like my dad was distant and now he is even more distant because of her. She jumped in might quick after my mums death. That makes me so fucking angry!! And yet I am also glad that they are happy together. It is the grief I am sure around my mum and the years of shit my dad gave my mum! T knows nothing. Sometimes I hope she is miserable because she is finding out what he is like and I so dislike myself for that. It is unfortunate that she is between all the years of anger.
I wonder if she will be there on Saturday. Somehow I doubt it. And my dad is unable to be honest about it.
I anticipate more to be written about this. How strange that I decided to go and see S (therapist) on Monday. I just had a sense I needed a session with him and it is booked for Monday. I didn't know why but I think with my food being clean and also Sex and Love/ Codependency being clean I have feelings, feelings, feelings - very present. I hope to just go without and agenda and talk about things and see what comes up. I would like his help to re-frame things.

So my food. I am back in recovery with my food after many years of trying different things. Off and on these have been OK. But always returning to being out of control from having utter control. The control though was increasingly difficult to get and sustain. Before T left for Norway she told me she had been referred by her therapist to attend FA. She did it for a month and I saw her just before she was completing the final stages of her deaprture for "home". Unfortunately at that time she slipped out of FA but when she arrived back in Norway she was once again back in full swing knowing that it had worked so well for her. I don;t know what happened but during a bout of flu (poop, that was horrible) I got desparate too and asked her to help me. As I was visiting soon she suggested I watch her and how she eats. In the meantime I found the FA website http://www.foodaddicts.org/
Knowing there weren't many UK meetings and also being aware that there was a set up for telephone sponsoring, I got the list of UK sponsors. What did I do with it? I archived the email. But whilst with T, I did eat as she ate and immediately felt that enthusiasm and encouragement from taking action. And so I continued when I returned. As soon as I had the private time I contact B. After several missed calls and not faltering in my determination, we spoke and she agreed to sponsor me. I laughed at myself as she asked me if I was willing to go to any lengths to which I said yes in my desire to get thinner. Ha ha. But when she started telling me the things I would need to do, I was immediately thinking well I won't do that or that and felt quite indignant rather than humble enough to realise that actually I am in early days of recovery. What about my 10 years in recovery!! But although I think CoDA stuff is actually my core which also manifests in sex and love addiction, food is also a primary addiction. So a newcomer I am. The things that I balked at were going to 3 meetings per week - AA. B said that SLA was no longer necessary and this I do disagree with. My sexual acting out and the addiction to love nearly killed me yet again last year. So anyway I continue to attend the meeting but also 2 other AA's and this is not quite as B has suggested so there is a a strong self will in me!!!! I want to be honest with her but think she will be too strict about this. Oh and I laughed as I ate too late one evening told her and she put me back to day 1 of my frist 90 days. During this 90 days I am not to share at any meeting. I am to sit and listen. She said newcomers need to listen and at this stage have little to contribute. I am doing this but I also disagree as I got so so much from the newcomer in the room sharing on Friday. That was so interesting for me though - I sat there everyone else other than myself and the newcomer having shared. I felt a real pressure to share and was debating "I musn't but I feel the silence and must". Then suddenly the newcomer obviously felt the gap enough for her to be able to share. She had so identified with the previous sharer and it had helped her. And last night the same thing. She nearly missed the meeting, not finding the door, but I saw her and went to bring her in. She found the gap to sahre again. I admire her determination and self awareness. Her little daughter had cut up her scrapbook into lots of squares and written on them all please mummy go to AA. She had put them in bundles in cupboards, the fridge and her car. So every time the newcomer opened the door these pieces of paper fell on her. Gosh what a powerful message. She has since found out her two older daughters have been wanting her to do something and even though she hadn't spoken to her mum about issues, her mum has now told her she is so proud of her. This is a wonerful time. I hope she can stick with it. She was amazed at all the telephone numbers she was given and hugs. I hope hope hope for her that she gets this as it is life changing. Good and difficult too at times.
So now I know my sponsors purpose for not sharing I think I need to let some people know.

Norway - well it was lovely spending time with T. She took us to her gallery with the exhibition of Turid Schelver. T explained that her paintings are inspired by the little book that all her friends wrote in when leaving school. I understood that this is a tradition. I loved her paintings I would love to have been able to afford to buy one. I wonder if T could arrange a regular payment scheme? I will ask her.
I would love to be able to collect items of art.




She is doing so well. Selling and promoting. And already she is well known. Afterwards we went to another gallery and another and another. She was greeted and very much in demand actually.

Hanalena Heiska was in a gallery in Porsgrunn. http://www.hannaleenaheiska.com/paintings/2011/
T explained that her town of Skien and Porsgrunn are unusually close for Norway. There is so much space and towns are wide spread normally.



This is a still from a very beautiful film of this horse. Intimate. And I now believe this is her horse and understand why there was such a trust.

 Her paintings were large and imposing yet extraordinarily beautiful. Influenced by BDSM, heavy metal, quite sinister and yet exciting and in their darkness, so appealing. I was sucked in.
The gallery owner was very very dishy - so thought we all. His kids were gorgeous too. ;)

We went to a bar recommended by some other cooky artist. It's a pity I am not more confident as there was a man sitting at a table writing music. I wanted to take a snap of him over his shoulder but didn't have the courage. It felt like taking away his privacy. T asked him but he didn't want his picture taken. Instead he gave a manuscript of his homage to Grieg (Norweigian composer which I hadn't realised)
Oh and Skien is home to Henrik Insen. M was thrilled as she has been reading some of his works as a part of her degree.
The names of the other places are on hold whilst I wait for T to get back to me with them. IN the meantime here are the pics, a stroll through a fishing town right to the sea then back for a cuppa in a bar, a climb up a mountain and finding a log cabin to sit and take a cuppa oh and Odd joined us, a visit to a military town to meet some other ladies for cake and a cuppa, a walk on the glorious pebble beach deposited there through the glaciers, and T's home plus a stroll around her town and the residential area. It was interesting how everyone huddles in these wonderful wooden buildings in a little estates. It makes sense for the cold is very very cold. T can expect temperatures to drop to -37 degrees centigrade. Brrrrrrrrrrr.

Bliss

xx