Travel day! After yesterday's fog and deep overcast sky, wouldn't you know the sky was partly sunny this morning in Bergen? We could see the tops of the surrounding mountains. In those patches where the sky peeked through the clouds, the color was crisp, clear blue and the temperatures were the warmest we have encountered since leaving Oslo. We could see the incline railroad towers but since the railway does not open until 10 am, we did not have enough time to take that excursion. Instead, today's adventure involved catching a city bus to City Centre to board the Airport bus to the Bergen Airport. Both rides were pleasant and efficient. We chatted the bus ride away with a gentleman from Norway who was traveling to Costa del Sol, Spain to spend a week with his brother. We talked about traveling and we talked about the benefits of living in Norway. Everyone we have met loves living here - both native sons and those from other countries. They boast about their quality health care system and their quality, free education system, and they agree with the tax structure since it discourages tobacco and alcohol use, unhealthy eating and things that do not help sustain the environment. They often say our system lets those who use those things pay for the services they will ultimately need. It seems to make sense. And speaking of politics, although their news is filled with American politics, only one person so far has asked us about our president. Mannerly people, they are.

As our plane lifted off the ground leaving Bergen we got a view of the landscape from the air for the first time. We saw hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of islands some so close they actually make up the land and are merely connected by bridges. The sight was unbelievable! As I looked at the clusters of islands, I thought of long ago when I would see globs of butter in the milk my grandmother had just churned. We took photos from the plane but I'm afraid they simply won't do the sights justice.

It was a two and one-half hour flight to Tromso. We flew along the coast all the way. The brown and green islands surrounded by blue sea gave way to a vast collection of snowy mountain islands. Again, an unbelievable sight.

When we touched down in Tromso and walked out on the tarmac, light snow was falling and the vastness was numbing. All I could think was - we are at the North Pole!

Gorild (think gher-dle . . and then that's not exactly it. They have three extra letters to their alphabet that we westerners cannot even begin to vocalize), Gorild, our apartment owner host picked us up at the airport -who ever heard of such hospitality!! Then since it was snowing, she offered to drive us to the grocery store and wine store. We refused at first but then after watching the snow come down and listening to Gorild explain the weather forecast for the next couple of days we took her up on her offer. Everything we needed was in City Centre so we now know where everything is when we get out and about on our own. They are expecting are expecting a blizzard with four days of snow but it's probably going to be just fine. The weather seems to change very often and fast. There is a lot of snow on the ground now and more to come. Gorild says winter turns into summer in June.

Gorild's apartment is darling! It is cozy and modern with lots of windows looking out onto the snow. Again we saw evidence of her hospitality - fresh tulips and Norwegian milk chocolates on the table.