Thursday, Sep. 13, 2007 - Arrive Norway, Haugesund, Komla & Slogvik Farm

We check out of our London hotel early, catch an express bus to Stansted Airport, smoothly go through security & are then on our just-over-2 hours flight from England across the North Sea to Haugesund's airport. Easily going through passport control, we emerge at the terminal with the warmest of welcoming by 6 of our dear friends from Tysvær. 
1

While Sjur in the background orders coffee for us in the terminal café, Einar takes a greeting photo of us & the rest of the greeting party (Anne Nora, Helga & Berit).. 
2

It was quite special to have so many folks meet our plane.  Most had been part of the group that came to San Francisco for the Norway to Napa bauta project in 2004.
3

We are then taken to this fine Haugesund restaurant, the Bestastuå, with notice that we are being hosted by other good friends, Andreas Tofte & Margunn (far right & left here). 
4

By personal tradition (see bottom of Day 4 from our 2003 visit), heart patients Andreas & Keith compare medications before partaking of a great meal (not on  the cardiologist's recommended list).
5

A quite elegant serving of Kumla! Kumla (also Komla, etc.) is a potato dumpling-like arrangement cooked and served with a variety of meats and root vegetables.  It is notoriously filling and popular-- especially on cold days or those long Norwegian winter nights. 
6

Einar and Anne Nora enjoy the meal and the company.  They will be hosting us at the Slogvik farm in Tysvær for the next few days.  
7

Andreas and Keith carry on a lively e-mail correspondence and it is great to be able to meet and joke with each other in person again.
8

Norwegian hospitality often centers around the coffee/dessert table.  Margunn has presented a very elegant repast at their nearby home.
9

Here she serves some of that great strong Norwegian coffee we have come to love -- perfect with the lovely and VERY tasty dessert that is called a "dime cake."
10

This is the view from the Slogvik farm on the Hervik Fjord where Keith's great, great, grandfather was born & lived until he emigrated to America in 1825 aboard the sloop Restauration. 
11

Two of Einar's 4 sisters, Jorrun & Helga stop by for an evening visit at the newer of the two Slogvik farmhouses where we settled in the "Slooper Suite."  We reminisce about the time at San Francisco.
12

Anne Nora & Einar explain to us some of the plans for the next couple of days.  They now live in the farmhouse where Einar grew up (after Einar's late mother, we called it "Laura's house" in our earlier visits.  It is nearby just down a short trail.  

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