I don’t know the exact history of Strandebarm. It’s one of those flyspeck towns of just a few hundred souls where nothing of record really occurs — rather, the history lies with the people of the town.
The Nazis marched through Strandebarm in April 1940. The Nazi occupation of Norway was one of the quickest in history. Children were playing on the streets and quickly scattered when the soldiers marched up the road. Jews were rounded up (though the Norwegians weren’t very fond of them in the first place, it seems). It was a peaceful occupation overall, though: Norway, unlike France, wasn’t home to a war front.
A lot of stories and tales were shared, between my hosts and I, over hot cocoa and, later, some lovely salmon — fished from a fine fjord only a few meters from the table. I don’t have time to get all anecdotal though, so you’ll have to make do with some pretty photos for now.
We have a 6:40am flight to Trondheim tomorrow, so I ought to lay down and try to rest a little, even if sleep doesn’t come until it’s almost time to wake.
(Most of these are ’50mm landscapes’… still trying to perfect my technique!)
(Trying to find out the name of the valley… can’t find it!)
(The church is from the 1800s — one of the oldest buildings in the area, I think)
* * *
I’m a couple of days behind on photos now (this always happens), but I’ll try to catch up from Trondheim…! (Unless the weather’s good… in which case, I’ll never catch up…)
(Incidentally, the self-portrait at the top of this post is the first and last time I balance my camera on sticky, stinky seaweed…)
Abi
Mar 24, 2010
And the prize for dressing to match ones surroundings goes to… you!
Very Gulliver.
sebastian
Mar 24, 2010
A rare photo of me wearing glasses too!
Sara Strand
Mar 24, 2010
Yay for gross seaweed!
Very pretty town. I wonder if the people appreciate their landscape since it’s so normal to them. I’d never get anything just staring at the rock formations. Very pretty.
nicopolitan
Mar 24, 2010
First: Incredible shots; I’ve already used the first one with the two trees and (geographic feature? I am inexperienced with nature) as a desktop background!
Next: I am salivating over the thought of Norwegian salmon. What? I’m Asian, I like fish.
Jillian
Mar 25, 2010
Those photos are outrageous. I’m especially loving the second landscape shot.
sebastian
Mar 26, 2010
Ya, Sara, they don’t find it particularly pretty — though they say it’s ‘a lot nicer in the summer’.
But now I have some idea of why people come to England and GUSH about how GREEN it is. Something like 2% of Norway is cultivatable — i.e. it’s not very green here.
Thanks, Nic — don’t think the trees are particularly unique. The photo’s lovely tho’, so I’m glad you’re making good use of it!
The salmon’s very nice, though I fear no one gets to taste REAL salmon any more — our world is too polluted
Magpie
Mar 26, 2010
Oh that’s SEAWEED… Spent about three minutes squinting at it trying to imagine some alternative to the theory in my head.
I was going to ask you to bring back some mulch for my garden, but never mind. Seaweed! Sher we haff dat hiah!
Tall Brunette
Mar 26, 2010
Nice pants, Seb. And beautiful shots.
andhari
Mar 27, 2010
PRETTY! Fairytale village much?
I like the one with unique little houses and snow around
Emily Jane
Mar 29, 2010
Those photos are beautiful and so picturesque, I LOVE the last one! And way to match your shoes with the seaweed