Arrived in this beautiful west coast city this afternoon via ferry from Stavanger.
This past Saturday I made my way to Stavanger a bit south of Bergen. Fiona, who I met on part of my first African tour in Botswana/Zambia, grew up in this town and her parents have now lived there for 30-some years. Fiona and her sister Kirsty scooped me up at the train station and the Kemp family spent the next four days, for all intents and purposes, adopting me.
I've already waxed poetic to my siblings via email about this, but the Kemp family reminds me so, so much of the Strickers...only they're smarter, prettier and funnier.
Five kids: three girls, two boys. Oldest and youngest separated by ten years. Same senses of humor. Dinner the first night (to celebrate Kirsty's bday) was a big bowl of shrimp, some terrific bread and a big block of cheese. If THAT'S not a Stricker-esque dinner, I don't know what one is!
I really didn't "do" much for the four days, but it was just what I needed before the upcoming Russia/Mongolia/China train tour. Just was a real "normal" week that hit the spot.
We DID go hiking to what SHOULD have been an incredible overlook, however the rain made it comically disappointing. Later I'll post photos of what it DID look like and what it SHOULD have looked like.
I'm only in Bergen for one night before hopping a train back to Oslo tomorrow. Everyone tells me this is supposed to be one of the most stunning train trips in the world. We shall see.
There are literally hundreds of American college students tramping around Bergen today as the "Semester at Sea" boat is docked here. Have to say I'm glad to be leaving Europe now because clearly the tourists are beginning to swarm for the summer.
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Two tidbits before I go:
-Norwegian residential bathroom doors are required by law to open OUT into the hallway.
-A TGI Friday's "Big Cheesy Bacon Burger" costs $37.75
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
3 comments:
"smarter, prettier and funnier than the Strickers" - wow, they must be REALLY smart, pretty and funny... ... ... ... ...
I'm the eldest of the kemp kids, and for the sake of my family's newfound legendary status, I am pleased that I was not present, as the family would have lost one adjective. I think I'm pretty smart and funny though.
Gordon, no doubt your looks are the exception proving the rule in terms of the Kemp-family "pretty factor".
You're going to put me up in Perth and cook for me each night just like your father did, right? Right? :-)
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