La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
The first time we visited Bergen, Norway — in 1998 with San Geraldo’s mother, Alice — second-cousin Inger and her husband, Jan Olaf, took us on a walking tour of Nordnes, the neighborhood where Alice’s mother grew up and lived into her 20s. At the time, SG had most of the addresses where his and Inger’s great grandmother, Ingeborg, had lived with her daughters throughout the years. SG’s great grandfather died when SG’s grandmother was only 8. Inger led us to find each of those addresses. Many homes were gone, but it was still a magical walk. Near the end, we reached a fence and Inger announced dramatically, “Jerry, I have bad news! Ingeborg’s house here is now the penguin house!” The homes in that part of the peninsula had been razed to make way for Bergen Aquarium in 1960.
Our last night in Bergen, after a traditional dinner at their home, Inger gave us some going away presents. One was the wooden penguin you see below. With it was a note to “Remember your ancestors.” And that leads us into today’s memories of Bergen. The photo above is Ingeborg with her daughters. SG’s grandmother is seated at left. Inger’s grandmother is standing behind her at left.
As for the gym, or even a walk, right now I’m grateful I have the energy to make it home from breakfast at Mesón Salvador.
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La primera vez que visitamos Bergen en Noruega, en 1998 con la madre de San Geraldo, Alice, la prima segunda Inger y su esposo, Jan Olaf, nos llevaron en un recorrido a pie por Nordnes, el vecindario donde la madre de Alice creció y vivió hasta los 20 años. En ese momento, SG tenía la mayoría de las direcciones donde su bisabuela, Ingeborg, y la de Inger habían vivido con sus hijas a lo largo de los años. El bisabuelo de SG murió cuando la abuela de SG tenía solo 8 años. Inger nos llevó a encontrar cada una de esas direcciones. Muchas casas se habían ido, pero aún así fue un paseo mágico. Cerca del final, llegamos a una cerca e Inger anunció dramáticamente: “¡Jerry, tengo malas noticias! ¡La casa de Ingeborg aquí ahora es la casa de los pingüinos!” Las casas en esa parte de la península habían sido demolidas para dar paso al Acuario de Bergen en 1960.
Nuestra última noche en Bergen, después de una cena tradicional en su casa, Inger nos dio algunos regalos de despedida. Uno era el pingüino de madera que ves abajo. Con él había una nota para “Recuerda a tus antepasados”. Y eso nos lleva a los recuerdos de hoy de Bergen. La foto de arriba es Ingeborg con sus hijas. La abuela de SG está sentada a la izquierda. La abuela de Inger está parada detrás de ella a la izquierda.
En cuanto al gimnasio, o incluso una caminata, en este momento estoy agradecido de tener la energía para llegar a casa después del desayuno en Mesón Salvador.
• “Recuerda a tus antepasados”.
• Otro de los descendientes de Ingeborg.
• Oiga, señor, ¿quiere comprar un auténtico noruego cortador de queso? ¡Barato!
• Arriba de Finnegan’s Irish Pub al lado del Teatro Nacional.
Click the thumbnails.
Haz clic en las miniaturas.
Street art with a punch! Love it!
Ancestors are/were vital……where would we be without them!
Great photos!
Anon:
Yes, ancestors may not all have been ones we’d be proud of, but at least we’re here.
Love the street art. Reminds me of Glasgow.
Those women faced enormous odds–especially when the father/husband died when the children were young. Formidable. Because they had to be. Oh so worthy of remembrance.
Mary:
I can’t imagine how hard it would have been for Ingeborg. Her husband was a master baker, so life would have been good early on. Her daughters all started working young I’m sure. And, oh, the stories about Ingeborg. Formidable.
What a wonderful trip you had, love Bergen.
Larry:
If it weren’t for the weather, we would have moved there. What a cool, historic, beautiful, charming city.
HUGE Smiles around me – always remember where we came from.
Anon:
And always learn from where we came from.
I love street art and those are some great examples! Hey, does this mean that San Geraldo and Travel Penguin are related?
~~Debra She Who Seeks
Debra:
I hadn’t thought of that. No wonder I like Travel Penguin so much.
Ooooo! Penguin art!!!
Wicked Hamster:
And lots and LOTS of sheep art in Norway. Now you really have to go.
Ingeborg! The French king Philippe II (who, according to The Lion In Winter, had a relationship with Richard the Lionhearted, when they were younger), was married to an Ingeborg… sister to the king of Denmark. He tried to have the marriage annulled… poor Ingeborg! She had a lonely life. So, that has been my reference for the name Ingeborg (Isambour, in French), up until now, and I will now associate that name with SG and his great grandmother!
Judy C:
Richard the Lionhearted is SG’s 22-greats uncle. Philippe IIs were great grandfathers and great uncles. Ingeborg used to knit wool socks for her grandchildren. She expected them to wear them every time they visited. They said they were itchy torture.
Just reading your posts makes me want to go to Norway and to Bergen. Maybe someday.
Anon:
I highly recommend Bergen. One of my favorite cities. The rest of the country is magnificent.
The gift penguin is gorgeous; lovelovelove.
And the street art is as beautiful, too.
Anon:
The wooden penguin always makes us smile. Sweet memories.
Wow, this looks like a picture my father had of his mother and her sisters! I swear one of these charming ladies looks like my Grandma Bessie.
Deedles:
Oh wouldn’t that be cool if you and SG were related. But none of his great-aunts was named Bessie.
That would be a hoot, Scoot! However, my grandma was mostly Irish and French with a drop of African blood that made her Black by law. Turns out, DNA wise, I’m 43 percent German on my mother’s side. Explains why I’m so exotically gorgeous *cough*.
Deedles,
Thanks to SG’s paternal great-grandfather and paternal grandfather marrying Germans, you still could be related! But I shouldn’t mention that again. I don’t want to mess up your fantasy life.
“Remember your ancestors.” What an excellent story and gift to go with the current time and to tie in the past.
And you know Im ADORING the elephant mural. How fun !
Anon:
Bergen is a city filled with art, public and in galleries.
I guess our commentS are coming in annon now like blogger?!?!?!?! ARRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGG
Mistress Borghese
Mistress Borghese:
But not everyone’s. I don’t have a clue.
Although none of my ancestors were flightless birds, there may have been a dodo or two among them.
Wait… were dodos flightless? Well, they are now, anyway.
Walt the Fourth:
Well, I told Olav I couldn’t send the new dodo to him because it couldn’t fly. But, although they could at one time fly (and obviously can’t now), they lost their ability to fly apparently because of lack of need living on the safe island of Maritius.
Walt the Fourth:
They say dodos are extinct but I have a few in my current family.
Oh my, my comment went missing, is must have flown away. Great Penguin
I love the little penguin figurine! I think I saw some “Rip Streetart” in Belgium when I was there.
Steve,
I need to make better note of the artists when they’re credited. RIP does get around.