Our New Adventures, Our Life: May 2011

Sunday, May 15, 2011

EASTER "2011"

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Saturday, May 14, 2011

Our ADVENTURE to Norway's largest beach of rolling stones - Mølen

Mølen is Norway's largest beach of rolling stones, and is a part of Vestfoldraet: the terrain left behind after the end of the most recent Ice age around 10,000 years ago.

The wind and sea have lashed the landscape of Mølen for thousands of years, and the place takes its name from the Old Norse word "mol", meaning a stone mound or bank of stones.

Mølen in Brunlanes is a national treasure and one of Larvik’s most popular attractions. It is part of an ice age moraine, formed approximately 10 000 years ago when the glacier retreated. Here you can find over 100 different rock types and the area is part of a Unesco approved geopark.
Mølen is also famous as one of Norway’s largest Viking era burial grounds and there are over 230 burial mounds located here. This, combined with its striking natural beauty and position on the edge of the sea, make it a must see when visiting the area.

A BITE OUT OF A ROCK

WE FOUND A TROLLS NOSE

BRADLEY WAS HUNGRY... A ROCK - TASTY!

...THEUNHJEM'S

Cultural history

The cultural landscape of Mølen, with its total of 230 cairns, is one of the most majestic in Norway. The area has 16 large cairns, many up to 35 m in diameter, with almost 200 small cairns in rows parallel to the shoreline. In one of the cairns, burnt stones were found; this could be the result of a cremation dating back to the 5th century A.D. The small cairns may symbolise warriors who fell in battle or were shipwrecked together with their captain.

Plundering

The cairns furthest down towards the sea are from the Late Iron Age and Viking times, while those on higher ground are probably older; theoretically, they could be from the Late Bronze Age, as was previously assumed. However, recent research shows that all the cairns of Mølen are probably from the Iron Age. Almost all the cairns have one or more depressions from plundering or so-called "haugbrot". "Haugbrot" refers to ritual removal of the dead; the reason why this was done is not clear. The low boat-shaped stone setting was excavated in the 1970s. It is a grave where a ship had probably been burnt. Iron nails and carbon were found, and these have been dated to approximately 30?250 A.D.

Different social strata

Why did some graves have a mound, while others had to make do with simpler forms. We do not know what ceremonies were linked to the burials, but it is thought that the most powerful members of society were given the most impressive grave sites, while ordinary people had to make do with simpler types of grave or were buried without any mound, cairn or bauta stones to mark the spot.

Trading centre

The cairns, which were clearly visible to shipping, not only signalled prosperity but probably also served as "sea markers" along the shipping lanes between different trading centres. The question is whether Mølen and its bay could have been one of several transit sites in Eastern Norway, with goods from here being exchanged and conveyed to the surrounding settlements.

Geology

Traces of volcanic activity. On Salstein, a southerly headland with a beach composed almost entirely of pebbles, we find rare traces of the so called Brunlane volcano. The volcano itself ceased to be part of the landscape a long time ago, but the dark types of rock on Saltstein are remnants of a defunct and deeply eroded shield volcano. Relics have also been found on Oddane and also on the skerries between Oddane, as well as to the south.

Lava, volcanic ash and corridors

The long headland of Saltstein comprises alternating layers of lava and volcanic ash. The lava is in the form of dark types of rock with white flecks. The white flecks were originally gas-filled bubbles. Volcanic ash can be seen in layers between individual layers of lava; it is often very stratified and green or brownish in colour. The ash resulted from volcanic eruptions. In the far west of Saltstein, there is an approximately 4 m thick layer of fragments of rock of various sizes. This layer was created in a massive volcanic eruption. Molten basal and rhomb porphyry forced its way up through the volcano after the lava had overflowed. Today, we can see these molten substances as east-west corridors on Saltstein.

Special volcanic activity

Late in the carbon time series, there was basaltic volcanic activity near Skien, Holmestrand, Jeløya and on Krokskogen and Kolsås, south of Oslo. This was the earliest volcanic activity in the Oslo area. The lava flows were like those we find on basal volcanoes today, e.g. on Iceland, Etna and Hawaii, but the Brunlane volcano has a very particular composition found today in eastern Congo near the town of Goma.

Glaciation

The smooth, sloping rock of Saltstein was ground by the glacier during the last Ice Age. Abraded strips show that the glacier moved from north to south. A nice way of approaching Mølen is to walk along the North Sea Trail from Nevlunghavn or Helgeroa. The trail is a more than 5000 km coastal walk in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, England and Scotland [1]

Environmental disasters

In the summer of 2009, Mølen was covered in oil after the "Full city" disaster but Thorstein Baarnes and Svend Christian Jensen cleaned it, in an attempt to save the coast. With good results.

CLICK ON THE LINK TO SEE THE OTHER PICTURES FROM - Our ADVENTURE to Norway's largest beach of rolling stones - Mølen

Alphabet Pretzels

Alphabet Pretzels

Here's what you will need to make it:
„ two tablespoons of honey
„ 1/2 packet of yeast
„ 1/3 cup warm water
„ two eggs
„ two tablespoons cooking oil
„ 1/2 cups flour
„ salt
„ baking brush
„ cookie sheet
„ spoon

Here's what you have to do:
1. Check with a grown-up before you
start this.
2. First, mix two tablespoons of honey
and 1/2 packet of yeast with 1/3 cup
warm water.
3. Beat one egg into the mixture.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil
and then gradually add 1 1/2 cups
flour so that you have a stiff dough.
You may not need to add all of the
flour.
5. Knead the dough. If you use your
hands, make sure you've washed
them. You also might want to put a
little flour on your hands so the
dough doesn't stick to them. It can
get pretty hard to knead, so you
might want to take turns with a
friend.
6. Break off small bits and roll them into
snakes. Take the snake and
shape them into any letters that you
want.
7. Beat the other egg in a bowl and
using the back of a spoon, brush the
egg on the pretzels.
8. Sprinkle salt over the pretzels.
9. Bake them in the oven at 350
degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until
they're golden brown. Be sure to
wear oven mitts when you take the
pretzels out of the oven. Let them
cool before you eat them.
10. ENJOY!

Rye Bread (Rugbrod) The daily bread of Norway.

Rye Bread (Rugbrod)

The daily bread of Norway

1 c. milk 1 package dry yeast 1 tsp. sugar
4 c. rye flour, divided 1/2 tsp. salt 2 tsp. caraway seeks (optional)
1/2 c lukewarm water

Bring milk to boiling and cool to lukewarm. Pour 1/4 cup into a bowl and sprinkle with the yeast and
sugar. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the four and let bubble and rise for 15 minutes in a warm place. Into
another bowl, sift the flour and salt (add caraway seeds if desired). Add lukewarm water and milk and
work to a fine dough. Add the yeast mixture and knead on a floured surface for 15 minutes. Place dough
in a greased bowl and turn dough upside-down. Cover with waxed paper and a towel and let rise in a
warm place for 45 minutes to an hour.
Knead again, using a little more flour, until there are no cracks. Shape into two loaves. Place on a greased
baking sheet and let rise again for 15 minutes. Dip a pastry brush in milk and brush tops of loaves. Prick
five holes in each loaf to release air bubbles. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour.
Note: Not much wheat is grown in Norway, but rye is grown widely. Rye flour contains very little gluten, so a bread
made with all rye flour will be very heavy and dense. Substituting 1 or 2 cups of white flour will result in a lighter loaf.

from Time-Honored Norwegian Recipes, Adapted to The American Kitchen.

VIOLENCE IN THE KITCHEN

Violence in the Kitchen

She breaks an egg
She beats it up
She whips the cream
She cracks the nuts
She chops the cabbage
She pounds the steak
She punches the dough
She cuts the bread
She scalds the mild
She mashes the potatoes
She shakes the lettuce
She squeezes the lemon
And, slaps the supper on the table.
-- Erna Oleson Xan

from Time Honored
Norwegian Recipes Adapted to
The American Kitchen

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

OUR little ADVENTURE TO THE smallest TOWN IN NORWAY - Stavern

In Stavern, Norway’s smallest town, affectionately known as “The Dimple of Norway”, the unique and charmingly styled streets and wooden houses are still intact. This town was home to many of Norway’s most well known and celebrated artists including Herman Wildenvey and Jonas Lie.

picnic with friends

low tide - looking for crabs

Stavern’s geographical position results in a staggering average of 200 sunny days per year and it is surprisingly hot during the summer. Unusually long spring and summer months offer a natural attraction for a country more used to long winter months, especially when blue skies meet the sea in an uninterrupted horizon.

The Coastal Path - The longest marked pathway to be found in Norway starts in Stavern. This 35km pathway will take you past 17 campsites, 3000 summer cabins and a totally unspoilt stretch of coast line. Experience the exhilarating sea air as you explore this truly unique area.

The first main construction in Stavern can be traced to Count Ulrik Fredrik Gyldenløve who built Citadellet on the island of Karlsøy among the idyllic skerries of Stavern in the 1680’s. Karlsøy was later renamed Citadell Isle after the fort. During the Nordic war (1709–1720) the fort became of great importance as the only naval base for the Danish/Norwegian fleet as well as for the ships that continued to sail between Norway and Denmark with mail and provisions.

It was during these years that naval hero Peter Wessel Tordenskiold made his mark in Stavern. History tells us that he fell in love with a girl from Stavern and legend has it that her ghost now wanders along the ramparts of Citadellet. Gustav Vigeland (sculptor) created a bronze statue of Tordenskiold that stands on a rock in the port overlooking his old berth.

Citadell Isle is now an idyllic recreational area. In the early 1900’s , the old Commander’s Residence on the Isle became a holiday retreat and was much favoured by national artists such as Hans Gude, Christian Krogh and Odd Nerdrum who have said that Citadell Isle later inspired their work.

Fredriksvern Verft

In 1750 King Fredrik V commissioned the construction of Fredriksvern Verft, which would be Norways premier naval base and largest naval port. In central Stavern, the yellow and ochre coloured barracks that were once used as boat sheds and quarters for the Commanders, Officers and crew can still be seen and are well worth a visit.