(1:15 p.m. PDT, 10:15 p.m. in Bergen)
The above picture is the Myklebust farm in Uskedalen, Norway. It’s been in the Myklebust family since 1702, passed down from generation to generation. It’s where Erin’s great-grandfather was born in 1881, and what he left behind when he departed for America (ending up in Longview, WA) at the tender age of 19. The house, built in 1854, looks much as it did back in the day. Except for the dairy barn on the property with the state-of-the-art milking machine, the time we spent on the farm was a chance to step back in time, if only for a few short hours.
Today was our last day in Bergen, and we spent it driving three hours to Uskedalen (and three-plus hours back due to a long wait for the ferry at Aarnes), a picturesque wide spot in the road that makes the phrase “small town” seem overly generous. It’s located at the end of a stunningly beautiful valley, the kind of place that makes a visitor wonder why anyone would ever even consider leaving. Tormod Myklebust has lived in the house his entire life, and he and his wife couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. We were blessed to be there on a day when the weather was perfect, and it was easy to see why they’d want to call Uskedalen home. The valley is one of the most astonishingly beautiful places I’ve ever seen.
In the time I’ve known Erin, I’ve heard a lot about the family farm. When we decided to come to Norway on our honeymoon, part of the reason we settled on Bergen as our first stop was to see if we could connect with Erin’s relatives who still live on the farm. We were able to arrange for a visit today, and while we really didn’t know what to expect, it turned out to be a wonderful and very powerful experience.
I was very excited for Erin; she had the opportunity to go back to where it all started 400+ years ago. We visited the grave of her great-great-grandfather and other relatives, and she was able to catch up on relatives she hadn’t thought about for years. I was also a bit envious of her; she was able to do something few Americans ever have a chance to do. She’s the only person in her generation (and immediate family) to have made the trip to the Myklebust farm. I can’t do the same thing, because even though I’ve been doing some genealogical research on my family, I have yet to pin down where and when it all began. I may never be able to do what Erin was able to do today, but it was a very special day, and I was grateful to be able to share it with her. It made what’s already been a very special time for us into what could reasonably be described as the trip of a lifetime…and we’re not done yet.
Early tomorrow morning, we’re getting on a train here in Bergen for the 7+ hour trip to Oslo, the last stop on our honeymoon tour. We’ve had a great time in Bergen. We’re sad to leave, but we’re excited about heading to Oslo. It will be interesting to finally see a place I’ve wanted to visit for many years. We still have a few more days left before we head home…and we’re having the time of our lives. It’s going to be tough to give all of this up and board the plane back to Portland next Thursday afternoon.
