White, white snow of Home

March 8, 2006
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“The old home town looks the same, as I step down from the train, and there to meet me is my mama and my papa. Down the road I look, and there comes Mary, hair of gold and lips like cherries. It’s good to touch the white, white snow of home….”

Inspired of the Johnny Cash lyrics I will tell you about my trip this weekend to visit my family in Porsgrunn, 150 Km south of Oslo. Earlier I have told you a lot about my childhood and how much I love the old town in winter time. We have more snow than we’ve had for decades, so the town looked literally just the same as in the good old days.

In the picture you see the small suburb where I grew up. No wonder I am used to coping with the snow and the wild nature. I’ve climbed that hill many times and also hanged out on the branches of the trees on the top often as a child. When I saw this scenery again, I realised why my mother worried about me all the time! That was my world back then, my challenges and my way of experiencing life, and right now I am very grateful for the person this has made me into. I was feeling free like a bird as I climbed the hills and the trees, or skating on the little lake or even more; when I was cross country skiing or ski jumping. Other than the wild nature, the surrounding was safe and sound. Everyone knew everyone. If we where hungry or needed a band aid for a scraped knee, we just had to visit the nearest house to get comport and help.

I didn’t go by train, but by car though, and I just had to capture some of the winter landscape on my way as you can see. It was a relaxing trip as I felt the stress and daily pressure lifted off my shoulders as I got closer and closer to the destination to meet my kin. Through this I also am able to share more of my winter wonder land and hope you find it nice too!


The occasion for my trip home was a yearly family gathering when we eat the old traditional dish of rakfisk or “fermented fish”. That is one of the most Norwegian foods I can ever think of. Its roots come from the days before refrigeration, when fresh fish needed to be preserved for months ahead. Either you love rakfisk or you hate it, and I can tell you my mouth is watering just by thinking of it. Some of the most important part of the dinner is the Norwegian liquor: “aquavit” and beer to drink with it :-) I’ve linked some more information about this delicacy from Oslo foodie at the bottom of this post.

Here you see the garnitures and how it looks on the service dish. I wander if Crocodile Dundee would have said: “it taste like shit, but you can live on it”? LOL!

You eat a lot both because it tastes good and also since the company are so good and the atmosphere is so delightful. Here you see my sister and me and how we cope with wanting more and more and more. Be aware of that all the pics are taken with my Nokia Mobile phone and please click to enlarge.

More information about my home town Porsgrunn and details about rakfisk at Oslo foodie.

Food, Habits, Nature, Winter