Loquacious Lærdal

With another day of steady rain limiting our list of potential outings, we decided to add another stavkyrkje to our conquests, this time in Borgund, southeast of Sogndal. The Borgund church was built sometime between the 12th and 13th centuries and features seven tiers with dragon-themed accents at its gables. Contrasted against the Ornes construction, this church felt grander in stature and seemed a more daring architectural accomplishment, a fact that also attracted a more considerable tourist presence. (It surely also didn’t hurt that reaching this church did not require an arduous trek up a long hill.)

En route to the church, we took a pit stop in nearby Lærdalsøyri, a town whose name translates to “Lærdal’s delta” owing to its geographic heritage. The old town center is picturesque, rows of historic houses pitched against the backdrop of Lærdalsfjorden and the nearby mountains. Unfortunately for us, many of the quaint shops and cafes that dot the town were either not yet open or closed for the day, so we weren’t able to sample any of the local fare. But upcoming plans may bring us back for a return visit, so all hope is not yet lost.

Serendipitously, though we had already planned our jaunt to Borgund, we also made contact with a friend in Lærdal who luckily had time to meet with us today. I would be remiss to attempt to reduce Bente Øien Hauge to a singular description. She is an entrepreneur, an early pioneer in digital printing technology, a history enthusiast, and a sheep farmer–and this is to name just a few. She and my dad shared a chance meeting in a niche corner of the internet when their mutual interest in Norwegian history introduced them some years ago. They have stayed in contact since, and finally had the opportunity for a face-to-face meeting today.

Our chat with Bente and her husband, Jens, lasted for hours and covered a broad variety of topics, many of them typically reserved for familiar company. The ease of conversation with both of them was remarkable. I enjoyed learning about Bente’s experiences as a host for retiree tourists and a forest therapy guide, as well as Jens’s artistry and his heritage of ownership over the farm where they currently live, which spans–wait for it–sixteen generations. We touched on local and international politics (Bente will be proliferating my use of the phrase “confident ignorance”), the particularities of raising and herding sheep, and the importance of conversations about mental health. This was one of those conversations you wished didn’t need to end.

I am extremely grateful to Jens and Bente for the time we shared today and was delighted to add them to a growing list of new friends and family made on this second visit to Norway. I left their house with a fuller heart and lighter spirit. I very much look forward to keeping in touch.