Me on the Sand waterfront, January

The occasion that brought me to Norway in January was a solemn one.  My aunt, my father’s sister, passed away.  She had lived a good life, over 90 years, having been born and raised and now passed away in the same small town in Norway.  She lived her life the way she wanted.

It was a nice ceremony, in the way she wanted.

My aunt at her confirmation, aged 14

My aunt in a recent photo

The church in Sand where my aunt was baptized, confirmed, and now memorialized.

My aunt’s house is just a few blocks from the newly built Høse Bridge, recipient of Travel + Leisure Best Bridge award among others.

The new bridge in Sand. This photo was taken at 4:45 pm.

From the magazine:

Best Bridge Høse Bridge, Sand, Norway

Designed by Rintala Eggertsson Architects

At the request of the citizens of Sand, Norway, who wished to connect their town to a vast woodland, architects Sami Rintala, Dagur Eggertsson, and Vibeke Jenssen devised a deceptively simple link. The rigorous steel structure is as tough as the bedrock to which it is anchored, but stretches of wall are, by turns, panels of solid Cor-Ten and sheets of porous stainless-steel mesh. The effect of closed and open space over rushing water delivers, in a span of 70 feet, a uniquely varied audio and visual passage—and an elegant interplay of the man-made and natural.

In January, the sun rises at about 8 to 8:30 am and it starts to set between 4 and 4:30 pm.  The sun never rises high enough to even think of using sunglasses, even on a cloudless day.  The temperature stayed right around 0 C, with light snow showers now and then.

Looking our from the new bridge.

The new bridge at night. Most of the residents we spoke with don’t really like the new bridge, but hope that is grows on them.

The Fjord Hotel in Sand.

Looking west

The afternoon sun looking south