Norway Coast Cruise - Bergen - March 27th 2010
The house of Edvard Grieg at Troldhaugen

Lunch break & a coach to Grieg's house at Troldhaugen. This is off the South side of the city & the way is very hilly. Our elderly guide's English flowed fluently until she struck a word she did not know, a bit like my German. However, we managed. First, we went in the museum, which has many photos & much information about his life. Ole Bull got the credit for stopping him writing Mendelssohnian rubbish & going back to his roots although I think Rikard Nordraak should but Schumann is clearly an influence. (I later researched Grieg thoroughly for a lecture about him). Then, to a very elegant recital room overlooking the fjord but which has a traditional turf roof. Beyond this was the little red hut in which he composed.

The Grieg Museum

Grieg's composing hut

Recital room entrance

Recital room

A lady in Norwegian National Dress played a number of Grieg pieces quite well &, for the Troll's March & Wedding Day, had fingers of steel. Then, we went into the house, which is fairly small, only fit for Summer use (not double glazed), which is what it was built for. Very Victorian but not over-filled with junk. There was a modern-looking piano given to him by friends on his 50th birthday but built as early as 1876. We were given much information. I walked the stiff but enchanting walk down to his grave by the fjord side.

Pianist

Troldhaugen

Path to the grave

The grave in the rock

Then, we were driven back a different way while the courier, wanting it both ways, bemoaned both the removal of most of the trams and the disruption caused by the building of the tube. There are more & bigger pictures of Troldhaugen on this link. I spent the evening on this web site & a sophisticated slide show, work which continued tomorrow on our last full day, which was at sea doing the 600 nautical miles in 39 hours to Tilbury, where we arrived in suitable gloom on the morning of Monday 29th May.

Landfall in Blighty

Up the Thames

Tilbury again

The disembarkation seemed to be organised with great efficiency but we had registered for 'express', meaning we carried our own bags off & were home by 1130. The trip was a success & when one considers that £3,000 is £750 per person per week, good value. It had been an interesting sociological study though, with a very wide social mix & many types of people we do not normally meet.