Monday 21 April 2014

R for Rosendal

We grew up together, my friend and I. She lived right next door, and we ran in and out of each others homes like they were our own. We walked to school together, played, hang out and shared our deepest secrets. She was - and still is like a sister to me, this life long friend who you know will always be there, because she is family. Today you will hear her voice on my blog. My dear friend Torill will take us to her beloved dream destination. Thank you for saying yes, Torill  - and get ready dear reader. I think you will enjoy this: 

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It's that feeling from the childhood summers: Norwegian nature, peace and quiet, birds chirping and blooming apple trees. Sun over tall snowy peaks, the river from the mountains, green meadows, and the feeling that time does not move. A fairy-tale landscape.

It is in my soul - in my identity.

Rosendal  (= the valley of the roses) is for me the very pulse of Norway. A treasure at the Hardanger Fjord that reminds me of folk music and folk songs. Those powerful impressions from the nature fills me up with new energy. I can understand how the artists Grieg, Bull and Sæverud found inspiration for their music in the Norwegian nature.


The Hardanger Fjord in both rain and fog and sparkling like silver in the spring sunshine. It always brightens in the horizon as we approach Rosendal. The hope. There is always hope when there is light in the horizon.

Rosendal also balances the exotic abroad with Norwegian cultural heritage through the little castle: The Barony. This jewel of a property from the 1600s. A touch of middle-European decadence in between all the Norwegian - it makes Rosendal an integrated part of a larger world .
The garden of the Barony castle. 
The Art Gallery of Gudal. An intriguing element where the eye and mind can rest in art pictures and beautiful pottery and glass art.

The Hospitality.

Coffee and milk cake.

A slice of bread with cheese and jam from home - picked raspberries.

Sun in the front yard.

Here I come again and again to find balance, harmony and energy.

My Rosendal.

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Aaahhh - only one word comes to my mind now: harmony. Thanks again dear friend for sharing your paradise with us. After sliding down those icy slopes in Quebec on Saturday, this was yet another type of a dreamy destination. And we are moving on... Another dream destination is waiting for us tomorrow and - guess what? It starts with an S....

1-30 April I participate in the A to Z blogger challenge, and this post is written as a part of that challenge. Check out some amazing participating blogs hereMy theme for the challenge is Dream Destinations. I hope you had fun coming along? Please stay tuned for a new destination tomorrow. 

26 comments:

  1. Wonderful read, Torill - you inspire me to go and explore 'your' 'Rosendal! That place looks like a leaf out of the tree of paradise, thank you so much for taking us there! :)

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  2. What a great place to grow up. So green and lush and Torill has written this so beautifully!

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  3. Norway is definitely a dream destination for us and Rosendal sure sounds inviting :)

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  4. Ur theme dream destinations is indeed apt due to all the places u selected. Thanks for giving a glimpse of Rosendal- a place which I never heard before.Thanks to ur frnd

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  5. Rosental looks very inviting. Thanks for sharing your dream destination, Torill.

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  6. Such poetic description of the place Torill! This was so beautiful! Rosendal sure is a paradise! Eli this was a wonderful pick for R and thanks for introducing a fabulous writer too!! :)

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  7. A place becomes that much more lovely thanks to the memories we associate with it. How well your friend has conveyed this, Eli! Beautiful post. Very nice, Torill!

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  8. Enjoyed reading the posts, and very inspiring images, thanks for sharing... lovely memories !!

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  9. Hi Eli, Rosendal has come alive in the post through Toril. Thanks to both of you. Looks to me a beautiful valley in the lap of nature... Is there not a place named Rosenthal in Netherlands as well ? Thanks again for sharing...

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  10. What a beautiful place Rosendal is- idyllic and serene, and what beautiful description by Torill. Lovely. Thanks Eli for having such a wonderful guest writer for R :)

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  11. Rosendal the name is so lovely and pics look absolutely wonderful and idyllic. What a wonderful place to grow up! It reminded me of my own hometown :)

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  12. A beautiful place, where nature is at its best. Torill has expressed the feelings wonderfully. She is a born writer.

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  13. that is a dream indeed

    PhenoMenon
    http://throodalookingglass.com/2014/04/risotto/

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  14. Beautiful place and descriptions. I would love to see it for myself someday! ♥

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  15. You write beautifully Torill and nice meeting you one Eli's space. Well done Eli and Torill:0

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  16. Rosendal sounds tranquil. I would love to visit Norway someday.

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  17. What a lovely place to be.... I love this place the best of all... well I will change my opine when you write V for Venice

    ~S(t)ri
    Participant|AtoZ Challenge 2014
    Smile, it makes (y)our day!

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  18. Indeed it's a place with the positivism, the brightness of the sun is a proof of the same...loved the lively descriptions....

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  19. Roses ROses! I was seriously expecting a pic with lots of them! Lol but lovely place by your description and photos!

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  20. Wow, great job setting the scene. This seems like a wonderful place - and one I've never heard of!

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  21. The garden at Barony Castle is beautiful, and I like the other photos too. The post is interesting as always, making me want to hop on a plane and see the various countries you have posted on. Thanks Eli!!

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  22. It is indeed a dreamy destination. Norway is already in my bucket list :)

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  23. Another beautiful spot in Norway. Your country is just lovely.

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