On the Way to Compostella

Attending les rencontres "Sur les chemins de Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle" in Le Puy-en-Velay (27 September - 4 October 2007) gave us a chance to visit a beautiful part of France.

See pictures from Auvergne and Cantal

East Wall

Det var Bjørn Engen som i 1986 tok initiativet til å stifte East Wall, et trondhjemsband som først og fremst skulle få irsk musikk på repertoaret. 
Den første besetningen bestod av Bjørn Engen (gitar/sang), Per Olav Hernes (banjo/sang), Knut Stenberg (blikkfløyte/sang), Nils Peter Sundt (gitar, bodhran og hovedvokal) og Stein Thue (gitar/sang).

Senere kom Stein Borgersen (kontrabass/sang) og Per Bruheim (mandolin,irsk sekkepipe og sang) med. Bandet ga sin første konsert på "Irish Night", en tilstelning arrangert av Irlandskomiteen i Trondheim. I 1989 kom Monica Hauan (keltisk harpe/sang) og Ivar Mogstad (fele/sang) med.

East Wall er oppkalt etter en bydel i Dublin. Repertoaret er inspirert av musikken til Dubliners, Chieftains, Wolfe Tones, The Pogues og Van Morrison.

Med på bildet (1994) fra venstre: Ivar Mogstad, fele, Stein Thue, gitar, Stein Borgersen, bass, Knut Stenberg, fløyte, Bjørn Engen, gitar, Nils Peter Sundt, gitar og bodhran, Per Bruheim, mandolin og irsk sekkepipe.

My grandson Herman was born 25 June 2007

And yours truly is now the proud grandfather of three grandchildren, two of whom - big sister Oda (5) with baby brother Herman - you can see on this photo. A picture of Siri (1 1/2) is availabe here

For Rome, a lifetime is not enough

Rome, Umbria, Tuscany and my dear Angela were the attractions during this year's Easter vacation. The infatuation for all of the above, in the opposite order of course - continues - as you can see for yourself in these pictures from Italy. Please bear in mind that my Italian is not what it used to be, thank you.

Riviera dei Fiori

Come Christmas 2006, we set sail for the little Italian village of Olivetta San Michele in Imperia near the border between Italy and France. Shortly after New Year's we headed for Menton on the French Riviera - where we spent a lovely week. These were indeed novel winter surroundings for a Norwegian, but word has it that he could grow accustomed to warmer climes. The pictures offer you glimpses of the Land of Colours; Riviera dei Fiori. See pictures

Ruin in Bossarè, Olivetta.S.M.