It is early morning. In a bright, warm sun, which reminds me more of southern France than western Norway, I sit out on the balcony waiting for Terje and the girls to come down for breakfast. The balcony is part of the oldest building of Hjelle hotel, dating from 1886.
During the first part of the last century three sisters lived all their lives up in the second floor of the hotell. Lovisa served the guests, Ida cleaned the rooms and spent every spare moment out in the rose garden, Elvina was the artist telling stories with her tapestry weaving. They were spinster sisters of the second owner of the hotel. Queen Wilhelmina of The Netherlands visited Hjelle hotel around 1930. She was served by Lovisa and her room was cleaned by Ida, and this made such an impression on the queen that when she came back to Hjelle 20 years later, she craved to have the same room and the same waitress. The story doesn't tell, but I am sure she also asked for a bouquet of the same type of red roses as Ida offered her when she left the hotel to continue her roundtrip of western Norway. And Elvina's tapestries must have given her unforgettable impressions.
Arriving at Hjelle early in the afternoon, we ate our dinner out in the rosegarden near the summer house. And afterwards it was time for a walk. The girls wore their bikinis under their shorts and t-shirts and brought their bath towels, and as our walk took us along the lake Strynsvatnet, it didn't take long before they were out in the water. Melted glacier water is icy cold, and we laughed when the girls changed between swimming or breathing - it was too cold to do both at the same time.
Back at the hotel the girls sat down in the cosy livingroom while Terje and I took part in a guided tour of the hotel and its next door old shop. The current hostess of Hjelle, British born Emma, is an exellent guide, and shared with us the history of the Hjelle family.
Terje and the girls are here, which means that it is breakfast time. I leave my sunny chair. Hjelle is on the list of places we want to visit again. The old rooms of Elvina, Ida and Lovisa will be restored and opened for guests. When we come back we will be sure to ask for a room in the second floor of the oldest building.
This is part two of my travelogue. Come back for part three tomorrow.
