Actually, I was blond as a kid, but then my hair darkened. And I’m of almost pure English (not British–I know the difference) descent, and only related to Scandinavians by marriage (my aunt married a Swede). So I wonder whether that blond(e) childhood hair is generally a North-European thing?
I’m glad you started this thread, flodnak! DanielWithrow and I are planning to take a trip to Norway this summer. We’re both outdoorsy folks and I’m a big museum geek. What would you recommend we see and do? What are your best travel tips for us Merkins?
Nope, not it. But at least a Google brought up a lot of pages with rhymes on it so one might also have mine on it. Thanks.
There are many many versions of the rhyme, and if you could hear one of us sing it, I’m sure you’d recognize the melody.
Also, while a parent sings that song, the child is supposed to dandle on the parents leg. In norwegian, to dandle is “å rideranke”
If you don’t know what it means “to dandle”, it means when a child bounces up and down on the foot/ankle or knee of a parent/caregiver.
I guess what I meant, but neglected to mention, is roughly this: Are there any pro-Quisling cults?
Do you speak the language very well?
burundi Hmm, travel information… Outdoors, what most people come to Norway to see is the fjords, of course. The most famous is probably Geiranger, and it’s as beautiful as they say - but it’s become a bit of a tourist trap (there is no other industry in town…) and in the summer it’s crowded. So be warned. Personally I have a soft spot for Sognefjord, a little further south. Not quite as spectacular, but very beautiful, and more… real, somehow. If the tourists went away tomorrow, the towns along its banks would still exist in a way that Geiranger would not. If you want to see a different side of the country, I’d recommend two of my favorite places: Valdres (in the south, a bit north of Oslo) and Finnmarksvidda (in the far north). Both are high and wild and beautiful. If you’re going up north, bring GOOD mosquito repellent - you’re in the Arctic, and Arctic skeeters are not to be underestimated. (Rumor has it they’ve built their own landing strips.) If hiking is your thing, get in touch with Den norske Turistforening - “turist” here means hiker, not tourist. They can recommend routes, sell maps, and lend you the keys to an extensive network of cabins. Incidentally, if time is tight, even Oslo itself contains a huge tract of forests (and swamps…) to explore.
Not surprisingly, museums are thicker on the ground in Oslo than anyplace else, but there are some very interesting ones elsewhere. If you go to Bergen, for instance (and it’s well worth a visit), there’s a good Hanseatic museum in one of the old warehouses along the waterfront. Back in Oslo, I don’t know exactly what kinds of museums are your favorites, but Bygdøy, a peninsula west of the city center, has a number of historical museums including the Norwegian Folk Museum (it’s huge, you can easily use a whole day there) and the Viking Ship Museum. Since you’re coming in the summer, if the weather’s good, take the boat from the quay by the City Hall. Even Oslo’s relatively dull little fjord has its charms! Other boats leaving from the same place ferry people out to the islands, which are popular for swimming and other outdoor recreation.
Hope that helps you get started!
Daoloth, I’ve never heard of any Quisling cults. Not that Norway doesn’t have some neo-Nazis, but they tend to admire/worship Hitler, not Quisling. I must admit I’ve never asked why and I think I’m happier not knowing!
Rysdad, I’m quite fluent in Norwegian. I’ve been told I have a slight accent, just enough that after I’ve been speaking for a while people usually realize I’m not a native, but they can’t identify where I’m from. Drives 'em nuts 
The structure of the language is very similar to English, so in that way it’s familiar. The pronunciation, on the other hand, is pretty daunting at first - two tones and eighteen distinct vowels…
UK ex-pat in Norway checking in.
I live in Bergen and I am currently in Stavanger for a short time work wise. Advice for ** burundi ** Oslo is a lovely city lots to do and see, Bergen is one huge mass of tourists in the summer but if the summer here is to be as good as last year then heading further North is a good idea. I agree with flodnak Finnmarksvidda is good to see. Take one of the many ferries out out Bergen and head North to see the midnight sun. Hiking isn’t a problem - around Bergen there are 7 peaks to climb. The tourist offices in all the major towns are excellent - you are coming to the right place for outdoor activities. I love it here!
Thanks, flodnak and ems! I appreciate the tips. I don’t know how far north we’ll make it, but Sognefjord and Valdres sound great. And a whole peninsula of history museums! Bestill my heart! I can’t wait!
So how hot are the Norwegian guys . . .?
What’s your local music scene like? What’s the price range on CDs and DVDs? How much is a movie ticket [matinee/night]? Do you have to pay VAT or other duties on imported goods in general? How about foodstuffs? How’s the variety and prices on groceries compared to what you remember here? Are there any kinds of restaurants (or ethnic groceries) all but absent where you live? Are there any decent Mexican, Thai, or Szechuan restaurants? How expensive are cell phone and internet access plans? (You don’t have to pay by the minute for your online time, do you?)
How tough on crime are the law enforcement/legal/penal systems? Are the people largely satisfied by whatever balance has been struck between punishment and rehabilitation? What’s the Norwegian approach to drug offenses, DWI, and violent crimes by drug addicts?
How worried are Norwegians that Al Qaeda-type terror might strike in Norway – especially if Norway should end up supporting a U.S.-led war in Iraq? Where does Norway get most of their oil (North Sea, perhaps?)?
And so as not to leave this on a serious note, which have enjoyed the biggest success in Norway – the Star Wars prequels, the Harry Potter movies, or the Lord of the Rings movies?
Thanks in advance for your answers! These kinds of threads can be a lot of work!
Is it true that Norwegian men all look like models–tall strapping muscular men with piercing blue eyes, brown to blond hair just waiting to throw women over their shoulders and drag to their caves? How obnoxious am I sounding?
Is it wrong of me to curse my ancestors (Norwegian or Swedish - doesn’t matter, I’m cranky with both of 'em) for immigrating to Minnesota without leaving behind lutefisk?
No, that description fits Swedes better. :rolleyes:
So what’s the deal with lutefisk? Do Norwegians actually eat the stuff, or is it the equivalent of fruitcake?
ElvisL1ves: Yes, some actually do. It’s most commonly eaten for Christmas in the western part of Norway, but rotten, gelatinous fish doesn’t quite do it for me. 
Whoops! Sorry to abandon my own thread like that. I told myself I’d get back to Scrivener’s questions when I had more time, and then forgot to…
The music scene is active and varied. It used to be that international bands tended to skip Oslo, preferring instead to play Copenhagen or Stockholm - to the extent that there was a good business in selling packages including a concert ticket, cheap hotel, and round-trip bus or train ticket - but increasingly both large and small acts are stopping here. Elsewhere in the country it’s a different matter, of course, but there are plenty of Norwegian bands that tour the country fairly regularly, and of course most of the cities have their own local acts.
Full-price CDs run NOK150-200, but at the moment there’s enough competition that there’s plenty to choose from below that range, too. Full-price DVDs, I think, are NOK200-300, mostly. A movie ticket is NOK50-60, a bit less for children’s matinees and a bit more for the really big movies on their premiere weekend. Movie theaters, by the way, are generally owned by the municipal governments, although in some places they’re operated by private companies. A few small companies tour the countryside with movies towards the end of their first run.
All of the “usual” ethnic restaurants (Indian, Chinese, Italian, Japanese…) are fairly easy to find in the largest cities in Norway. Others, it’s more hit and miss. I know of an excellent Szechuan restaurant and two very good Mexican restaurants in Oslo; there’s a number of Thai (or Thai/Chinese) restaurants but I can’t remember ever eating at one, so I can’t say much about them. Many small groceries and green grocers’ are owned by immigrants, most often Pakistanis or Kurds but members of other groups as well, and they carry quite a variety of imported goods. But again, it can be hit and miss. One large grocery store near us (part of a chain) is known for having imported goods from the US, but the selection is… let’s say, always a surprise. You learn quickly that if you see it and you want it, you buy it if you can. It may not be there next time.
Cell phone plans vary so much it’s hard to say much about the costs - in fact, the cellular companies are being roundly criticized because it’s so hard to keep track of expenses until the bill comes! As for Internet access, you don’t pay per minute for the use of the 'net, you pay per month and the costs are comparable to the US. But if you’re using a dial-up connection, you still pay per minute for use of the phone line! Broadband and cable caught on quickly, no surprise…
The harshest penalty for any crime in Norway is 21 years imprisonment. A vocal minority thinks this is too lenient, but by and large people are satisfied enough with it that no political party has cared to make it a major campaign issue. Drunk driving penalties seem harsh to most Americans - first offense results in three weeks in jail and a suspended license. Oslo has a surprisingly bad problem with heroin addiction, and official policy towards drug addicts is as inconsistent as you’d expect. Generally addicts are not arrested for possession only, but charitable groups who help them report that the addicts are often harrassed by the police anyway. Rehabilitation is officially encouraged, but there are lengthy discussions about what sort of rehabilitation should be funded while little is actually done. In other words, Oslo’s city council consists of, well, politicians…
Very few Norwegians I’ve spoken to have any fear of terrorist attacks on Norwegian targets. There are some advantages to being so small and so out of the way. As far as oil, Norway is technically self-sufficient and then some. But because of international contracts which must be honored, if there’s an oil shortage we’ll feel it, too.
Finally, I wasn’t able to find the numbers for movie attendance, but going from memory, the two LOTR movies and the Harry Potter movies are roughly tied for attendance figures, with the two recent Star Wars sequels a short distance behind. In terms of hype, though, Harry Potter isn’t even in the running - just a few people in costume and nobody camping out for days for tickets. For The Two Towers there was a “Hobbit Village” set up for people waiting for tickets to the premiere. People are weird wherever you go…
On Lutefisk:
For those of you who don’t know, lutefisk is a Scandinavian - well, Norwegian and Swedish, I think the Danes stay far away from it - delicacy. Using “delicacy” here in its traditional meaning, which is, things which are considered amazingly good by the poor souls who grew up eating it and don’t know any better, but which no one else will touch. It comes from the tradition of hanging up fish to dry in order to preserve it. The fish will last a long time, but since it has the consistency of those rawhide chews people give to dogs, it needs to have the water put back somehow in order to be edible. Someone, somewhere, somehow came upon the idea of soaking the fish in a solution of water and lye. Then it’s soaked in plain water to get rid of the lye, but the damage is done; the fish has turned to Jell-O, and the smell is simply indescribable. It’s poached and served as part of a big festive meal.
Yes, people do eat it. Some of them even claim it doesn’t smell, the poor brain-washed bastards. I was invited to a big lutefisk party last Sunday, as a matter of fact, and most of the people present made a big show of enjoying themselves. Some were even sober.
Curse away, chique. Since the palefaces of the American Midwest have no tradition of hanging fish to dry that I know of, that’s one tradition they could have left at home.
Why does everyone seem to have a hangup about the smell and texture of lutfisk? I’ve never noticed anything special about it. :rolleyes: