<$BlogRSDUrl$>

2,000 hamsters can't be wrong.

17 May 2005

Happy Birthday, Norway! 

This whole day is going to be one long celebration of everything Norwegian, so if you don't like patriotism, stay away.

First report: I'm watching the TV programmes about the day and first there was the King's Guard having their annual show-off. Their drill sergeant told us something I haven't actually thought of before: Every member of that troop is between 18 and 20 years old and has been drafted (yes, as embarrassing that is, we do have a mandatory military service in this country). Considering the fact that they have won quite a lot of awards at military tattoos (including the Edinburgh one), it must be a bit awkward for all the other participating troops who are all professional. Har har.

So, the King's Guard showed us what they could do with their bayonetted rifles, and then they started playing the theme song from the Harry Potter films! Brilliant. They ended the show with asking the female members of the audience (since I couldn't see any women Guards this year and they're so old-fashioned *winks*) to dance. One of those common people's waltzes; for those who don't know any steps (which, let's face it, is an increasing part of the public, which hurts my old ballroom dancer's heart). The women all looked very happy (the Guards have to be at least 180 cm tall, unless they are female).

Current track: Ja, vi elsker (the national anthem)

Labels: ,

Posted by: Ingaroo / 09:23
Comments:
I’ll second the Happy Birthday greeting. Unfortunately I shan’t be able to take part in celebrations this year since I’m working in Portugal this week, where, oddly enough, 17 May isn’t a public holiday.

However, tonight I’ll have the opportunity to see Mozart’s ‘The magic Flute’ instead. There will be no Norwegian flags though and I won’t be donning the Vestfold male ‘bunad’ :( Aug
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 17 May, 2005 12:28
 
Have you got a bunad then?

Happy Birthday in Portugal as well! I heard the paving stones in our newly refurbished main boulevard, Karl Johan, come from Portugal, so the country you're currently visiting is part of the celebration!
# posted by Blogger Ingaroo : 17 May, 2005 12:38
 
They’re paving stones experts down here, those stones are ubiquitous to the extent that I find it difficult to ride my bicycle :) Do I have a ‘bunad’? Well, at least I have a sailor’s cap! I’m afraid I’ve grown out of my ‘matrosdress’ (sailor’s outfit) which was the only ‘bunad’ recognized in the seaport where I grew up.
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 17 May, 2005 16:35
 
Post a Comment

Free counter and web stats This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?

All text except quotes © 2003-2013 Schizoid / Lonyc Productions.