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Syttende Mai

Friday, 22. May 2009, 12:01:32

,

This post is almost a week late, but I figured I'd post it anyway...

On Sunday, May 17th, it was Norway's birthday, also known as the Norwegian Constitution Day. Or simply Syttende Mai.

The day is celebrated like there's no tomorrow here. For immigrants and tourists the day might seem a bit... overwhelming, since everywhere you look there are Norwegain flags and people in traditional bunad.

On Karl Johans Gate - Oslo's main street that goes from the central station up to the castle - there is a huge parade consisting mostly of school children and marching bands, making their way up to the castle to wave to the royal family.
As you can see from the picture, this is something lots of people want to see, and it's definitely nothing for the claustrophobic.

However, the atmosphere is very festive all over the country, so if you ever plan on going to Oslo on May 17th, you're in for a party!

One year, I did venture down to Karl Johan to watch try to watch all the hullabaloo, but since then, if I'm in the country, I spend the day with friends - starting with a champagne breakfast...
...And that's what I stuck to this year, too. :D

From Berlin with loveShoes on a string

Comments

Zaphira 22. May 2009, 12:04

Champagne breakfast sounds like great fun.
*makes a note at Syttende Mai 2010 in the calendar*

I'd love to experience that! :up:

ellinidata 22. May 2009, 12:07

:smile: I did cook boiled potatoes and fish that day

rose-marie 22. May 2009, 12:07

Yay! :hat:
Only thing is... next year it'll be on a Monday :down:

Champagne breakfast is fun. So much so, I accidentally invited the people to celebrate the Swedish national day! Homer: Doh! :lol:

rose-marie 22. May 2009, 12:08

:lol: Angeliki - you saw Espen's post?

Moesring 22. May 2009, 12:11

One year, I did venture down to Karl Johan to watch try to watch all the hullabaloo

Let me guess, you couldn't see anything because the moment you stepped outside, everyone stopped to turn and be dazzled by the awesomeness of the forehead. :yes::swoon:

rose-marie 22. May 2009, 12:17

I wish, Moe. The forehead has nothing on the amazing bunads you see everywhere... awww

ellinidata 22. May 2009, 12:18

:lol: I sure did!
*always proud for my friends heritage*

rose-marie 22. May 2009, 12:43

That was a hilarious video :yes:
Link here for those who haven't seen it.

Spaggyj 22. May 2009, 13:03

That sounds like so much fun! :hat:

Cois 22. May 2009, 14:01

p: :hat: champagne breakfast sounds so kinky :lol:

rose-marie 22. May 2009, 15:02

Kimmie - I think it is, if you're Norwegian. But I have to admit I can get caught up in the day also, and be a tiny bit jelaous on everybody who have bunads. The bloody things cost around NOK 30000 (close to 3000 pounds) :faint:

Kinky, eh? I wish I could have champagne breakfasts every day :yes:
p:

Spaggyj 22. May 2009, 15:50

Whoa, that's expensive clothing :eyes: !

rose-marie 22. May 2009, 16:11

I know! In some of the bunads (there are tons of different ones from different districts, and if you don't have any connection with a certain district, you really shouldn't wear a bunad from there either - otherwise the bunads police will get you. The same if you wear sunglasses, the wrong shoes or umbrellas...) there is a lot of silver which drags the price up.

Just for fun, I checked the Swedish equivalent I could use, and its starting price was SEK 14000 - half price.

Dacotah 22. May 2009, 19:23

Good post Rose-Marie, I enjoyed it. :smile:

gdare 22. May 2009, 21:50

Nice day and a lot of red/blue flags :up: I wish our national day is in may or June. Having it in March is just not right. It is too cold and rainy.

:sst: I just ate beautifull strawberry. Actually, I am looking at another one... and another one... :D

rose-marie 22. May 2009, 21:53

Thanks Carol, glad you liked it. :D
You're not very shy celebrating your national day in the US either. p:

We don't have any strawberries here yet, only Dutch... They look very nice, but they doesn't taste much. awww

wickedlizard 22. May 2009, 21:57

Sounds like fun! No wonder my neighbor was away. She's norwegian! :D

gdare 22. May 2009, 22:29

We have cherries too :happy:

Dacotah 23. May 2009, 01:06

No we are not. Lot of us Norwegian's here. :D

jrd2498 23. May 2009, 03:50

Hi Rose!

That site looks amazing, so many flags! Wow that is a long road!

rose-marie 23. May 2009, 11:19

Issy - That could very well be the reason for her absence, yes. :D

Darko - Ours are worth waiting for! p:

Carol - Every year, they show features about Norwegians (or descendants) around the world celebrating this day - especially from America. Since there are quite a lot of them in your area, perhaps they organize something nearby too... :wink:

Hey José! Welcome back. :smile:
That is less than half of Karl Johan on the picture, but they don't parade the whole street.

wickedlizard 23. May 2009, 11:33

:D I'll ask her one of these days what part of Norway she's from. Her paternal males were all in the shipping industry. She has these really cool photos of all the paternal males of the family with these neat captain's uniforms. :D

rose-marie 23. May 2009, 12:00

Cool :up:. Was she born in Norway?
The shipping industry is quite big here, so that doesn't give me a clue... p:

wickedlizard 23. May 2009, 12:12

Yes. :D

Her last name is Rot. I think I spelled that right. :left: It means Red. :D

Rapunzel 23. May 2009, 17:09

Cool Rose. Cher!
Lovin the new pic of you too.

rose-marie 23. May 2009, 17:28

Issy - Rot means root in Norwegian (unless it's some dialectal thing). But Rot is red in German. :up:
Do let me know where she's from! :D

Heya Rap! :happy:
I needed a champagne brekkie to kick off the new hard week with (even though it was on a Sunday)...
And thank you. :o:

Dacotah 23. May 2009, 17:41

I woudl be surprised if they didn't, odd though I didn't hear anything. We have a sons of Norway here and a center.
:smile:

Cois 23. May 2009, 19:24

Rot means rat in afrikaans.. Hmmm..

gdare 23. May 2009, 19:40

"Ours are worth waiting for!"

*laughs, eats another bowl of nice red strawberries*

Spaggyj 23. May 2009, 21:54

Okay, I read it like this: "you really shouldn't wear a gonad from there either" :eek: .
In all seriousness, that's something I've not heard anything like before. Just how many types of bunad are there?

rose-marie 24. May 2009, 13:02

Carol - That is odd. Perhaps they didn't celebrate it there? I hope you get to see it next year then. :up:

Cois - Are you trying to say something? p:

*ignores Darko choking on a strawberry* :left:

:lol: Kimmie! I think the bunad police would have something to say about that, too!
As for your question, I had to check the wiki article:

Due to ongoing discussions on the status of bunads, it is not possible to state accurately the number of different types of bunads in Norway, but most estimates place the number at around 200.

:eyes:

gdare 24. May 2009, 13:14

*coughs hard*

You... cough, cough... cursed me.... cough :eyes:

Dacotah 24. May 2009, 15:23

:smile:

rose-marie 24. May 2009, 16:30

*hits Darko hard on the back*
There... better? :D

gdare 24. May 2009, 19:13

:eyes: :ko:

rose-marie 24. May 2009, 19:23

Oops! awww

gdare 24. May 2009, 19:30

Outrageous tentacles, right? :irked:

rose-marie 24. May 2009, 19:38

Yes, well it's not easy getting used to it... :whistle:

gdare 24. May 2009, 19:44

:irked:

rose-marie 25. May 2009, 17:46

p:

theoddbod 30. May 2009, 10:07

Is a champagne breakfast better than a martini breakfast? :sherlock:

rose-marie 4. June 2009, 08:14

It's more bubbly, that's for sure :yes:

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