The further ‘out of the way’ you go the more common it is to see folk cottages standing by the side of roads, along fjords or in a thicket of trees, minding their own business.
Norwegians have the best sense of humour. I thought this was just a boat shed and the local fishermen were ‘having a go’. But as it turns out this little seaside shack is actually the home of a special exhibition detailing the history of fishing in Northern Norway. The life, tradition and adventures of local [...]
It seems we have a little problem in Tromsø. In Summer, residents have to play dodgems with the local seagulls. To me seagulls are like pigeons – just add water and they become the flying rats of the sea. However, in Norway they have the biggest seagulls I’ve every seen – the Great Black-Backed Gull [...]
Nidarosdomen – Nidaros Cathedral
Nidaros Cathedral is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Norway. It boasts a textured Medieval history that began with the adventures of St Olav, the fierce Viking who was converted to Christianity and became King of Norway. The Cathedral has been under construction from the early ten hundreds and was [...]
Aursfjord is a branch of Malangen Fjord in Balsfjord. It is a beautiful little drive just 40 minutes south-west of Tennes. Autumn was an amazing time to visit, the trees were definitely giving us their best and the water was a gorgeous blue.
The main attraction is the old saw mill, Aursfjordsaga, which was officially opened [...]
From the west, a wall of stone Saints and Prophets will confront you. All sides of the Cathedral are very textured and deserve a long walk around. You’ll see gargoyles and gothic arches, thick wooden doors with rusty floral art and Anglo-Norman/Romanesque bits and pieces ’stuck on’ that intensifies your ground view. However, the outside of Nidaros Cathedral is even more intriguing when you know the history.
Summer Island is a beautiful little coastal town in Tromsø’s west. It’s one of my most favourite hideaways as the ocean views are spectacular. Because of the coastal weather the panoramas change constantly in colour and atmosphere. Every visit brings a new perspective of the beauty and majesty of Tromsø’s best kept secret.
Sommarøy is linked [...]
Henrik Johan Ibsen (1828-1906) is a famous Norwegian playwright and is a celebrated national symbol. His plays challenged the social rules of Victorian society and spurred on the Realism art movement. Ibsen wrote his plays in Norwegian and even after translation his plays are still a mastery of craft and are [...]
My Little Norway
2010 Calendar
Many Norwegians know what they are doing when they pick wild mushrooms. This knowledge is passed down the family during mushroom hunting trips. The hard-core mushroom hunters go into the mountain wilderness for days to get the best finds.
I think Autumn is my favourite season in Norway – the weather is still warm here in Tromsø, the sunsets come down over the mountains again and the blueberries are ripe for the picking.
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Today herding reindeer is synonymous with the Sami culture. It is recently thought that the Vikings were the first people to herd reindeer.
Even though the males are called bulls and the females cows, the muskoxen are more closely related to sheep than cattle. Make no mistake, though – this is not your average cuddly ba-ba-blacksheep! A grown animal can be 2,5 m long and weigh up to 400 kgs, and their long curved horns mean business.
On any celebration table in Norway you can always find a Norwegian layer cake (bløtkake). What better way to celebrate Norwegian Constitution Day than with fresh cream, wild berries and a little bit of sponge in between.
Celebrate National Fårikål day with us. On the last Thursday of September every year Norway celebrates their national dish with, of course, all you can eat fårikål!
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