Storm didn’t chill Hurtigruten spirit
June 21, 2011
Gale-force winds and stormy seas showed passengers on board Hurtigruten’s celebrity ship MS Nord-Norge just how tough life can be in northern Norway, but the change in the weather didn’t seem to dampen spirits either on board or ashore. Crowds still turned out to enthusiastically greet the ship in the tiniest of towns, and hope [...]
Hurtigruten show draws millions
June 20, 2011
Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK)’s decision to air an entire six-day voyage by one of Norway’s Hurtigruten ships live on TV has turned into one of its most successful programs ever. New ratings numbers show that more than half the population tuned in during the weekend. “I don’t think we’ve managed to digest just how much this [...]
Police: ‘No more beers on the fjord’
June 14, 2011
Norwegian police are cracking down on pleasure boat skippers who join their passengers in enjoying a beer or a glass of wine on the water. If they’re caught with blood alcohol levels above the legal limit, they’ll lose their boating license for up to two years. Norway has long upheld strict regulations against drinking and [...]
Sun set to shine over long weekend
June 1, 2011
Norwegians were finally heading into the much-cherished Kristi himmelfarts (Ascension Day) weekend that traditionally signals the start of the summer hytte (cottage) season. The four-day holiday came late this year, because of the late Easter, but the sun was due to shine over much of the country. Only Thursday is an official holiday, with schools, [...]
Wild weather predicted all autumn
August 30, 2010
Last week’s torrential rains continued through the weekend, broken up by a few periods of brilliant sunshine but also hail, snow and even something resembling a tornado. State meteorologists say the wild weather will continue throughout the autumn. It’s still only August, but it was hard to convince hikers visiting the mountains of Jotunheim of [...]
Warm autumn in the forecast
August 16, 2010
Southern Norway just experienced its warmest weekend so far this summer, and while Oslo folks frolicked in and around the fjord, meteorologists were reporting that the long-term forecast for the autumn was relatively warm as well. Ferries running out to the islands off Oslo were packed all day long on Sunday. It was the last [...]
Risky sports were fatal for foreigners
July 26, 2010
Four Ukrainians who drowned in the rapids of the Sjoa River over the weekend, and a Russian who died after jumping off the famous rock formation Kjerag, were all unfamiliar with the territory where the accidents occurred. Most of the deaths in the popular rafting river Sjoa have involved foreigners in recent years. The four [...]
Beggars on tour all over Norway
July 23, 2010
Organized groups of beggars, mostly from southeastern Europe, are traveling around Norway this summer in hopes of coaxing coins from crowds of more conventional tourists. In a country where coins can be worth as much as USD 3, the begging can be lucrative. Newspaper Aftenposten reported Friday how one group of beggars from Bulgaria, Romania [...]
A touch of the tropics near Oslo
July 22, 2010
EXCURSIONS: Yes, it really can get warm in Norway during the summer and we found a lush, scenic gorge complete with waterfalls less than an hour outside the nation’s capital. Come with us to see a touch of the tropics, here in the far north. The gorge is called Asdøljuvet, and it’s one of 50 [...]
Midsummer in magical ‘marka’
June 24, 2010
EXCURSIONS: Wednesday was Norway’s version of Midsummer Eve, known as Sankthansaften, and the weather was pretty close to perfect for the traditional boat rides and bonfires. We decided to head inland, though, to the forests called marka that surround Oslo, and it was a memorable afternoon and evening indeed. Norway’s capital, like most Norwegian cities [...]
Warmer weather on the way
May 28, 2010
After a taste of summer last week, it’s been fairly chilly all over Norway. State meteorologists now predict that temperatures should start to rise again, not by much, but enough to justify the fact that June is just around the corner. Norway’s long, record cold winter gave way to a weather the Norwegians diplomatically call [...]
Summer suddenly marches in
May 19, 2010
Temperatures all over Norway have suddenly shot up in recent days, bringing both a long-awaited taste of summer but destruction as well. The warm weather wasn’t expected to last very long, and while some Oslo residents pondered a jump into the fjord, rapidly melting snow and ice was causing trouble in northern Norway. After relatively [...]
