31 Oct – Halloweenless

From Norway

It’s a most unusual Halloween. I hesitated plugging in my laptop for fear that the train carriage’s electricity would fail. There is a group of eight football (aka soccer) fans chanting to their laptop’s music and warming up their livers for a big game tomorrow. If their team wins this match, they will be promoted to the highest division. I’m on a cross-country train from Bergen to Oslo. For the past three hours, the carriage has sped past fjord-side farms, evergreen peaks, and over snowy high country (above tree-line). It’s as close to the Polar Express as I may ever get, red colored train and all. It’s quite rowdy in here and a quiet wonderland out there… beautiful.

The past day and a half in Bergen lived up to and surpassed expectations. As promised, Bergen is wedged between seven peaks and the wide fjord. Being on a ship for the past 6 days, Jamie & I were feeling altitude confinement. We trudged across town with luggage in tow, and dropped the baggage at the hotel (reserved four hours ago via internet on the boat). We headed up and up and up to the closest, most popular of the seven peaks. The forest at the top had troll totem pole art scattered amongst the wet mossy earth and pine trees. There were rope swings, crawling tubes, and challenging steep wooden rope bridges that have long been outlawed by US cities to avoid lawyer confrontations at the cost of child’s play. The sun was just tucking in behind the watery horizon as we summited. We bypassed the electric cable car up the slope, however the hordes that used it, beat us to the souvenir and restaurant at the top. It really was a great view of the colorful, active town. Once again, we really lucked out with the weather. Known as a wet, dismal city, we had dry overcast clouds followed by a completely sunny day.

On the sunny day, we walked a self-guided tour around the various neighborhoods of harbors and old timbered houses built not six inches from each other. Fires plagued the city over the centuries taking down rows of these timbered establishments; however they are part of Bergen’s historic heart. They are very quaint and charming.
One can only eat so much cream and fish. I joked that my belly had expanded so much that it needed its own bed. I mentioned we need to start leaving five minutes early because my belly would now arrive 5 minutes before me. And so is probably typical after a cruise. After the Norwegian boat fare, I was craving fresh Norwegian breads, and anything foreign. The idea of eating breakfast in a bakery was most exciting. Various rolls filled that gap. We found a Tex-Mex restaurant that served up some homemade $18 margaritas in martini glasses (homemade meaning with fresh lime juice… no syrup) and we split a veggie fajita plate (no money left after the beverages!). Some of you may remember my experience upon arriving in Oslo airport with the Duty Free (see the 1st entry). Alcohol is very restricted (as the soccer fans across the aisle continually pile empty 20 oz beer cans at their feet). It’s only sold at government run Vinmonopolets (Wine Monopoly) that results in expensive alcohol that is only available during particular times. The second night Jamie brought back Vietnamese food to the hotel room. I know, shake your heads all you want or roll your eyes. It’s really a challenge finding good foreign food here. I’ll take advantage of it while in a city!

The Sogndal soccer fans engaged Jamie in a long conversation about their down-home upbringing in small towns and the need to move to Bergen to get jobs. They analyzed a map about the different western regions of fjords and mountains. The singing and chanting has increased to every other song. I believe they are disembarking within the next half hour or so. They generously gave us a team Sogndal knit scarf. After some post-game research on the game results, I think I’ll wear it to work on Monday.

Halloween was completely void of any pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns. Norway has not celebrated this holiday in its history. It is only in the past five years that trick-or-treating is starting to catch-on with the kids. The adults are discouraging of this new activity. At this point, it is seen as more of a tradition being advertised to the kids and pushed by the businesses as a money-making scheme. Many adults (some parents included) reject the idea. Jamie & I stopped by a coworker (now friend’s) and her boyfriend’s house to have a chat before leaving to drop Jamie off at the airport. While we were at their house, one trick-or-treater knocked on the door. The boyfriend put on his white grueling mask and hobbled away to answer the door. He was certainly enjoying the scream reactions from the costumed visitors.

Two weeks ago at work we had discussed Halloween. I brought them up to speed, starting with the history of Halloween and ending with the crazy decorations and tricks that people do to trick-or-treaters today. It made for some good laughs. The Norwegians talk about it with an air of disdain. They informed me that just in the past year or two the residents are starting to understand that by turning lights off, it will deter the kids. Prior to that, the early trick-or-treaters (5 years ago) were knocking on doors to clueless people and walked away dejected… though not enough to try again next year. With the proliferation of fast food joints and now a tradition that encourages kids to request free junk food, the American ploys are not too popular among Norwegian parents. I can’t say I blame them; I’m sure it’s tough to fend off the pesky corporation schemes to the big pleading eyes of your own child! I simply miss carving and eating pumpkins. I’ll have to make up for it at Thanksgiving. Hope you had a good Halloween!