Subject: soc.culture.nordic FAQ, part 6/8 (Norway)
Date: 3 Oct 1995 22:38:29 +0200
Summary: This posting is a part of the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
         file for the newsgroup soc.culture.nordic. Its purpose is to
         introduce new readers to the group, provide some general information
         about the Nordic countries (Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark and
         Iceland) and to cover some of the topics frequently discussed in 
         the group.

Archive-name: nordic-faq/norway
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Version: 1.3
Last-modified: 01/10/95 (dd/mm/yy)


 
 A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) -file for the newsgroup
 
 S O C . C U L T U R E . N O R D I C
 
 *** PART 6:  NORWAY ***
 
 
------------------------------ 
 
Subject:  6.1  Fact Sheet
 
 
        Name: Kongeriket Norge (Bokml) / Kongeriket Noreg (Nynorsk)
        Telephone country code:  47
        Area: 323,878 km2 / 125,065 sq mi.
        Overseas territories:
                Svalbard        62 700,0 km2
                Jan Mayen       380,0 km2
                Bouvet Island   58,5 km2
                Peter I Island  249,2 km2     
        Land boundaries: Sweden, Finland, Russia
        Terrain: mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile
                 valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented
                 by fjords; arctic tundra in north
        Highest point: Glittertinden, 2,472 m (8,110 ft)
        Natural resources: crude oil, copper, natural gas, pyrites,
                           nickel, iron ore, zinc, lead, fish, timber, 
                           hydropower
        Population: 4,294,876 (1992)
        Population density 13.3 persons per sq km (34.3 per sq mi).
        Distribution: 71% urban, 29% rural. (1990)
        Average annual growth: 0.5%. (1992)
        Life expectancy: women 81; men 74. (1992)
        Infant mortality: 7 per 1,000 live births. (1992)
        Capital: Oslo (480,000) (1995)
        Other major towns: Bergen (220,000), Trondheim (143,000),
                           Stavanger (103,000) (1995)
        Flag: a blue Nordic cross outlined in white on a red background.
        Type: Constitutional monarchy
        Head of state: King Harald V
        Languages: Norwegian (two written forms: Bokml and Nynorsk). Small
                   Finnish- and Saami-speaking minorities. The North Saami
                   language has official status in the northern parts of the
                   country.
        Currency: krone (Norwegian crown, NOK). For the current exchange
                  rate, see the URL  http://www.dna.lth.se/cgi-bin/rates
        Climate: temperate along coast, warmed by the Gulf stream; colder
                 interior. Rainy year-round on west coast. Average temp. in
                 Oslo -7C - 2C in Jan., 13C - 22C in July.
        Religion: Evangelic-Lutheran (88%) (official state-religion)
        Exports: petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, fish, alumi-
                 nium, ships, pulp and paper.
       
        
------------------------------ 
 
Subject: 6.2  General information
 
 
6.2.1  Geography, climate, vegetation
       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Norway is located on the Scandinavian peninsula; its long, craggy coast 
forms the western margin of the peninsula and fronts the Atlantic Ocean
(sometimes known as the Norwegian Sea) for most of the country's length.
To the southwest the North Sea separates Norway from the British Isles,
and directly to the south the Skagerrak separates it from Denmark. In the
east Norway shares an extensive border with Sweden and for a shorter one
with Finland and Russia in the north.
 
From north to south, Norway is about 1,770 km long, but for much of the
distance it is very narrow, exceeding 160km of breadth only in the south.
About one third of the country lies within the Arctic Circle, where the
sun shines 24 hours at the height of the summer. Characteristic of the
terrain are rugged mountains interrupted by valleys that cut into the land.
Along much of the coast cliffs drop impressively to the sea, forming the
fjords which are among the most distinctive features of Norwegian geography.
The longest and deepest of them is the Sogne Fjord. About 150,000 offshore
islands serve as a barrier that helps to protect Norway's coast from
Atlantic storms. Among these, the Lofoten Islands are the largest and also
a very popular tourist attraction.
 
The climate is temperate, and the severity of winter along the coast is
moderated by southerly air currents brought in above the waters of the
North Atlantic Drift, which is warmed by the Gulf Stream. Summers are 
relatively cool throughout the country; rainfall is high everywhere, most
of all on the coasts, of course. The rivers contain abundant salmon and
trout, which are among the country's most famous exports. Spruce and pine
are the most common trees in Norway's forests, and deciduous trees, such
as birch and ash, are common in the lowlands. In the mountain regions,
heather is abundant, as well as low bushes that provide numerous delicious
berries. Timber is one of the foremost natural resources. In addition, Norway
has tremendous resources in its offshore oil and gas fields in the North Sea
as well as in the hydroelectric potential of the numerous rapids and
waterfalls. Iron and copper are also mined.
 
6.2.2  Economy
       ~~~~~~~
 
Only about 3% of Norway is arable land; for this reason Norway's main source of
livelihood has traditionally been fishery. Norway emerged as an industrial
nation from the beginning of this century, partly due to local elites
investing money in shipbuilding, woolspinning, timber and pulp production,
and partly because of foreign companies building up on electrochemical
industry based upon cheap hydro-electric power. Norway has also had one of
the biggest merchant fleets of the world. The financial surplus made by
this type of service made it possible to outweigh the deficit of trade with
other countries, and hence is an important economic and political factor
in Norwegian history. Production of petroleum and gas has, however, become
the foremost industry with the discovery of offshore fields. Food, beverage,
and tobacco processing rank second. The manufacture of transportation
equipment, primarily ships and boats (the major export), ranks third,
followed by production of metal and metal products.
 
6.2.3  Population, language, culture
       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Norway's population is primarily Germanic. The largest ethnic minority are
Sami (Lapps) living Northern Norway (Finnmark) who number about 20,000; a
few thousand Norwegian Finns (Kvens) live in northern Norway. Norwegian is
a Germanic language developed from the Old Norse spoken in the viking age;
it is closely related to both Danish and Swedish. Norway has hundreds
of dialects of spoken Norwegian (corresponding to different geographical
regions or locales) and two official written norms, Bokml and Nynorsk.
Bokml, which has its basis in large part in the Danish spoken during the
period of Danish rule, serves as the written norm for most of the dialects
of the larger urban centers. Nynorsk, created by the philologist Ivar
Andreas Aasen (1813-96) who drew it from the old rural dialects that
preserve Norwegian as it descended from Old Norse, serves as the written
norm for most of the dialects of rura areas and some smaller urban centers.
Norway, while becoming increasingly urbanized, is still one of the least
urbanized countries in Europe. Population is extremely sparse in northern
Norway and inland; except for Iceland, it is the lowest in Europe.
 
Norway has a strongly developed tradition of folk music; its most
distinguished classical composers were Edvard Grieg (1843-1907), Christian
Sinding (1856-1941), and Johan Svendsen (1840-1911), all of whom made much
use of traditional music. The painting of Edvard Munch (1863-1944) has
achieved worldwide recognition. Gustav Vigeland (1869-1943) produced a
vast body of sculpture, which has been collected in Frogner Park in Oslo.
For Norwegian literature, see section 6.5.1.
 
6.2.4  Government
       ~~~~~~~~~~
 
Norway is a hereditary constitutional monarchy, with a constitution that
was drafted in 1814.  It gives broad powers to the king, but the council
of ministers, headed by the prime minister, generally exercises this power
as king in council. The 165 members of the Storting, or parliament, are
elected for a fixed term of 4 years by all Norwegians 18 years of age or
older.  
 
The major political parties are the Labor party (Arbeiderpartiet), the
largest single party, the Conservative party (Hyre), and the Center Party
(Senterpartiet). The Labor party, which was responsible for creating the
social-democratic welfare state, headed the government for 37 years during
the period 1935-81. A debate about high taxes and rising inflation caused
the Labor party to lose ground to center-right groups. The Conservatives
under Kare Willoch were in office from 1981 to 1986, when they were ousted
by Labor, led by Gro Harlem Brundtland, Norway's first woman premier.
Brundtland has since resigned as the party leader (the office is currently
held by Torbjrn Jagland), but still represents the party as the prime
minister. In the current election period (1993-1997), Senterpartiet (Center
Party) is bigger than Hyre.
 
 
------------------------------ 
 
Subject: 6.3  History
 
 
        A chronology of important dates:
 
        800's   The bloody conflicts between tribal kingdoms, as well as
                a craving for adventure, prompted Norwegians to leave their
                lands in what are known as Viking voyages.  Warriors from
                the Viks, or fjords, raided throughout western Europe 
                and into the Mediterranean. 
                
        890's   Harald Hrfagre ("fair-hair") unites Norway to a single 
                kingdom. Ireland falls under Norwegian rule. Iceland colonized.
 
        995     King Olav Tryggvason converts to Christianity.
 
        1030    The battle of Stiklestad, in which Olav Haraldsson (canoni-
                zed as St. Olav) is killed. The pilgrimages to his grave in
                Nidaros (Trondheim) begin.
 
        1066    Harald Hrdrde killed in the battle of Stamford Bridge
                while attempting to conquer England. Viking raids come to an
                end.
 
        1184    After a civil war, the illegitimate son of King Sigurd,
                Sverre, is acknowledged as sole king. He consolidated the
                power of monarchy, created a new nobility and replaced an
                aristocratic administration with royal officials. His firm
                hand in ruling the church led Pope Innocent III to
                excommunicate him and lay Norway under interdict.
 
        1261-2  Greenland and Iceland are subjected to Norwegian rule.
 
        1266    King Magnus VI Lagabter (Law-Mender) ended a lingering
                war with Scotland by selling the Isle of Man and the
                Hebrides to Scotland. 
 
        1274    Magnus VI introduces a general code of laws which remains 
                in use for more than four centuries, replacing local legal
                systems with a unified code for the entire kingdom. It
                strengthened the position of the monarch by treating crime
                not as a private matter but as an offense against king and
                country.  Magnus also promulgated municipal laws and
                accepted a basically independent status for the church.
 
        1349-   Black plague, "Svartedauen", kills one third of Norways 
          50    inhabitants.
 
        1379    Marriage ties linked Norway with both Sweden and Denmark, 
                and Margarethe I of Denmark, the wife of Haakon VI,succeeded
                in gaining control of the country.  At the end of the 14th
                century the Norwegian royal house died out, and the nobles
                elected Erik of Pomerania, Margarethe's grandnephew, as
                their king.  Erik ruled nominally for Margarethe, who united
                Norway, Sweden, and Denmark in the Union of Kalmar.
 
        1536    Norway becomes a subject of the Danish crown, little more
                than a Danish province. Danish becomes the written language
                of Norway. Reformation makes Norway Lutheran.
 
        1645    The provinces of Jmtland and Hrjedalen are ceded to Sweden
                after Denmark-Norway's participation in the Thirty Years'
                War. In 1658, Bohusln is lost to Sweden, too.
 
        1716-18 Sweden attacks Norway, but has to retreat when king Karl XII
                is killed at Fredrikshald.
 
        1814    The peace treaty of Kiel gives Norway to Sweden. Norway
                declares independence at Eidsvoll, but after a short war
                against Sweden Norway agrees to a personal union with Sweden.
                The Norwegian constitution was written. 
 
        1905    The union with Sweden falls apart and Norway becomes an
                independent kingdom. The Danish prince Karl becomes king
                Haakon VII of Norway.
 
        1940    Germany attacks Norway on 9th of April, and after two months 
                of resistance completes the occupation. The Norwegian king and 
                government flee to England. The leader of Norways National
                Socialist party, Vidkun Quisling, is nominated by Hitler to
                form a puppet regime.
 
        1941-45 The Norwegian resistance, "Hjemmefronten", is organized. With
                it's 50,000 members it made life more difficult for the Nazi
                occupiers in Norway, while many Norwegians joined British or
                American forces to fight the Germans. The Norwegian merchant
                fleet played a vital role in aiding the Allies.  Although
                it lost half of its fleet, the country recovered quickly
                after the war.
 
        1945    Germany surrenders to the Allies and the Nazi-occupation ends
                in Norway.
 
        1949    Norway joins NATO.
 
        1957    Olav V becomes king after the death of Haakon VII.
 
        1970's  Large oil finds in the North Sea make Norway prosperous.
 
        1972    Norway holds a referendum about joining the EEC; the people
                vote "NO".
 
        1991    On Olav's death in January, his son Harald V succeeded him
                as the king of Norway.
                
        1994    A referendum about joining the EU will was held November
                27-28th. Again, the Norwegians voted "NO" by a clear majority
                and thus remained outside the union while Sweden and Finland
                joined.
 
 
------------------------------ 
 
Subject: 6.4  Main tourist attractions
 
 
6.4.1  Bergen
       ~~~~~~
 
Bergen located about 300 km west of Oslo, on a sheltered inlet of the North
Sea, it is an important port and the country's second-largest city. Warm
Historical landmarks include the King Haakon's Hall (1261), St. Mary's
Church (12th century), the Rosencrantz Tower (1562) and the old wooden
merchant's quarters (Bryggen) at the harbour. One of the Bryggen buildings
(Finnegrden) houses a Hansaetic Museum, another (modern one) houses a
medieval museum (Bryggens museum). The city also has a university (1948) and
National Theater (1850), and it was the birthplace of the composer Edvard
Grieg and the violinist Ole Bull. Fantoft stave church (built 1150) and
Grieg's home Troldhaugen are located a short distance to the south of the
city.
 
The city was founded in 1070 by King Olaf III; it became a leading trade
center and Norway's capital during the 12th and 13th centuries. It joined
the Hansaetic League in the 14th century, and German merchants from the
league developed trade monopolies here that lasted into the 18th century.  
Occupied during World War II by the Germans, the city suffered heavy damage
during Allied bombings.
 
Bergen is surrounded by mountains low enough to be climbed on foot but
sufficiently high to offer a great view. There are many good paths for
hikers, but there are also a cable cars going to the highest peak, mount
Ulriken (606m above sea), and to Flyen (314m) which is a bit closer to the
centre.
 
<The following from an article by Daniel R. Juliano>
 
 I am not sure how you are getting from Bergen to Oslo, but I would suggest
 the beautiful scenic train that takes you between the two if you are not
 flying. It stops quite often and lets you get out in the mountains and look
 around. It is warm up there, yet there is tons of snow. At least there was
 when I was there two years ago this month.
 
 If you could get to Oystese and see the Hardanger fjord that is the most
 beautiful one I ever saw. But, you have to take a bus or drive there. When
 we were there the buses were on strike (of course) and we rented a car.
 Scary. You have to drive on these huge mountains with no guard rail where
 you are literally one foot from the edge and you have to go through huge
 tunnels. A police man actually pulled us over for going to slow. :)
 
 We did take a boat tour in Bergen of the fjords which we enjoyed. My
 family went to see Grieg's house. They enjoyed that. They also saw the
 stave church. I didn't go along to those so I don't know if I should
 recommend them. 
 
 On most days in Bergen there is a fish market in the main part of town
 which is quite interesting. They sell fish that they have just caught,
 as well as fresh fruit, flowers, bread and handicrafts. It is closed on
 Sundays. 
 
 Oh, we also went on a tour of some church and of the Hansa houses. That
 was neat. Ok, I'll stop. Again. If you have any more specific questions,
 just ask.
 
 <From: Jan Setnan>
 
 I always recommend taking the boat from Bergen to Balestrand in the
 evening. Then the express ferry from Balestrand to Flm. The trip from
 Bergen to Flm will give you an impressive view of the fjords. Then you 
 take the nighttrain flom Flm to Oslo, arriving the next morning.
 
 The boat from Bergen to Balestrand may be filled with tourists so you
 probably should reserve tickets. But the ferry from Balestrand to
 Flm should give you no problems. The train tickets you should reserve 
 beforehand. The luggage is another problem travelling from boat to boat 
 to train. If you have several items, you could send most of it with the 
 train from Bergen to Oslo, and only take the necessary minimum with you 
 on the boats. The boat ticket from Bergen to Flm is about $65.
 
 <From: Melvin Klasse>
 
 When I went to Bergen, in early-July 1988, the "Tourist Information Centre"
 (*very* close to the SAS Hotel in Bergen) had all sorts of accomodation 
 available, from a "pension" (bed & shared bathroom & NO-breakfast) to 
 "tourist-class" hotels.
 
 - Get an umbrella -- if it isn't raining, you're not in Bergen!!!
 
 - Walk around the Fish Market, of course. 
 
 - The WW II "War Resistance" museum chronicles the time of the German
   presence.
 
 - Take the Flybanen (train ride at 23 degrees "up" the hill).
 
 - See Edward Greig's summer-house "Troldhaugen".
 
 - Make reservations for dinner & entertainment with "Fana Folklore".
 
 
6.4.2  Oslo
       ~~~~
 
 Oslo lies at the head of Oslo Fjord, about 97 km from the open sea. The
 city first occupied the small kershus Peninsula, where a fortress
 was built in 1300. Oslo was founded about 1050 to the east of the present
 city. Early in the 17th century fire destroyed the town, mostly built of
 wood. King Christian IV ordered the city to be rebuilt on the kershus
 Peninsula below the fortress, which could protect it. The new city was
 laid out on a square plan and was named Christiania after its founder
 (the name Oslo was readopted in 1925).
 
 The city remained small until the 19th century; in 1814, it's population
 was only 11,200. That year, Norway was separated from Denmark and was
 joined into Sweden by a personal union. Christiania became the national
 capital and started to grow. The Royal Palace was built, and the Storting
 (Parliament) and government offices were established. By 1910, the popula-
 tion had already reached 225,000.
 
 Today Oslo is a well-planned city with wide, straight streets. Government
 offices and the central business district are focused on Karl Johansgate,
 which is the main street in Oslo. By the harbour is the two-towered City
 Hall (completed 1950), the city's most famous landmark, facing the fjord
 and the downtown area.
 
 Oslo is also the cultural heart of Norway. The university, which was founded
 in 1811, is the largest in the country. The city also contains the National
 Theater, the Bygdy folk museum with a large collection of traditional 
 buildings, and a museum of excavated Viking ships. On Holmenkollen, a
 mountain overlooking the city, is a famous ski jump, the site of many winter
 sports competitions. Frogner Park contains the statuary of Gustav Vigeland.
 
 <From: Ken Ewing>
 
 I spent a week in Oslo in July, 1989.  I don't know what 
 you might be interested in, but here's a rundown of stuff that I did 
 (please forgive any misspellings...I don't have my travel info in 
 front of me. :-)  
 
 o  City Hall.  Called "Rdhuset" in Norwegian.  This is a large, 
    twin-towered building right on the waterfront.  The ground floor 
    is the national tourist office.  Here you can arrange for tours, 
    find out interesting things to see, buy guidebooks, etc.  
 
 o  Akershus Fortress.  Easy to find.  It's a genuine medieval fort 
    right on the waterfront.  It's something of a symbol for Oslo in that 
    having been under siege nine times since its construction in the
    1300's, it has never fallen to an enemy.  Guided tours are available.  
 
    In or near the Akershus Fortress are many museums, including:  
 
    -- Resistance Museum.  A "must-see" for WWII enthusiasts.  It looks 
       very small from outside the door, but it's quite large inside.  
       It documents the German occupation and TONS of artifacts, photos, 
       etc.  
 
    -- Christiania Exhibit (I think it's called that).  This is a model 
       and show about the history of Oslo.  Oslo was originally located 
       a but further south, and the current site of Oslo used to be 
       called Christiania, named after King Christian IV.  
 
 o  Take a water taxi across the bay to Bygdy.  There are several museums
    over there, including:  
 
    -- Maritime Museum.  Pretty big place.  If you're into maritime topics 
       (which I am) you can spend a few hours here.  
 
    -- Fram Museum.  The Fram is a sailing ship built around 1897.  It was 
       basically designed to be a wooden-hulled icebreaker.  The designer 
       had a theory that the Arctic ice cap flowed with "currents" matching
       those of the ocean underneath, and that if a ship could lodge 
       itself in the ice, it could ride these currents across the North Pole. 
       He built this ship, lodged it into the ice, and proved his theory
       (coming with five degrees of the North Pole).  The ship is now housed
       within this museum.  
 
    -- Kon-Tiki museum.  Contains Thor Heyerdahl's ships Kon-Tiki and Ra II.  
       You might remember Ra II from the movie made in 1973 (I think).  
       There is also a life-size copy of a statue from Easter Island, and 
       also a genuine, taxidermed, 30-foot whale shark suspended underneath
       the Kon Tiki.  
 
    All three of these museums are right next to one another.  A little 
    farther down the road (easy walking distance) you'll find:  
 
    -- Viking Ship Museum.  This building looks like a church from the 
       outside, and is not marked very well with signs.  It contains 
       three actual Viking ships dug up from the ground, plus a bunch of 
       artifacts from the Viking era.  
 
    -- Folk Museum.  This is a large park that contains exhibits of the 
       inland culture of Norway (as opposed to the maritime culture, as 
       the other museums in this area display).  The creators of this 
       park went all over Norway and collect farm houses (whole houses!), 
       stave churches (pronounced "stahv" -- some of these structures 
       date back to the 1200s and are still in active use), etc. to show 
       how Norwegian people lived.  There are tours available.  Employees 
       wear authentic cultural dress.  
 
 Back in Oslo:  
 
 o  Vigeland Statue Park.  This is a 20-acre or so park with 250 statues 
    by Mr. Vigeland, a famous Norwegian sculptor.  It's best to get 
    a guidebook of some kind, as the park has a theme to its organization. 
    As I understand it, Vigeland statues are not found outside of Norway.  
 
 o  Historical churches.  Olso has been around for a long time, and there 
    are interesting old churches all over town.  
 
 o  The Royal Palace.  Norway has a royal family, although the parliament 
    is the governing body.  The palace has a military guard that changes
    regularly.  
 
 o  Downtown shopping.  The downtown area of Oslo is really quite small and
    easily explored by walking. The main street, Karl Johansgate, starts
    right in front of the Royal Palace and proceeds straight into the
    downtown area.  About halfway or so the street becomes closed to
    traffic, and thus turns into a large walking mall.  The street life
    is fascinating, with the usual contingent of street musicians and
    other entertainers. In the harbour is the new shopping complex, Akers-
    bryggen; gleaming modern architecture, restaurants, etc.
 
 Other general tips:  
 
 o  In Norway (as well as other Scandinavian countries) you can obtain 
    a "Tourist Card".  You can get them for one, two, or three days, and 
    you buy them at the city hall (Rdhuset).  This card gives you:  
 
    -- Free transport on busses, trams, and subways.  
    -- Discount admission to most museums.  
    -- Discounts at some restaurants.  
 
    Among other advantages.  I considered it worth the expense.  With the 
    three-day card, you can get discounts on railroad fare to other 
    places in Norway, but you have to purchase tickets *before coming 
    to Norway* (which apparently means that you can obtain a tourist card 
    through a travel agency or perhaps through a Norwegian consulate).  
 
 o  Restaurants seem to be rather rare around Oslo.  I like eating out, 
    and I had a rather hard time finding restaurants around town.  
 
 o  Alcohol is strictly controlled.  Beer costs $6-$7 for a pint glass.  
    Drunk driving laws are strictly enforced with heavy penalties, and 
    foreigners cannot claim ignorance as an excuse.  
 
 o  Oslo seems to be a safe place.  I never felt in danger of physical 
    harm at any time.  Virtually everyone there (natives, that is) 
    speaks English (it is a requirement in the school system).  
 
 Check this URL for more information about the city of Oslo:
 http://www.oslonett.no/NTIN/Towns/Oslo/Oslo.html
 
 
6.4.3  Trondheim
       ~~~~~~~~~
       
 Trondheim, a city on the west central coast of Norway, is situated about
 400 km north of Oslo. The city is the site of the Technical University of
 Norway (1900) and the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences (1760). Histo-
 ical landmarks include the impressive Nidaros Cathedral (started in 1075,
 finished c. 1320, burned badly six times, restauration started in 1869),
 where several Norse kings and Kings of independent Norway have been crowned.
 The cathedral, built from Norwegian blue soapstone and white marble,
 contains the tomb of St. King Olaf II (Saint Olaf), which made it an
 important centre of pilgrimage in the middle ages.
 
 Founded as Kaupangr by King Olav Tryggvason in 997, Trondheim was an
 archbishopric from 1152 until the Reformation (1537).  The city was an
 important administrative and commercial center during the 12th and 13th
 centuries, but its importance later diminished. 
 
 Erkebispegrden, the archbishop's house by the cathedral survives from
 the middle ages. Stiftsgrden is a long wooden building with a rococo
 interior. Folkemuseum has a collection of traditional houses and a stave
 church. The fortified island of Munkholmen just off the city can be reached
 by a boat.
 
 
6.4.4  Hurtigruta
       ~~~~~~~~~~
 
Anne Lise Falck  <falck@cs.odu.edu> wrote:
 
 I have one particular thing in mind: you should take the time to travel 
 with `Hurtigruta` or Coastal Line as they say in English. It is a 
 beautiful boatride from Bergen to Kirkenes by the Russian border in the
 north. You have the possibility of stopping in different cities along
 the coast if you want to, and I believe that the whole trip takes about
 a week or two.
 
Mike Jittlov adds:
 
 IMHO, it's the finest boat cruise in the world.  You might consider a
 variety of travel (it seems to invite adventure and wonderful meetings):
 take the train from Oslo toward Bergen, but just before that switch trains
 at Myrdal, winding down the steep gorge to Flm, and take the ferry through
 the spectacular fjord (either to Bergen, or a bus to the city); treat
 yourself to a day or two in Bergen (wonderful fish & rolls at the harbor-
 side market), then board the Hurtigruten northbound; the route through the
 Lofoten Islands is breathtaking, and incredibly healing for spirit and body
 (weather permitting, the steamer takes a sidetrip into the Trollfjord, and
 plays Grieg's "Hall of the Mountain King" over loudspeakers); continue to
 Troms, then to Nordkapp (incredibly touristy at the northernmost point of
 Europe - but the contrast can be wild), every village and stop along the
 way enticing you to stop and explore and learn and enjoy; take the plane
 to Trondheim, and then the train back to Oslo (with a sidetrip to Hell, a
 beautiful fjord-town with a unique stamp for your passport ;) -- check out
 postcards and the free tourist brochures for places that excite your
 interest.  Ask for directions and advice -- everyone is helpful, gracious,
 and honest; most speak English, and will help you with your Norwegian.
 
 The Hurtigruta has also a home page on WWW (both in English and Norwegian):
 http://www.cs.uit.no/~tommyov/hurtruta.html
 
 
------------------------------ 
 
Subject: 6.5  Norwegian literature, language, etc.
 
 
 
6.5.1  Norwegian literature
       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 
The earliest Norwegian literature, the Poetic Edda, was composed in Norway
but written down Iceland in the early middle ages by the descendendants of
Norwegian settlers of Iceland. A more ornate and technically complicated
poetry was composed by court poets, or skalds, mainly in praise of the 
battle exploits of various chieftains.
 
From the 16th through the 18th century, Norwegian literature was written
in Danish, mostly by priests and civil servants educated in Denmark. The
two principal literary figures were Petter Dass in the 17th century and 
Ludvig, Baron Holberg in the 18th. Dass has given a marvelously vivid
picture of life in the north of Norway in his topographical poem, The
Trumpet of Nordland (1739; Eng. trans., 1954); Holberg was the first
professional author in Dano-Norwegian literature. A highly learned person,
he wrote in a variety of genres; his comedies in particular have remained
popular.
 
Norways newly won independence from Denmark in 1814 inspired authors to
regard themselves as the creators of a national literature and national
identity. Henrik Arnold Wergeland, considered by some the Norwegian national
poet, enthralled his countrymen with e.g his monumental cosmological poem,
Skabelsen, mennesket, og messias (Creation, Man, and Messiah, 1830). The
conservative poet and critic Johan Sebastian Cammermeyer Welhaven, however,
reproached Wergeland for his refusal to recognize the existence of a shared
Dano-Norwegian cultural heritage. But he little effect on either Wergeland
or other contemporaries, such as Peter Christen Asbrnsen and Jrgen
Engebretsen Me, who were enthusiastically rediscovering Norway's great past.
Asbjrnsen and Me published their celebrated Norske folkeeventyr (Norwegian
Folk Tales) in 1842-44. Bjrnstjerne Bjrnson, a great Norwegian patriot,
also used folklore in his novels describing peasant life.
 
The dramatist Henrik Ibsen is Norway's most famous literary figure; some of
his plays are considered to rank with the works of Shakespeare. In the 20th
century, three Norwegian novelists have won Nobel Prizes: Bjrnstjerne
Bjrnson in 1903, Knut Hamsun, most famous for Growth of the Soil (1917;
English translation 1920), and Sigrid Undset, author of the epic novel
Kristin Lavransdtter (1920-22; English translation 1923-27). Other 
important writers of this century include the novelist John Bjer, the poet
Olaf Bull, novelist Olav Duun, playwright and novelist Nordahl Grieg, and
novelist Terje Vesaas. More recent authors of note are short-story writer
Terje Stigen, novelist Jens Bjrnboe, poet Stein Mehren, the feminist writer
Bjrg Vik, and Jostein Gaarder, a former school teacher whose novel on the
history of western philosophy (Sophie's World, 1991) has had tremendous
success all over the world.
 
For electronic versions of some of the works of Nordic literature, see
the collection of Project Runeberg:
 
 World Wide Web:       http://www.lysator.liu.se/runeberg/
 Gopher:               gopher.lysator.liu.se  path  /project-runeberg
 FTP:                  ftp.lysator.liu.se  directory /pub/runeberg
 
 
6.5.2  Dictionaries and study-material
       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
  In the World Wide Web, the following Norwegian dictionaries can be
  accessed:
        Nynorsk dictionary:          http://www.nr.no/ordbok/nynorsk
        Bokml dictionary:           http://www.nr.no/ordbok/bokml
 
  
  _Nynorskorboka_ (Det Norske Samlaget) and _Bokmlsordboka_ (Universitets-
  forlaget) form the official standard of the the two forms of written Norwe-
  gian, "nynorsk" and "bokml". In addition, the following dictionaries
  can be mentioned:
 
  W. A. Kirkeby. _Norsk-engelsk ordbok_ (Kunnskapsforlaget). Especially
  good for Norwegian-speakers looking for the idiomatic way to say
  something in English.
 
  _Aschehoug og Gyldendals Store norske orbok_ ("moderat bokml og riksml")
 
  W. A. Kirkeby. _Engelsk-norsk ordbok_ 
 
  Einar Haugen. _Norsk-engelsk ordbok_. Universitetsforlaget. OR the American
  edition, _Norwegian-English Dictionary_ (not sure of publisher).
  Especially useful to English-speakers learning Norwegian; includes
  both Bokm}l and Nynorsk words.
 
  The latest, most up-to-date version of Guttu's dictionary is "Norsk
  illustrert ordbok. Moderat bokml og riksml" (Oslo 1993, 1009 pages).
  The format is now almost exactly like that of "Bokmlsordboka" (17cm x
  25.5cm). Both are excellent dictionaries, which can be recommended.
  However, "Norsk illustrert ordbok" has a layout that makes it easier to
  find what you are looking for in big articles.
 
Dave Golber writes:
 
  (1) Get Einar Haugen's Norwegian-English dictionary.  It's great.
  (Also, it's got a introductory section that describes Nyn-Bokm.)
  It's written _in_English_ in the sense that the explanations, 
  extended descriptions, etc, are in English, not Norwegian.
 
  For English-Norwegian, I don't have any strong opinion.  I have and use
  Kirkeby's Dictionary, and it's good.  
 
  The Haugen you should be able to order from your local bookstore.
  The Kirkeby might be harder.  I can get you the particulars
  (publisher, ISBN number, etc).  You might have to order it from
  Norway, but that isn't as hard as you think.  Perhaps someone else
  in the group here will have suggestions.
 
  (2) I started using the tapes "Norsk for Utlendingar" (Norwegian for
  Foreigners).  This is used in Norway for teaching Norwegian to immigrants.
  I think it's great.  I wish I'd started using it long ago.  It's
  available in the USA from Audio Forum, with the Norwegian texts that
  go with it, plus an American suppliment.  For an outrageous price. 
  But it's worth it.
 
 
------------------------------ 
 
Subject: 6.6  Sons of Norway
 
 
<From: Ruth M. Sylte>
 
(Ruth, if you'd like to write a more comprehensive intro I won't say no. :)
 
 In recent years, Sons of Norway has been actively reaching out to the 
 "younger" community of Norwegian-Americans. The _Viking_ magazine has many 
 interesting articles that cover subjects on modern Norway. There are also 
 specific pages for children each month that look at various cultural and 
 historical subjects.
 
 Sons of Norway also has special membership categories for children and young 
 people. Children (up to age 15) who are the children *and/or* grandchildren
 of Sons of Norway adult members can be FREE "Heritage" Members in Sons of
 Norway. This entitles them to a number of benefits, including a quarterly
 newsletter geared specifically for that age group. The newsletter often
 carries penpal requests from American and Norwegian children. Young people
 - (about ages 15-22) can join SoN at a reduced membership rate and receive
 a newsletter geared toward their age group.
 
 SoN also sponsors summer camps where children can go to get an introduction
 to Norwegian language and culture. They also offer scholarships to study at
 "Camp Norway" - a 6 week summer language camp in Sandane, Norway - and the 
 University of Oslo's International Summer School.
 
 There are a number of active SoN lodges in the San Francisco area. Indeed, 
 anyone looking for Sons of Norway can usually find them organizing the local 
 Syttende Mai events. :-)
 
 Sons of Norway has a Heritage Books department (run out of a store called 
 "Tomten") that offers books in Norwegian and English that deal with the 
 subjects listed above (and many others). They can be reached at:
 
        Heritage Books
        7616 Lyndale Avenue South
        Minneapolis, MN  55423
 
        tlf: 1-800-468-2424
             1-612-866-3636
        fax: 1-612-866-3580
 
 Ruth - Vice-President of Midnattsolen Lodge #6-156 in Orange County ;-)
 
 
 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-END OF PART 6-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
 
 
 



