May 17th (syttende mai) Norwegian National Day

Tomorrow is the Norwegian National Day. A national holiday for the nation and the day when they celebrate the signing of their constitution at Eidsvoll in 1814. All over the country people will be out with flags in their communities, processing in 'togs' (trains) through the town and generally having a ball. Lots of music, food and fun also mark the day, as I experienced in Kaupanger, Sogn some years ago with my friends Eivind and Astrid.

Norway must be one of the few countries where showing the flag by it's citizens with some pride is not accompanied by extreme or arrogant nationalism, but simply a love of their country and the ability to enjoy and share it.

Syttende Mai (Seventeenth of May)

Congratulations today go to Norway, celebrating not only providing the winning entry last night in the Eurovision Song Contest, but also because today is the nation's national day. I am thinking of my friends in Norway today, and imagine they are getting ready for their own local celebrations and town processions, such as the one I took part in Kaupanger (Sognefjord) in 2002. The good thing that struck me about being part of these celebrations was that there was a beautiful, almost naiive, simplicity about it all. The parading with national flags is not viewed as expressing some extreme nationalistic desire to exert dominance and control, but rather a simple joy and love of ones' own nation and its freedoms.

In 1814, the Kingdom of Norway broke away from Denmark after 400 years of being under Danish control. On May 17 of this year, a constitution was established by the Kingdom of Norway at the Constituent Assembly at Eidsvold, and, although Norway was part of a kingdom with Sweden until 1905, Norway has chosen the Seventeenth of May (Syttende Mai) as its day of liberation and celebration. This day is celebrated in Norway with parades of dressed-up children and adults carrying flags and singing.

Vartegn!

Vartegn means 'Signs of Spring' in Norwegian. There are certainly signs of spring around this week as little snowdrops emerge from their winter rest.


Not to be outdone, the daffodils are bursting forth too.

Having ones' cake and eating it

We've just returned from that London, where we were celebrating Nicola's 40th birthday and Megan's 12th. Emma prepared an amazing meal and it was great to all be together (doesn't happen too often these days) for this special occasion .


The pièce de résistance was Emma's 'Kransekake', a fantastic Norwegian 'ring cake', a true culinary masterpiece, constructed without the use of scaffolding or any other mechanical devices!