What do you know about Norway?

[MetalMagpie]

You're all murdering, pillaging vikings. You raided our settlements and made off with our treasures. Then you god-damn invaded. The cheek of it!

But we kicked your arse at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. *sings* Who got an arrow in his neck? Hardrada did! Hardrada did!

Also, your country is 90% fjords and I have suspicions you're all blond (like the Finns).

[Disclaimer: The above comments may be outdated, offensive and/or wildly inaccurate. It is well documented that no important events between England and Norway occurred after 1066.]

 

[excalipoor]

I know it's fucking pretty. I live right next door in Finland, but you can't find shit like this here:

We did a class trip to Norway on the ninth grade. Our host was a Norwegian class of ninth graders, and there were Swedish and Danish classes there as well. We all stayed in a hotel near Bergen for a week. The Swedes and Norwegians got along really well, but we had an all out war going on between the two of them and us Finns. The Danes just sat there in the sidelines, wondering what the fuck is wrong with us. Maybe it was the hostilities, but I much more enjoyed the bus drive to our destination (three days one way), than the stay itself. So much to see on the way.

7/7, would visit again.

 

[IamQ]

That you are inferior to us, the Swedish master race! We once used to own you guys, remember why you celebrate your national day, eh?

So scram now! We don't need your large mountains, or your blooming economy, or your large ammounts of oil...or y...or your... you suck!

*runs away*

We celebrate knowing we're rid of you lot! Once Sweden was out of our life we struck oil and all is going swimingly! ... Well, there was that whole nazi invasion thing... Details! Is it also not nice that you provide us with cheap bacon and candy in your highly convenient malls placed along the border?!

You do realise though, that we have to put them there? I mean, bacon is more or less a human right! It would be inhumane of us to not give you the option of buying bacon.

Well, I guess I can't be too mean with you. We do share a common interest in bacon... and we both have fucking awful winters.

You know what Norway? You're alright.

 

[Agent Larkin]

I know you have bears.

Polar to the far north and normal brown bears further south.

Also that geographically Denmark was once part of Norway.

i could start listing more stuff but then I will start relying on Scandinavia and the World.

 

[Noala]

Pretty much Black Metal, Church Burnings and snow.

 

[Pebkio]

It's worse than Kenya...

And after checking the other comments, I can't believe no one has made this reference yet.

Addition: Captcha asked me to use word(s) to describe Coppertone. I typed in "sexy", which I guess was a right answer. I actually don't even remember what Coppertone is, but I bet "sexy" is a good answer for anything Captcha asks these days.

 

[Barciad]

Random psychopaths aside, it is one of the freest richest, safest, fairest, most egalitarian, and most pleasant countries to live in. It is the place that you should said you average FOX News viewer. After all, they might come back realising that things like Socialism and Social Democracy are not insults, but things that actually work very well.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

Slartibartfast won an award for it!

Damn you.

It's worse than Kenya...

And after checking the other comments, I can't believe no one has made this reference yet.

And you too. Everyone's taking all my references today.

MORE LIKE SNOREWAY!

 

[KingHodor]

Norway includes the city of Tromsö, home of one of my favourite bands, Röyksopp.


Also there's Bergen, home of the black metal pioneers Immortal, making Norway the real-life version of the grim and frostbitten kingdom of Blashyrkh.
In fact, its expansive forests seem to be full of metal bands shooting cheap videos. Apparently, somebody wisely installed high-voltage power outlets to allow for the operation of electric guitars and amps.

They apparently also have a secret government agency employing trained atheists to hunt down giant trolls that get too close to human settlements, atleast according to the movie Trolljegeren.

 

[Vkmies]

That they are our sweet, sweet neighbours! BRO FIST FROM FINLAND!

 

[Playful Pony]

You do realise though, that we have to put them there? I mean, bacon is more or less a human right! It would be inhumane of us to not give you the option of buying bacon.

Well, I guess I can't be too mean with you. We do share a common interest in bacon... and we both have fucking awful winters.

You know what Norway? You're alright.

Awwwww <3 *throws away fish, and runs into Swedens loving embrace*

I know that Norway is very cold and inhabited by socialist Vikings who got their asses kicked by the Nazis.

I also know that Norway is not as good as Sweden because Ace of Base is from Sweden.

The Nazis invaded with 2000 planes. Norway had 7, and the pilots still took off! We may have had our asses kicked, but in style!

 

[CAPTCHA]

Norway:

Technologically backwards.
Got a problem with dragons.
Currently in the midst of a civil war.
Bethesda made a game about it.

 

[Mr_Spanky]

Basically this awesome video [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebqdwQzmSHM] is all you need to know about norway

Seriously though as I actually live here now (my birth country is England) I can tell you its a damn good place to be. Thats something youll notice if you come here is that people are actually proud of their country in a way that I never have been in England.

Its a western country with all of the modern convieniences that that offers. Big shopping malls, loads of places to go and eat, cinemas showing the latest hollywood extravaganza etc etc.

Also one of the few countries in the world that is actually in the black economically - due mostly to the North Sea oil. Also due to the fact that the taxes here are very high - certainly when compared to western countries outside of europe.

Its not as cold as everyone thinks - summers get up to +30C and winters get down to -20 or a little below sometimes - at least around where I live near Oslo. In the north its much colder.

It has quite a socialist regime which seems to work very well for the most part. Universal healthcare and benefit schems for the unemployed.

Ive been living here for about a year and I could go into a lot of stuff about what life is like etc etc. Suffice to say though that, if I could have chosen my birth country, I would have chosen Norway. its not perfect but its one hell of a lot better than most places I could think of living.

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

>snip<

I regularly go to Tromsø for two things: shopping Magic: The Gathering and eating the best steak in Norway. Skarven [http://www.skarven.no/] is the place, and they also have other meals that are very palatable, especially fish based ones. If you go there I'd recommend getting reservations a week in advance, it's popular. It's definitely one of the more expensive places to eat in Tromsø though... And that says a lot for a country that has a high cost of life. If you would like to spare as much as possible "wallet impact", I would recommend Steakers. Just ask for Steakers in the reception where you'll be staying and it shouldn't be hard getting directions.

Anyway, if you are seriously planning a trip to Tromsø, I absolutely must recommend you make a day or two's trip to Lofoten, especially if Northern Lights are the attraction:

Tromsø is connected to Svolvær with hurtigbåt (fast boat, like a bus on the water )

In Lofoten, it's much easier to escape light pollution and get a fantastic view, and in addition, the landscape is breathtaking. An added bonus is the sea horizon, that lets a thin sliver of light be seen during the winter at noon.

But yeah, hope you have a great time no matter what.

Fantastic tips, ta very much! A couple of days in Lofoten sounds especially good, thanks man.

 

[Dahemo]

Ok, I know it's a really boring topic XD.

I watched this thing [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsOz79MqEqo] on YouTube, and suddenly all I could think of is what people from other places think about where I live! It's kinda impossible to look at my country with fresh eyes, I've lived here all my life...

How do you look at Norway? Have you ever even heard of the place? Hopefully I'll get a couple of replies at least, to satisfy my curiosity =3. Thanks!

One of the most liberal countries in the world (good thing imo) and despite suffering a terrible tragedy recently you have dealt with it admirably. Before those events, I thought you are all very outdoors-y people (especially skiing) and you have produced one of the greatest footballers in Manchester United history, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer...

 

[Omega Jak]

From what I remember from my holiday in Bergen:
-You have amazing fish markets. Seriously, the one in Bergen was astonishing (though I did have some ethical qualms about the fact that whale meat was available).
-You have very beautiful countryside (and I was nerdishly excited about the funicular train that went up the side of a mountain).
-There are statues, cuddly toys and other representations of trolls absolutely everywhere (though this is probably because I stuck to touristy bits).
-Your museums are filled with exciting viking stuff.
-It rained. Heavily. All the time.
-Alcohol (and everything else) was eye-wateringly expensive to the point that I bought precisely one drink in all the time I was there and it was £6.50 (or $10.50 for any Americans reading this).
-You have reindeer meat, which is ridiculously tasty, and smorgasbords, which are also very tasty but seem to be something primarily eaten by tourists, and Rakfisk, which I ran away from.
-Everybody spoke English except one older lady but it turns out that Norse isn't that different from English and if you pay attention you can sort of get the gist of what they're talking about.

 

[Playful Pony]

Basically this awesome video [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebqdwQzmSHM] is all you need to know about norway

That was brilliant XD. Neatly sums up all the stereotypes about Norwegians, some of the very true! I have many memories of frozen bread with sweaty cheese from my school day. And I miss the pulk, much easier to go skiing when you basically sat down in a big one and was pulled around by someone else!

Oslo is quite a lot milder than most of the country, but I have never considered moving the personally. The north and west have such breautiful mountains and fjords, I love waking up in the middle of all that every morning!

I know of the Scandanavian stereotypes: Swedes are all posh tech savies, danish are all drunken party animals, and norwegians are all country hiks who fish... That's all I've got. Oh also, do Norwegians have a reuptation for being taller?

I think we may have a reputation for being tall, yeah. I'm not sure how valid it is to be honest. I'm about 186cm tall, and that's about average around where I live anyway. Most people are very close to the same as me, some are taller (my brother is 198cm).

I've also never met a Norwegian who doesn't fish or haven't fished before... I suspect you'd find those around Oslo though, they seem slightly detatched from the rest of the country on the stereotypical stuff!

 

[Mr.Squishy]

I'm actually planning a trip to Norway next year. A good friend of mine has 'see the Northern Lights' on her bucket list so we're heading out to Tromso next March for a week (maybe two if I can twist her arm). I'm very much looking forward to my first visit, and am hopeful of persuading her to take a ship up through the fjords instead of the plane journey she is so set on.

We shall see...

Incidentally, anyone who knows Tromso and can recommend a few good places for an evening meal - their suggestions would be most welcome.

Ah, heading to Tromsø, eh? Lovely! I spent a year taking a psychology course at the university there, and have pined for it ever since.
Most important thing about the city is that everything interesting takes place on the Tromsø Island, not the mainland, nor the island to the west of it (connected by bridge). The island itself is approximately 30 (max) km from the southernmost point to the northernmost point, and shorter from west to east, so it's a small place, at around 70 000 inhabitants (around 13 000 students).
It does get northern lights in the winter (in fact, I met a couple of dutch guys who took a road trip up there to see it, as well as check out the university's science faculty), and something less known, midnight sun. And polar twilight, which is constant darkness. It really messes with your internal clock, I'll tell ya that.
But yes, northern lights are very pretty and very worth it (and there's a northern lights observatory there, I believe, and a planetarium by the uni), and tromsø is a good city.
For an evening meal or other leisure activities, most of everything urban is clustered downtown, on the east end of the island, and even more so on the southern half of the island (albeit the airport is on the western side), but there are good bus connections.
There are a lot of places to eat, drink and dance - possibly all three at the same time - and my personal favorite is 'Blårock' (which means 'Blues rock'). They have orgasmic burgers, good music (rock/grunge/some metal), and beer fresh from the world's northernmost brewery, which you can see from out the window. It's a relaxing place, I'll say that. Still, very...norwegian prices. I can't think of other places I'd recommend right now, but feel free to PM me - or just quote me here - with questions and such.

 

[purf]

It's kind of over there, it got all the nice landscape and its population is flooding the town on weekends because cheeper booze.

 

[Omega Jak]

Well, if you don't like rain, don't visit Bergen! It's widely known as the most precipitous location in the whole country

It's customary in Norway to buy most of the alcohol in stores and "Vinmonopolet" (the Wine monopoly, state owned) and have home parties, known as "vorspiels" (directly translated to foreplay o_o... more correctly, foreparties) - and then go out drinking later, saving quite a bit of cash. Not that store bought beer is cheap mind you, it's almost $4 for a half litre there.

I am lucky enough to have tasted whale meat before evolving "morals" and the wonderful taste is now something I can not live without. Seriously, it's better than the best steak imaginable, and quite possibly the most healthy meat you can eat.

You're right about the rain, my girlfriend was at a conference there so we decided we could have a holiday afterwards and I went out there to join her. I remember that there were jokes about it in the guidebook for the city .
Drinking at home before heading out for a night out is pretty common here in the UK now, I tend to have a few friends over on the weekend before we go out clubbing .
The whale meat was delicious (I had to try it, I was pretty sure I wouldn't get another chance) but I did still feel bad about it :/.