DAY 311

Thursday 17 May 2012

Laara and Jonas, working the concession stand

Constitution Day! The day Norway broke away from the dominion of Sweden and Denmark nearly 200 years ago was celebrated in grand style. The 17th of May had been a destination for us to spend in Norway and we were not disappointed. We were treated to the small town of Nesodden's version of the big city, Oslo's, parades and games. As we headed up the hill on foot to Laara's son's school we saw many costumes from provinces in Norway. Old and young alike were decked out in traditional outfits that had been handed down through generations. (Interestingly no one seemed to be bursting at the seams so we gathered that most Norwegians stay fit...maybe so they can still wear grandma's dress!)

Milo is on the left, holding the rope for the banner

We found Laara working alongside the father of their son Milo at the concessions stand. Later we would be treated to a "snappy" hotdog rolled in a potato pancake with catsup and mustard. But for the moment we were happy to experience all the colors and sounds of the bands tuning up and the school kids holding banners and flags from their grades and of course Norway. Nicole was busy catching shots wherever she could and since almost everyone was decked out in their best it wasn't difficult to ask them to pose or just walk around capturing the incredible scene.

 

Hey, how did that flag get in there?

At about 10 AM the parade started and we were on the sidelines looking for Milo who was helping hold the flag at the front of the "train." We saw the whole lineup and then the "red pants brigade" came through on top of their vans with speakers blaring and graduation "business cards" flying. Yes, the teens rented these vans and after a night of carousing, threw cards from the roofs of the customized vehicles with their names, pictures and a quote to the spectators below. Many people had to hold their ears as the 10 vehicles rolled by but afterwards they ran to the ground to "collect them all!"

Singing folk songs

After the parade families played various games like carry the potato on the spoon around an obstacle course, blindfolded wheelbarrow races, hammer a nail in a board straight and quickly, stilt walking, hit the stack of cans with a ball, gunny sack races etc. It reminded Dian of the Fireman's Picnics her family went to every year as a child. A band of local kids performed on stage and everyone ate lots of ice cream and other treats.

DJ-on-a-truck, hired by the Russ kids (sort of like a big farewell at the end of high school, where graduating kids rent
vans and speakers and drink beer while sitting on top of the van that goes through the parade route). The Russ kids pass
out...(a little joke)...cards with their names, pictures, and "interesting" quotations and phrases.

Some didn't quite appreciate the level of the volume coming from the music in the Russ cars

Children collected Russ cards after the vans went by

This gentleman made it his number one goal to get every Russ card (well, every girl's card, anyway)

A man showing his eastern European pride

Helping out in the booth

Ah, the infamous hammer-the-nail-in-straight game

Nicole, Ronnaug and Charles

Once we were back at Laara's, we learned that her ex had invited us all for lunch at his place down the road. We walked over and had a delicious homemade asparagus soup with various meats and cheeses and breads plus blueberry brownies for dessert (among other things like ICE CREAM). Jonas had a cool pad with lots of sunlight on the back patio and the other guests, Christina, Ronnaug and their sons Isak and Mattis - Milo's buddies - were fun to get to know during the meal.

Blueberry brownies, snagged from the dessert stand

"The lilacs bloom and summer starts right after the 17th of May", Laara told us, and sure enough we had a pleasant evening sipping wine and having a light supper after which we painted cards then fell into bed by midnight.

A portrait Laara did of Dian