Archive for January, 2010
Norway: Parking in winter
Posted by admin in Photos and videos, Travel and practical stuff on January 25, 2010
Driving in Norway
Posted by admin in Travel and practical stuff on January 25, 2010
The minimum age for driving is 18. There are severe penalties (sometimes involving imprisonment) for drink-driving, and fines for illegal parking are high (a standard ticket will set you back NKr500). Fines for speeding are even higher (routinely over NKr1,000), so do watch your speed. You can’t say we didn’t warn you! Speed limits are 80 or 90kph (50, 56mph) outside built-up areas, 100kph (61mph) on motorways and 50kph (31mph) in built-up areas.
All vehicles must, by law, drive with dipped headlights at all times. Remember to switch your lights off when you park, or you’ll end up with a flat battery. Seat belts are compulsory, in the front and in the back.
Don’t underestimate distances when driving in Norway – the topography and the elements may slow you down. Moose can be a danger, so drive slowly in forested areas around nightfall. Ferries and tunnels are numerous in the fjords – and the former can be expensive, so do factor that into your budget too.
You must use winter tyres (very common) or snow chains (much less so) in winter. Bear in mind that some roads are subject to closure in winter and early spring, particularly in mountainous areas where heavy snowfall can occur.
Information about road conditions, distances and the like: 175 (within Norway)
Roadside assistance: 810 00 505 (NAF) or 06000 (Viking)
Østfold in Pictures: View from Greåker Fort
Posted by admin in History and architecture, Photos and videos on January 23, 2010
Greåker Fort
Posted by admin in History and architecture on January 23, 2010
Here a group of around 90 Norwegian soldiers fought against advancing German forces on 13 April 1940. It was a short-lived battle – the fort, which only had ‘reserve’ status, was not properly equipped, and they ran out of ammunition after just two hours of fighting. Today you can walk into the shooting gallery, a deep, cool corridor running along the side of the fort to the east, from which the soldiers fired against the enemy. The fort, which is located on a hill between Fredrikstad and Sarpsborg along Rv109, affords great views of the area, with the two arms of the Glomma river coming together just south of Greåker and the Rolvsøy bridge. It is particularly pretty in early autumn, when all the deciduous trees in the area change colour and paint the landscape in shades of orange and golds. The fort, which was built in the early 1900s, was listed in 2000.
Østfold in Pictures: Moss Hotell, Moss
Posted by admin in Photos and videos, Travel and practical stuff on January 22, 2010
Where to stay in the Moss-Rygge area
Posted by admin in Travel and practical stuff on January 22, 2010
Looking for a hotel in the Moss-Rygge area? Here are the best options:
- Moss Hotell, Moss. 40 rooms right in the city centre, in a historic building dating back to 1792. Dronningens gt. 21. Tel: 69 20 24 00, www.moss-hotel.no
- Mitt Hotell, Moss. A mid-range, centrally located hotel. Rådhusgaten 3. Tel: 69 25 77 77, www.mitt-hotell.no
- Refsnes Gods, Moss. Luxury hotel on Jeløya, with a gourmet restaurant on site. Godset 5. Tel: 69 27 83 00, www.refsnesgods.no
- Marché Rygge West Airport Hotel. Located by the motorway, this newly renovated budget hotel is close to Rygge Airport. Storebaug E6. Tel: 69 23 51 00, www.bytheway.no
- Støtvig Hotel, Larkollen. Small hotel by the Oslofjord in Larkollen, offering 52 rooms and good conference facilities. Larkollveien 801. Tel: , www.stotvig.no
Top 5: Norwegian crime writers
Posted by admin in Art, culture and literature on January 21, 2010
Do you like crime fiction? Then why not try a Norwegian author next time if you haven’t done so already? There are many good ones to choose from – here is a selection of the most famous names to get you started.
- Karin Fossum: The Norwegian queen of crime started her career writing poetry, before changing genre and finding international success with her inspector Konrad Sejer series. Her books have been translated into 16 languages. Among her best are Don’t Look Back, He Who Fears the Wolf, and Calling Out For You (American translation - The Indian Bride) ‘One of the very best of the new wave of Nordic crime writers… She evokes brilliantly the claustrophobia of small-town Norway’ The Times wrote about Fossum when reviewing the latter in 2005.
- Jo Nesbø: This former journalist and stockbroker is a popular author who has won a number of awards for his crime fiction. Several of those were for his Harry Hole novels, of which the best known among English speakers are probably The Bat Man, The Redbreast and The Snowman.
- Anne Holt: Norwegian author and lawyer Holt worked for the Oslo Police Department for two years – and no doubt got the inspiration for many of her stories during her stint there. Her novels are published in 25 countries. Her first book, Blind Goddess, featured the lesbian police officer Hanne Wilhelmsen, who reappears in several of her later novels, including Blessed Are Those Who Thirst, Death of the Demon, Beyond The Truth, and more recently, 1222.
- Gunnar Staalesen: The man behind the popular Varg Veum series (also on TV in Norway), a private investigator based in the city of Bergen. Titles translated into English include Yours until Death, The Writing on the Wall and The Consorts of Death.
- Jon Michelet: A prolific Østfold-based author whose work has not, to date, been widely translated into English. His most famous novel, Orion’s Belt (1977), set in Svalbard during the Cold War, was adapted for the big screen in the 1980s, and was a big box office success.
Brunost: A Norwegian dairy oddity
Posted by admin in Food and drink, Photos and videos on January 20, 2010
Brown cheese (Brunost)
Posted by admin in Food and drink on January 20, 2010
Also called geitost (literally goat cheese) or Gudbrandsdalost (as a lot of it is made in the Gudbrandsdal, Norway’s largest valley).
The cheese is made with a mix of whey* from cow’s milk and goat’s milk (sometimes goat’s milk only). This mixture is left to boil for several hours until all the water has evaporated. The cheese has a distinctive caramel taste, and is quite sweet, which probably explains its popularity with children.
It comes in various shades, ranging from light to dark, and the darker the cheese, the stronger the flavour. You can buy it in a block (it will keep longer) or pre-sliced (easier for picnics and the likes). TINE is the main producer of brown cheese in Norway, although smaller regional producers also make their own.
* Whey is a watery-looking, protein-rich by-product of cheese-making that is usually discarded.