Friend

I`ve got this friend form the south. Been studying together with him. Now he lives at the a small place on the west coast. Not so very far from where I was raised in my childhood.
At his place he has built a house with a lovely view.

We have`nt had this much contact. One or two sms or phonecalls a year. But each year we start insulting each other. Calling each other the worst you can imagine.
It is our kind of humour. The worse, the more funny.

When we met, it felt like last time was yesterday.
And we wanted it so much. To insult each other again.
But we had to behave. Since there was children and women present.

After one day I had to leave. Maybe it will be one year before we insult each other again.

Festivals in the north

I would like to recommend some of the festivals this summer;

-Skiippagurrafestivalen, at the beginning of July.
Lot`s of big, Nordic rock groups, among them, the Swedish, folkrock group Hedningarna together with the Saami, Wimme.
-The celebration of thousand years in Vardø, connected to the "Pomorfestivalen," ("Pomor" was a kind of business language, a mixture of Norwegian and Russian, when they were trading, before the Russian Revolution. Now, the Pomor-relationship is celebrated again each year with festivals.) at the end of July.
-Riddu Riddu, an ethnical festival in Northern Troms, with groups from all around the world, in Mid July.
And
-Varangerfestivalen in Vadsø, a festival with lots of well knowned jazz, rock and bluesmusic, from the 10. of August.

If there`s any other festivals you know of, that we should participate in, please let us know.

Safari in Varanger

Safari in Varanger is exciting. And it is the fisherman Geir who makes it real.

He is bringing tourists out to the fjord, to discover the sealife of the fjord.

This weekend, he invited us, some friends to spend the night at the fjord. It`s the best we could do. Cause there was not much happening in the town.

We could see whales swimming around. Geir brought up some King Crabs. And they were many!

Then we went to a place with an enormous amount of fish. So much that the echo recorder turned red.

It started to get windy. Rain from the north. But the fishermen were eager.

But then we had to turn back. Our kind host made his own baccalao from fresh fish.

It tasted so good.
...And we all agreed that this was a fine trip...

Midsummers Night

How much more can you expect from a midsummers night?
This was the brightest night of them all. Celebrated all around the country. With campfires and social interactions.

It all started with a wonderful rainbow in the fjord.

Then we went up to a neighbour and got served delicious food.

It was guitar. And singing. The guitarist forgot the lyrics and got help by phone from a friend, while he was playing.

A fisherman came by. Also with a guitar. And a huge King Crab. Which was cooked. And aten. Also delicious.

Then we went down to the seaside. Some old "kvens", Finnish immigrants had a nice time around the fire.

Down at the beach some guys were swimming. It is really not warm.

It was singing. And playing. The midnight sun was shining behind us. And the campfire made us warm.

When we split up, some guys continued the party in a fishing vessel. I went home at night. To write my experience in my blog. Knowing that there is not more we can hope to achieve, during a midsummers night.

Holliday and goodbye

Today is the final school day. As a teacher I receive two months of summer holliday! It feels extremely good.
My ten year old pupils said goodbye. They all gave warm hugs.
All the heavy work. The problems during a year. It was all forgotten at that moment. Just the feeling of how nice these kids are.

In this Northern town it`s also normal that some teachers leave and move south each year.
For those who stay behind, it means that we loose friends.
One of my collegues held a speech for his friend who was leaving.
They were so close that they had each others keys to their apartments. And one of them could turn up at his friends flat in the middle of the night to borrow the dvd-player.
And now one of them was leaving.
-It feels like cutting off one my testicles, the "speech-guy" said.

But saying goodbuy is normal in this town. We have to live with it.

Now it`s holliday. There will be some travelling. Some festivals. And a lot of garden work.
Nice...

Today it`s western

In our town, Vadsø, the wind usually comes from one of two directions. From the east, or the west.
At least you feel it that way, when you use the bicycle. In a town where you normally go either east or west.

The wind means a lot. Almost like life or death. At least it means that the working day will turn up either very good, or like shit.
Because it pays a huge difference when you have to fight on your bike against a heavy contrary wind, using an ugly grin in your face and when you just sail away with the tailwind.

This afternoon the wind started increasing. And it was western.
It meant that I, after a long working day could take my bike home with the God blessed tailwind.
Oh, glory, glory...

The refugee Day

Today is UNs Refugee Day.
In Vadsø it was celebrated with a big party, created by the refugees in the town.
It was full of people. Also a lot of Norwegians.
Lot`s of delicious food to taste.
And the entertainment on stage was like an explosion.
Not just on stage, by the way. There was just as much entertainment among the audience. They were shouting, dancing and singing happily.

I went over to a pub nearby. And I could see that the rest of the town was sleepy and dull.
The rhythms from the party asked me to come back.
And so I did.

Warm day, cold water

It has been a lovely Sunday. So lovely, that a couple of girls found their way down to the beach, some hundred meters from my home.
But the Arctic water is not really warm.
So the girls just dipped their toes.
But soon it will be summer holliday.
And then I guess the children will all jump into the water, cold or not.

Communication on a high level

I managed to fix the porch in my garden today.
So, in the nice weather, I just had to bring out my laptop.
Some guys visited me. Making smalltalk around the garden table.
A neighbour dropped by. He talked as well.
And at the same time a friend of mine, living far, far away in another part of the country, were chatting with me, in MSN Messenger.
And he could see all the people in the garden, from my webcam.
That`s what I call communication on a high level!

American birthday

I was on this "surprise-birthday" yesterday. Just like we`ve seen in American television programmes.

Some girls were organizing a kind of children-party. For both children and adults. And the 31 year old "birthday-kid".

Then it was time for the surprise.
The one who had birtday went inside her house...
But instead of the "surpriiiise", you could hear a loud;
-OOOOOOOOOOOOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHH!!!
At first from the one who discovered people inside her house.
And then from the people hiding, who were so tense.

Then there was a big laugh. Then hugs. Then some crying. Then opening presents. And then eating the "childrens menu".
We could all be children this night. And after all it felt quite American.

She even got some presents

A long way for young athlets

My 13 year old son and his friends has to travel a long way to compete in athletics.

The distance is far between the people of the county.
So the parents try to help. By driving about 40 miles to a gathering of young athletes. Just for one weekend.

This weekend we went to the northernmost town in the world, Hammerfest.
The facilities were spartanious.
When sleeping we were lying on the hard floor of a school.

But the kids were eager to compete. Some did very well. Others did it just for fun. And the parents tried to support their kids as best they could.

The sun was shining.
Just outside the stadium some reindeers were looking lazily at the noise. So used to the humans that they stroll along the streets, looking for flowers to eat in the gardens.

And then; Sunday afternoon.
Time to go back. Driving 40 miles again.

Musical differences between two towns

There`s so many differences between the two, Norwegian, Arctic towns Vadsø and Vardø.
Their names are the almost the same. But that`s about it.
Vardø is situated at the coast, the most eastern part of Norway. The weather, the nature and the people; They are all quite strong.
I`ve never heard someone swearing more than the people of Vardø. The strong words are used in every single sentence.
And they are so open. So direct. So welcoming. But you have to understand their way of behaviour.
One of their strong words are for example "horsecock".
If you arrive to the town, they might meet you on the street, asking;
-Well, what kind of horsecock are you?
It simply means;
-Who are you?

The music is also different.
We were some guys from Vadsø, going there to help a local choir with a rehearsel. Joining a concert celebrating their 1000 years this summer.

When we came to their house, we were first met by thick tobacco-smoke, and four women chatting and laughing.
In another room people were drinking coffe. And chatting and laughing even more.

We had a very short reharsal. Singing just two songs. And then it was back to the coffee and smoke again.
And raffle over two bottles of red wine.

When we left, they were shouting goodbies, chatting on, drinking more coffee and maybe even some redwine.
All in a happy social community.

I`m looking forward to the concert in Vardø.

Arctic concert, final result

We made it! Making a concert outdoor in Vadsø, Northeastern, Arctic Norway.
With local musicians and a choir from this county. Performing music from our region.
Having the blue, Arctic Varangerfjord in the background.

Inbetween the rehearsals today we had some time to relax. Making a campfire, eating sausages, looking at the view of the fjord.

But this was no easy task. The weather here is changing rapidly. And the wind was increasing. Making equipment to fly away, and the microphones to scream.
What could we do? Move indoor?

No. Just one hour before concert, we moved all the equipment some place with less wind.

Then the audience came. Surprisingly many.

Then we sang. And played.
I guess the wind made some noise in the microphones.
But I believe it went well.

Music in the Arctic

If you should be in the neighbourhood there will be a very exciting concert sunday 5. of june, at 6 o`clock.
The choir of the county is going to sing out in the free nature, on the island "Vadsøya".
With music from Finnmark, and the Varangerfjord in the background.
The musicians have been working intensely before the concert.
So whereever you are in the world, you`re welcome.