You may recall an earlier journal entry, "Get Out!", where my advice was to travel as much as you can. Well, here's a look at some Norwegian customs and other things that we are encountering, now that we are here. That's part of the fun of traveling.First: Take your shoes off! Yep. In Norway, it's customary to leave your shoes at the door. (Except places like grocery stores or shops.) Many buildings have larger entryways to hang your coat and take off your shoes. Inside everyone walks around in socks. Some people have "indoor shoes" that they trade when going out. In a busy building, there is always a huge pile of shoes at the door.
So if you ever travel to Norway, wear slip-on shoes. It will make going in and out much easier.
Everyone takes off their shoes before entering. Norwegian custom.
There is a pile of shoes at the entrance to every building. Even the pub.
Second: Try new food. . . like whale meat. It was pretty good, actually. We tried a whale meat appetizer dish at dinner. But then went with something more in our comfort zone for the main course - pizza. That's good anywhere you go.
We had to try it . . . whale meat.
It's not Flying Pie, but it was pretty good.
Third: Learn some of the language. Almost anywhere you go in the world, people learn to speak English as well as their native language. Here in Norway, people speak Norwegian and English. So it's easy for us to communicate. But it sure would be nice to be able to read and understand signs and labels. Especially if you're not sure about #2 - trying new food. Boy did we have fun trying to shop in the grocery store. Every one of us walked out with something we weren't real sure of.
It's expensive to eat out. So we tried our hand at grocery shopping in Norwegian.
Did you find out where the name Longyearbyen came from? Here's a hint: It's a mix of American and Norwegian. Find out at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longyearbyen
Next journal will look at polar bear safety, rifle shooting, and survival suits. Be sure to check out the photo gallery too.