Sunday Morning Thoughts – December 8, 2024

Oh no! Writer’s block.

I’ve been sitting here trying to write something for about 45 minutes. This doesn’t usually happen. So I’m hoping me telling you will help get things started. I’m currently in northern Norway. I will write more about my trip in separate newsletters.

Let me just tell you that there will be trolls, a Christmas concert and so much more. Also, it’s currently raining. Such much for freezing temperatures and needing thermal underwear. I mean it doesn’t get that cold on the Norwegian coast to begin with – I knew that. Inland is where temps really drop. The entire coast of Norway is ice-free year-round. That also means that temperatures can’t drop too far below freezing.

Rain also means there are clouds which in turn means that there is pretty much zero chance of seeing Northern Lights. But the thing is – while I did go outside to check on two occasions when I got an aurora alert on my phone, I don’t really care. It’s not on my bucket list or anything like that. If I see some – lovely. If not – that’s okay too.

The midnight sun is a different story. That was something I really wanted to see, and I did. On several occasions. It’s also more predictable than the Northern Lights. I think most of the people at my hotel book a tour where they go chase the Northern Lights for hours. Is it wrong that I’d rather sit at a café, read a book, while looking out over the water enjoying the reflections of the lights?

Of course reading a book about a girl who freezes to death in subzero temperatures might not be the best thing to read when in the Arctic, but there you go. I’m planning on finishing the book today. It’s in Swedish so I read a bit slower than I would English or German. Still, I’m not looking up any words. There was “att vabba” which I might have looked up, but I remembered what it meant when they said “the child didn’t look sick”. It was clear that the person in question was at home instead of the office and they said that she was vabba[ing]. So that means she was staying home to take care of a sick child.

Language is fascinating. It tells us so much about culture. Like the Norwegian word for fairytale. It’s the same as the word for adventure. I just LOVE that. People in fairytales are clearly going on little adventures. It also points to a rich storytelling culture. Have I mentioned trolls yet?

What I’m finding really great at my hotel is that they don’t clean your room unless you specifically ask them to. It’s so much more relaxing. None of that *hanging your do not disturb sign on the door and then having them knock anyway to see if you want your room cleaned*. Love it. And yes, you can get clean towels and toilet paper at reception any day. You can also put your trash outside your door if you like.

Speaking of culture. You might speak a language or know a lot about a country, but unless you’re following what’s happening there closely or actually live there, you will miss certain things. Things like which singer won The Voice Norway in 2013. Everybody was swooning and super happy he was there. I was like “who is this guy” and “can we please just let the choir sing?”. Christmas concert at the Artic Cathedral and such.

I guess we grow to like celebrities when we see how they got there, how it all started. Also, I would like a medal for understanding about 80% of what he said. Because here is what Chat GPT told me

Knut Marius Djupvik, the winner of The Voice Norway in 2013, speaks a dialect from the region of Møre og Romsdal. This dialect is part of the Western Norwegian dialects, which are known for their distinct pronunciation and vocabulary. His dialect, specifically from the area of Tomrefjord, has unique features that can be challenging to understand for those not familiar with it.

It’s apparently difficult even for native speakers of Norwegian. I knew it was a Western Norwegian dialect right away, but not exactly where he was from. Norwegian languages/dialects are interesting as is their mythology. That needs to be an entirely different newsletter, I feel.

It’s not just trolls and it’s not just dialects. You all know Thor, right? You also know that’s how “Thursday” got its name. Did you know that four days of the week in English got their names from Norse Gods? I bet you didn’t. Unless you’ve been following me since the start. I know I mentioned this before. You know when I talked about what happened to all the fun Gods and why are we left with this petty, cruel, incompetent one that Christianity has to offer.

Norwegian folklore offers so much more. There are trolls and there’s also lots of spirits (forest and water ones), gnomes, sea creatures and giants, we mustn’t forget about them. I tell you – it’s a rich culture. And you all know about the Vikings of course.

There’s a rainstorm still raging outside. So, I ain’t going out there just yet. Also, I got a book to finish reading. I guess it would make sense to go outside during the 5-hour window of something resembling a bit of daylight. I mean it’s more like two hours of daylight, but there you go. The sun will properly rise again on January 15.

Tromsø - 11.30 AM yesterday. This is a bright as it gets.

As far as I’m aware shops are closed in Norway on a Sunday. Not here to shop but that might have been something to do on a rainy day. I got more museums to visit and there is a movie theater as well. Nothing really jumped out at me when I checked the schedule, but I might still go. Maybe a kids movie in Norwegian.

A nap might also be a good idea. I was up until like 4.15 AM following an online concert. I could have been in NYC yesterday, just as I was the past three years. Haven’t yet regretted my decision to go to Northern Norway instead. Yes, I miss seeing friends. Of course I do. But I’m in Norway! That’s just very cool.

Yesterday I made all my decisions based on what I really wanted to do and not what I felt I should be doing. I’ll give you an example. I knew that the weather forecast predicted stormy and rainy weather, so I should have taken the cable car up the mountain (it’s included in my Tromsø Pass) especially since I know from past experience that the cable cars don’t run in stormy conditions. What I did instead was go to the Arctic Cathedral where I ended up experiencing a beautiful Christmas concert. A concert I knew nothing about before I got there.

Don’t question what you want to do – just go out and do it. Oh, and have ice cream for dinner once in a while. You know you want to.

Have a lovely Sunday everyone. Ha en veldig fin dag!