Word for the Travel Wise (10/04/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

After checking out the Heritage Hjemkomst Interpretive Center the other day it feels like a given to provide you with this nugget of Norwegian knowledge.

Today’s word is a Norwegian word used in Norway:

hjemkomst – ( pronounced yem-komst) homecoming

Norwegian is a Germanic language spoken by some 4.6 million people in Norway. It is closely related to Swedish and Danish. There are two form of Norwegian; book language or Bokmål and new-Norwegian or Nynorsk. To learn Norwegian online go to Wiki for background details; then head off to Omniglot for a brief look at the alphabet and pronunciation guide. The link here provides you with a number of web resources for learning the language of Norway. Their list includes, Web TV, audio, colleges, etc. BBC Quick Fix has some of the basics with audio. Pimsleur Language CD’s are great if you have the extra cash to spend, otherwise pick up the Lonely Planet phrasebook before you take off.

Past Norwegian words: hoytid / selskap

Scream Returned Safely

by Neil Woodburn on

As if there are already not enough reasons to go to Norway, here’s one more: The Scream is back.

The famous Edvard Munch painting was stolen two years ago from Oslo’s Munch Museum by masked gunmen. Authorities feared the painting had been destroyed to hide the evidence and were losing hope they’d ever see it again.

Diligent police work eventually paid off, however, and Norwegian investigators were very happy to report the painting’s recent recovery. Convicted bank robber David Toska allegedly spilled the beans about the heist in exchange for a shorter sentence.

No word yet on when the masterpiece will be returned to its rightful place but when it does, you can bet there will be a massive increase in security.

Word for the Travel Wise (08/25/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

This September 29-October 15 festival lovers can sing to a fine Norwegian tune or any tune they so desire (so long as the crowd doesn’t have to suffer) during the Ultima Contemporary Music Festival in Olso. This year’s festival will focus on Japanese music. It will feature more than 50 Japanese artists, dancers, musicians and composers to showcase varied presentations of the performing arts in Japan today. Sounds pretty unique and worth checking out.

Today’s word is a Norwegian word used in Norway:

hoytid / selskap – festival

I included both of these because both came up in my English to Norwegian translation request on TriTrans.

Norwegian is a Germanic language spoken by some 4.6 million people in Norway. It is closely related to Swedish and Danish. There are two form of Norwegian; book language or Bokmål and new-Norwegian or Nynorsk. To learn Norwegian online go to Wiki for background details; then head off to Omniglot for a brief look at the alphabet and pronunciation guide. The link here provides you with a number of web resources for learning the language of Norway. Their list includes, Web TV, audio, colleges, etc. BBC Quick Fix has some of the basics with audio. Pimsleur Language CD’s are great if you have the extra cash to spend, otherwise pick up the Lonely Planet phrasebook before you take off.

Wonderful Norway Photography

by Erik Olsen on

I already posted the photo of the day for today, durn it. Sunday is my turn, after all. But then as I was browsing around on this hot, hot afternoon, perhaps subconsciously looking for something cool online…as in literally “cool”, I came across this most wonderful set of photographs from .

Now if you can’t tell by my surname, I have a somewhat constitutional fondness for . Never mind that I’ve never been there, it is still a place I often dream of visiting and perhaps even living some day. If they’ll have me, that is. And nothing in the most recent past has so made me really want to make that happen than this series of photos by Per Lothe. Page after page, the photos just melt into your eyes, flooding them with impossibly vivid colors. Note to self: get yourself to Norway.

Hydrofoil Kayak

by Erik Olsen on

Pretty interesting bit here about a hydrofoil kayak. Seems like it would be very difficult to keep this thing afloat, but as you can see from the photo, it’s obviously possible. But this is the real deal. As most probably know, the point of the hydrofoil is to reduce drag. You life the hull from the water and dramatically cut down on friction. They are used everywhere. Even on surfboards (though sparingly).

Well this one, called the Flyak, was designed by a Norwegian designer named Peter Ribe. The 17-foot apparently is so effective, too, that a former racer who had not done much competitive paddling for a decade and a half, recently demolished the 1,000-meter world record of 3:24 by 27 seconds. Wow.

Want one? It will set you back about $2,000.