you will never learn to Norway without having lived the experience at least once on 17 May.
At the risk of repeating myself again this year, let's define the Norwegian national holiday as one of the most representative of this country, but most of his people.
A party who photographs rather faithfully the attaché of the people to its land.
once again comes out the image of a party so inclusive that ends up involving everyone and especially put on the same level, adults, children, seniors and children, although the latter, as is noto, i veri protagonisti della giornata!
Nel 2007 ho vissuto il mio primo "17 maggio" ad Oslo; due anni dopo, sperimento la stessa esperienza nell´estremo Nord: a Kirkeness! Ma se le differenze si vedono nei numeri e nelle dimensioni (Oslo é la capitale ed offre naturalmente le manifestazioni piú grandi ed indubbiamente un numero maggiore di iniziative!), non giurerei proprio che si arrivi ad individuarle per quel che concerne la portata (e la forza) del sentimento che anima la partecipazione popolare!
Vivere e lavorare su una nave non fa poi una grande differenza rispetto a chi ha i piedi ben fissati sulla terra ferma e cosí anche noi ci siamo preparati a festeggiare come si deve il "Nationalsdag", coinvolgendo per giunta i turisti e stimolandone la curiositá.
La loro partecipazione ed il loro entusiasmo si rivelerá fondamentale e completamente in sintonia ed in linea con le nostre aspettative.
I norvegesi sono abili a creare la giusta atmosfera in qualsiasi occasione ufficiale e non esiste dettaglio che sfugga a questa loro minuziosa cura degli addobbi: festoni, fazzoletti, fiori, tovaglie...tutto sembra ricordare ed avvisare che il "giorno in cui si festeggia la firma della costituzione" (1814) sta per arrivare e per tanto va accolto come si deve.
Quest´anno poi c´é un motivo in piú per festeggiare: la NORVEGIA é tra i favoriti per aggiudicarsi l´EUROVISION SONG CONTEST; festa indiscussa (But debatable!) Of music "kitsch", which encompasses all of Europe except Italy, as already told you last year!
a whole nation glued to television (and once again life on the ship is no exception) to attend the event and wait impatiently for the winning song that this year more than ever, the odds colored in red and blue: a party in the party.
Although it is poor quality, the event features singing, in my opinion very interesting sociological aspects, especially in this country is lived and followed with a seriousness and a dedication to me that were completely unknown before. In short, it is something who feel very much and we undertake to prove it :-)
midnight arrives, takes the party: the winner is declared that, just as predicted "speaks" the Norwegian (or rather "sing") and officially part of the long day a whole nation.
Early in the morning to greet us at the port of Kirkeness in point, a local band that leads us to the main school of the village from where the procession of the city. All the result of "barnetoget" (the parade of children and schools), as if the inhabitants had not done more than wait until then now.
To cheer even more this day, it takes a sun so unexpected as atypical here. I think
for a tourist with no idea what it was May 17 in Norway earlier today, this was the best way to no reported home a positive impression of this day and its meaning.
certainly back in Germany, USA, France, Holland, many of them can claim to know quite a bit 'better this country ....
Varda, the second leg of our route to the south, there awaits another delegation, composed mainly of musicians who escorted us to the local fortress, once again, each passenger is required to participate actively, by waving flags and holding Norwegian generously made available by crew members, most of the crew, in turn, has worn the traditional costumes, traditional costumes that tell the history of the region of origin of the wearer and have filled the streets, shower them with color and merriment.
And so on May 17 this year slips away in a satisfactory manner, leaving us tired, but definitely satisfied.
