But also weird and wonderful for a Brit.
Just a few things I learned/found amusing from my short time in Norway:
1) They eat brown cheese. And (proudly) invented the cheese slicer.
2) You can only buy wine and spirits in special shops that are owned by the state. Beer can be bought at the supermarket but only at certain times. And no alcohol can be bought anywhere on a Sunday or public holiday.
3) The time of sunrise was 9.45am when I was visiting.
4) The sunset was at 3.30pm.
5) People wear high-vis reflective snap bands around their arm during the dark winter months, even when just walking. I found this highly entertaining but actually it's pretty smart.
6) When you ask how old someone is, a Norwegian will reply with the year of birth, not age. I'm crap at maths so never worked out how old people were.
6) Unless you have 2 or more passengers in the car, you can't drive in the fast lane on the motorway.
7) Mothers send their kids off up on the Fløibanen funicular who are met by the nursery staff at the top.
8) Trolls pop up in the strangest places.
9) Norwegians love candles and homes are often adorned by them.
10) Gluten free bread is better in Bergen than London.
11) They add chopped raisins and almonds to their gløgg (mulled wine). Back home I was enthralled by the fact that "Father Christmas gave me gløgg". The answer? "I hope gløgg isn't an STD".
I'll definitely be back -there is way more to be added to that list. God Jul Norway.
