A blog about daily life in Bergen, Norway. We moved here in 2010 due to work commitments (my husband's). Now having survived the first winter I feel able to write about the place without too much negativity! it is amazing how a lack of light, freezing temperatures and general horrid weather drain creativity!! I've learnt Norwegian, and work part time - so this really is living in Bergen!
Friday, 24 August 2012
How long is your street?
OK, wandering around Bergen the other day, I came across this.
At 16 metres long I imagine this must be one of the world's shortest streets? It is very strange as it runs parallel with the main thoroughfare on Nordnes going out to the Aquarium. I can imagine the town planners had a bit of an issue with one house that 'faced the wrong way'? Of course that is supposing there was any town planning. By the looks of the appartment block behind this little house, it was not particularly sympathetic!
Tuesday, 21 August 2012
Water is not enough!
Apparently, yesterday saw the completion of the first windmill on Hordaland (the county in which Bergen lies). For someone like me from the UK, where windmills have been part of the lamdscape for several years, both inland and off shore, that was quite a surprise! It was obviously an event though, as the owners of the windmills rented two 60 seater busses to take curious Norwegians out to the windmill park area on Saturday and Sunday! They had 550 visitors!
The weather here is certainly windy enough most days to turn a modern windmill! For a long time though, hydro electric power has been the favoured way of producing electricity. Here on the west coast, with all its wild mountains and heavy rainfall, waterfalls and small hydro electric power stations are two a penny!
So why mar the beautiful landscape with windmills? It is all to do with the fact that Norway does not belong to the European Union! They have a special agreement whic basically means that they have to adhere to all EU laws and regulations, including those on electricity pricing, in order not to compete unfairly with manufacturing and production in other EU countries. Considering all other costs in Norway (transport, raw materials, salaries) are far higher than say Portugal, it seems a tad unfair. However, it also means that Norway can sell electricity to the EU at set prices, which barely reflect production costs!
As for blotting the landscape, they do not seem too bothered really! Plenty of beautiful views have a huge mast or pylon and the usual cables, etc slicing through the scenery like a cheese wire.
So western Norway has now joined the windmill club. 43 are set to go up over the next few months on Fitjar, which is an island south of Bergen. I imagine they will be quite obvious as you travel through the landscape, as Fitjar is relatively flat. Good or bad - difficult to say. We all need and use
electricity, and at least it is an ecologically viable way of obtaining it!
By the way, what is the difference between a windmill and a wind turbine? Apparently, a wind turbine is just the windmill sails, whereas a windmill also has the tower and generator. Things you learn!!!
The weather here is certainly windy enough most days to turn a modern windmill! For a long time though, hydro electric power has been the favoured way of producing electricity. Here on the west coast, with all its wild mountains and heavy rainfall, waterfalls and small hydro electric power stations are two a penny!
So why mar the beautiful landscape with windmills? It is all to do with the fact that Norway does not belong to the European Union! They have a special agreement whic basically means that they have to adhere to all EU laws and regulations, including those on electricity pricing, in order not to compete unfairly with manufacturing and production in other EU countries. Considering all other costs in Norway (transport, raw materials, salaries) are far higher than say Portugal, it seems a tad unfair. However, it also means that Norway can sell electricity to the EU at set prices, which barely reflect production costs!
As for blotting the landscape, they do not seem too bothered really! Plenty of beautiful views have a huge mast or pylon and the usual cables, etc slicing through the scenery like a cheese wire.
So western Norway has now joined the windmill club. 43 are set to go up over the next few months on Fitjar, which is an island south of Bergen. I imagine they will be quite obvious as you travel through the landscape, as Fitjar is relatively flat. Good or bad - difficult to say. We all need and use
electricity, and at least it is an ecologically viable way of obtaining it!
By the way, what is the difference between a windmill and a wind turbine? Apparently, a wind turbine is just the windmill sails, whereas a windmill also has the tower and generator. Things you learn!!!
Monday, 13 August 2012
New Olympic event discovered by Norwegian!
Well they had problems keeping up with the team GB rowers. and sailors so maybe this new event would clinch them a gold in 2016 in Brazil. I thik, knowing the Latin view of Health and Safety (on a par with that in Norway i.e. relaxed!) I think there is a fairly good chance this onw could get in. Throw in a few back flips and single hand turns and well ...
Arjan Langendoen (32) is working as a sports ambassador at the Austrheim sea sports week when he got the idea. The ferry, whch is Norway's most westerly ferry, goes from Austheim to Fedje across the fjord - and as he said 'it seemed like a cool idea at the time!'. So he got permission from the ferry captain, who thought the idea was brilliant, and as the ferry pulled out of the harbour he went out in a rib, caught a rope thrown by someone on board the ferry and started wakeboarding. Awesome, looks quite fun!
The link is here to our local newspaper Bergens Tidende, and on the report there is a video clip showing him wakeboarding behind the ferry!.
Wakeboarding behind the Fedje ferry
Arjan Langendoen (32) is working as a sports ambassador at the Austrheim sea sports week when he got the idea. The ferry, whch is Norway's most westerly ferry, goes from Austheim to Fedje across the fjord - and as he said 'it seemed like a cool idea at the time!'. So he got permission from the ferry captain, who thought the idea was brilliant, and as the ferry pulled out of the harbour he went out in a rib, caught a rope thrown by someone on board the ferry and started wakeboarding. Awesome, looks quite fun!
The link is here to our local newspaper Bergens Tidende, and on the report there is a video clip showing him wakeboarding behind the ferry!.
Wakeboarding behind the Fedje ferry
Friday, 10 August 2012
Apples and pears - cider and brandy!
Well, for those of you who have done the trip over to see the glacier Folgefonna at Hardanger fjord, you may remember the numerous orchards of apple, pear and plum that we passed on the way. The area around Hardanger fjord has a microclimate, which makes it extremely good for growing fruit trees. Of course, they produce so many apples that not all go into the shops as fruit. Many will be transformed into applejuice which can be bought online from Hardanger Saft og Siderfabrikk (Hardanger Juice and Cider Concern) for NOK100 per 3 liters (a little more expensive than the ordinary variety, but I am sure it tastes very different!).
Cider has been produced on many farms since Viking times, but it is a strong brew they make here.
Norwegian cider has an alcohol content of 10 to 10.5, which is as much as red wine and much higher
than English cider which is around 5%, though I am sure there are some stronger local brews!)
As a result any Hardangar cider has to be sold through the state controlled Wine Monopoly shops, which kind of limits the market. Farms can get an alcohol license and serve their cider with food, but
they cannot sell you a bottle. Quite frustrating for tourists who have no idea about the alcohol laws
here in Norway.
You can find Wine Monopoly shops in most large towns and they open at 10 am Monday to Saturday, and close at 3pm every Saturday and 5pm Monday to Friday. No late night opening here,
and no opening on Sunday or the day before a public holiday or election. Nope, you are not supposed to over indulge in alcohol here! We could discuss the Norwegian attitude to alcohol, but that is not what this post is about!
No actually, it is about some Norwegian apple growers taking things a step further, than apple juice and cider! They have invested a huge amount of money over the past 6 years to produce a brand new
apple brandy, Hardanger Brennevin.
Craftily, they have spoken to some of the top cider and Calvados producers from Normandy, France so it should be good! The brandy actually takes 3 years to produce. First you take 450 liters of Cider
and dsitill it down to 45 liters 70 proof apple spirit. The spirit is then matured for 3 years in oak barrels which have previously been used to ferment wine, developing aroma, colour and of course
flavour. At the end of this lengthy process the spirit is blended to reduce the alcohol content to a 40
proof apple brandy.
Cider and apple brandy from Hardanger are the first alcholic drinks to receive protected regional
status (as in the French Certificat d'origine). Quite a coup really. According to Nils Lekve at Lekve
Farm, where the brandy is produced, this is just the first of many innovative apple based products he
would like to produce.
I am not sure how far away from Hardanger the brandy will actually get - probably not to a wine shop outside of this country for quite some time. You never know though. Until then I guess you will have
to visit us and try it here! Also, for cider lovers everywhere, here is a date for your diary. The 2012
Cider Festival will take place from 5-7 October at Øystese, just north of Norheimsundt at the top of
Hardanger fjord.
Of course, apple brandy is one thing, but if the Hardangar cider producers made a cider with a lower alcohol content, i.e. under 5%, they would be able to sell it at the local supermarket or even on the farm itself without any problem. As it is, at the moment the only way you can taste the cider is if you go to a farm which serves food and has an alcohol licence.
Below some pictures from a trip last August to Agertunet, in Hardanger cider country. The 'tun' (old Norse name for farm) dates back to the 1200's. It was a typical Norwegian microclimate day wet, warm and foggy!
 |
| Lekve Apple farm |
Norwegian cider has an alcohol content of 10 to 10.5, which is as much as red wine and much higher
than English cider which is around 5%, though I am sure there are some stronger local brews!)
As a result any Hardangar cider has to be sold through the state controlled Wine Monopoly shops, which kind of limits the market. Farms can get an alcohol license and serve their cider with food, but
they cannot sell you a bottle. Quite frustrating for tourists who have no idea about the alcohol laws
here in Norway.
You can find Wine Monopoly shops in most large towns and they open at 10 am Monday to Saturday, and close at 3pm every Saturday and 5pm Monday to Friday. No late night opening here,
and no opening on Sunday or the day before a public holiday or election. Nope, you are not supposed to over indulge in alcohol here! We could discuss the Norwegian attitude to alcohol, but that is not what this post is about!
No actually, it is about some Norwegian apple growers taking things a step further, than apple juice and cider! They have invested a huge amount of money over the past 6 years to produce a brand new
apple brandy, Hardanger Brennevin.
Craftily, they have spoken to some of the top cider and Calvados producers from Normandy, France so it should be good! The brandy actually takes 3 years to produce. First you take 450 liters of Cider
and dsitill it down to 45 liters 70 proof apple spirit. The spirit is then matured for 3 years in oak barrels which have previously been used to ferment wine, developing aroma, colour and of course
flavour. At the end of this lengthy process the spirit is blended to reduce the alcohol content to a 40
proof apple brandy.
Cider and apple brandy from Hardanger are the first alcholic drinks to receive protected regional
status (as in the French Certificat d'origine). Quite a coup really. According to Nils Lekve at Lekve
Farm, where the brandy is produced, this is just the first of many innovative apple based products he
would like to produce.
I am not sure how far away from Hardanger the brandy will actually get - probably not to a wine shop outside of this country for quite some time. You never know though. Until then I guess you will have
to visit us and try it here! Also, for cider lovers everywhere, here is a date for your diary. The 2012
Cider Festival will take place from 5-7 October at Øystese, just north of Norheimsundt at the top of
Hardanger fjord.
Of course, apple brandy is one thing, but if the Hardangar cider producers made a cider with a lower alcohol content, i.e. under 5%, they would be able to sell it at the local supermarket or even on the farm itself without any problem. As it is, at the moment the only way you can taste the cider is if you go to a farm which serves food and has an alcohol licence.
Below some pictures from a trip last August to Agertunet, in Hardanger cider country. The 'tun' (old Norse name for farm) dates back to the 1200's. It was a typical Norwegian microclimate day wet, warm and foggy!
Monday, 6 August 2012
What do dried cod, opera and an Italian from Venice have in common?
Norway has very few exports, but one of the major ones is stockfish. Stockfish is airdried cod or similar large white fish which is not salted just air dried. Think of it as a fishy beef jerky. It can be eaten 'as is' or soaked and used in a variety of fish stew dishes such as the famous baccalao from Spain.
According to a mix of legend and history, the export market for stockfish picked up in the 15th century after an Italian merchant from Venice, Pietro Querini, missed the port he was aiming for (Bruges in Belgium) and was blown off course up over the polar circle to Lofoten. His ship sank and he and his crew took to the lifeboats, drifitng ever north eastwards until they landed at the island of Røst, at the southernmost tip of the Lofoten island peninsular. He wrote about the whole experience, so we have the dates of when he left Chania on Crete, 24th April 1431, the date the ship sank, 17th December 1431 and the date they got to shore 5th January 1432. Considering they were more than 2 weeks in a small rowing boat, in freezing weather I think it is remarkable that any of them survived at all!
After spending 3 - 4 months recovering the surviving crew made their way back to Venice with a couple of barrels of stockfish, and a new trade route was born. Catholics are taught that Friday is a special day, a day of abstinence from meat, a day to eat fish, but in the hot mediterranean countries of Spain, France, Portugal and Italy, it must have been a challenge to get fish that was still fresh, especially in the hot summer months. Querini became a rich man!
Today, Italy takes 98% of all the stockfish produced by the Lofoten islands. Yes 98%. I am not sure how many thousnd tons that is, but it is certainly a good living for the fishermen on Lofoten. However, the double dip recession has meant that demand is falling (stockfish is a delicacy and quite expensive) and orders are not coming through as before. Many in the dried fish industry are worried that the European downturn is finally going to have a knock-on effect in Norway.
Until now, Norway has been cushioned against the economic difficulties faced by their neighbours due to their other main export commodity, oil and gas (and all the engineering and shipping expertise that goes with it), and actually have been quite complacent. For example, the housing market is a hot as ever, with annual increases of 6-8% quite normal, especially in the larger towns such as Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim..
Why is Lofoten such a large producer of stockfish? Well, the cold, dry climate in winter has a lot to do with it. The climate is ideal for drying te fish as it protects the fish from insects and prevents bacterial growth. The influence of the Gulf Stream, menas air temperatures between January and April hover just above zero degrees Celsius,which is ideal since too much frost will spoil the fish. After hanging for 3 months on the flakes (wooden drying stands, which can be seen everywhere), the fish is taken indoors to continue drying. It takes about 6 months before you have a piece of dried fish, which has the consistency of a block of wood.
Eager to diversify their market, and also as a means of advertising the unique history behind the product, the islanders of Røst have come up with a unique cultural event. The Qyerini opera!
Performance of the opera took place this weekend (I can't find any reviews yet!). Performed by a mix of professional opera singers, local choirs and the orchestra from Bodø plus a few more professional and amateur musicians, the opera is a celebration of, well, stockfish! Hope it has gone down well!
Finally a stockfish recipe from Calabria, Italy.
Ingredients (serves 4)
Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil in a non-stick frying pan, then add the mushrooms cut into slices, tomatoes and chili pepper according to your personal taste. After few minutes you can add the stockfish too. Season to taste with salt and keep on cooking on a low heat until the stockfish is tender (about 45 minutes)
Check seasoning and sprinkle with parsley just before serving.
Serve with rice, potatoes or pasta.
According to a mix of legend and history, the export market for stockfish picked up in the 15th century after an Italian merchant from Venice, Pietro Querini, missed the port he was aiming for (Bruges in Belgium) and was blown off course up over the polar circle to Lofoten. His ship sank and he and his crew took to the lifeboats, drifitng ever north eastwards until they landed at the island of Røst, at the southernmost tip of the Lofoten island peninsular. He wrote about the whole experience, so we have the dates of when he left Chania on Crete, 24th April 1431, the date the ship sank, 17th December 1431 and the date they got to shore 5th January 1432. Considering they were more than 2 weeks in a small rowing boat, in freezing weather I think it is remarkable that any of them survived at all!
After spending 3 - 4 months recovering the surviving crew made their way back to Venice with a couple of barrels of stockfish, and a new trade route was born. Catholics are taught that Friday is a special day, a day of abstinence from meat, a day to eat fish, but in the hot mediterranean countries of Spain, France, Portugal and Italy, it must have been a challenge to get fish that was still fresh, especially in the hot summer months. Querini became a rich man!
Today, Italy takes 98% of all the stockfish produced by the Lofoten islands. Yes 98%. I am not sure how many thousnd tons that is, but it is certainly a good living for the fishermen on Lofoten. However, the double dip recession has meant that demand is falling (stockfish is a delicacy and quite expensive) and orders are not coming through as before. Many in the dried fish industry are worried that the European downturn is finally going to have a knock-on effect in Norway.
Until now, Norway has been cushioned against the economic difficulties faced by their neighbours due to their other main export commodity, oil and gas (and all the engineering and shipping expertise that goes with it), and actually have been quite complacent. For example, the housing market is a hot as ever, with annual increases of 6-8% quite normal, especially in the larger towns such as Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim..
Why is Lofoten such a large producer of stockfish? Well, the cold, dry climate in winter has a lot to do with it. The climate is ideal for drying te fish as it protects the fish from insects and prevents bacterial growth. The influence of the Gulf Stream, menas air temperatures between January and April hover just above zero degrees Celsius,which is ideal since too much frost will spoil the fish. After hanging for 3 months on the flakes (wooden drying stands, which can be seen everywhere), the fish is taken indoors to continue drying. It takes about 6 months before you have a piece of dried fish, which has the consistency of a block of wood.
 | ||
| Summer in Lofoten. Empty flakes litter the countryside.
During the drying, approximately 80 per cent of the water in the fish disappears. The stockfish retains all the nutrients from the fresh fish, only concentrated - it is therefore rich in proteins, vitamins, iron, and calcium.
|
Performance of the opera took place this weekend (I can't find any reviews yet!). Performed by a mix of professional opera singers, local choirs and the orchestra from Bodø plus a few more professional and amateur musicians, the opera is a celebration of, well, stockfish! Hope it has gone down well!
 |
| The Querini stone on Sandøy |
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) soaked stockfisk, skinned and boned and cut into pieces
- 300 g ( 10 1/2 oz) wild mushrooms
- 200 g (7 oz) peeled tomatoes, chopped (or 1 tin)
- Garlic, chopped
- Onion, chopped
- Parsley, chopped
- Chilli pepper to taste
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil in a non-stick frying pan, then add the mushrooms cut into slices, tomatoes and chili pepper according to your personal taste. After few minutes you can add the stockfish too. Season to taste with salt and keep on cooking on a low heat until the stockfish is tender (about 45 minutes)
Check seasoning and sprinkle with parsley just before serving.
Serve with rice, potatoes or pasta.
Friday, 3 August 2012
Norway's own Loch Ness Monster!
What does anyone think this is? It was observed in Hornindalsvatnet, Europe's deepest (at 514 meters) inland lake, which lies in the mountains south of Sognefjord about 3 hours drive north of Bergen It was seen on Wednesday evening by 3 grown men and they are absolutely convinced they have seen a 'lake worm' - I guess you could say it is the equivalent of our Loch Ness monster.
The picture was taken at 9.30 p.m. - as you can see it is still very light in Norway at that time, although the evenings are beginning to draw in gradually. Norwegian legend has it that these creatures like to 'bathe in the light of the full moon' and it was a full moon that night!
Apparently Hornindals lake has a reputation for harbouring some kind of monster, and there have been several sightings dating back hundreds of years! So is this a fresh water sea serpent or what?
Image from bt.no
The picture was taken at 9.30 p.m. - as you can see it is still very light in Norway at that time, although the evenings are beginning to draw in gradually. Norwegian legend has it that these creatures like to 'bathe in the light of the full moon' and it was a full moon that night!
Apparently Hornindals lake has a reputation for harbouring some kind of monster, and there have been several sightings dating back hundreds of years! So is this a fresh water sea serpent or what?
Wednesday, 1 August 2012
Time for cucumber news anyone?
Well, yes it is summer and there are plenty growing in the greenhouses in southern Noway. Gone are the days when Norwwegians could only afford to buy half a cucmbert as a whole one was too expensive. However, actually cucmber news 'agurknyheter' is a phrase used by the newspapers to explain some of the very odd stories that make it into the newspapers in the summer months of July and August when real news is thin on the ground!
Apparently it comes from a phrase used by Berlin shopkeepers during the quiet summer months 'Sauregurkenzeit' (directly translated 'pickled cucmber period'! From the 1850's German newspapers used it to refer to small, curious stories which wuld otherwise never be printed!
How about 'Went crabbing and found a whale' or 'No popcorn on shop shelves in Sjøvegan, Troms' (way up north!). Both trues stories reported in one of Norway's main newspapers, Aftenposten!
The whale was, by the way dead! The poor thing had stranded itself on a beach in Lofoten, north Norway, and was discovered by a family out on a crab hunting expedition with the grandchildren. As for popcorn - why the Co-op in Sjøvegan keeps running out is anyone's guess, but it got them in the paper! Was that positive or negatve marketting though - wonder whzt else they have run out of, butter anyone?
Yesterday, wild deer were seen on Bryggen (the UNESCO heritage site) at around 5 a.m. That is very unusal, considering all the beautiful raw nature that surrounds the town, but obviously they fancied a stroll in a place somewhat different to a mountainside. Wonder what they thought of their little holiday dwn town! So, obviously everyone is going a little crazy at the moment.
Anyway, summer is nearly over here in Norway - especially in the mountains. By the 31st of August, all summer hostels and restaurants on the main walking routes and at the high summer farms, and some bed and breakfasts in the more isolated places will close teir doors until next April/May. It is certainly a short season here!
Apparently it comes from a phrase used by Berlin shopkeepers during the quiet summer months 'Sauregurkenzeit' (directly translated 'pickled cucmber period'! From the 1850's German newspapers used it to refer to small, curious stories which wuld otherwise never be printed!
How about 'Went crabbing and found a whale' or 'No popcorn on shop shelves in Sjøvegan, Troms' (way up north!). Both trues stories reported in one of Norway's main newspapers, Aftenposten!
The whale was, by the way dead! The poor thing had stranded itself on a beach in Lofoten, north Norway, and was discovered by a family out on a crab hunting expedition with the grandchildren. As for popcorn - why the Co-op in Sjøvegan keeps running out is anyone's guess, but it got them in the paper! Was that positive or negatve marketting though - wonder whzt else they have run out of, butter anyone?
Yesterday, wild deer were seen on Bryggen (the UNESCO heritage site) at around 5 a.m. That is very unusal, considering all the beautiful raw nature that surrounds the town, but obviously they fancied a stroll in a place somewhat different to a mountainside. Wonder what they thought of their little holiday dwn town! So, obviously everyone is going a little crazy at the moment.
Anyway, summer is nearly over here in Norway - especially in the mountains. By the 31st of August, all summer hostels and restaurants on the main walking routes and at the high summer farms, and some bed and breakfasts in the more isolated places will close teir doors until next April/May. It is certainly a short season here!
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