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!