Posts

Film: Affeksjonsverdi (Sentimental Value)

Currently   back in Ireland for the weekend, because it's been too long. Took yesterday off work (naturally), and with nothing else to do but get ready, of course I was rushing! Did make it, mind - the bus was roughly on time, and after initial slow traffic, absolutely flew, and I made the train I wanted to the airport . I see they have automatic ticket barriers for the lifts now - much more efficient. Queued for security, then spent 25 minutes waiting for them to check my bags.. seemed like more than half the bags were being checked. Thank goodness I was on time.. W. H. Smith in Liverpool Street doesn't seem to do sandwiches any more! I was hungry, so checked the one in the airport - but they no longer do the lovely chicken sandwiches they used to, so I got a smoked salmon one from Pret instead. By that stage, my gate had been announced, and was listed as "boarding".. I panted my way up there, and of course discovered they weren't actually boarding at all. In...
Post a Comment
Read more

Lecture on the Sámi, Film: Dinner for One, New Year's Eve celebrations, Lecture on Peer Gynt, & End of Cruise

Image
First entertainment up on New Year's Eve was a lecture on the Sámi : D' you know, I was sure I'd seen him somewhere.. We were also introduced to a Sámi folk singer : The Sámi homeland is really widespread, although most are apparently based in Norway : There was a bit about the Sámi's role as reindeer herders: Mind you, they were also fisherfolk! And the Russian Sámi - well, certainly dress differently! Ah, back to the language - and wow, look how widespread they are on this map! Origins: I love the drums with the magical symbols - pity I couldn't have made the mythological talk later, but it clashed with dinner: She explained to us how they're peace-loving people - except for the Kautokeino Rebellion , apparently to do with the introduction of alcohol to the community, and its detrimental effect: And there was a sad tale to tell, about their indoctrination into Norwegian society, made to forget their language and culture: And I knew I remembered that guys face...
Post a Comment
Read more

Day 10 at Sea: Lecture: Norwegian Languages & Bronnoysund

Image
This morning wasn't any easier a morning to get up in.. but I managed it, valiantly. After breakfast, there was an onboard lecture about   Norwegian languages , which   I popped along to. She started by showing us the "family tree" of languages: Always interesting to look at, but here she was concerned with the Scandinavian languages, branching off from the Germanic , with Norwegian closely related to Danish and Swedish . However, beside the tree, she pointed out a "bush", which includes Finnish and Sámi , with something called Kven floating nearby.. Now, when I thought of Norwegian languages previously, it was with a focus on just "Norwegian" and "Sámi" - but she was here to tell us that it's way more complicated than that! She showed us a slide illustrating some similarities between "Norwegian" and other languages: ..and then described how this fellow called Ivar Aasen formalised Norwegian in the 19th and 20th centuries...
Post a Comment
Read more

Magic Ice (Ice bar & sculptures) & Storytelling: Norse Mythology

Image
D inner was buffet again, and hallelujah, it was an improvement on lunch ! It started early, to allow us time to look around   Svolvaer , our next stop. It was already dark of course, but what the hey, I could go have a look.. and thanks to the announcement on board that reminded me of Magic Ice , an ice bar & sculptures that I'd planned to see. They had turkey, and a chicken sauce, hmm.. anyway, it was quite edible - and they had the most gorgeous "vegetarian" (I assume they mean vegan) chocolate mousse. I made sure to get one of the chocolate roses on top. Again, I could have died of thirst before I got anyone's attention - what IS it with these people? Damned if I was doing without my included, and non-refundable, bottle of wine.. as it was, I had my dinner half-eaten before the wine arrived, and ended up pouring quite a large glass to take back to my cabin for later. That's four wine glasses now decorating my cabin.. We actually docked early, for once, and...
Post a Comment
Read more