10. mai 2014

På rusletur med mobilkamera i Tigerstaden


  
Texts in English further down.
Vakkert blomsterbed med frittilaria ved Stortinget og forgyldte veggmalerier høyt over Akersgaten.
                   En overdådig magnolia ved Slottsparken og elegante hjørnetårn på Frogner
 Bak en vegg av rosablomstrende japanske kirsebærtrær skimtes tårnene på gamle Akershus festning. 



Victoria terrasse - skrekkens hus under annen verdenskrig

På Victoria terrasse ble det en tid holdt harde forhør av mistenkte for motstandsvirksomhet.
Slottet og slottsparken, noen meter bortenfor Victoria terrasse - en stille formiddag i mai 2014

 

***
Oslo during mai
I share a few glimpses from the capitol of Norway, during some quiet days in May.
In a few days, on May 17.th the Norwegian constitution day will be celebrated
all over the country, with children's parades, school music bands,
flags and most people dressed with their very finest outfits.

I remember from my own school days, we were marching up the main street, 
Karl Johans gate in Oslo, towards and passing the royal castle 
(on the picture above).
Crowds of people were looking at the parades, all the way from the start 
at either Akershus fortress, Jernbanetorvet, Grønland torg or Youngstorget.
The school pupils started their long distance route from different town squares each year, 
walking towards and passing the royal castle with the big balcony, 
to wave flags and celebrate to the royal family standing high up there, 
they waved hands to all the passing young ones for a couple of hours.
Indeed it was an amazing feeling looking from down below the balcony, 
actually to see the old king, with his special black suit, top hat and white gloves, 
female members of the royal family wearing more or less fantastic/elegant hats each year.
The small prince and princess, the king's sisters and their family.

One particular year, I was to carry one of the really big national flags, 
while marching in front of the rest of our school. 
What a feeling, even to be lowering the flag very special,
to one side, celebrating while passing our smiling old king, 
he was in a special way a very distant grandfather to every one of us.
Good memories from 'good old days'.

The Norwegian National day became very special 
to the generations that had been experiencing the second world war.
During those five years, the German occupants decided 
to make any tiny little national symbol strictly forbidden, 
even to young children, 
not even allowed was red knitted pointed caps, 'toppluer'. 

German interrogation activity was done at Victoria terrasse during WW2,
the top of this building is in a picture here, a white house with pink flowers in front...

This year, 2014 is extraordinary, because of the 200 year's celebrations 
since the constitution was agreed upon and signed at Eidsvoll in 1814.