Tour of Norway (Harstad)

various Norwegian web-sites | May 5, 2005 | self

[franksolich]

Harstad, a town of circa 25,000 people--and hence a major city in underpopulated Norway--is located almost 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, or on the globe, about equivalent to the uppermost third of Alaska.

Harstad is the first city in Norway that I have encountered, on the internet, that does not claim to be the "furniture-making capital of the world."

In fact, there is no mention of furniture at all; it appears the principal occupations of Harstad are fishing and the Norwegian army.....and the hotel business. Harstad has a great many hotels.



Approaching Harstad by sea:



The harbor at Harstad:















A house in Harstad:



A school in Harstad:



A stadium in Harstad:



Soccer in Harstad:



Female sportswomen in Harstad:



Norwegian military officers in Harstad:



Some sort of military (navy, obviously) exercise near Harstad:



The Salvation Army in Harstad:



A shop in Harstad:



A strip mall (miniature shopping center) in Harstad:



A bank in Harstad:



A hotel in Harstad



Another hotel in Harstad:



Yet another hotel in Harstad



Motorcyclists in Harstad:



Some big mountain overlooking Harstad:



Same big mountain overlooking Harstad, but in winter:



That same mountain, different view:



Yeah, right; what is Norway without reindeer; these near Harstad:



The "midnight sun" at Harstad:

[franksolich]

Due to popular demand, another photographic "tour" of little-known places in Norway--but I think for future "tours," I shall limit the number of photographs to about half.

[franksolich]

Ping for the Norway ping list.



I was not aware this was so "big;" I will cut the number of photographs in future "tours" down to a more-manageable size.

My apologies.

[franksolich]

I forgot to mention.

There is a web-site (but in Norwegian) with many attractive photographs of Harstad (none of which are featured in this tour).....oddly, a web-site specializing in collie dogs.

But dogs or not, if one wishes fine photographs of fine scenery, this is the place:

http://home.no.net/heidiell/harstad.htm

[mollynme]

I think there is only one "sportswoman" in that picture. Of course, I could be wrong. LOL

[franksolich]

No, I did a double-take myself, when I saw that.

Those are both female sportswomen; some sort of international gymnastics meet for women took place in Harstad recently, and these were two of the competitors, in gymnastic wrestling or something (unless I translated my Norwegian wrong).

[radiohead]

Lovely pictures again.

To show the little ways in which the US and Norway differ, my Norwegian classmate came into the office the other day all excited.

"You have such a collection of band-aids in this country!" She had to buy a band-aid and was just bowled over by different types that were available.

Meanwhile, I'm still trying to get used to the shrimp and mayo on bread that she has for lunch sometimes. yuck.

[mollynme]

The one on the right has got to be a guy. Look at the size of his hands. That, and he looks like a young Kevin Costner.

[Eurotwit]

Shrimp and mayo on bread. mmmmmmmm. Shrimp and mayo.. *drool*


:-)

[mollynme]

That brings back memories of buying those little shrimp right off the boat and going home to make smorbrod!

[Eurotwit]

hehe. I love doing that in the summer.

It is sort of a Norwegian summer tradition. Go down to the harbour, buy some fresh shrimp, get a good bottle of white wine.

Ahh.. total bliss :-)

[wizr]

1. "the Norwegian army.....and the hotel business. Harstad has a great many hotels." Same town as the Army...hmmmm...Are you sure they are 'hotels'?

2. If you are going to post a picture, post a whole picture, not just half. ;)

3. Ver's dem blont Norvegan vomen, hey?

I know. My mind is in the gutter. So just slap me.

[tomjohn77]

I think the one on the right is a man

[franksolich]

The source of the photograph (the web-site) was about some sort of women's gymnastic meeting, and those two were identified by name; they both had first-names clearly first names of women.

As for the big hands, isn't that an occupational hazard for gymnasts; that they are doing their thing so much that it enlargens the hands?

[mollynme]

So much for the belief that all Norwegian women are attractive. ;o)

[Tamberlane]

The person to the right doesn't like any woman I've ever seen. What was his... eh, her name?

[aquila48]

was not aware this was so "big;" I will cut the number of photographs in future "tours" down to a more-manageable size.

Au contraire - I enjoyed them! Thanks for the tour. Beautiful country.

[Larry Lucido]

So is every other store in Harstad a Xerox outlet?

[Tamberlane]

The person to the right doesn't like any woman I've ever seen.

The hazards of early morning posting. Doesn't look like any, etc.

[franksolich]

I have to repeat; that photograph of the two female sportswomen was taken off the web-site for some sort of gymnastics meeting in Harstad.

They were identified, first names and last names, but the two first names were "Margot" and "Anna."

Please do not tell me that the names "Margot" and - or "Anna" might be applicable for males in Norway too.

Face it--people who overindulge in gymnastics end up with weird-looking body parts, such as very large hands, made large from hand-standing too much.

One of my roommates for about two years in college was a German guy from Hamburg, who was an obsessive-compulsive bicycle-rider. He developed thighs and calves that would be large on a cow.

Not all physical abnormalities are genetic.

[Tamberlane]

Quite so Frank, but it was the face that seemed to me too masculine to be a woman's. Then again, the photo is small and perhaps does not do the lady justice.

Or possibly we have a rarity here: a drag wrestler...