National, or Constitution Day, in Norway is the 17th of May, and it is REALLY BIG! It starts off with a bang at 7 am - several cannon shots, to be specific. Then there's the morning parade. Then people go eat breakfast. Then there's more parades - this year they had two going in opposite directions over the same route! Then there are games and speeches. Then there's music and dancing. Then there are fireworks. And the weather cooperated again this year. What fun it was.
Russ enjoying the sun, or trying to recover from their hangovers, after the morning parade.
Climbing the pole to get the stuff that was hung up there - like a lawn chair (?).
What a crowd! All the way from the National Theater where we watched the main parade down to the water (other side of the trees). 90% of the women wore their bunads, and probably 15% of the men did. Bunads, the national costume, are really beautiful woolen outfits, most designed in the heyday of Romanticism.
A Buekorps battalion going from left to right, other marchers from right to left. Look at how little some of the boys are!
This is a pig - the medical students knocking out the swine flu.
Flags, flags, from everywhere. There were parade groups from France, Brazil, Scotland, the International School and the International Church, as well as Norwegian clubs, schools, and groups.
This group of young people had incredible energy. They were singing and chanting and waving flags for an hour before the parade came. They particularly loved this one policeman who was keeping people off the road. Every time he'd walk by, they'd cheer and wave their flags, and he'd blush.
Russ enjoying the sun, or trying to recover from their hangovers, after the morning parade.
Climbing the pole to get the stuff that was hung up there - like a lawn chair (?).
What a crowd! All the way from the National Theater where we watched the main parade down to the water (other side of the trees). 90% of the women wore their bunads, and probably 15% of the men did. Bunads, the national costume, are really beautiful woolen outfits, most designed in the heyday of Romanticism.
A Buekorps battalion going from left to right, other marchers from right to left. Look at how little some of the boys are!
This is a pig - the medical students knocking out the swine flu.
Flags, flags, from everywhere. There were parade groups from France, Brazil, Scotland, the International School and the International Church, as well as Norwegian clubs, schools, and groups.
This group of young people had incredible energy. They were singing and chanting and waving flags for an hour before the parade came. They particularly loved this one policeman who was keeping people off the road. Every time he'd walk by, they'd cheer and wave their flags, and he'd blush.I think this was the police band. The firemen led one parade, and the police led the other, and when they met - right in front of us - they stopped and played a song together. 
A darling little bunad or festival costume. They are passed down through generations. Each region has their own, and each person who has one cares for it very carefully. They even insure them.
Viking ship/stage with cannon smoke...
Constitution Day celebrates the day in 1814 when Norway ratified its constitution. It didn't become an independent country, though, until 1905. And in 1909, they founded the Norwegian submarine corps, so this weekend they are celebrating that. If I get a chance, I'll post pictures of the Russian sub, the German sub, two Norwegian subs, and whatever else comes in this weekend.
A darling little bunad or festival costume. They are passed down through generations. Each region has their own, and each person who has one cares for it very carefully. They even insure them.
Viking ship/stage with cannon smoke...
Constitution Day celebrates the day in 1814 when Norway ratified its constitution. It didn't become an independent country, though, until 1905. And in 1909, they founded the Norwegian submarine corps, so this weekend they are celebrating that. If I get a chance, I'll post pictures of the Russian sub, the German sub, two Norwegian subs, and whatever else comes in this weekend.
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