Castles, Palaces and Constitutions

It's the 17th of May - Norwegian National Day. It commemorates the signing of the countries first constitution in 1814 when the country was 'released from Danish rule after 400 years of subjugation'.

I think the official line is that the Dane's lost Norway to Sweden in a bet. So the Swedes got in and took 'power'; however, the Norwegians retaliated by shrugging their shoulders and saying, 'So what?' - setting up their own independant government and political system; after two decades of being ignored the Swedes kind of got embarrassed about 'things' and Norway got it's complete right to independance.

Nowadays it's a good excuse for all the children (some of them in their 40s) to march in parades and dress up in old national dress down Karl Johan's Gate - the main high street in central Oslo, whilst parties ensue all over the country... Many beers are taken - for medicinal purposes, of course.

Here's a 'did you know': the Norwegians sing 'God Save the King' to the same tune and with the same words (translated, of course) to Norwegian? It's not their National Anthem - but it is the 'King's Song' - as it was described to me.

Obviously I would have expected it to be rife amongst the 'old colonies' - don't you know - but it was also popular across all of Europe (including France, until the masses favoured the guillotine) and, last but by no means least, Lichtenstein (which, I have to say, I thought was a Principality - so do they sing 'God Save the Prince'? It's these kinds of questions that keep me up at night - no doubt about it).

Right - got to get to work, not because it's time - just because I woke up at 4:10am (well, it was sunny!) and after two hours of faffing about it seems like a good idea to go now that I'm sure the public transport will be running.

By the way - I never did find the King and Queen, even although, apparently, they were standing on the balcony of their 'Castle' ('Palace' of course - but the locals seems to like the word castle there, despite the lack of turrets and fortifications). Shame - maybe next year... but I doubt it...