Mildly funny moments from my trip to Norway

I had an amazing tour through Norway (June 5 – June 21)

On my first full day in Oslo, I was walking back to my hotel from a cycle tour via Akershus Festning, where they were preparing for a festival. I heard a guy singing; what (I thought) I heard was "tak skal du ha, en kake så bra."

I ended up inventing my own version of the refrain* (the tune was FIRMLY stuck in my head), and finally—while in Kragerø, about a week later—found out what the song was (En Solskinnsdag/Postgirobygget). I then proceeded to listen to it to find out the real words, which ensured that it was still stuck in my head even after I returned to the US 10 days or so later. Thank you, Tim Minchin, for finally dislodging it.

Also while in Kragerø we stayed in an apartment. As I was walking down the steps one evening, four guys walked past. Being American, I returned their eye contact and smiles, said "hey," let them pass, and ended up walking behind them

One of them (they were also American) very knowledgeably said to his friends, "oh yes, they're friendlier in the smaller towns."

Lastly, I took a solo hike on Jomfruland; walked past a house where a woman was gardening, realized I was going the wrong way, turned around and walked back. As I passed by for the 2nd time, the woman asked if I was lost (in Norwegian) to which I (thought I) replied (also in Norwegian), that I had a map but realized I was walking in the wrong direction. I didn't understand what she said next, said so (in Norwegian), whereupon she asked me if I was Danish. I wasn't sure whether that was a compliment or not. Do I sound like I swallowed a potato? 😉 The rest of the convo was in English.

As for speaking Norwegian, I found that the younger people were, the more likely they were to indulge me in my attempts to use my Norwegian. Standouts were Martin at Thon Hotel Rosenkrantz, Nina, who took us on a boat tour of the Kragerø archipelago, and the woman behind the counter at the Baker Hansen near Nationaltheatret. And also the immigration official at Gardermoen who listened politely as I attempted to recite my projected itinerary in Norwegian, and laughed when I couldn't do the math to say how many days I would actually BE in Norway (in English or in Norwegian)

I had fantastic visit – a few days in Oslo, a few days in Sandefjord (visiting family), a few days in Kragerø (found my grandmother's childhood home!), and 7 days (3 different hotels) along the Sognfjord. I will forever pine for the fjords.

Wrong refrain to "Sunshiny Day"

Tak skal du ha
En kake så bra (yes, this sentence is entirely wrong)
En kake vi skal bake
Og så skal vi smake