Song in Norway 2011

No – not that saccharin -sweet Hollywood epic about Edvard Grieg and Nina Hagerup (his lady wife – and cousin) that even Harry Secombe was unable to rescue from the miasma of schmaltz – but, instead, Song in Norway. And who is to provide the said song(s)? None other than a rather good little chamber choir from Lewes.

So – Norway. Why Norway? 

Well, why not?  We’ve done the other side of the English Channel quite a few times, so why not direct our attention Eastwards – across the North Sea?

OK. But tell us a bit about Norway – what makes it so special? 

You see, there’s an old story that when God was creating the world He got his proportions a bit wrong and ended up with a great deal of coastline to spare. He had this rather long (1300 miles from North to South) country on the Western side of the Scandinavian peninsula handy and thought He might be able to use up some of his surplus coastline there – and so He did, all 15 715 miles of it!!

Again, OK. Nice picturesque country – but why should we be interested in it, and – more specifically, why should we be interested in this little town of yours – Halden – or whatever it’s called? 

Historically we have been tied up with Norway for much longer than any of us would care to recall. In fact it was the Norwegians that King Harold defeated at Stamford Bridge before being beaten on his home ground by the visiting team from Normandy (also Norwegians, by the way, but acclimatised, honorary Frenchmen after having eaten all that Camembert and drunk rather too much Calvados over the years). Our histories have intermingled right on down through the centuries right until after the last big global confrontation (WWII) when the city of Oslo started to send us a thumping great Christmas tree each year that was far too big for the sitting -room at Buck House – so they had to put it up in Trafalgar Square.

Fair enough – we’ve ticked the Norway box, but you still haven’t told us about this little town called Halden? What’s so special about it?

Halden is a small town – numbering some 28 000 inhabitants. It nestles in the far south -east corner of this huge country, next to the Swedish frontier, in the county of Østfold. It is overlooked by the largest system of fortifications in Northern Europe (and the fourth largest in the entire continent) and is the only Norwegian town to which specific reference is made in the country’s national anthem – due to the fact that, in 1716, the good citizens of Halden (or Fredrikshald as it was known then) set fire to their own town rather than let it fall into the clutches of those rather nasty warlike Swedes.

Yes – understood – it’s got some history. But why should we go there?

Ah, forgot to tell you. From among its 28 000 citizens it has a total of 8 (that’s eight) choirs! Each one of its many schools has its own musikkorps or band – including primary schools.  Music runs through the veins of the Norwegians, and Halden is no exception. It has a cultural programme throughout the year that would put most English towns of similar size to shame. This country of 4.8 million has a literary and musical heritage that is second to none and boasts some of today’s leading international musical talents such as Leif Ove Andsnæs, (pianist), Truls Mørk (cellist), Arve Tellefsen (violinist) and Tine Thing Helseth (trumpeter) to name but a few – and who can forget that amazing operatic diva, Kirsten Flagstad?

What’s there to do in Halden?

I suppose, if the truth is known, not a very great deal – at least, not if you’re planning to stay there for a few weeks – which we’re not.

But first of all there’s the fortress – looming grandly over the town. It has witnessed some of the more spectacular aspects of Norwegian history (including the death of the Swedish warrior king Charles XII when he laid siege to the town in 1716 -18). There are some fascinating museums up there behind the battlements.

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The Halden version of a barbershop quartet – but are they all that they’re ‘quacked’ up to be?

Then there’s Rød Herregård – usually translated as the Red Manor, even though it’s actually white  – a splendid repository of memorabilia from the last three centuries and surrounded by landscaped gardens in the English manner. In fact, if you’re feeling a little homesick, those same gardens are actually based on English soil, specially imported. The manor is well worth visiting and we will be able to arrange a tour with an English -speaking guide at a very reasonable cost.

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Rød Herregård

Just a 40 minute bus -ride away is the Swedish coastal resort of Strömstad – yes, you get two countries for the price of one! Don’t worry about remembering to take your passport with you – there are no border formalities for the purpose of crossing from one Scandinavian country to another. The bus ride takes you over the Svinesund bridge linking the two countries and, at 67 metres, the highest bridge in Northern Europe.  

A short train -ride in the opposite direction will take you to Fredrikstad, a town at the mouth of Norway’s longest river – the Glomma. Its wholly preserved walled old town will transport you straight back to the 17th century. Myriad art and craft galleries and ateliers offer a wide range of wares and you can rest your weary limbs, and inspect your purchases, at any of the numerous cafés.

What about feeding the inner man/woman?

There’s no gainsaying that Norway is an expensive country – part of the price to pay for being very affluent. But, as we discovered, you can eat out well in Halden at a cost that would not seem at all unreasonable in our own familiar milieu. And, strange though it may sound, you have to go a very, very long way to find a better pizza than at Peppe’s Pizza.

The town also boasts Norway’s oldest patisserie – Erlandsen – founded in 1865. Not the cheapest of places for a coffee and cake – but the quality is excellent and well worth the kroner! And if your taste follows rather more carnivorous lines, then there is the delicatessen known as Bergstrøm just opposite where an exceedingly good hot -dog may be procured for no more than 10 kroner – that’s a smidgin over £1 in real money – and we know of nowhere in England where you can get that sort of value!

Fine. So far, so good – but where do we sleep?

We’re coming to that bit..! Halden lies at the end of the Singlefjord which separates Norway from Sweden. Right at the end of the fjord there is a marina and jetty, together with some attractive eateries (not too expensive – as long as you don’t order beer at nearly £7 a pint). Overlooking this idyllic scene, with the fortress as an imposing backdrop, is the Thon Hotel with whose management we have negotiated an extremely good weekend deal.  For NOK 350 (c. 37 of your English pounds) a night you get to share a twin/double room in an excellent high -grade hotel with an extensive buffet breakfast that will keep you going right through to the evening, possibly bolstered by a cake and coffee at Erlandsen or a hot -dog at Bergstrøm.

And the small matter of a concert venue? We are a choir, you know...

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Berg church

Berg Church lies about 5 km outside the town proper. It dates largely back to the 12th century (just look at those thick walls!) and has a wonderfully carved alter -piece and pulpit. More important than that, however, is the fact that it is used! There is a vibrant, active, regular congregation waiting to welcome us – together with a concert committee dedicated to ensuring that this kind of cultural initiative actually works – an excellent acoustic and, believe it or not, a resident English organist!! Transport to and from the church will be taken care of by our generous hosts.

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Berg church – interior, from the chancel

(Find more pictures of Berg church online at: http://niku.pdc.no/index.php?seks_id=73819&m=7 and click ‘OK’ on the box labelled ‘BILDEGALLERI’).)

Alright, we’re sold. But how do you propose getting us there?

The options of walking and – even more arduous – of swimming, have been firmly kicked into touch. Halden lies cheek -by -jowl with Sweden in the extreme south -east corner of the country and the only really viable way of getting there is by air (the last North Sea ferry service was discontinued 2 years ago). Nowegian Shuttle Airlines is an excellent low -cost company operating about 60 passenger aircraft, none of which is more than 3 years old. It operates flights from Gatwick to Oslo (Gardermoen Airport) and we plan to arrange coach transport from the Oslo airport to Halden and back as part of the total package cost -wise.

So – Halden’s teeming with awful tourists then?

No – Halden is not your tourist -track, chocolate -box, fjord -lined, fairytale settlement nestling under the precipitous mountains. There are no trolls waiting to pounce on you from beneath bridges (even though this is Billygoats Gruff country after all – look out for the stone goat by the footbridge). But it is truly representative of a modern European country where the local people (who virtually all speak good English and are happy to do so) pursue a work -hard – play -hard ethic that leaves plenty of room for cultural events such as we wish to present.

We will be made very welcome.

Halden at a glance:

  • Thon Hotel rates: NOK 350 p.p.p.n. B&B (usually NOK 1158 p.p.p.n. B&B. Roughly £37 p.p.p.n).
  • Average cost of beer (bar price): NOK 67 per pint (roughly £7.00) – buy all your necessary alcoholic beverages at Gatwick duty -free on the way out as Norway is not a member of the EU!
  • Average cost of a glass of wine (bar price): NOK 40 -50 (roughly £4.50 -£5.50).
  • Once in Norway, wines and spirits may ONLY be bought at the State Wine and Spirits shops (Vinmonopolet) and it is very, very expensive.
  • Average price of a coffee and a pastry: at Erlandsen, NOK 5060 (roughly £5.50/6.50). It’s cheaper at the Tista Center  (a sort of small -scale shopping mall) and the quality is very good, but the ambiance is not quite the same. When ordering a coffee in Norway, remember to ask for milk. Like les Français, the Norwegians do strong, black coffee. If you are a tea drinker, it’s best to take your own – again, they don’t do ‘breakfast’ tea with milk, although you will find lots of black, fruit and herbal teas available. NB! Coffee in cafés is usually on the basis of free refills – but best to ask first!
  • Best rate of exchange is available from the local ATMs – much better rate than changing your £££s in UK.
  • Tipping in restaurants etc. (but not cafés): usually 10%, but sometimes included. This applies to taxis as well.
  • Menus nearly always available in English – if they’re not set out, just ask.
  • Bus and rail fares are relatively expensive – this is an expensive country, though – but those of us lucky enough to be 67 or over qualify for a 50% discount.

o o o o o O o o o o o

Norwegian tour 2011 – booking/deposit details

Despite the distance involved and Norway’s reputation as a high -cost country, the basic cost (i.e. travel and accommodation + breakfast) is not appreciably greater than we have paid for previous tours (and for one extra day!). Our ballpark costing comes out at £200.00 and we envisage this being paid in three stages. In view of the fact that we have to make a firm commitment in terms of our hotel accommodation at a very early stage, involving a deposit, we would have to insist on an initial payment being made by the end of this month (September).

However we are also conscious of the fact that this will coincide with the payment of your choir subscriptions and, for that reason, we will be looking for a down -payment of only a quarter of the cost – i.e. £50.00 in order to secure the hotel booking.

By far the most advantageous flight costs can be achieved some six months prior to our departure which would mean making these bookings before Christmas. Against that background we will look for a further £75.00 payment to be made before we break up for the festive season. The balance (for completion of our hotel and coach costs) would have to be received before the Easter break. Please note that transport to and from Gatwick will be each individual choir member’s responsibility in terms of organisation and cost.

The hotel accommodation is based on sharing a twin/double room. Should anyone wish to have the privacy of a single room, this can be arranged at an additional cost of NOK 250 (c. £27) per night – a price which still represents a very considerable saving in relation to the normal tariff.

The dates of the tour will be Friday 17 June to Monday 20 June. It is appreciated that arranging to be away on weekdays can present a problem for some people and this is yet another reason why we are giving this information so very far in advance. With the concert scheduled for the Saturday evening there is nothing to prevent individuals from coming out on the Saturday morning or for people to return to the UK on the Sunday. It must, however, be stressed that this would involve a very considerable additional cost. While flight prices on a Saturday (provided the booking is made at a very early date) do not differ greatly from those we are expecting to have to pay, a return on the Sunday would be very much greater as there are only two flights on a Sunday and these both command premium rates. What is more, Halden is approximately 100 miles from the airport and, as already stated, rail transport (which is the only viable alternative to our coach) is expensive.

The preferential rates obtained from the hotel are, not unreasonably, based on firm bookings and your decision to join the tour must be binding. This is, in fact, even more relevant with regard to the flight bookings. As with virtually all low -cost airlines, if we opt for the lower costs that automatically presupposes a non -refundable booking. There is provision for changing the identity of persons previously booked, but this would involve a charge of £31 for each leg of the journey – almost as much as the price that we expect to pay for the entire flight.  For that reason we feel that it is only reasonable for each member signing up for the tour to be economically liable for any cancellations or changes that are made.

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Norwegian tour – Booking form*

I wish to participate in the planned Norwegian tour 17/6 – 20/6 2011. I undertake to pay an initial deposit of £50.00 per person by 27 September, a further £75 per person by 20 December and the balance of £75 per person by 11 April 2011. It is understood that any optional extra (the single accommodation preference) will be paid by me as part of the final instalment. 

I require accommodation for 17/6 – 20/6 2011 based on sharing a twin/double room. I would like to share with ................................................. if possible.
I require accommodation for 17/6 – 20/6 2011 based on a single room.

(Signature and name printed) ...................................................................................................

* Please tear off and return to Sue Stone no later than 27/9 -2010 together with initial deposit.