Norwegian Constitution Day (Syttende mai)

Today May 17th is the Norwegian Constitution Day also known as Syttende Mai. Jared and I took the metro downtown around 9:30 am so we could get there for the start of the parade at 10. It starts with a children's parade with over 100 school districts representing from around the Oslo area singing and waiving their flags proudly. The street is lined or should I say stacked with Norwegians in their National Costumes waving their flags proud. The parade makes its way down Karl Johans Gata (street) and ends at the  Royal Palace where the Royal family greets everyone from the balcony. Jared and I did not see the Royal family but did get to get a good dose of the parade. This year also marked the 200th Anniversary of Norwegian Constitution Day. The parade was the largest so far and lasted for around 4 hours! We did not stand and watch the whole parade but walked around and just enjoyed watching everyone and taking in the sites. All shops and stores were closed for the day leaving only restaurants and pubs open. 

We also kept seeing these teenage kids wearing red or blue overalls walking around 

blowing whistles and little kids running up to them and get cards. After we got back to the 
hotel I looked it up and found out it is called Russefeiring ("russ celebration")  a traditional celebration for Norwegian high school students in their final spring semester. It starts on 1 May and ends on the 17th of May. Participants wear colored overalls, drive matching cars, vans and buses, and celebrate almost continually during this period. Drunkenness, and public disturbances are regularly linked to the Celebration which we experienced first hand. I have a feeling if we stayed downtown longer we would have seen some of the drunkenness. We saw these buses that were spray painted or decorated driving around with loud dance music. Come to find out it is part of their celebration and they save up for a long time and buy these buses decorate them and then drive around and party on them. It was quite the site.

We decided to look for a restroom which seem few and far between. In the park we saw some funky free standing restrooms which you had to pay to use and only accepted credit 
cards. We decided we would observe since it looked like no one could figure out how to get in. We sat for about 15 minutes and watched confused people trying to pay and get in 1 of 3 outdoor restrooms. We saw about 3 people who successfully got in and once it accepted your payment the door automatically opened and then closed quite quickly so u better be in a hurry or u might miss your chance. There was tons of people taking pictures of the restrooms and of course I did not so I didn't look like a typical tourist but now wish I did. We 
decided to walk to the Oslo central station and pay 10 Kroner to use the restroom since I did it yesterday. Stick to what u know works I guess. While at the station I was searching in a little shop and there was this older gentleman that was doing the shuffle VERY slowly along the ticket counter while holding on to the ledge for support. All I could think of was man it is going to take him a long time to get where he is going. I was just getting ready to go out of the store and he happen to come to the end of the ledge which was at the store opening and he proceeded to wave his hand at me and speak in Norwegian. I walked over to him and he grabbed my hand and proceeded with the shuffle while speaking to me in Norwegian and all I could say was "English"? Luckily he spoke English and told me he needed help to get out and get a cab so, I helped him outside and got him a cab. We chatted a bit while we shuffled and he told me he was born in Norway and was 75 but has a US passport because he used to live in Boston and drive  cab. He asked where I was from and I said US and I live in Minnesota to which he replied oh ya there is alot of Norweginas in that area. Haha he was a nice old man he thanked me and got in his cab. Good deed done for the day! 

Jared and I decided to head out not knowing where we were really headed or wanted to go
we just walked and walked and walked some more and ended up going to the Royal Palace.
Of course we did not go in but just gawked from the outside just like everyone else. We also saw the guards standing out front and some that marched by. We proceeded and walked through a beautiful park where everyone just lounged and drank wine or beer which is legal in Norway. When we went to the visitors centre yesterday the girl we spoke with said the most Norwegian thing u can do is have a picninc and drink wine in the park. We still plan to do that!

We then walked to the The Vigeland Sculpture Park where we found an abundance of green grass, water fountains and naked statues. The park was very beautiful and had tons of green space where it was filled with Norwegians drinking wine. We took some pictures 
relaxed on a bench and just took in the sites. The day was pretty much perfect day with an abundance of sunshine and bearable temps. We decided since we had pretty much walked 
and stood for the last 7 hours it was times to head home. Took the metro back and headed 
to Peppes Pizza to grab a bite before heading back to the hotel. We are now resting our feet and look forward to our adventure of driving to Sweden tomorrow! TA for now.