Syttende Mai

The last of my Oslo posts, coming right up!

While Marlon went home a day early to work, I stayed on for Oslo's big national holiday, Constitution Day, or as the Norwegians call it, Syttende Mai: the 17th of May. We had tickets to the annual parade that passes right in front the Royal Palace.

"Bring something dressy," my sister advised. "People really dress up for the parade." I was a bit dubious but did as I was told. Lo and behold, on the 17th of May, I walked to the bus stop outside my sister's apartment and beheld the truth.

Aside from the snazzy suits and cocktail dresses, what impressed me the most was that Norwegians spend the entire day (from the morning's parade to whatever parties they have going on) in their national costume, the bunad. It's a beautiful garment with a long history behind it.

Bunad are entirely handmade, and are passed down from one generation to the next. Young Norwegians receive their bunad at the age of 14 years, for the rite of confirmation. It's not uncommon for them to wear bunad that are over a hundred of years old! Otherwise, springing for a brand-new bunad can leave you some NOK 40,000 (PhP 323,000 lang naman!) poorer. Ouch!

I didn't have 40,000 kroner in my bank account, nor a Norwegian granny to make a bunad for me, so I dressed up for the parade in a ruffled LBD, my lace-up boots and my BAM! comic-book inspired fascinator.

To get in the spirit of things, I pinned the colors of the Norwegian flag (red, white and blue) to my lapel. I couldn't get how to pin the ribbons in the special way the locals do, though. These ribbons were everywhere that day!

Walking through the Slottsparken to get to the palace, we found ourselves milling with hundreds of dandied-up Osloites on their way to the parade.

The atmosphere was so festive, kind of like a family-friendly, freshly-scrubbed, alcohol-free Queen's Day...

with lots of balloons and other treats for the kids.

It was great seeing everyone dressed up for the event, in costumes with varying degrees of elaborateness.

At the Palace, the locals graciously let Mom through to the front of the barricades so she could watch the parade.

I think it was because they saw how tiny she was! One guy even offered, jokingly, to carry her on his back. So there we were in front with all the kids.

Little people get the best view!

 

We watched for a few hours as what seemed like every school and organization in Norway marched by singing, waving the national flag and chanting "Hip hip hurrah!" or as they say "Hiep hiep hoera!"

Some students even got their Glee on. It was a bit odd, and funny, to see a bunch of aspiring Cheerios after all the elaborate national costumes!

Everyone from the oldest grannies to the littlest babies got in on the fun. It was all very orderly and wholesome! Freshness!



Everyone paraded in front of the palace...

while Norway's royal family waved from the balcony. Love the hats!

Thanks to my sister for insisting that I stay for the parade (even if we were late!). Definitely a facet of Oslo that I enjoyed seeing. Hiep hiep hoera!