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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Mar 24, 2011 - 02:47pm PT
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Kinda like the way, since I'm from Wyoming and Utah, I am honorbound to harsh the greenies. Though I was one happily, for almost four years......
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Mar 24, 2011 - 04:02pm PT
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"Some time ago I talked with a German girl about the use of flags in Germany. She told me that the only time it is seen as okay to be waving the German flag is at sport events and official buildings. The rest of the time the fear of feeling national pride is too big. It is in fact so bad that some Germans even feel uncomfortable when they see other countries waving it at hotels and the like.
In Scandinavia we use our flags completely different, but it’s not like in North America where you see flags everywhere as a sign of national pride.
Every time we have a celebration of any kind we raise the flags, because here our flags doesn’t so much symbolise national pride as much as it has become a symbol of happiness, joy and having a good time. And something I haven’t seen in other countries is that we use it when celebrating birthdays. So if you walk by a house here and see 20 small flags in the front yard, it’s not because the people living there are nationalists. It just means someone is celebrating their birthday.
Very interesting post. If you didn't write it, I would never think about it that way.
When I watched the World Cup in Germany they had loads of flags to support their National team, but when I visited Germany I do not remember seeing their flags, anywhere (at least not as frequent as we see our US flag here)! That clarifies why...
By the way when you visited US did you notice that we display our flag more often than folks in Scandinavia? Or is it about equal?
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Mar 24, 2011 - 04:27pm PT
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How come the Swedes are depicted as the only ones who don't shave? Or is that part of the joke? That they can't grow a beard?
hmmm, Pretty sure i've seen Max Von Sydow with a beard....
Honorbound to harsh greenies =I feel it is my duty to give them ( the self absorbed denizens of the state of colorado) sh#t. Think of them as the SoCal of the Rockies.
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Mar 24, 2011 - 06:01pm PT
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WOW so you actually moved from US after being raised here? Did you speak the language or had to learn Swedish?
From your photos I saw that you actually traveled a lot through US. I love to travel around all kinds of places too. Would be nice to have unlimited time/money to climb and to travel.
I always wanted to visit Scandinavia...some day.. : ( I heard there is amazing ice climbing there, and a lot of beautiful blonde females!
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perswig
climber
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Mar 24, 2011 - 06:51pm PT
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That German flag angst seems pretty timely, as the Euro powers decide how involved they feel they can/need to be re: Libya. Residual feelings of guilt (do Germans have a word for this?) still seem to substantially influence policy decisions.
This is fascinating stuff, Lolli.
Thanks.
Dale
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Mar 25, 2011 - 01:34pm PT
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This last one is cold : (
Yes traveled to several places in Europe, Asia, Middle East, BUT traveling is like climbing- never enough. Hopefully will see Alaska this summer : )
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Mar 25, 2011 - 09:22pm PT
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Closest I got to a Polar Bear in Spitzbergen (at least as far as I know) was a skeleton near the beach. The carapace of the skull was enormous. What looked like a femur might have come from a Rhinoceros. That beast was BIG. Didn't sleep quite so soundly for the next few nights. Wait, there were no nights.
We heard on the radio that a team on the northern side of Spitzbergen had a Polar Bear sit against the side of the tent. With them inside. Norsk Polar Institut recommended they be VERY quiet and keep their Mauser cocked. Perhaps it was a joke. I hope so.
The Norwegian kayakers attacked by the polar bear on Nordaustlandet. WHAT were they thinking? That island is known as one of the main polar bear populations in the Arctic. Plenty of yummy walrus pups for a quick snack.
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shady
Trad climber
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Mar 26, 2011 - 12:03am PT
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Lolli:
This Americanadian loves your thread.
Thanks!
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Captain...or Skully
climber
The Seas of Stone.
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Mar 27, 2011 - 09:20am PT
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Yeesh. I'll pass, thanks.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Mar 27, 2011 - 10:05am PT
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When I was a kid in Chicago there was always pickled herring at get togethers with the Swedish side of my family. One of the things I remember from Sweden when we visited was potatoes. I remember getting a hotdog and it was served in a bun with three ice cream scoops of mashed potatoes served right on top. Then there was aquavit. To my fifteen year old self it tasted awful, at first, then oddly compelling....
Probably selective memories, all out of proportion from the way it was way back then but those were the things that made an impression. Those things, and seeing a Volvo tractor, and girls, and it never getting dark and girls...
Oh and the waterways and Architecture in Stochkholm left a distinct impression. Two summers later I spent a month as a student in Leningrad and it seemed like a different take on the same thing canals and that same kind of architecture. I figured that all of europe must be like that. Then we spent time in Tallin, Moscow, Paris and London, and I began to appreciate how little I really knew about anything.
hmmm, what's the offwidth scene in Sweden like?
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wallyvirginia
Big Wall climber
Stockholm, Sweden
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Mar 27, 2011 - 06:39pm PT
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Makes me happy to see that some of you guys seem to be genuinely interested in Scandinavia, our culture and humour and stuff.
I'm from Stockholm, Sweden.
I like this thread, the comics are all right, it's like - okay, I get the joke - sometimes they are quite spot on though.. =)
Climbing in Sweden is actually pretty good, it's mainly granite and there's alot of it. 150+ crags in Stockholm area only. Great rock. Lots of trad routes too.
Best place is probably north of Gothenburgh though, in the Bohuslän area.
Check this video out for a good feel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Cuux1eUUnQ
But generally, nothing is higher than 1 to 2 pitches. There's a couple of places with 3-400 foot walls, but they are few.
Way up north where you'll find the higher mountains of sweden (still less than 10000 feet) it's far too old, mostly loose hills really.
Norway is the place to go for big wall rock climbing! We go every summer. Awesome walls!
Check this video out for a feel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMHFTtpcZq8
But you better be ready to spend some time waiting, there's like 300 days of rain per year in Norway.
God tur!
Mikael
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Mar 28, 2011 - 01:36pm PT
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Hmmm... I wonder, how did they know it was an Polar bear? let me guess:
It was heavy? not an Arctic Fox
It was too far from the coast to be a walrus?
It didn't have antlers? not a Reindeer (yes Gertrude, there really are reindeer)
It growled? probably not a Russian (who still share Svalbard)
It had walrus breath? post prandial halitosis.
pickled herring: My English Dad loved it, so do I. YUMMY.
On Spitzbergen, our team was treated to a Smorgasborg at Capp Linne radiotelephone station. (That's another story). The food was really really good. Every variety of fish, cheese and breads, pickled fruits and vegetables. Plenty of Scotch, Schnapps and Vodka.
We also visited a Russian camp. Their food was curious at best.
I quite enjoyed the food overall in the month I was in Norway. If you want beef and potatoes go to England.
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Mar 28, 2011 - 01:52pm PT
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People say it’s a British company and British oil That's true as far as it goes.
American drilling operator (Halliburton)
Swiss owned drill rig: Transocean (Marshall Islands flag of convenience)
BP owns 65% of the Macondo oil lease
Project supervision by BP
Plenty of finger pointing going around.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Mar 28, 2011 - 04:25pm PT
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"NOT FUNNY, YA HEAR?"
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Mar 28, 2011 - 10:25pm PT
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I wonder if Bootsy Collins,aka Star Child, is Scandinavian?
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Mar 30, 2011 - 12:54am PT
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Some of my Norwegian cousins think it patriotic to eat lots of potatoes, as it is one of the few crops that grows well in much of the country. They grow barley, oats, wheat, and of course livestock, but potatoes were definitely a gift to north Europe. (Read "The Columbian Exchange".)
A cousine spent a year teaching on Svalbard, at Longyearbyen. Fun with isbjørn.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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I hope this thread continues forever.
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shady
Trad climber
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OTTAWA?!! BAAWW! HA! HA! HA!
I agree with Jaybro.
Thanks again Lolli.
P.S.
Why doesn't she depict the US as being obese?
Oh wait....this is stereotypes, not the truth. ;)
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Our daily Nordic giggle - thanks!
(When did Ottawa get mentioned? Or are we discussing politicians' "equipment" size?)
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