The diary of David, a just-turned-30 Brit living in Norway
This weekend saw the biggest local rivalry in Norwegian football, the Oslo-Akershus derby between Lillestrøm (LSK) and Vålerenga (VIF). Lillestrøm are known by many outside Norway due to their regular appearances in Europe during the 80s and 90s, whereas Vålerenga are the biggest club in the Oslo area; in fact they are now the only team to play (at the professional level) within the city itself. I'm still new to Norway so don't know the … [Read more...]
Like in much of Europe, most Norwegian football teams are part of a wider sports club. The Vålerenga IF sports club consists primarily of football, handball and ice hockey, alongside other sports such as basketball and even American Football. Soon after my arrival in Oslo I was given the Vålerenga injection to ensure my blood ran blå og rødt! So, having already seen Vålerenga Fotball beat Viking 3-0, the time had come for my inauguration … [Read more...]
It was very easy to miss, but the new Norwegian Premier League season got underway tonight. Easy to miss, because most Norwegian eyes are focused on Manchester and the battle for the English title. The Norwegian obsession with English football continues to fascinate me, but even more quirky is the small group of bloggers and tweeters getting excited about Tippeligaen 2012! I had intended to write a big season preview on here … [Read more...]
I spent most of last year worrying how I would cope with my first Scandinavian winter. Little did I know I would experience the mildest winter Norway has seen for years, with the snow arriving late and temperatures averaging a very bearable -5C. Until this weekend. So, what does someone not used to cold temperatures do on the weekend the mercury plummeted to -23C? He stands outdoors for hours of course, all in the name of sport! As … [Read more...]
As I write this I'm sitting in my Oslo apartment watching a popular Norwegian TV channel, TV2 Zebra, sort of the Channel 4 of Norway. Any guesses as to what I'm watching? A two-hour English football special, featuring five pundits live in a studio talking about transfer deadline day. Back in December I stumbled into a packed bar in Tromsø to find everyone's eyes glued to the Liverpool match. A few weeks ago in Lillehammer, the only … [Read more...]
This Saturday I packed my furry boots, thermos and countless layers of clothing for my first visit inland. My destination was the small town of Lillehammer, 170km due north of Oslo on the shores of Lake Mjøsa. The day began for me (and my travelling companion Gerry) with an early start on Dovrebanen, the train line which transports countless people the 553km between Oslo and Trondheim. It might not be as famous as the Oslo to Bergen railway, … [Read more...]
With tonight's Champions League Final receiving blanket coverage across Europe, including here in Norway, today's blog post is almost inevitably about the beautiful game. There's a big Manchester United connection in Norwegian football with former favourites Ole Gunner Solskjær and Henning Berg both managing clubs, Molde and Lillestrøm respectively. Both are being interviewed around the clock on Norwegian TV ahead of tonight's final! When … [Read more...]
He writes here about his new life in Norway: his observations and experiences, the language and culture, the people and places. [Read More …]
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