HMTKG

His Majesty the King's Guard

established November 1856
to protect the King & Royal Family
operating as a light infantry unit

after the war they were in a broken
German farm camp in Huseby, Oslo
demolished & new camp since 1980's



Webpage Link: http://www.garden.no/



Video's Link: http://www.mil.no/haren/hmkg/start/Videoklipp/
(note: 2 marching videos to click on & watch them in action)

This week in Stavanger, they marched & played - the band & the drill unit...
Twice - after the brief appearance at the NATO & Reserves conference flag raising ceremonies



Wednesday at 1:00 pm they marched from Stavanger Stadium & played in front of the old Domkirken in Sentrum at 2:30 pm...



Friday at 5:15 pm played at the end of the day for the Flower Festival, also at the old Domkirken...



And this weekend in Sandnes, again the same...





Saturday at 12:45 pm marched & played at 1:00 at the train/bus terminal, or festival plaza...

Here it was the 5th Farm unit, I think they call it, the 3rd having just retired earlier this month from what I read in the translated pages of their webpage...

Article link in Aftenbadet for Stavanger:
http://www.aftenbladet.no/kultur/1241038/Gardens_drilltropp_kommer_til_Stavanger.html

Article link for Sandnes:
http://www.aftenbladet.no/kultur/1241456/Sandnes_faar_ogsaa_drilloppvisning.html


note top 3 photos above: from the webpage or Facebook profile...watch the videos for hearing & seeing them in action, I wish I could of caught both times when they fired thier weapons at the end of their drill (after throwing their rifles with bayonnets a few times as well?!)

note all other photos: taken with my camera, over the heads of the crowds in Stavanger & at the train station up the stairs to the platforms...

Blog-O-versary & Beyond

Today's the Day...
Happy Blog-O-versary to Rain In Stavanger?!

A year in review? I don't think so...

A wish list?
Ummm...

(1) Make my next move to where I can start another Rain Blog & have it be relevant, as well as helpful, to whatever location in the world that might be--should be easy enough to do that, it seems?! After Qatar, Texas & now Norway - missed out on Venezuela...

(2) Link my Blog to my Facebook or Twitter...

(3) Go to a Blog Gathering - like the one in Oslo, is that next week already?! hmmm...

(4) Comments? What comments - where are these visitors & what are they thinking...

(5) Figure out just what this template can do, beside the basics...

(6) Toss it, start a webpage instead - does that cost money or can you do that for free, like without adverts on the sidebar...

(7) Go eat more cake & drink more coffee--I think I will do just that?!

On to another year of Blogging--A Blogging we will go, a Blogging we will go, Heigh Ho the Dairy-O a Blogging we will go...I said I would sing last week didn't I - not your typical Anniv. song, but what do you sing for a Blog-O-versary afterall?!

OK, think Marilyn Monroe singing Happy Birthday Mr. President (in that voice) & change it to...
Happy Blog - O - versary to You, Happy Blog - O - versary to You, Happy Blog - O - versary to You Rain in Stavanger, Happy Blog - O - versary to You... (sigh, breathe in, blow out the candle)

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Photo Note: again the link for the little people candle is http://www.thesmallobject.com/

Comfort Hotel is not Square & a Food Story

Chain hotel gone (art) boutique...



First impression--art gallery, organic food cafe...

then after that--Oh yeah--it's a hotel too?!



Hotel Link: www.comfortinn.com/hotel-stavanger-norway-NO114


Photo: webpage ------ Photo: mine

Photo's: from webpage - will be taking my own photos tomorrow at coffee...

Note: Also will pick up a brochure, I'm told they're getting, about the artist's work in the lobby -
also outside on the huge wood planters there is grafitti street art gone mainstream...

o o o
2nd Note: Well, still no brochure--not ready yet was told, but more photos of mine...



outside ----- inside


inside up the stairs ----- metallic pink



Up on the roof ----- Loquats grow



Hotel Cafe - Food Story Link: http://www.foodstory.no/

Food Story is an organic cafe/shop also in Stavanger Sentrum (was the 1st to open in 2002) & Oslo (opened in 2006) & now this year in Comfort Hotel Square, Lokkeveien



Hotel Cafe Address:

Food Story Løkkeveien
Løkkeveien 41
4008 Stavanger

Opening hours:

Breakfast 6 to 10 am Monday to Friday
Saturday 11 am , Sunday to 12 pm

Lunch from 11:30 to 4 pm Monday to Friday
Saturday from 12:30, Sunday from 1 to 6 pm

Dinner from 4:30 to 10 pm from Monday to Saturday
Closed Sunday

Loop bar is open until 01:30 pm Thursday , Friday & Saturday

Tel: 51 56 37 70



Stavanger SentrumAddress:

Food Story Hospitalgata
Hospitalgata 15
4013 Stavanger

Opening hours:

Summer Open:
July 1st until 16 th August
Monday to Friday 09:00 am -5:00 pm

Saturday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm



Cafe note: Daily Specials on chalk board at front counter
Menu's in Norsk & English

Food Story package: pakken@foodstory.no
Tel: 51 56 37 70

Order by Wednesday by 2:00 pm to pick up Friday -
a whole meal in a package, to prepare in less than 1/2 hour

Cost: 195 Nok / Order Form online on their webpage

Example: Food Story Package for week 31...
Fish and shellfish stew with potatoes & herb mayonnaise

++++++++++++++++++++

IKEA 2011 Catalog Launch

Hooray for the everyday...

IKEA 2011 Catalog Launch
July in NYC, USA
August in Oslo , Norway

note: rumored, it will be next Tuesday--but no further info found, just know it's not Stavanger this time...no matter must go grab a new catalog - we're awaiting a huge new showroom being built here somewhere in the Forus area, I see the signs (will I still be here??)

IKEA's Fan Page...

Link: http://www.ikeafans.com/home.html

DDB Oslo, Ad Agency...
Link:http://www.ikeafans.com/home/ikea-ad-fashion/#more-2125

2011 Online Catalog IKEA in English...

Link: http://onlinecatalog.ikea-usa.com/2011/ikea_catalog/US/

My favorite (repeat) purchase from IKEA - Stavanger, Norway...

Locals usually serve with boiled potatoes, white gravy, lingonberry fruit sauce...

I serve it in tomato sauce with noodles or with brown gravy & rice maybe -

could make them like Swedish meatballs I guess too, but that means more sauce?!

NonStop vs M&M's

NonStop's do "not" equal M&M's

*******************

M also does "not" equal M&M's Peanuts either

Photo's Note:

Do I have to give the Candy companies credit for using the packaging photos?

I haven't a clue who is the Norwegian candy company that owns NonStops or M's...

or wait--do I still have a wrapper to look on the back? Yes, it's none other than...

(Oh My, I didn't want to really know this) Kraft Foods - what I thought was an American Co. - so you can check out their webpage...

Link: http://www.kraftfoodsnordic.com/

(after I just heard they bought the UK's beloved Cadbury candy company too just recently)

But for "real" M&M's & M&M's Peanuts those are owned by the Mars Company -

you can check them out at their Link: http://www.mars.com/

or the candy page at this Link: http://www.m-ms.com/

M&M Trivia:

Question: M&M's stands for what?

Answer: Mars & Murrie, company founders.

Question: What were M&M's first sold in?

Answer: A tube (& sold to the GI's of WW II in 1941)

*Note: the brown bag packaging came in 1948

And did you know...

"Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hands" tagline -

started sometime in 1954

***********************

Blog - O - versary

1st Blog - O - versary on Blogspot in 7 days for Rain in Stavanger...

Happy Blogoversary to me, Happy Blogoversary to me...

Free Coffee to anyone who comments this week
about How Rain in Stavanger has helped or entertained you -
or really just comment, that will do...

And will meet you in Sandnes next Tuesday* (insert time)
at my favorite Barista's Benk Kaffeebar for that free coffee...

`````
Opps--next Tuesday is also the Stavanger ExPats Coffee at 11:00 am...
Come there then & we can still chat about Blogs or I can call that my
Blog - O - versary Coffee if no one can make it out to Sandnes later?!

But for my working ones, we can meet for after work or after dinner time
for coffee also - I'll have 2 coffees, 1 at my fav Kaffeebar?! mmm...


Tuesday at 17:00/5:00 pm is usually Cupping Night at the Benk,
come for a free taste of different roasted coffees for the evening...




(photo: at Gladmat, Benk Kaffebar Barista
under the Aftenbladet tent)

Come & have a chat about Blogs too
& maybe let's plan a Blog Gathering in Stavanger,
like they are in Oslo this month?! hmm...

I've been using the Blogoversary counter to keep track of this,
never have before in Houston or in Doha--if I added them
all up I'm sure I'd have over 4-5 yrs going, but will just
celebrate this 1st in Stavanger, Norway while I'm still here?!

OK, that's been offiicially counted that is - really I've been
here 2 yrs end of Sept & started blogging a month out from
that nearly while still in Houston...but am going with the counter?!
(did no one catch that, could of been a comment...)

Any excuse to celebrate - and - drink good coffee!!

Happy Blogoversary to me...and many more?!
but I should save the singing for next week...

``````

Top Photo: The Small Object Shop
Link: http://thesmallobject.com/








Benk Kaffeebar webpage/blog Link: http://www.benkkaffebar.no/

*Note: about next Tuesday, it is rumored that there's an IKEA 2011 catalog launch party going on in Norway - right now am none too sure it's just in Oslo, I think their only other choice is in Stavanger for Norway locations...


\/\/\/\/\/\/\//\/\/\/\/\/\/

London Bridge is broken down--by Vikings?!

(photo: orig London Bridge - libwiki, 1616)



(photo: orig. London Bridge -wikimedia, 1745)


From: Nursery Rhyme History...

London bridge is falling down Nursery Rhyme Lyrics, History & Origins
The Wooden Bridge

"...Many disasters struck the bridges - Viking invaders destoryed the bridge in the 1000's which let to a fortified design, complete with a drawbridge..."

Link: www.rhymes.org.uk/london-bridge-is-falling-down.htm




(photo: current day London Bridge - topcityphotos)


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From: Wikipedia...

"London Bridge Is Falling Down" is a well-known traditional nursery rhyme and singing game, which is found in different versions all over the world

Meaning and origin

The meaning of the rhyme is not certain. It may simply relate to the many difficulties experienced in bridging the River Thame, but a number of alternative theories have been put forward.


(photo: Olaf II Haraldsson of Norway - The Big, then became St. Olaf - wikipedia)


The Viking attack theory

One theory of origin is that the rhyme relates to supposed destruction of London Bridge by Olaf II of Norway in 1014 (or 1009). The nineteenth century translation of the Norse saga the Heimskringla, published by Samuel Laing in 1844, included a verse by Óttarr svarti, that looks very similar to the nursery rhyme:

London Bridge is broken down. —
Gold is won, and bright renown.

Shields resounding,
War-horns sounding,

Hild is shouting in the din!
Arrows singing,

Mail-coats ringing —
Odin makes our Olaf win!

However, modern translations make it clear that Laing was using the nursery rhyme as a model for his very free translation, and the reference to London Bridge does not appear at the start of the verse and it is unlikely that this is an earlier version of the nursery rhyme. Some historians doubt that the attack ever took place.

....

The game

The rhyme is often used in a children's singing game, which exists in a wide variety of forms, with additional verses. The most common is that two players make an arch while the others pass through in single file. The arch is then lowered at the song's end to "catch" a player. In America it is common for two teams of those that have been caught to engage in a tug of war."

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Bridge_Is_Falling_Down

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



(photo: wikimedia, old London Bridge now at Lake Havasu, AZ - USA)



(photo: old London Bridge, before it was moved to Arizona, 1831)


Note: not just a vague Viking theory it seems, because on the Original Bus Tour in London, England as of this past weekend the tour guide mentions this as "not" a theory but as if it's some kind of legendary fact to quote while we were indeed passing over the current version of the London Bridge up atop a typical red doubledecker bus & she added that one old London Bridge was bought & moved stone by stone to the USA, now over a river in Arizona...

And I'm not the only one that found out the London Bridge is "not" the Tower Bridge