World Country Guide

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Food & Drink
Breakfasts are often enormous with a variety of fish, meat, cheese and bread served from a cold buffet with coffee and boiled or fried eggs. Many hotels and restaurants serve lunch from a koldtbord (cold table), with smoked salmon, fresh lobster, shrimp and hot dishes. Open sandwiches are topped with meat, fish, cheese and salads. Other dishes include roast venison, ptarmigan in cream sauce, wild cranberries, multer (a berry with a unique flavour), lutefisk (a hot, highly flavoured cod fish) and herring prepared in various ways.
Aquavit (schnapps) is a popular drink, but in general alcohol is limited and expensive, although beer and wine are generally served in restaurants. Bars have table and counter service. Licensing laws are strict and alcohol is sold only by the State through special monopoly. Licensing hours are also enforced.

Nightlife
Several hotels and restaurants in Oslo stage cabaret programmes and floor shows. Venues change so it is best to check in the local newspaper. Theatres, cinemas, nightclubs and discos are located in major centres. Resorts have dance music, and folk dancing is popular.

Shopping
Most towns and resorts have a shop where typical Norwegian handicrafts are on sale. Silversmiths and potteries are numerous and worth visiting. Traditional items include furs, printed textiles, woven articles, knitwear, woodcarving, silver, enamel, pewter, glass and porcelain. Tax-free cheques can be obtained from any of the 2500 shops carrying the sticker ‘Tax free for tourists’. These shops save visitors 11 to 18 per cent of the price paid by residents. VAT refunds are paid in cash at airports, ferries, cruise ships and border crossings. Shopping hours: Mon-Wed and Fri 0900-1700/1800, Thurs 0900-2000, Sat 0900-1300/1500.

Special Events
For a full list, contact the Norwegian Tourist Board (see Contact Addresses section). The following is a selection of special events occurring in Norway in 2005:
Jan 13-16 International Film Festival, Tromsø. Jan 20-23 Polarjazz. Jan 26-30 Northern Lights Festival, Tromsø. Feb 10-13 Winter Arts Festival (music, theatre, art exhibitions), Narvik. Feb 15-19 Rorosmartnan. Mar 5-12 Finnmarkslopet. Mar 12-13 Holmenkollen Ski Festival. Mar 13-20 Borealis - Bergen Contemporary Music Festival. Mar 20-28 Easter Festival. Apr 4-10 Snowjam. Apr 30 Svalbard Ski Marathon. May 25-Jun 5 Bergen International Festival. Jun 3-13 Oslo Festival. Jun 4 Norwegian Mountain Marathon. Jun 8-11 The Great Norwegian Humor Festival. Jun 8-12 Viking Festival. Jun 17-20 Norwegian Wood, music festival. Jun 18 Midnight Sun Marathon, Tromsø. Jul 29-20 Cherry Festival. Aug 4-14 Peer Gynt Festival, Vinstra/Gala. Aug 5-14 Nordland Music Festival. Aug 11-14 Mandal Seafood Festival. Aug 15-21 Oslo Jazz Festival. Aug 18-26 Norwegian International Film Festival. Aug 24-27 Norwegian Food Festival. Dec 22-31 Christmas in Lillehammer.

Social Conventions
Normal courtesies should be observed. It is customary for the guest to refrain from drinking until the host toasts their health. Casual dress is normal. Lunch generally takes place between 1200 and 1300 and dinner usually takes place at 1700. It is customary for an invited guest to offer gifts to the host/hostess of a meal. Punctuality is expected if invited out for dinner. Smoking is prohibited in most public buildings and on public transport (although there are often special spaces for smokers to indulge in cafes, bars and restaurants. Tipping: It is not customary to tip taxi drivers. Waiters expect a tip of no more than 5 per cent of the bill; porters at airports and railway stations charge per piece of luggage. Hotel porters are tipped NOK5-10 according to the number of pieces of luggage.