Saturday, September 4, 2010

Mesna Dam Opening

A few days ago, I wrote about a little hike that Tika and I did along the banks of the Mesna River. I even posted a photo.

Once a year, the dam at the top of the river (is "top" actually a geographic term?) is opened to allow the river to flow down at full volume and velocity and "clean out" the river. That day was today. (Erik was out of town, very bummed to have missed it).

It is apparently, quite the Event. People line the sides of the river to watch huge waves of water rush down the falls, all the while drinking coffee from Thermos bottles and eating what look just like hamburger buns, but have to taste better than that. . .  One gentleman in his 30s was dressed up in a suit jacket, tie and dress shoes, because people in Norway dress UP on Big Occasion Days. A small middle-school band played Norway's version of John Phillip Sousa marches and marched across the bridge and up the rocky, wet, slippery trail. And two enthusiastic people dressed up as trolls. Yes, trolls. Norway's kind of obsessed with them.

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