Oddvar and Solveig came back to Per Kristian's house while we were having breakfast (and I was freaking out at the Jay), and we bid them farewell until we would be back in Oslo. Astrid, Ivan and I drove back to Mo i Rana, a long drive taking a coupe of hours. We drove past some of the loveliest country anywhere - lakes and fjords and islands and mountains and beautiful small farms.
Once back at Astrid and Svein's house, we greeted Svein, who had taken the bus back from the house in Sandnessjøen. While Ivan and I re-packed our bags, Astrid set about fixing us our first ever dinner of reindeer meat. It was really quite good. After dinner, she excused herself and Svein, Ivan and I chatted about the state of the world. I was astonished a few moments later when Astrid re-appeared in this, her "Nordlandsbunad" which means the traditional costume worn by the women of the Nordland region. Some are green, as Astrid's is, and some are blue. These are worn at, or to commemorate, significant events in a girl's life, such as confirmation. Astrid wore hers at her wedding! When her children were baptised, she wore it. The costume is hand made with exquisite embroidery on the skirt, the vest and on the little purse that hangs on the left side of the skirt. The men wear costumes with similar embroidered designs, but they knickers knickers. She looked radiant when she showed us her bunad. BTW, this is the same costume she wore at her wedding!
No comments:
Post a Comment