Peace, Love, and Lutefisk: Adventures i Norge

One thing that I am constantly amazed by is the Norwegian law of taking off your shoes. Everywhere we go it seems that people are just in their socks indoors. At the elementary school in Alta, at my house, sometimes in class here at the University, at parties, and basically anywhere that is not a bar ellicts some natural instinct in Norwegians to take off their shoes. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with it always being wet and sloppy here in Tromsø, or maybe because of the fact they want to enjoy this "warm" weather while they have it, but it does make life difficult, I mean, it's hard enough to find cool shoes to wear to someone's house, but when you also have to have cool socks to go with it?! Very tough. Fortunately, I think I have found my people here in Norway because white socks are supposedly only worn by hicks in Norway...so my dark green and brown smartwool socks not only keep me warm but also help me fit it! Maybe this is where the tradition of taking off our shoes in our house comes from?