Moss and Some More Food Adventures

This is a picture outside my living room window.  There was no filter, just sunset making a pink glow on the trees and this cute house across the street.  Yesterday and today have been less adventurous then Saturday, but I did go on a walk on Sunday around the town and got some pictures of the town.  There is much more of the town, but I'm still figuring things out.  Here's some of what I saw.

This is ACN (American College of Norway) and classes start tomorrow!  My apartment is down the street from this building.  And here's the front of the building:

Too bad it's not precious right?

On the street where you live!  This is my street. ACN is on the right (not pictured) and I'm looking down to my apartment building you can just see on the left, the far red building.

This is a cute building or house on my walk.

This is a cute little church and the Moss Hotel. That's it for now on Moss.  I'm sure more pics to come.

Today was an eventful day.  I visited Sarpsborg to get officially VISAed, had an orientation at ACN, and had more food adventures.  For my work VISA I needed to appear at the police station within 7 days of my arrival in Norway to get a residence card.  The police station where that is handled is in neighboring Sarpsborg.  It was about a 30 minute bus ride.  It was an easy and successful trip thanks to my ACN colleagues that helped me navigate and texted me when I was panicked about which bus station to go to. I got my VISA and was on my way.  In fact I told my bus driver I needed to go to the police station and he helped me and took me to the stop just across the street so I wouldn't have to walk far.  Thanks helpful Norwegians! 

On the way back from Sarpsborg I was earlier then I planned and the bus just happens to drop you off at a convenience store so I had other hot dog.  I can't stop myself!  They are so good.  It was just as good the second time! I'm told that they serve hot dogs with shrimp or potato salad.  That those are condiments not sides in Norway.  Becky from ACN schooled me on the ways of Norwegian eating.  I have not tried the salad on my hot dog, but I'm game.  She also said that caviar in a tube and liver pate is kid food in Norway.  She said her 9 year old is picky and won't touch a PB&J but give the kid liver pate!  

Becky and I got on the food conversation when I told her about my dinner last night.  I tried the fish cakes from the earlier shopping excursion.  She told me they were probably kid food.  I think they taste like nothing and have the texture of a sponge and I'm not talking about cake sponge, but like a kitchen sink sponge.  I even translated the directions!  I warmed them in a pan with butter - that has to make anything taste good.  Here's a pic to remind you what they look like:

If ever your thinking hmmmm...I'll try some of those mini fish cakes...ABORT ABORT!  I seriously would rather eat a dirty sock.  However, this is the only thing in Norway I haven't liked.  So far Norway still is looking pretty good!

Brittney and I also ventured to the Asian Market.  It was WONDERFUL!  They had tons of produce, for great prices, and just some great staples to make stir fry.  I've given myself this week to get settled then I'm back on eating food for real people and not just hot dogs everyday.  So the udon noodle stir fry for next week it is!  Here's some of what I got.

This is not the greatest pic, but I was in a hurry.  It was dinner time! I bought only two things I didn't know what they were.  Item 1 the box with blue trim in the middle.  They are these cake like cookies with a coconut gel filling.  They are good!  Item 2 is the bag in the back.  It is a rice cake-like thing that is semi-sweet.  Again, not bad!  On the left are the udon noodles that are individually packaged in portions!  I have soy sauce, siracha, the jar on the right is honey with the honey comb, and my last find is the jar in the middle - black bean paste.  

Let me take a moment to praise the wonders of fermented black bean paste.  This item was originally introduced to me by my wonderful friend Kathleen.  She has schooled me in all things stir fry.  This paste is amazing and will turn your stir fry in to delicious meals and you don't have to buy 47 different sauces.  Do yourself a favor - try it! I think the Asian Market will be my new best friend.  

Lastly, dinner.  When on my first grocery shopping trip I only had a few minutes because others were waiting.  So I picked up a frozen pizza.  Little did I know I had just purchased Norway's FAVORITE pizza.  Nick, have you met Nick? He works at ACN too.  Here's him and me ice skating at the ACN welcome weekend activities. 

He told me I had purchased the most famous brand of pizza in Norway!  One of the students at ACN told me that he heard 250,000 of these pizzas are consumed every Christmas Eve in Norway.  Now...he didn't cite his sources, but I'll take it for a good endorsement.  I give you Grandiosa Pizza.

I thought I was buying a peperoni equivalent.  Turns out it's ham and cheese pizza.  That's right.  It's ham and cheese (with red pepper bits) on cardboard.  It is not good at all, but if I can eat Totino's pizza rolls I can eat Grandiosa!  

Tomorrow will be a big day! It's the first day of school!