Something I forgot to mention yesterday. On my way home from the charity shop I went in the supermarket just a few metres along the road. As I approached the till I saw three people who I instantly recognized as British. Everything about them showed that they were not local and more specifically British, the cheap boblejakker with hoods, baggy track suit bottoms, the kind of trainers definitely unsuited to winter weather, no hats . Then I heard them speak and could tell that they were English, from the south.
But then I was rather surprised when the woman spoke good Norwegian to the cashier.
They left the supermarket a few moments before I did but were walking slower than so I caught up with them quite quickly and as I passed I heard snatches of conversation, in English, that suggested that they were visitors which makes the Norwegian speech a little mysterious.
So today I have been looking closely at everyone I pass in the street to see if my stereotyping made any sense. Everyone I have seen today who I would identify as Norwegian has been better dressed and wearing either more suitable footwear or at least more stylish footwear. The few who were, in my opinion, poorly shod were Asian and otherwise more expensively dressed.
But I haven't seen anyone obviously poor today so it's a bit inconclusive.
