Wednesday 23 June the Norwegians in Singapore celebrated St. Hansaften at the Norwegian Seamen’s Church. More than 50 young and older Norwegians enjoyed traditional Norwegian summer food, good company and entertainment.
After a warm welcome from Stein Mangersnes and singing a grace everyone rushed to the buffet dinner with shrimps imported from Norway, eggs, and home-made bread for the grown ups. And hotdogs for the children.
Two of the guests at the Norwegian Seamen’s Church this night were Aleksander Nestander and Andreas Ulvestad, both trainees at the Norwegian company Veritas. Andreas has been at the church a couple of times before and invited Aleksander to join him at St. Hansaften.
After dinner there was a small bonfire. Mostly for the kids who enjoyed barbecued marshmallows self-made on the remains of the fire.
Some regulars at the church in Singapore, who also joined the St. Hansaften celebration were the three friends Anne Olsen, Beate Baater, and Vera Pedersen together with their husbands and children.
The three families often attend the church’s activities and planned to come to St. Hansaften together.
“It’s nice to come here and dine together. We often come here at the church. Maybe three or four times a month,” said Vera Pedersen.
While the children were playing all over the church’s area over their parents and other adults enjoyed coffee, layer cake and brownies.
At the end of the evening it was cinema night for everyone. For adults the movie about the famous Norwegian resister Max Magnus and for the children Swedish Pippi Longstocking.
In the kitchen was Therese Handelund, who has worked on the church as “housewife” for six years. She told that the shrimps were imported from Norway, but that the strawberries on the layer cake was bought in the supermarket and from Korea.
And just before everyone left the man of the night, and one of the organizers Stein Mangersnes said he was greatly satisfied with this St. Hansaften at the Norwegian Seamen’s Church in Singapore.
Take a look in the photos below.
