Brest, France: Largest wooden boat gathering in the world features Norwegian boats

Mark your calendars!

July 13-19,2012 is the next Brest Maritime Festival in the region of Brittany, France. The festival features more than 2,000 historic ships from 30 nations and expects 700,000 spectators. I was warned by friends who attended the last one to plan ahead if you need to use the toilet. Lines were 2 hours long at times! A little challenging for you beer drinkers:) I'm going to do my best to be there and hoping others from USA and Canada will be there too.

Here's a Google Translate version of the story announced in Afterposten Norway today for fellow English speakers: I'm sure my Norwegian friends can improve this translation, but it's the best I could do this morning.

Norwegian Culture a Hit in France! 1100 years after Rollo made the landings in Normandy, Norwegian sailors again shut down the French coast. This once peaceful - in the coastal city of Brest in the neighboring region of Brittany. Published: 13.nov. 2011 (16:30) Updated: 13.nov. 2011 (16:30) A fleet of 20 Norwegian traditional boats and historical vessels should adopt the world's largest maritime festival a week in July next year. This time we are not as feared violent men and conquerors, but as invited guests of honor to display the best of Norwegian Marine Technology, Norwegian craft traditions at their best, and two thousand years legendary seafaring history. - But it is not just to look back and reminisce about the past. We will also bring the knowledge of the Norwegian maritime industry into the future. The world should know that Norway is still a leader in the maritime technology and development, says project leader of "Norway to Brest 2012", Tore Friis-Olsen Association COAST said. Significant From a "Village" to Norway next to the traditional culture and boat building, also display new technology and systems for improved traffic monitoring and environmental emergency on the coast. - Norway is the world leader in several of these areas. Here, the NCA a key player, says Friis-Olsen. There are no insignificant event Norway is actually a central part of the 13-19. July this summer: It has been 20 years since the coastal city of Brest held its international maritime festival for the first time. Since its debut in 1992, the event has grown big and lasting: More than 2,000 historic ships from 30 nations and 700,000 spectators from around the world are expected at the festival 2012. Maritime sensation Norway has participated from the beginning and also at several other international maritime festivals. But this time we supply a whole nygammelt treasure: daredevil, true copy of the medieval discovery Barcode 6, the best preserved of the 13 boats detected during development in Oslo. The eight-meter long cargo ship is a replica of the oldest "plattgatter" - flat transom, reconstructed with two masts, clinker built of timber engineering and dated to oslofjord area in 1595. Type of the typical features of the Skagerrak and Eastern Norway. - Nothing less than a maritime sensation. A "missing link" in our ship's history, said a very excited and enthusiastic Senior Curator Terje Plank NTB as traditional boat building Lars Stale Farm last summer began construction of the replica of the open stage at the Norwegian Maritime Museum. In autumn, it launched the Bygdønes, and meaning is just the vessel to be used in education and culture. As the festival in Brest. Many treasures But many other liquid treasures from Norway to appear in France. Both older and younger Norwegian ship technology and treasures that reflect nearly 2000 years of Norwegian maritime history, is placed at the scene for an international audience. Norway is a highly respected participant in the festival, held every four years. - In fact, we next present the third time in a row as "Guest of Honour" - guest of honor, thanks to our marine and historical traditions. We are alone. We are proud of, but it commits, we must deliver. And what shall we do, says Friis-Olsen. - Boat building and that the public can participate and learn from our craftsmen have been one of the success factors in Brest. The Norwegian investment in Brest is a collaboration between such League of COAST, the Norwegian Coastal Administration, Norwegian Maritime Museum - former Marine, the Marine Institute, Geitbåt - and the Navy Band who will perform a spectacular fireworks show. (© AP)