So I’ve started to notice little things in Norway that are different from anything I’ve seen anywhere else in my travels. I’ll share a couple here and invite your thoughts on what they might be for (I think I’ve figured them out, but don’t want to spoil it for you).
Above the walkway to our apartment is the 4th floor walkway, and there are these chains hanging off the side of our walkway.
In our hallway is this electric heater, and underneath is this plastic tray.
Both of these things were initially quite puzzling to me, but after some thinking, I am pretty sure I know what they are for. I’d love hear your thoughts in the comments.
A Year in Norway 
That looks like a rain chain to me (though not a very decorative one—the Japanese ones are often quite beautiful). I have rain chains on my house, because I like the looks of them better than downspouts, and because they make it easier to clear clogs in the gutters.
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Yes, that’s the conclusion I came to, after initially thinking they were for directing melting runoff from snow and ice. I have never seen rain chains before—seem like such a simple and useful idea.
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The plastic tray by the heater is probably for drying boots. Melting snow off of them would result in a large puddle otherwise.
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Yep. My initial thought was “why would an electric heater leak?”
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A boot tray! We had one growing up in Buffalo. My sister still has one in her entryway.
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