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Navigating Norway aboard a Hurtigruten ship...we're talkintravel.
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It’s been diagnosed ad nausea by professional and amateur psychologists…the saga of the forgotten middle child fighting for attention. In Scandinavia, which stands for Sweden, Norway and Denmark, the middle child is enjoying the limelight. Seasoned travelers are discovering that Norway has culture, such as a new opera museum resembling an iceberg, unsurpassed natural beauty, and numerous artists’ colonies.
For many years the United Nations has ranked Norway as the best country to live-- which makes it a great place to visit. Begin planning your trip at the official government website: www.visitnorway.com/us. Here are a few reasons why this overlooked Scandinavian sibling should be among your top travel destinations.
N:
Stands for northern lights which Japanese women believe makes them fertile. They are best viewed from the deck of the Hurtigruten boats, (www.hurtigruten.com), the anti-cruise ship. Hurtigruten, which means fast route, started as a mail boat and it still delivers letters along with cargo and passengers. At it’s maximum summer load, only 400 people are on board. This is the only way to see some areas of the dramatic coastline including waterfalls and fishing villages with simple houses painted in primary colors that resemble the pictures little children draw. Often the captain has to manually maneuver the ship into narrow fjords – steep and deep waterways carved out by massive rivers of ancient ice. The boat makes up to 35 port stops on longer trips, and offers numerous optional excursions including:
Midnight concerts at Tromsdalen Church-nicknamed the Artic Cathedral: As candles burn, musicians play Norwegian folk music against a striking mosaic backdrop.
Sea eagle safari: These elegant rare birds with white tipped wings circle the boat before diving into the water to capture fish with their claws.
O
is for Oslo (www.visitoslo.com). The country’s capital and largest city offers something for everyone:
Nobel Peace Museum (www.nobelpeacecenter.org): In these uncertain times we could all benefit by touring the museum dedicated to promoting world peace. It has interactive exhibits of previous winners and the world’s only digital wallpaper with three thousand articles about the peace prize. The museums motto is:” Not everyone can win the Nobel peace prize but everyone can work for peace.”
Opera house (www.operaen.no):
This new building constructed out of white marble resembles an iceberg. It keeps maintenance workers busy since visitors inevitably want to walk on the roof, which starts at sea level and slants upwards.
Sculpture Park (www.vigeland.museum.no): See the circle of life portrayed in the stunning sculpture park created by artist Gustav Vigeland. His life’s work (1869-1943) has more than 200 sculptures of people, from babies to the elderly, in bronze, granite and cast iron. The most popular statue is the crying boy and so many people have taken their picture holding his hand, it has had to be replaced several times!
Viking Ship Museum (www.khm.uio.no): Contains the world's two best-preserved wooden Viking ships built in the 9th century, including a boat that served as a tomb for royalty.
R
is for Reindeer
The indigenous Norwegian people called Sami make a living the same way their ancestors did by domesticating reindeer. Tourists line up to have their photo taken with a Sami dressed in traditional clothing holding a reindeer.
The Sami live at the North Cape, the northern most part of Europe, (www.visitnorthcape.com). This is the place to send a postcard for a unique postal stamp. Or have a drink on top of the world at a bar with floor to ceiling windows, the better to see the land of midnight sun. Residents of this Artic region joke that” summer lass two hours 30 minutes.
W
is for where are you from? Ask a resident of Bergen where they hail from and you won’t hear Norway. Citizens proudly state that they are from Bergen. www.visitbergen.com
Their pride is understandable. Referred to as the jewel of Norway, Bergen means the “meadow between the mountains”. A university town, Bergen was named a world heritage city by UNESCO. It has one of Europe’s largest of wooden houses where you can watch local craftsman creating wool clothing, jewelry and artwork.
Ride the Funicular (tram) to the top of Mount Floien for a spectacular overview of the city. For bargain souvenirs, shop the flea market at the colorful harbor where vendors offer tastes of reindeer and sell handmade wool hats. Purchase a Bergen card to enjoy free admission on public transit and museums.
A
is for airline.
Fly Scandinavian Air (www.sas.com) to start experiencing Norwegian hospitality before setting foot in the country. SAS puts airline food jokes to shame. A chef oversees the meals and you can eat while accessing the Internet…SAS was one of the first airlines to allow wireless connections.
Y
is for why visit Norway now (www.visitnorway.com)? There are too many reasons to list. The friendly locals speak English, its safe, and the country boasts more water than land (seven times as much!). Weather can be inclement, but Norwegians say there is no such thing as bad weather just bad clothes.
The sumptuous smorgasbords that the Scandinavians are famous for with caviar and smoked salmon calamari and of course a dozen kinds of herring will not add any pounds if you spend time walking through the cities and villages, which are all easy to navigate.
Norwegians have a policy of treating everyone the same which means the government will go to extremes for people living on isolated islands, spending millions to build bridges for instance and driving children in isolated areas to school in taxicabs. If you visit Scandinavia’s middle sibling you’ll feel special too… like a pampered only child.
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