NORWAY

Oslo
The largest city in Norway is also one of the most fun to walk around. As the capital, the majority of Norwegians live here, and as a result the streets are always full and lively. Street performers are a constant walking down the street in the late afternoon. There are also several interesting places to visit in Oslo . One of the best is the Folk Museum which chronicles Norwegian culture from Viking times. Whether it’s watching the traditional Norwegian dances to traditional music, or playing an old folk game on stilts, there is a big sense of solidarity and fun. One of the most fun and interesting memories was of the Hardanger lefse. We were walking through the museum when the rain began to pour and we ducked into a small cottage off the side of the road. To our surprise and happiness, inside there were two very nice women baking lefse (traditional Norwegian bread). We were treated to a few pieces fresh and hot off the oven and relaxed there for a bit.

 

Bergen
The second largest city in Norway is also one of the most lively and beautiful. Situated right next to the sea, there’s always a fresh supply of fish at the open air markets. The variety of fish of different sizes and colors made it so much fun just to run around and look. Some of the fish looked rather funny with what seemed to be enormous tongues sticking out of their mouths. In reality, what had occurred is that many of the fishermen do a bit of deep sea fishing. When one pulls a fish out of the ocean and the fish was originally very deep down (where the pressure due to water is immense) and does so rapidly, the huge change in pressure over a short period of time warps the body of the fish. This can force organs out, thus making the fish look like it has an enormous tongue. Entire families were out there selling their wares and chattering in Norwegian. We took a trolley up the nearby mountain and from the very top one could see the entire city. It was absolutely gorgeous from the top, and the troll statues on the top helped create a feeling of fun and such. Supposedly, if you look very carefully at the forests in Bergen and other wooded parts of Norway , you may be able to spot a troll.

Å
Å is a tiny fishing village situated in the midst of many fjords and opening out into the sea. The village has a serene sort of beauty with the small painted houses, the dried cod all over and the fishing boats tied at the docks. There is a sense of isolation; due to it’s location on the Lofoten islands it’s only accessible by boat. However there is also a sense of peace and tranquility about the island. All the inhabitants know each other well and are friendly, but at the same time they all have a deep seated connection with the land and the ocean as well. When exploring the rocky coast and gazing out at the sea, it’s easy to capture that sort of feeling oneself.

 

Lofoten Islands
These islands are located in the northern area of Norway , making the climate there very cold. The population is infinitesimal. One of the largest islands has a population just over 30. We stayed with Shirley auntie’s transfer student Malene and her family. We were taken on a fishing trip that was absolutely amazing. All of us were on a huge trawler outfitted with GPS systems, depth recording systems, and huge nets/lines for us to use to catch fish. I myself caught six fish of my very own!

 

Svolvær
Here we stayed in a B&B and had a fantastic time in the town. The city is surrounded by small peaks which provide a small challenge to hiking enthusiasts. We took it upon ourselves to climb one of the peaks, and by the time we reached the top, we found it necessary to take our wool caps out and jackets too. The cool weather is much worse the higher you go.

Public Transportation
Public Transportation is extensively used, not to mention in very good condition. There is hardly anywhere one has trouble getting to via public transportation. Through out our trip, we used nearly every type of transportation that one can think of. We went by bus, streetcar (trykk), taxi, plane, train, T-ban (the subway) and ferry. One of the more interesting experiences was when we traveled on a 39 passenger plane that had stops that travels across Norway , from Bergen all the way to Bodø. We nearly got off on the wrong stop on that plane, it was quite the adventure. At one point we met a bus driver with which we had the opportunity to discuss Norwegian living standards and salaries with. We later verified this, but in Norway the wage gap between bus drivers/other jobs that do not require a university education and those that do such as doctor, lawyer, etc is much smaller than here in the United States . This due to the socialistic system of government that is in place in Norway . What with government oil wealth and whatnot healthcare, education and other public services are greatly subsidized and the general standard of living is very high.