NORWAY IN A NUTSHELL

Despite living in such a cold climate, the Norwegians are some of the warmest people I've ever come across during my travels.  I visited in the summer, but if you can stand the cold I think winter would be a great time to visit too.  If not for the midnight sun, then definitely for the aurora borealis aka northern lights.

In no particular order, here are my top thoughts on Norway:

1) MOTHER NATURE IS INCREDIBLE IN THIS COUNTRY


The romantic and eerie black-blue of Lyseford

Norway is home to the most magnificent phenomenons of nature including: fjords (narrow inlets of the sea that flow along steep cliffs that used to be glaciers), waterfalls (many of the world's highest waterfalls are located in Norway), mountains, and of course the aurora borealis.  If you're a nature buff, you will fall madly in love with this country.  Fishing, hiking, kayaking, BASE jumping...just name it and you can find somewhere to do it here.

2) I ALMOST FELL OVER WHEN THE 7-11 CASHIER RANG ME UP (YOU WANT HOW MUCH FOR THIS PACK OF GUM??)

According to a 2011 Businessweek poll, Oslo (the capital of Norway) is the 2nd most expensive city in the world (Stavanger was 4th).  Having visited the country (and two cities) myself, I back that poll 100%.  It was the first time in my life I had ever paid 5 USD for a can of coke.  Street food, such as meat patties and hamburgers, started at 15 USD.  Magnum ice cream bars were 4-6 USD (I don't even like magnum ice cream bars, but I never wanted one more).  My four postcards and stamps were 25 USD.  My advice to broke college students looking to do a backpacking trip around Europe?  Save Norway for your post-college days.

3) SNAKKER DU ENGELSK? = DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH?

The overwhelming answer was yes.  Almost everyone in urban or tourist areas spoke and understood English, but it certainly would be respectful to the Norwegians to at least learn how to say "thank you" (takk), "hello/good day" (hei or goddag), and "please" (vaer sa snill).  I have very few travel rules, but I always make it a point to learn how to say a few key phrases in the mother tongue of the country I'm visiting.  Don't be that snobby foreigner who automatically assumes the whole world uses and understands English.  At the very least learn how to ask, "Can you speak English?" in the native tongue.

4) IT'S JUNE AND IT'S STILL COLD...

As soon as I stepped off the airport shuttle, I was struck by how chilly it was.  It probably felt much colder than it was because I was not prepared for it.  I had just left London and naively thought (or hoped) that it would feel around the same.  For the record, it was about 45-55 degrees fahrenheit (7-12 celsius).

5) ...BUT WHEN IT'S NICE, IT'S REALLY NICE


Unreal.  I want some cotton candy now.

The Norwegians don't joke around when it's nice out.  Every park we came across in Oslo was host to hundreds of people picnicking, barbecuing, sun-bathing, and enjoying live music.  I loved all the expressions on the people's faces...the sun was out, the weather was amazing, and everything just seemed right in the world.

6) NOT A POTHOLE IN SIGHT

The second thing I noticed in Stavanger was how nicely paved the roads were.  Norway is the top oil-producing country outside of the Middle East, so the fact that its roads are well-kept shouldn't be too surprising I guess.  Stavanger, the oil capital of Norway, is where it all happens.  There's even an oil museum there detailing the history and evolution of this industry.

7) FJORDS, THE CLOSEST THING TO HEAVEN


Almost at Sognefjord (the largest fjord in Norway)

During our "Norway in a Nutshell" tour, which takes you around fjord country by bus, train, and boat, I hardly said a word.  Everything around me was just so beautiful and so stunning.  There were vertical cliffs that shot up from the deep valleys into the high cloudy, foggy sky.  On the boat ride down Nærøyfjord (a UNESCO World Heritage site), the feeling I had was that of a spiritual and almost religious one.  I decided two things while floating down the fjord on this boat:  that this would be a great contender for retirement and I need to come back here if I ever felt lost in life. 
 
8) WATERFALLS





Waterfalls flowing into Sognefjord

At first, I tried taking pictures of every single waterfall we came across, but I soon realized my attempts at this would be futile.  I gave up halfway, but still took a ton of pictures.  Waterfalls just make me happy.

9) I'M GONNA DIE, I'M GONNA DIE, I'M GONNA DIE



This looks more dramatic than it was...we weren't really as off-balance as the picture makes it seem

As I took my first step onto Kjeragbolten, a huge boulder lodged between two mountains, I felt, to my core, the purest form of terror.  It was petrifying.  I was fearing for my life.  I'm not exaggerating when I say my entire body, inside and out, was shaking vehemently.  What if I was that extra push the boulder needed to be shook loose?  I made it out in one piece, but I don't think I'd ever do something like that again.  Maybe. 

10) STREET ART, EDVARD MUNCH, AND SECRET ROOMS


Moona Lisa by Nick Walker...I just love saying Moooooooona

  I would have never guessed that Stavanger was home to so much good street art.  I hardly saw any superfluous tagging, only real paintings that happened to be on public spaces.  Very unexpected. 

Edvard Munch's infamous painting, "The Scream" I couldn't miss, not because I was particularly fond of the piece or anything, but I wanted to see it to understand how someone could have stolen it.  Also, the museum that houses it, Nasjonalgalleriet, is gorgeous and free.  Lastly, secret rooms.  I am a sucker for anything secret.  Secret dishes, secret bars, secret clubs, secret anything...it always gives me a thrill and makes me feel like a kid again.  In Oslo at the contemporary museum, Museet for Samtidskunst, there's a semi-secret room with a hot (temperature wise) installation piece.  If you want to get technical about it, it's not really a secret, but definitely easily missed because the entrance just looks like a small door shaped whole in the wall.  

11) BODIES EVERYWHERE AT VIGELAND PARK


A glimpse of what you can expect at Vigeland

The thing that impressed me most about Oslo, was Vigeland Sculpture Park in Frognerparken. It is on par with any sculpture museum in the world, except it's completely free and always open.  There were about 200 life-size bronze and granite sculptures of the human form that dotted the central walkway and fountain area, but the highlight was definitely the Monolith - an impressive totem of human bodies laid upon each other as they all reach for the sky. 
 
12) COFFEE AND FISH SOUP WARMS THE SOUL

This thought occurred to me when I had my first cup of coffee during my first winter in Japan:  you can't truly appreciate hot liquids until you've had it in a bone-chilling climate.  It is kind of strange to me, but for some reason there are lots of cities and countries vying for the title of "Coffee Consumption Capital of the World".  Norway is among them.

So there you have it...my very brief summary of Norway for you.  I feel bad for not dedicating a post to each of the cities we visited in Norway, but this is a good start for now yeah?  Now, onto Iceland, Barcelona, Paris, Valencia, Croatia, Montenegro, Austria, San Marino, Venice, Berlin, Perugia, London, and of course my (current) home sweet home, Naples.  

Safe travels!