Norway—Rugged Scenery and a Country that Works

When asked about our most favorite of the 55 countries we have visited, we usually respond with “The last one we visited.” That certainly applies to Norway, which will remain near the top our list in the years ahead. We loved nearly everything about it. Especially the scenery! It was diverse, but the beauty never stopped.

We started in Bergen, then by ship among  the fjords to the Russian-Finland
 border and back. The markers show where we stayed on our inland route.

After a day in Bergen (totally mobbed with tourists), we took the venerable Hurtigruten Coastal Express north for seven days and 1200 miles, way past the arctic circle. 

The Nord Norge at Kirkenes, 248 miles above 
arctic circle. It was 66 degrees!

The 130-year-old Hurtigruten line departs daily delivering cargo, large mail
parcels, cars, and passengers to 34 coastal communities, stopping 10 minutes to three hours at each. It can hold up to 400 cruise ship passengers, feeding them well.

In the so-called ‘Troll Fjord

In the Geiranger fjord

On Lofoten Island by bus. The ship met us 
At the next stop. The cod fishermen really
Had a hard existence there even 70 years ago.

Along the way, we sailed through some spectacular scenery among the fjords and docked at quaint villages and larger cities. 

A 10 minute stop way north

A fishing village near Ørnes, just above the
Arctic circle

Leaving Brønnøysund going south, taken while
in the jacuzzi at the stern of the ship.

We could get off for brief guided shore excursions, such as walking tours, or just explore on our own. Then at the far northern city of Kirkenes near the Russian boarder, we turned around and headed south, but this time we saw the scenery we missed while sleeping on the way north.

Our biggest surprise was the number of small fishing villages and the size and modernity of some of the cities north of the arctic circle. They had busses, small stadiums, factories, universities, and vibrant downtowns. They didn’t look like old European cities.

Just a small part of Tromsø, way north. A huge music
festival was underway, where much of downtown was
closed off.

Tromsø floating sauna where a cold plunge into the
clean, cold harbor is standard fare

This was because many of them were destroyed during WWII. Norway, with its ice-free ports and mineral resources, was of strategic importance to the Nazis who occupied it during WWII. What wasn’t bombed by the allies, was destroyed by Hitler’s scorched earth retreat as the Soviet forces advanced from the north in 1944.

Honnisgsvlad, pop. 2500, the northernmost town 

in Norway. Mostly a fishing town, it had a high 

school, hospital, cafes, and more.

Early on the cruise, the beloved king of Norway died. Every Norwegian crew member seemed saddened. Passing ships no longer greeted each other by blasting their horns or noisely announcing their presence when arriving in ports. We attended a midnight concert in a beautiful wooden church in Tromsø. It concluded with a moving God Save the King sung in Norwegian. The vocalist and her three accompanists had tears in their eyes.

A tribute to the King by the reception area

We had lectures twice daily about all things Norwegian: the economy, daily living, work life, history, food, weather, culture—you name it. The big takeaway is that Norway is a country that works. Taxes are high, but the social safety net is deep. The income gap is compressed compared to the US and most other countries. The infrastructure is amazing, with bridges and tunnels everywhere.

A gas liquidation plant near Hammerfest.
At 10,000 population, it isthe northernmost
city in the world. Most of Norway’s gas and 
Hydro power is shipped abroad.

A good part is due to the North Sea oil and gas, discovered Christmas Eve in 1969. Prior to then, it was a traditional maritime and fishing nation. Now, it is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, also rich in hydropower. Unlike other petrol-rich nations which often suffer from corruption, Norway didn’t give massive tax cuts or enrich the oligarchs or royalty. Rather, it invested its wealth into education, infrastructure, health care, and a sovereign wealth fund for when the reserves are depleted. It is now the world’s largest such fund at $2.5 trillion (with a T), owning 1.5% of all listed companies globally! That equates to about $400,000 per per Norwegian citizen. Only 3% of it can be spent annually on government operations.

A charming train station from 1890 in the middle
of Nowhere, but a great jumping off point for hiking.

We left the ship early a day before arriving in Bergen to start the second part of our trip, going inland by bus and train. It felt good to be landlubbers again! The interior was just as beautiful as the coastline. And yes, the trains and busses are as punctual as the Japanese or Swiss ones. Over two days we hiked 16 miles in the Doverefjell-Sundallsfjella national park and spotted some elusive musk oxen. And like almost every other day of our trip, the weather gods threatened us, but ultimately smiled upon us.

On our 9-mile hike to spot musk oxen

And there they are! (From a safe distance.)

On a 7-mile loop on part of of the old King’s Way
from Oslo to Trondheim

We often wondered about what it was like to live here for a year, even with the dark winters and the cold. Nearly all Norwegians speak English. Once we got off the ship and away from the major tourist areas, it was so much easier to visit with every-day Norwegians. Some would reach out to us on the train, from adjacent dinner tables, and while hiking. They seemed friendly and outgoing. But as outgoing as they were, the non-Norwegians we met who speak fluent Norwegian say that it is very difficult getting accepted into friendship circles unless you are born here. Perhaps we could handle the cold and dark, but not the loneliness.

A tongue-in-cheek map from a Camino
de Santiago Facebook Page, showing how long it
takes to make friends In various European
countries. (Yellowrepresents some Camino routes.)

We were going to go to Lillihammer and also spend a few days in Oslo. But Kathy cracked a molar in two, and our itinerary didn’t leave us enough time in Oslo or Stockholm for dental care. So, we left early for emergency dental care to St. Albans, UK where our daughter, son-in-law, and six-year-old granddaughter live. It was an excellent decision! Within 48 hours of landing, she had a new laser-printed porcelain crown and fortunately didn’t need a root canal or an implant. Who would have ever thought that Americans would travel to England for dental care! (Fortunately, we had an emergency travel dental repair kit with us, or things could have been much worse.)

But while waiting a full day for our flight, we took in some of Oslo on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. The highlights were a huge sculpture park and the Framm Museum, which explored the history of polar exploration and housed a well-preserved early 20th Century arctic exploration ship and many artifacts. It was one more reminder of how we all stand on the shoulders of inventors, pioneers, and courageous explorers.

At the expense of not visiting other countries still on our list of future travels, we definitely want to return to Norway!

“What We Can, While We Can”

“What We Could, While We Could”

Goat cheese ice cream. BEST.Ice.Cream.Ever!

Erling Haaland is everywhere!

Our new favorite candy. Remember Bugles?
These are filled with peanut butter and coated with chocolate