Norway

"The land of the midnight sun."

Fjords. Northern lights. Midnight sun. These are just a few things that Norway is famous for.

Interestingly, between May and July, Northern Norway experience 76 days of the midnight sun. The further north you go, the more nights of midnight sun you get. I was there at the end of July in 2019. So, yes, I agree with what they are saying.

Say "Kos." This is the most important word in the Norwegian language. This three-letter word is a perception of "warmth, kindness, caring, togetherness, and laughter." For Norwegians, an example of "kos" is a cozy gathering around candlelight, or enjoying a cup of coffee, or holding hands watching the northern lights. 

A known fact about Norwegians, "they drink more coffee than most people, to keep themselves warm and happy." Isn't that true to some of us? And that includes me.

Norwegians have a fondness for music and food festivals. Ice Music Festival is a famous event that takes place obviously in the winter.  It features an ice stage and instruments made of ice. This must be a unique experience for someone who loves winter and music.

Who eats waffles? I do. In Norway, it's always waffle time.  If you love a heart shape of anything (I do too), Norwegians have a heart waffle to serve you.

Have you seen a fjord and what is it? It is a "long, narrow inlet with steep, steep sides or cliffs, created by a glacier." Record says there are approximately 1,200 fjords around Norway. They are home to some of the most well-known, longest, and deepest fjords in the world.

Off I sailed. 

Onboard a traditional sailing ship, we cruised the waterways overlooking the view of the harbor city.   We sailed passed numerous islands. The boat also sailed to the Bygdoy peninsula that houses museums and beaches. As the tour has promised, I had an up-close encounter with Dyna Lighthouse.

Dyna Lighthouse is a wooden house constructed in 1875 and was automated in 1972. It's an active lighthouse, a landmark in Oslo's waterway but looks like a ship sailing down the Oslo fjord. Accessible only by boat, this lighthouse is available for rent as a private banquet. I did see few more lighthouses; some are tiny ones. More stories and photos are on my "Traveling Lighthouses" blog.

While enjoying the dramatic scenery, I also enjoyed a buffet dinner with fresh shrimps. As a solo traveler, I joined the table of these lovely girls from Argentina.

One good thing about traveling by yourself is that you meet new people and some of them stay as friends. I met this retired couple from Australia whose daughter lives in Chicago.  They love to travel, and they offered me to visit them when I travel to Australia.

You have to maximize a great experience, right? You're on a sailboat enjoying a beautiful view. So a glass of Norwegian beer was not a bad thing to do. I also took advantage of taking a photo with this lovely girl who looks like Brooke Shields. She helped me chose my drink.

My 3-hour Oslo Fjord sailboat ended with a fantastic view of the golden sun reflecting on the water. I said a prayer of thanks for this incredible experience.

I found out that there's this place called "Fjaerland." It's a Norwegian book town that is open from May to September. They have a guided book tour and celebrate the book festival in June.  I will make this town a part of my itinerary on my next trip.

The day was long and not yet over. And lighthouses were following me. After sailing, the harbor was a great place to lounge in.  I bought a coffee (just like a Norwegian) and joined some people sitting around while enjoying the sights and sounds of the harbor. 

As I watched people passing by, I also appreciated the Akershus Fortress's majestic view standing still in front of me.  This fortress was a medieval castle and a royal residence. It used to be a military base, a prison and is currently the temporary office of the Prime Minister of Norway. 

Helena is her name.  I had an unforgettable ride with her. It was a fantastic experience. For sure, I would come back to sail again and hopefully see the northern lights.

Norwegians don't only love fjords, but they also love the sun. When the sun is up, this is what you see in the parks. Walking distance from my hotel, I came across this park. I wanted to join them, but relaxing with my book in a park is not new to me. So I skipped it.

For the record, Norway is one of the richest countries in the world.  It is associated with sea oil, gas exports, and petroleum. Not only they are a rich country, but the abundance of fjords make them naturally blessed. 

I don't only love the midnight sun, but I love the morning sun as well. This morning sun behind those fjords was my view on the bus heading back to the airport.  This beauty makes you meditate on what's the day and the future would hold. I left this golden sun galloping in this part of the world, but it brought with me some wonderful memories. 

From Demark to Sweden to Norway. It is here where I ended my Scandanavian trip. A new morning and a new day take me to my next adventure.

Until we meet again, midnight sun. Promise, I will try to say "kos."