A Weekend in Norway

Jason and I took another adventure this past weekend as we entered into the world of Scandinavia. We spent Friday night and Saturday in Oslo, Norway - went to a great Scottish pub where a Norweigan man was covering american 80's music (ironic), ate lunch on the boats that were all tied together in the main port downtown taking in the sunshine and experienced the first of many sticker stocks on the prices here. Each beer was £8 or $16 US Dollars - wow - for one pint of beer - very expensive.

Saturday night we traveled to Bergen on the west coast of Norway, much smaller town than Oslo, very scenic and comfortable. Went for a great run in the evening exploring a park and university campus where students were laying in the grass grilling and enjoying the early "heat wave." More good live music Sat night - the Norwegians love to dance - no matter how old they are (or how good they are) - quite amusing

Sunday we took a lovely train ride in the morning to Voss (hometown of Knute Rockne for all you ND fans) and then began our kayaking adventure in the fjords (did you know a fjord is a body of salt water that is nestled between steep cliffs which has been carved away from the melting of glaciers millions of years ago?) We rowed for about 4 hours and covered approximately 10 miles of incredible scenery. We past a town of 15 people with their own 15 million dollar tunnel (subsidized by the government so they can have the same quality of life as everyone else when the water freezes), a viking burial/memorial ground, a stranded baby goat that we saved and returned to its pasture, amazing impromptu waterfalls that form as the snow melts off the top, and a picturesque green where we stopped for lunch. The rowing on the way back was tough, into the wind, and our arms and backs were quite sore by the end of it - not an activity for the weak! Amazing way to spend a Sunday though.

Sunday night we found as we stumbled onto even more live music (this time at an Irish bar); the best band of all three nights - and stayed out late listening to good old American rock and roll till late. Monday we caught every bus, train, plane and tube ride in perfect sequence and made it back to London in time for a few hours back in the office in the afternoon to catch up on emails and phone calls. A quick dinner at canary wharf and back to the flat. it goes by so fast!!

Things to remember about Norway: it stays light till 11pm so the days are long and full of things to do; Norwegians are LARGE people- tall and broad - and they dress funny; the food and drink is very expensive - everything is either imported or its "organic" and made in Norway with no preservatives/additives, etc; the government helps to subsidize everything - even the best colleges are free; the scenery in the western country is incredible - snowy and warm at the same time - water and mountains and green everywhere; people love to be outside - well at least in spring and summer. Amazing!