Bonito Living

When one thinks about Scandinavia countries it’s easy to get seduced by the stories of Danish vikings and Swedish sailors, and the other two neighbours Finland and Norway seem less sparkly.

Norway is made of a strip of land besides mighty Atlantic and rugged land of giants and Nordic deities. A country that only came to be in 1905, after centuries of invasions, associations and combinations with its more powerful neighbours: Sweden and Denmark. A country covered by woods, where people are farming or fishing. It is only u til recent years with the discovery of oil and gas that Norway joined the club of rich countries, but its way of life remain closely attached to the basic values of a hard life at sea and with the elements.

Just before embarking we listened to a radio program in BBC radio4 about the fortunes of oil in Norway and how it became such a rich country. It seems that soon after the discoveries of oil and gas and thanks to a fortuitous encounter with an Iraquí man who suggested to nationalise the oil revenues rather than giving it to private companies. This seems to be the origin of the wealthy fund of Norway. Despite the high costs of stuff in shops and stores, the state pays for education and health. But for the common Norwegian those benefits could be a bit more explicit, and many complained about having to pay tolls for new roads or bridges. Nothing is perfect! Boooh!

Beyond the cosmopolitan Oslo, the provinces going north live in tune with nature and prefer the expansion of a big country to the intensity of city life. For many Norwegians the weekend is for “leave everything away” and many escape to their lodges or cabins inside the countryside. Without the comfort of the modern homes, the cabins reconnect you with nature, the rugged landscape and the simple way of life.

This idea of the value of simple things and basic tasks is also reflected in the educational system. Children do not need to be worried about exams, helping them to develop freely without the stress of marks. That’s revolutionary. Later they need to get into the marking system but those precious early years are spent in being children. When they finish school they have the opportunity to have a “Folkehøgskole” year where they learn life skills: from building a house, dog sledging or automobile principles, this time provides a buffer to become adults without the pressures of choosing a career or finding a job. They can also dedicate time to their passion and have a great time too.

It’s all about balance. For example, the realities of the polar night and the lack of light in the winter season are addressed with food supplements and day light lamps. Also there is a tradition of keeping lights on – possible also to the low price of electricity- and several legends associated to the tradition of keeping alight in the middle of the windows. Yet in the winter time it’s possible to see the aurora boreal: there is no lights without the darkness! The winter months are also months of snow, of ice and cold. But as they say here: “there is not such a thing as bad weather, but bad clothing” and soon one learn the value of layers, cashmere and wool jumpers and wind proof jackets.

Seeing first hand the expanse of the country and the facilities for winter activities it is not surprising that Norway had accumulated almost 36 Olympic medals and 16 gold medals for their athletes in the Winter Olympics in Beijing 2022! It’s a place celebrating outdoor life, the elements and the endurance of human spirit!

Of course not everything is peachy in Norway, and being a traveller only gives you a glimpse of the place. The cost of living is high, the climate extreme and Norway has social problems some associated to alcohol use. The tourist guides we met were mainly young people from all over Europe, and the native guides were rather gloomy… but personally I felt it was a refreshing change to the cheerful youngsters and a peek to the reality of the country. All, however, agreed in their love of the place.

Likewise, the summer brings the joy of midnight sun, the endless days, that for a Norwegian may result in bad sleeping, or the need to keeping doing things in daylight. Temperatures can reach 20-25 degrees and the fields are blasted with flowers and plants using this short window to get to their next phase.

Norway has a secret charm, something that does not hit you at first but unfolds slowly, like the snow. The landscapes and it’s ruggedness, the possibilities of real solitude in the wilderness and the infinite possibilities of nature are alluring and leave you wanting more!