Travelfood

If Norway would not be one of the most expensive countries in the world, it would certainly be one of the most visited ones. It is after all one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Maybe it plays an importance that it rains a lot by the Atlantic coast and that the best time to travel is during a short time in summer, but the moist weather also means that the temperature hardly ever goes below zero outside the mountain areas and the glaciers.

The best way to travel in Norway is by train, so that you can concentrate on all the gorges, fjords, mountains and glaciers. From the capital of Oslo it is worthwhile to travel by train to the other big city Bergen. The 20 kilometer long train journey from Flåm to Myrdal might be the most beautiful train route in the world. Further north, after Trondheim, the coastline is so fragmented that it is easier to travel by boat or plane. Day or week tickets are recommended since individual train trips are expensive. If you want to see the fjords from a boat, I recommend the Hurtigruten line, which offers whole cruises or individual legs between the many port cities in Norway. There are, however, also less expensive alternatives, such as fast-boat cruises along the Sognefjord from Flåm to Bergen.

Norwegian food is in practice mutton or fish. Crabs, mussels and other seafood are available and they are fresh, but it might be a bit tricky to find a fish restaurant among the numerous hamburger restaurants. If you want something extraordinary, you need to find one of the many ways to prepare cod, such as dried cod or fermented cod. Lied cod is a popular dish during Finnish Christmas and it originates from Norway. My own favourite is gravlax (salted and spiced raw salmon) and no-one does that as good as the Norwegians do.

The most interesting sight in Oslo is in my opinion the Frogner-Vigeland Park, with dozens of big statues by the great sculptor Gustav Vigeland. Oslo is a modern city and there are not many sights that are connected to Vikings. You get the best Viking experiences by viewing the modern, blond, largesized Norwegians for example on Oslo’s main road, Karl Johan Gade.

Europe, food, Norway, travel, travel experiences