Norwegian Roots
 |
| Future travel teacher and his mom trying to save a buck in Norway, 1969. |
By Rick (Romstad) Steves
I remember my first trip to Europe. I was a 14-year-old, dragged to the old country by a conspiracy of grandparents and parents solely to visit Norwegian relatives. I didn't want to go, and once there, I wanted to go home.
Jet lag wasn't the problem. It was teeny-bopper culture shock: No Fanta. No hamburgers. And stunning women...with hairy armpits. But after a few days I was wild about Solo (Norway's orange pop), addicted to Polser wieners, and intrigued by all that blond hair.
In the house of my great-grandmother's birth, I began to see the world differently. Hearing cousins translate the Apollo moon landing and Neil Armstrong's first words (Ett lite skritt for et menneske, ett stort skritt for menneskeheten), it was clear to me: that first big step was not just an American celebration.
I remember being grossed out by Vigeland's nude statues in Oslo's Frogner Park. But I also remember a revelation in that same park: Watching tow-headed kids splashing with their parents in a fountain, I realized those parents loved their kids as much as mine loved me. It hit me: this planet is home to 5 billion equally-precious people. Travel was prying open my hometown blinders.
Now, as an adult, I find excuses to return to Norway almost annually: to enjoy those beautiful Vigeland nudes, visit the relatives, update my Scandinavia guidebook, accompany tour groups, or simply munch on a long skinny polser.
Returning to Norway, I find my roots. My grandfather — famous in the 1930s in Leavenworth, Washington, as a rowdy ski-jumper — was a Romstad. So, although my last name is Steves (after a step-grandfather), my blood is Romstad and that branch of my family comes from scenic Gudbrandsdalen. But I don't visit Norway just to seek out blood ties or family names on tombstones. The roots I seek are cultural.
Munching shrimp together on the Oslo harborfront, a new Norwegian friend introduced me to the ideas of Eric Dammann, a Norwegian philosopher. In the 1970s, Dammann started Future in Our Hands, a political and social movement based on the fact that most Norwegians are satisfied with their material standard of living and are seeking other ways to live better. Their goal: spending quality time with friends and family, pursuing self-actualization, and getting closer to nature.
I flew home with a new outlook à la Dammann as my most prized souvenir. Quality travel requires meaningful conversation — plentiful in Norway. Here, where city halls are as grandly and lovingly decorated as churches, I found people almost evangelical about their belief in organizing society for the benefit of all. Discussions with relatives and new friends alike often led to comparisons of our two very affluent but very different societies.
Living better by consuming less and controlling nature by obeying her are ideals I've picked up on my Norwegian travels. I've also learned to rein in my ethno-centricity. I once raved to an uncle in Oslo about how well the U.S. did in the Winter Olympics. Yes, he said, but — per capita — Denmark, with six medals, won twice the gold of the US.
 |
| Cousin Kari-Anne caught in a Vigeland embrace in Oslo. |
Norwegians are talented linguists. In Norway, the language barrier is just a speed bump. I speak only English and of all the places I've worked (shooting TV shows, leading tour groups, and researching guidebooks), communicating in Norway has been a breeze. Because Norwegians generally shift to English without missing a beat, it's tough to pick up any Norwegian. Still, it's important (and fun) to learn a few polite words.
While there are fine tours, Norway is so well-organized and uncrowded that it's one of the easiest places in Europe to tour on your own. If you're inclined to explore Norway independently, do it.
Norway is much feared as Europe's most costly corner. But the current exchange rate is not that bad. And if you take advantage of some great and unique money-saving options, travel in Norway need be no more expensive than anywhere else in Europe. Here are a few travel tips:
Tip 1: Get Good Information.
Equip yourself with a good guidebook and expect yourself to travel smart. Guidebooks are $20 tools for $3,000 experiences. And pick up information as you travel. My first stop in every new town is the tourist information office. Get a city map, learn what's on that evening, and find out where you can rent a bike, read your email, or wash your clothes. Norway's tourist offices are some of Europe's most helpful.
Tip 2: Travel in the summer.
Peak season travel is ideal: Norway lacks the summer crowd problems of Italy or France. And off-season comes with dreary weather and early darkness. In mid-summer you'll enjoy longer days and livelier sights. Open-air folk museums, while open all year, are vibrant only during July and August. Outside of summer, I find big cities most interesting.
Tip 3: Time is money — especially during your vacation.
In this age when many travelers have more money than time, remember to make "budget" decisions based not only on what saves money, but what saves time. A bed on an overnight Norwegian train — at $25, one of the great values in northern Europe — avoids a long all-day ride, saves you the cost of an expensive hotel, and carves out an entire extra day in your itinerary.
To travel smoothly, use the phone. Confirm that restaurants and museums are open and reconfirm hotel reservations. Norway has a simple phone system — every number is 8 digits with no area code. You dial direct from anywhere in the country. Rather than look for coin-op phones, buy a phone card upon arrival (at newsstands and post offices).
Tip 4: Travel "Open-Jaw" by plane and car.
"Open-jaw" is the travel agent's term for starting and ending your trip in different cities. By arranging your flight and car rental "open-jaws" (and not having to backtrack) you save time and money. For instance, fly into Oslo and home from Bergen or Trondheim.
If you're renting a car, do it before and after visiting big cities. I like to pick it up after Oslo and drop it upon arrival in Bergen (but always ask first about one-way drop-off fees). Cars are handy in the countryside, but expensive to park and unnecessary in the cities. Norway's city transit works great and day passes make it cheap. Oslo's 24 hour public transit pass ($12) pays for itself in three rides.
Tip 5: Sleep cheap by taking advantage of special deals and alternatives to hotels.
Accommodations can break your budget or be surprisingly reasonable, depending upon what you know and how you plan. You can sleep comfortably in a private home for $70 to $100 (per double) — even in the big cities. In the countryside, look for "Rom" or "Rum" signs advertising B&Bs. Hostels are another good alternative throughout Scandinavia. In addition, many campgrounds rent bungalows to campers without tents. You just need to bring sheets. Packing sheets often saves $10 a night in bungalows, hostels, and private rooms.
Tip 6: Eat local style
Norwegian restaurants are highly taxed and therefore expensive. The cost of alcohol alone is sobering. Budget eaters in Norway enjoy a smorgasbord for breakfast (often included in the room price) and find daily specials for lunch (dagens rett). You can generally get unlimited vegetables (usually potatoes) when you order a restaurant's entree. Just ask for seconds. While many Norwegian pizzerias offer a relatively cheap all-you-can-eat dinner with a hearty salad bar, the bill doubles if you order a beer. Cheap cafeterias often close early (around 5:00 or 6:00).
Picnic. Fresh produce, colorful markets, and efficient supermarkets abound in Norway. Just as you don't choose to spend the time and money to eat out every night when you're home, you can eat in during your travels, too. A picnic dinner in your hotel room can be a relaxing end to an intense day of sightseeing. When moving into a hotel, I borrow a few plates and utensils from the breakfast room and make a quick shopping trip to stock a makeshift hotel room pantry.
Tip 7: Use ATMs & local cash
These days ATMs are the way to go — easy to find, offering decent rates 24 hours a day.
Smart budget travelers use hard kroner for day-to-day expenses. Many of my favorite places don't take credit cards: homey B&Bs, cozy hole-in-the-wall restaurants, markets, and mom-and-pop shops. And these days, more and more of the shops that do take credit cards require a minimum purchase.
Norway provides the most gentle of culture shocks — awesome nature, a vivid and still-lively folk culture, and a "good government" attitude that's a real eye-opener for many American visitors. Travel smart, and it's well worth the price of admission
Last updated in 2008. For lots more information, check out our best-selling Rick Steves' Scandinavia guidebook — or join us on one of our free-spirited tours in Europe.