Norway touched heartstrings and artstrings

Breathtaking, amazing and awesome are just a few of the words I used repeatedly during a recent visit to Norway. Seeing such majestic scenes leaves a person awestruck and the words to describe what you are looking at do not seem to do them justice.

I longed to go to Norway not only to discover more about my own ancestry, but also to learn about the country, where so many early settlers to southeastern Minnesota came from and to immerse myself in the culture as much as possible. 

I had wondered many times what prompted these immigrants from Norway  to choose this area to build their new lives in America.

Hours and hours were spent learning ancestry and I was fine-tuning every detail I could think of. This was most certainly a customized trip from start to finish.

I planned the trip in Norway to begin on the east side of the country, in Oslo, and continue across the country making several scheduled stops along the way, and ending up on the west coast of the country, in Bergen, for Syttende Mai (17th of May), which is Norwegian Constitution Day. 

Oslo is a large, bustling city that is full of energy and vitality. The city is very modern with interesting new architecture while still preserving and maintaining their history and historic buildings.

The residents of Oslo, and all of Norway I would find out, are very health-conscious. Walking, jogging, biking and other healthy activities are seen everywhere you go. No matter the time of year or kind of weather, they find ways to stay active.

Norway is also extremely environmentally friendly. From large initiatives such as electric vehicles and charging stations to small details such as the caps on plastic pop and water bottles do not come all the way off when opened, to prevent littering. 

Art is very much on display and appreciated in Norway. The Munch Art Museum in Oslo is a must-see when visiting. Seeing several versions of “The Scream” painting in person and standing next to them was more emotional than I thought it would be. 

The Munch itself is an experience, with 13 floors of art, exhibitions and experiences. It houses the lifework of Norwegian artist Edvard Munch.

The Oslo Opera House, home of the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet as well as the National Opera Theatre, is a piece of contemporary art in and of itself. Visitors are encouraged to climb its roof and take in the views of the city and the fjord.

Jevnaker is a quaint town, and is home to Hadeland Glassverk, which was one of the definite stops on my itinerary. Hadeland Glassverk was founded in 1762 and is a unique business, creating beautiful and quality glass objects. The area around Hadeland Glassverk is like a small charming village with several cute shops, a bakery, and more. Lake Randsfjorden, the fourth-largest lake in Norway is located in Jevnaker and is a spectacular view. 

Visiting several stave churches brought a sense of history and ancestry while going through the Laerdal Tunnel, the world’s second longest at 15.22 miles, brings a person back to the here and now.

The town of Aurland has a special place in my heart after spending time at the Vangen Church and meeting Monica Finden, who is a church steward and helps visitors with ancestry inquiries. She is not only an amazing person but also a great contact for me going forward. There were many familiar names from the southeastern Minnesota area on gravestones when visiting several different churches in Norway.

The hotels were all more than expected, and staying at the Fretheim Hotel in Flam was perfect with the mountains surrounding it, and it was a short walking distance to the tourist areas.

I enjoyed the Norway in a Nutshell tour that leaves from Flam, which includes a fjord boat cruise, a bus ride and a train ride. Views come in to sight that are just not possible from land.

There were several other areas visited along the way including Norderhov, Honefoss, Tjugum, Vangsnes, Eithun, Svaeren, Ulvestad, Voss, Balestrand, Gudvangen and more.

Sognefjord was an important place to spend time and see where early settlers from Lanesboro and southeast Minnesota came from. After visiting this part of Norway, I can now understand why these early settlers chose this area of Minnesota to immigrate to. There are many areas in Norway that look very similar to this area of Minnesota.

Being in Bergen for Syttende Mai was certainly one of the highlights of the visit to Norway. It is a day full of parades, flags, traditional attire and partying. A big part of Syttende Mai is “the russ,” or russefeiring. The russ consists of the graduating high school seniors, who wear red and blue coveralls, and are out to have a good time.   It reminds me of Rumspringa for the Amish. Bergen itself is a very special city that I would certainly love to visit again.

During this trip to Norway I experienced big cities, small towns, rural areas, historical areas, ancestral spots and so much more. I met some incredible people, have made lifelong friends and met some relatives for the first time.

While interviewing people and asking to take their photographs, everyone was so friendly and seemed very happy living their life in Norway. The vast majority of Norway residents speak English so there was no language barrier while speaking to people.

Having the opportunity to take photographs in Norway, from the fjords to the top of the mountains and everywhere in between, left me awestruck and rekindled my passion for nature photography.

I could talk about Norway for hours, and soon, I will have the opportunity to do just that!  Please plan to attend my presentation “Norway – From the ground up” on December 2, 2023 at 1 p.m. at the Sons of Norway Lodge in Lanesboro, Minn. I will be speaking about my experience, showing many colorful photographs and will have items brought back from Norway on display. This presentation is made possible through a grant from the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts & Cultural Heritage fund. I hope to see many area residents there!