When you arrive in town

Note : post publish September 19th 2022

If I say Scandinavia you might think of fjords, igloos, penguins and ice.

But it's also a rich culture with its own history, cities and even people who live there !

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The scandinavian city

Norway is where people drive electric cars, live in colorful houses with a flagpole and dress halfway as if they were about to go hiking. That's Norway.* - A.P.

*The quote applies equally to Sweden

Additionally we could add :

• Stores partly underground and well-designed shoppping malls.

• Eclectic neighborhoods blending Viennese-style houses, ultra-modern architecture and traditionally wooden-clad homes.

• High prices for beer, but honestly for everything, but especially beer.

• Sculptures or artworks at every street corner or in the woods.

But far be it from me to endorse the role of the tourist guide (apparently there's already a few books that used that concept). Let's rather explore the unusual with a sampling of memories from the cities I've passed through.

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Stockholm, the First

Neither the top-ranked city for coolness, nor the first in my heart, nor even the top in the SHL rankings, Stockholm is just the first Scandinavian city I've seen.

And I can't say much about it because I spent less than 12 hours there... Oh yes the bus terminal is very well organized !

That's all for Stockholm.

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Kalmar, the Old One

Don't see any form of anti-elderly segregation in this affectionate nickname, it's just that Kalmar is one of the oldest cities in Sweden.

And speaking of old it means there are plenty of stories to tell and also plenty of delicious dishes ! Do you think it sounds cliché ? I'll let you judge for yourself with the staging in the castle's kitchen...

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Oslo, the Artist

Modern city with sleek architecture, Oslo is a place where art graces every street corner.

For instance there's this piece by Lars Ramberg that allows you to relieve yourself while listening to the gentle voice of General de Gaulle or "La Marseillaise" playing in the background all for 5 norwegian crowns (0.5€), making them the cheapest toilets in the city center !

But the real treat is to visit the Nasjonalmuseet where you can marvel at a semi-free Mona Lisa, one of the versions of Edvard Munch's "The Scream" (yes he made several ones that trickster !), a room filled with big colorful wool balls or even French impressionist paintings to show off a bit in front of other visitors.

Another curiosity : have you ever seen a garage for dogs with air conditioning ?

Now you have, thank you Oslo.

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Bergen, the Authentic

With its maze of alleys winding between houses and its old port, Bergen is currently my favorite city ! And in just a few days I've had quite a few new experiences there such as:

• Discovering this fountain with a statue of a naked boy that I've named the Sip Nekennam, sort of an inverted Manneken Pis you know...

• Attending a meeting of the electrician's conspiracy. If you haven't heard about it that's normal they're quite good at keeping it under wraps⚡

• Explaining to a Norwegian bartender why it was a good idea to broadcast the US Open final instead of a replay of a League 2 football match (even if Casper faltered towards the end...).

• Understanding how the city can flourish without encroaching on nature.

• Keeping an international artist company while brainstorming his next piece of modern art, but I can't say more... 😏

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Ålesund, the Capricious One

When it comes to weather Ålesund is a bit like a 4-4-2 formation : 4 minutes of light drizzle, 4 minutes of heavy downpour straight on you, 2 minutes of gusty winds to dry it all up and then it starts all over again !

In the middle of the game against the rain

If you're a skilled strategist you'll understand the need for speed when touring the city, dodging the buckets of rain.

The best bet would be to engage in a bit of urban exploration within the old World War II bunkers. Sheltered from the rain and away from the influx of tourists that floods the city upon every cruise ship arrival.

A good cultural immersion before visiting Trondheim, my last city before crossing the Arctic Circle !

Travelling through all these cities has also brought numerous encounters but I'll save that for later as there's so much to tell 😉

So until next time.

To infinity and beyond 🚀

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Bonus

While having a drink in an Irish pub.

🎶 Sympathy for the Devil - The Rolling Stones