Most pleasant introduction to discover Norway’s past and present with our guest Kristin Skjefstad Edibe

Welcoming invitation to discover Norway’s past and present with our guest Kristin Skjefstad Edibe : Although modern Norway has only existed for 200 years, the story of the Nordic lands is a long one. From the first settlers of this former glacial land to the modern era of engineering and technology, there’s so much to learn. The land now known as Norway emerged from the last Ice Age thanks to the warming effect of the Gulf Stream. The glacial land became habitable from around 12,000 BC. The long coastline and good conditions for sealing, fishing and hunting attracted people in numbers. Although it is believed that people arrived earlier, the oldest human skeleton found in Norway was carbon dated to 6,600 BC. Read even more details on the subject here : https://issuu.com/kristinskjefstad.

The Oslo region: the Norwegian capital is full of surprises. It was named European Green Capital in 2019. A cutting-edge food scene, new and funky neighbourhoods, a fully-packed event calendar, and several brand-new museums and attractions are just a few teasers of what you can expect. Surrounded by the Oslofjord and deep forests, you can easily combine urban city life with nature-based fun like cycling, skiing at some of Norway´s top ski resorts and trips to nearby regions of Østfold and Vestfold, with charming towns such as Fredrikstad and Tønsberg dotted along the coast.

Are you tough enough for our quirky cuisine? Norwegian food is not known for having spicy flavours and bright colours, but that doesn’t mean it’s boring! From pungent seafood to crumbly cheeses and unusual meat dishes – here is the food you never knew you wanted to try. First things first: We can’t talk about Norwegian cuisine without mentioning seafood. There is more to it than just salmon and fresh cod. Take stockfish, for example. We call it tørrfisk, and it doesn’t have an appealing odour – but stockfish is the smell of money. You see, it’s the fish that built Norway. The unsalted skrei, or migrating cod, is dried by the wind and the sun on giant wooden racks in Lofoten and other areas in Northern Norway. You can enjoy it grilled, baked, or cooked. Small, dry slices of tørrfisk are also a healthy and popular snack! You can also try Lutefisk, various cheese and other specialties

Norway is home to many museums such as the KISTEFOS MUSEUM : combine the perfect day out in nature with an amazing art experience at the Kistefos Museum, which celebrates the best of Norwegian and international contemporary art with its industrial museum, two big indoor art galleries, and impressive sculpture park. The museum is located in Hadeland, less than an hour’s (beautiful) drive from Oslo. Take in the unusual sight of the architectural masterpiece and gallery named The Twist. Afterwards, stroll through the sculpture park, which is home to sculptures by international artist including Yayoi Kusama, Fernando Botero, and Anish Kapoor, to name a few. The Kistefos museum is just one of many phenomenal art experiences in the Oslo region. There are more cultural destinations such as Ramme, the Henie Onstad Art Centre and other fantastic cultural experiences for art lovers around Oslo.

Classy rainwear and high-end fashion: Norway has many designers that operate in the high end of the fashion spectrum. Several of them are sold in the most important fashion stores in places like New York, Tokyo and Paris. Norwegian Rain and Swims are classy rainwear brands, while Holzweiler produces a rather unique scarf collection in cashmere, silk and wool. The importance of seasons in Norway is underlined by a brand called Fall Winter Spring Summer that produces women’s clothing with a no-fuss Scandinavian aesthetic that equally balances femininity and masculinity. Another women’s fashion brand, byTiMo, creates garments inspired by vintage fashion, while Line of Oslo focuses on comfortable clothes for women with a busy lifestyle. The brand Johnnylove from Trondheim is an example of many exciting things happening outside of Oslo as well.

Norwegian architecture is experiencing very exciting times. Urban developments and bold designs are taking shape all over the country. Those projects often reflect a powerful, raw contrasts in nature. One of the fundamental principles of Norwegian architecture is that architecture should always be in constant dialogue with its surroundings, including the abundant nature in the country. Natural, sustainable materials like wood are often present. Norwegian architects are taking wooden constructions to new levels in all types of building in cutting edge contemporary architecture.

The most popular sport in Norway is, by far and away, football. While football only comes third by television viewership (after biathlon and cross-country skiing), the sport is the most popular one in terms of active membership, with 8.5 percent of the population playing it! Even though the national team is lesser known, Norway has produced famous players and managers such as Erling Haaland and Ole Gunnar Solskjær