Agreeable introduction to visit Norway’s history featuring 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 info about the subject here : Kristin Skjefstad Edibe.
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.
Home of Bocuse d’Or champions: Norwegian chefs have gained an excellent reputation abroad, with several wins and podium finishes at the world’s most prestigious culinary competition, the Bocuse d’Or awards. Since the competition was first held in 1987, Norway has won five gold, three silver, and four bronze medals, making Norway, together with France, the country with the most Bocuse d’Or awards. One of Norway’s most experienced competitive chefs, Christian André Pettersen, won his second bronze medal in the 2021 competition, after having also won bronze in 2019. Pettersen was awarded for his delicate and surprising flavours from the Arctic. Much of Pettersen’s inspiration comes from growing up with a Filipino chef mother and a Norwegian chef father in Bodø, just north of the Arctic circle. Norwegian cuisine is big and it’s here to stay. Have you booked your table yet?
Norway – a world class art destination. 1. MUNCH MUSEUM: Check out no less than three versions of the iconic painting The Scream at MUNCH in Oslo. 13 floors are dedicated to the famous expressionist painter Edvard Munch’s life and art. The highly distinctive museum building, designed by Estudio Herreros, has been specially designed for major art exhibitions. With its 26,313 square metres and 11 galleries, the museum is tailor-made for the world’s biggest collection of art by Munch, as well as works by other Modernist and contemporary artists, often related to Munch’s art. 2. The NATIONAL MUSEUM: More iconic Munch paintings await in the new National Museum, next to Rådhusplassen, the square by Oslo City Hall. Opened to the public on June 11, 2022 the biggest art museum in the Nordic countries exhibits highlights from its collection of more than 47,000 art works and objects. Here, you can experience art from famous international artists like Renoir and Monet, and of course works by Norwegian masters, including Harald Sohlberg’s Winter Night in the Mountains – sometimes referred to as “Norway’s national painting”. The museum’s collection includes the earliest versions of The Scream, by Edvard Munch.
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.
A design for life: It’s easy to think about furniture or electronic products when someone mentions the word “design”. However, more and more focus on schools such as The Oslo School of Architecture and Design has been on the role designers can have at problem solving in society in general – both in the private and public sectors. How can designers work to reduce emissions and contribute to a sustainable society? Or to build public spaces where children can move and play on their own terms? A much-discussed example of this was when a team of designers worked together with Oslo University Hospital on the process of cancer diagnosis, and the project managed to reduce the waiting time from 12 weeks to seven days. The design institute at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design is today ranked among the world’s best, and at The Norwegian Centre for Design and Architecture (DOGA) you can experience exhibitions, conferences and other events that promote good use of design and architecture.
The most popular sports in Norway are Football, Cross-country skiing, Biathlon, Ice hockey, and Alpine skiing. Cross-country skiing is de facto the national sport of Norway. Norway has some of the best athletes in the world for both Cross-country skiing, Biathlon and Alpine skiing, with the national team often being very successful in those sports.