Last Thursday I discovered why people come to Norway – or stay here……. I’ve thought about this for some time, but now I’m sure. Absolutely sure.
It’s not the people, or the sing-song lilt of the language, the skiing or fjords.It’s not amazing sights like Preikestolen or the Northern lights. Nor the quaint towns and villages. Not trolls or elves at Christmas or fireworks at New Years. And I might add it is in SPITE of the high taxes and the Norwegians’ love of rules and processes.
It is the SUN!
Right, you say, laughing. And here you are complaining all the time about the gray skies and rain. Yes, but that’s exactly it. There is a magic in the sun here that makes you forget that there ever were clouds. It’s kind of like holding your new baby and forgetting that there was pain in his coming.
When the sun does shine, you see just how crystal clear the air is, how blue the sky, how amazing the water. Crystal isn’t exactly the word either – it sparkles like the rarest, clearest diamond.
On December 13, I blogged about going on a fjord cruise in the snow…… fjords are truly amazing in any weather. Well, the Thursday after Christmas Sue and I took the same cruise, and the sun shone. There was still snow on the cliffs, which showed the crevices and fault lines. The wind was still freezing cold. But the sun!
Just check out December 13, “Another Kind of Cruise”, and then look at these shots.
Preikestolen from the bottom – something we didn’t see in the snow. It looks so tiny ‘way up there.
Closer view – not so small, but oh, so high!
Craggy cliffs –
The Hanging Falls – 
The ice is melting today in the sunshine-
A few clouds in the sky –
The wake – snow covered mountains in the distance.
Now, doesn’t it make you want to experience it for yourself? Even in the winter?
wanderingquilter 
Kathi, as usual your photos speak volumes. It has been such a marvellous adventure to follow your experiences in Norway – looking forward to hearing about your next one.
Based on my visit to Oslo a few years ago, I’m pretty sure people don’t come to Normway for the cheap food 😉 Stunning pix.
Not cheap food, that’s for sure, but usually really good food. Don’t know anywhere I’ve found such a variety of good bread.
Come to Germany and you are in bread heaven! 😉
Sorry that should be Norway. Wish you could edit comments.
Yes! The sun does change everything. What stunning places you have seen. Makes me want to go back to Norway for sure now. Just have to hunt up the second cousins and see if we can arrange a visit back to Stavanger…one day. Meanwhile, we are enjoying cold and snow in Korea, but not quite the striking views in the middle of Seoul.