We came out of a grocery store and I started toward a small tent that was set up by people with some pamphlets. A man approached me and I asked him what they were doing. He hesitated with his English, but told us that they were there to hand out their information about the Democratic party in Norway. He said there was an election the next day, a Sunday, when people in the party were elected. He said that if the Democrats got a majority, they would put in a man who was a friend of Barack Obama.
I asked him what the chances were and he said not good because the conservatives had a coalition and it was stronger. Before we left he gave me two roses and had us try some moose salami. I took a pamphlet and wished them well. I found it interesting that the Norwegian government is like the British where they elect their representatives and then that group puts in the man they want.
In Bergen, a picturesque city on the western coast, I talked to a woman in a shop who explained to me that even though the prices in their country were too high for the tourist, for the Norwegian things come out even. She explained that they have a free health care system. Also if a woman is working and has a baby, she gets a year off with full pay to take care of her child. A new law had been passed that gave a man 15 weeks off with full pay for child care. She said they wanted to encourage men to be good fathers and do their part in the family.
As far as education is concerned, every child starts learning English when they start school. When they are in high school they can choose from French, Spanish or German. Those who want to go on to the university can borrow money from the government and if they pass their final exams, 40% of their loan is forgiven. She said that even if parents have the money to send their children to college, the student often borrows the money because they want to be independent from their parents.
This woman told me that unemployment is low and salaries are high. I heard Leo Gerad, the president of the U.S. Steel Workers, say on TV after we got home that collective bargaining is alive and well in Scandinavian countries. Thus the reason for high salaries. I was also told that per capita, Norwegians travel more than anyone else in Europe. They have the money to do so. In a magazine article I read on the airplane it said that the Scandinavian airline, SAS, almost went under last year, but the Scandinavians would have been devastated to have that happen so it was propped up. Lufthansa claims that Northern Europe sustains their airlines with their business travelers.
The woman giving me all the information also said that Norway was the happiest country in the world. I asked her if they were ahead of Denmark who I knew had been given that title a couple of years ago. She said that they were pretty even although her remark about the Danes made me smile. She said the Danes were pretty laid back and not much bothered them. I figured she was telling me that the Norwegians were a little more driven.
Last week the happiness index came out and once again Denmark was leading with Norway as second on the list. Then came Switzerland, The Netherlands, and Sweden. The U.S, was 17th.
There are many foreign workers in Norway and someone told us that they can work in Norway, be laid off and collect unemployment back in their native country. At Nes Gard, the bed and breakfast we stayed at for three days on the Lustrafjord, the cooks were from Slovakia and go back to that country during the winter to work as Nes Gard closes for the season at the end of September.
In Oslo we saw beggars so all is not perfect of course. However this can be seen in any major city.
If I could, I would return to this country where the beauty can not really be described nor shown in pictures. However I am going to show what I saw through my camera lens. It is just a glimpse of what is there, but a taste of what is awaiting anyone who wants to make the journey. My only advice is takes lots of money. We knew it would be expensive, but did not realize it is the most expensive country in Europe in which to travel. Sticker shock, but for us, an experience we'll never forget.
Random photos of Norway
The picturesque port city of Bergen
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