Norway - Vigeland Park Speaks to the Heart

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Recently, I asked one of my returning clients if she could have spent one extra day anywhere on her trip, where she would choose. I guessed she would pick another evening in the magical Tivoli in Copenhagen, Denmark . Or perhaps she would clamor for one more afternoon to soak up the serene Sognefjord from the balcony of the historically vibrant Kvikne’s Hotel. However, her answer was even better than that.

“Vigeland Park!” she replied, without a thought. “Those statues make me laugh!” She was referring to the 212 bronze and granite sculptures, hand-made by Norwegian Gustav Vigeland, that were situated in a park just 3 kilometers outside of Oslo. It may sound elegant at first, but Vigeland Park is no ordinary sculpture garden. The human forms take on anatomical arrangements and poses that can only be described as amusing. The Monolith is a human spire of 32 naked bodies towering 46.32 feet high. The Fountain is a series of men, using their backs to support the bowl of a fountain. My personal favorite, is the Crying Baby, a statue of a small child throwing a temper tantrum. I imagine all of the mothers strolling the park chastising their bawling toddlers by saying, “See, if you continue to cry – you will turn into stone, just like that one! And then I will have to leave you here!”

All of the statues depict natural human activities such as running, wrestling, nursing, hugging, etc. yet they all seem to elicit an unusual level of delight from onlookers – as though no one is used to seeing what they look like in their day to day form. My client went on to explain that she could think of nothing more relaxing than an afternoon in Vigeland Park, a bottle of wine and picnic basket, and ample amount of time to observe the locals. I wasn’t sure if she was referring to the Norwegians or the statues, but it didn’t matter. The beauty of what Gustav Vigeland has created is that the line between the statue and the human life is blurred. When we go to Vigeland Park, we see reflections of ourselves being projected as objects of art and admiration – and almost instantly, despite being thousands of miles away from home in a beautiful, but foreign country, we feel comfortable in our own skin again.

Scandinavia - Norse Mythology and the Misadventures of Loki

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Although each of the Norse gods possess their own individual attractions, the mischief-making god, Loki, happens to be a favorite of the locals to invoke upon unsuspecting visitors. He is known as the “father of lies” and does much to merit that name in terms of silly deception, malicious behavior, and outright trickery. If you’re a chronic troublemaker, you can be sure you’ll be attached to the persona of Loki in no time.

Loki was the son of two giants and a notorious shape-changer. One day, he observed the gods struggling to create the god, Asgard, and he craftily offered his assistance. Loki suggested that the gods contract a giant to do the work and he knew of just the right one, a giant that owned a strong stallion capable of lifting and carrying anything. The gods agreed, but they were worried when the giant demanded the Sun, the Moon, and the beautiful goddess, Freya, as payment for his services. Loki assured them that this would never happen because he would see to it that the giant did not complete his work on time.

True to his word, when the god Asgard was nearly completely, Loki used his shape-changing abilities to become a gorgeous young mare. That night, he crept into the work camp of the giant and seduced his strong stallion. They galloped away into the fields, never to be seen again. Without the stallion, the giant realized to his dismay, that he would never be able to complete the work on time and therefore, the gods had no obligation to give him the Sun, the Moon, or the goddess, Freya.

You will find stories such as these scattered throughout the rich, cultural history of Scandinavia. Oslo now serves as a focal of Viking history, boasting the impressive Viking Ship Museum, among other attractions. We encourage you to dive deep into the history of Scandinavia in your travels. When you know the enchanting stories that have circulated through the shimmering fjords, daunting glaciers, and serene countryside, it makes your destination that much more alive.

www.godchecker.com

Scandinavia - Norse Mythology & the Creation of the Earth

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There are many geological explanations for the exotic splendor of Norway, but the mythological account is perhaps the most creative. The story goes that at the beginning of life, there was only fire and ice – so imagine a land closely resembling the country of Iceland. These two worlds united and out of them was born the fire giant, Ymir and the icy cow, Audhulma. From Ymir and Audhulma, came the god Bor. After some time, Bor produced the three gods, Odin, Vili, and Ve.

Odin, Vili and Ve were very clever and they decided to kill the fire giant, Ymir and use his body to create the earth. They used his flesh for the soil, his blood to fill the ocean, and his bones to make stone. His brains formed the clouds and his skill became the heavens. In this way, they made a very strong and beautiful earth – including the fjords and countryside of Scandinavia.

To populate this land, Odin, Vili, and Ve uprooted two tree trunks and formed the human race. Today, those who carry this Norse ancestry have spread out all over the world. They live in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and the Baltics. Those of Scandinavian descent live throughout the U.S. as well – a lot of them right here with us in the heart of the Midwest!

People who feel these strong ties to the land of their ancestry as well as those who are struck with an insatiable curiosity for the mystique of Scandinavia make up the bulk of our clientele base. We are happy to serve you in planning a culturally rich, historically enlightening, and all-around entertaining excursion to the wonderful world of Northern Europe. Odin, Vili, and Ve would be proud to know that so many have enjoyed their handiwork.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norse_mythology

We invite you to learn more about Scandinavian travel by visiting our pages dedicated to Norway tours, Norway travel and Norwegian coastal voyage trips.

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