Norwegian Experience: Day 1.5

We just got an update from this year's Norwegian Experience winner, Candice Jacobson, that we thought we should share.

Words cannot express my feelings of being in Norway during such a memorable occasion.  

My day in Eidsvoll was spent touring the residence where the constitution was signed.  The park was very busy as many school children were there for field trips.  They were also busy preparing for Saturday's events.  The kings and queens from Norway; Sweden and Denmark will attend.  

We then drove to Lillihammer for the next two evenings.  Today we drove to Ringebu to connect with family and a tour of the Stave church.  The church was opened for us and the tour was done by a distant relative Einer Sperry.  The tour was very indepth and rich with history.  We then were taken to the family's farm and had a tour. We the toured the area and visited a local bakery for afternoon coffee.  

When we returned to Lillehammer we were met by our tour guide.  Our first stop was a Bunad Store where I purchased fabric to make my bunad.  We then toured the Olympic site and saw where the 94 down hill ski jumping occurred.  We also toured the museum of many restored Norwegian buildings including a stave church.  Tomorrow we head to Brambu to visit our grandfather's birthplace on our return to Oslo.  Thank you so much for this gift.

It sounds like Candice is having a great time! Be sure to keep checking back to learn all about her trip, which is sponsored by the great people at Borton Overseas!

Norwegian Experience: Day 1

For today's post about Norwegian Experience winner, Candice Jacobson, and her first day of the trip we have some photos that she and her guest took while visiting Eidsvoll. As you'll see, this is already turning into a trip of a lifetime!

The freshly restored Eisdvoll 1814 house, site or Norway's independence from Sweden.
 

 The Eidsvoll grounds was a hive of activity with thousands of visitors. a special live TV broadcast from Eidsvoll will be made on Saturday evening, May 17th. Special guests will include the Kings and Queens of Norway, Denmark and Sweden.

 The gracious museum staff made special accommodation so Candice could participate in a one hour top-to-bottom tour of the mansion.  Candice, in blue jacket, listens to a curator describe this very room where Norway's independence from Sweden was signed. Those planning to visit Eidsvoll should reserve their tour well in advance. Tours in English are limited and all visitors are required to wear shoe covers and be escorted at all times.
 
 

 A cool breezy and cloudless day welcomed Candice to Norway and the start of her 'Norwegian Experience'.

 

 The village of Eidsvoll across from the 1814 Museum and Constitution Center.

Don't forget, we are currently running the 2015 Norwegian Experience Recruitment contest, and for each member you recruit you get an entry. Also, don't forget to check out Borton Overseas, the sponsor of this contest and long-time Sons of Norway partner. Not only do they fully support this program, they also offer members a 5% discount on all travel packages booked through Borton Overseas!

Norwegian Experience 2014

Once again, Sons of Norway and our Travel Sponsor, Borton Overseas, have awarded a complimentary trip to a Norwegian Experience Recruitment Contest winner! This year's winner is Candice Jacobsen from Minnesota, and she & her guest will spend the next couple of weeks traveling around Norway, reconnecting with their roots. Over the next week or so we will be posting interviews with the winner about her trip and the amazing experiences she is having.

To kick things off, Sons of Norway did a short interview in advance of her trip and here's what she had to say:

SofN: It looks like you have a great trip planned by Borton Overseas! Is there anything you are MOST looking forward to doing during your time in Norway?

CJ: I am very excited to be making this trip to Norway and am very thankful for all the Borton Overseas has done to make this possible. 

SofN: Have you ever been to Norway before?

CJ: I have never been to Norway but it has been a dream of mine for years.

SofN: What do feel is the most important thing people should know about Sons of Norway? 

CJ: I feel remembering our heritage and sharing that with people is so important.  Sons of Norway is a great way of learning about one's heritage from the organization itself and its members.  The benefits they offer its members is also very important and helps the organization stay strong.

SofN: Do you have family from or in Norway?

CJ: I will be spending time getting to know my second cousins on my grandmother's side and tracing my Norwegian Heritage on  my grandmother's and grandfather's side of the family.

SofN: Will you be connecting with your heritage while in Norway?

CJ: Arrangements have been made to visit the farms where grandmother's and grandfather's lived in Ringebu and Brandbu in Oppland. We will be celebrating our heritage and Norway's Bicentenary by visiting the Eidsvoll Museum and Cultural Center as well as attending Syttende Mai festivities in Oslo.

We'll keep up with Candice during her trip, so be sure to keep checking back throughout this week and next.

Norwegian Experience Day 7: Isfjorden

Isfjorden from the south shore near DeGeerdalen, Svalbard, Norway.

Today Rob Kodalen and his wife Donna, our Norwegian Experience winners, are making their last pass by Spitsbergen aboard the MS Fram, courtesy of Borton Overseas and Sons of Norway. Did you miss the past few days of trip coverage? Check out our daily blog posts here.

As the last day of sightseeing, Rob and Donna will be spending the day enjoying the sights of the Isfjorden. In central Spitsbergen, the Isfjorden is the largest fjord system in Svalbard. One of the most prominent mountains here is Alkhorn, where thousands of Brünnich’s guillemots nest during the summer season. In the afternoon the expedition team will search for a fitting bay where tour participants can make their last expedition landing.

Be sure to check back to the blog in the next few weeks for our wrap up interview with Rob about the big trip, and don’t forget you too can be eligible to win the Norwegian Experience contest! All you have to do is recruit one new, dues-paying member and make sure your name is listed in the “referred by” field. Entries are taken from members recruited between January 1st and December 31st, 2012. Also, remember that you can enter as many times as you recruit throughout the year, which increases your chances of winning!

Norwegian Experience Day 6: South Spitsbergen National Park & Hornsund

Small iceberg in Hornsund by Flickr user heatherlyone

Today Rob Kodalen and his wife Donna, our Norwegian Experience contest winners,  are making their way along the southern coast of Spitsbergen aboard the MS Fram, courtesy of Borton Overseas and Sons of Norway. Not following our blog posts about the big trip? Catch up here.

The highlight of today’s travels is a visit to Hornsund. This fjord faces the Greenland Sea, and is just under seven and a half miles wide and 18 and a half miles long. The landscape of Hornsund is alpine with some very special mountains like Bautaen, or in English, the Obelisk, which, seen from the right angle looks like a giant Viking sword.

Southern Spitsbergen is largely comprised of South Spitsbergen National Park, a national park and bird sanctuary established by Norway in 1973 in the southern corner of the island of Spitsbergen, in the Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. With an area of 2,046 square miles, the park has four separate bird sanctuaries located off the southern and western coasts: Sørkapp, Dunøyene, Isøyene, and Olsholmen. Eider ducks and barnacle geese breed at the park, and there are several seabird colonies. Large areas of the park are covered with glaciers and permanent snow and ice.

Be sure to check back to the blog tomorrow to find out where Rob and Donna will be next!

Norwegian Experience Days 3, 4 & 5: North East Spitsbergen Nature Reserve and Edgøya

Bearded Seal at Monaco Glacier by Flickr user kerryinlondon

Saturday and Sunday are sure to be full of wonderful sights for our Norwegian Experience contest winner, Rob Kodalen and his wife Donna. They are aboard the MS Fram off the coast of Spitsbergen enjoying a spectacular cruise courtesy of Borton Overseas and Sons of Norway. On Saturday they will be exploring some of the most remote areas of the Svalbard Archipelago. Perhaps even reaching Sjuøyane, the cluster of islands at nearly 81º N, which are closer to the Geographical North Pole than any other landmass in Europe.   

Svalbard Polar Bear by Flickr user kerryinlondon

Another stop along the way will be the giant Woodfjorden system on the Northern side of Spitsbergen. Which is home to the enormous and fast moving Monaco Glacier. In front of this dramatic glacier the mixing of fresh and saline water creates excellent feeding grounds for sea birds. The Jotunkjeldane thermal springs in another branch of the Woodfjorden system are unique – they are the northernmost documented thermal springs on Earth.

On Sunday they will be visiting the spectacular bird cliff of Alkefjellet, which is referred to as the Piccadilly Circus of seabirds; its 300m spires rise directly from the sea and create perfect nesting conditions. Tens of thousands of breeding pairs of Brunich’s guillemots as well as Kittywakes and Glaucous gulls nest in this area.



Brunnich's Guillemots at Alkefjellet from Arjen Drost on Vimeo.

Monday will bring a visit to Edgeøya, the third largest island in Svalbard, and the South West Svalbard Nature Reserve. The reserve is rich with wildlife, especially polar bears, reindeer, walrus, sea birds and geese. Navigating the Storfjorden also yields spectacular views of the east coast of Spitsbergen.

Be sure to check back to the blog on Tuesday as we update you on the next Norwegian Experience destination on the cruise!

Norwegian Experience Day 2: Kongsfjorden and North West Spitsbergen National Park

Spitsbergen Cruise Map

It is time for an Norwegian Experience update! Day 2 of the trip is underway and Rob and Donna Kodalen, our recruitment contest winners, will be making their way along the west coast of Spitsbergen aboard the MS Fram. Haven't been following our blog coverage of the big trip provided by Borton Overseas and Sons of Norway? Catch up by reviewing the previous blog posts here and here.

The first leg of their journey will take them to Kongsfjorden, the largest fjord on the northwest coast of Spitsbergen. The landscape varies from large tundra plains to alpine peaks with dramatic glaciers breaking into the ocean. Two glaciers, Kronebreen and Kongsvegen, are at the head of the fjord. At 78º 55’N, Ny Ålesund is the world’s northernmost permanently inhabited community, where a number of countries run their own national research stations. Activity here swells from around 30-35 permanent resident researchers to around 180 in the summer months. To take a peek at what daily life is like in this remote research settlement, click here. 

The next destination will be the Magdalenefjord, which is home to a very important piece of cultural heritage; a whaling station from the 16th century, including a graveyard of whalers who died during the first oil “gold rush”. This area is also part of the North West Spitsbergen National Park, which is filled with mountain peaks, glaciers and offshore islands. The park is also home to seabirds, reindeer, arctic fox, polar bears and walrus.

What's on deck for the rest of the weekend? Stay tuned to find out!

Norwegian Experience Day 1: Longyearbyen & Barentsburg

Svalbard © Jens Henrik Nybo/www.visitnorway.com

Picture it: You’re aboard the MS Fram in the waters of Northern Norway experiencing the incredible scenery of Spitsbergen’s most remote areas. Watching the midnight sun create “unearthly hues” on the sea’s surface, ice, and glaciers. Sounds pretty good doesn’t it?

Starting today, our Norwegian Experience winner, Rob Kodalen and his wife Donna will be embarking on the trip of a lifetime, an 8-day Hurtigruten cruise of the waters surrounding Spitsbergen, courtesy of Borton Overseas and Sons of Norway. Svalbard is home to seven Norwegian National Parks and over 60% of it is protected land. To learn more about our winner, check out our blog post here.

To kick off their cruise, Rob and Donna will be exploring Longyearbyen and the surrounding area on a guided bus tour before embarkation. Longyearbyen is a Norwegian settlement often referred to as the capital of Svalbard. This is a lively small town, situated amid some incredible Arctic landscape. Barentsburg is a Russian settlement with an exotic collection of Russian artifacts and architecture. This “Company town” was built in 1935 around the entrance to the coal mine.

Be sure to check back to the blog tomorrow as we fill you in on the next destination in Rob and Donna’s Norwegian Experience journey, the largest fjord on the North West coast of Spitsbergen, Kongsfjorden.

Norwegian Experience 2012

Sons of Norway and Borton Overseas are very excited to introduce the latest winner of the Norwegian Experience recruitment contest, Rob Kodalen! Rob and his wife Donna are already having a great time in Norway doing some site seeing on their own before embarking on the Norwegian Experience trip—an eight day Hurtigruten cruise of the waters of Northern Norway aboard the MS Fram! To take a sneak peek of the amazing scenery they'll be seeing, check out the video below.

A member since 1980, Rob has held various lodge officer positions and is a member of Poulsbo 2-44. I had an opportunity to speak with Rob and his wife Donna and learn more about them as well as the upcoming trip.

What do you like most about your lodge?
“Pretty much everything! Not really any one particular thing, the people are incredible and the lodge is very special.”

Why did you join Sons of Norway?
“I was originally from Montana so when I moved to Poulsbo years ago I was looking for a social outlet. I didn’t know anyone and it was a great way to meet people. The first person I met in Poulsbo was a member. The lodge also has a great lounge and the scenery is just beautiful. It was a great place to bring relatives when they visited.”

How did you find out that you’d won the Norwegian Experience contest?
“I was folding laundry with my wife when Dan Rude, our International President, called me. I didn’t believe it was Dan, I thought someone was pulling my leg!”

What are you most looking forward to when you travel to Norway?
“The wildlife! Donna and I have never been to Norway before and the Spitsbergen cruise will have some amazing scenery. This part of Northern Norway is something that not even many Norwegians get to see.”

The contest is open to anyone who recruited at least one new member last year. How many new members did you recruit and do you have any tips to share about recruiting?
“1. As a marshall, I have referred a lot of people, and have recruited quite a few friends over the years, but in 2011 it was just one. Anything is possible! As to recruiting, bring friends and show them what we are all about. Our lodge hosts Friday Night Dinners which are a great opportunity to bring new people to the lodge.”

How is the trip planning going? Are you having a good experience with Borton Overseas?
“YES! Linda is very easy to work with. You just tell her what your interests are and she comes up with all kinds of suggestions. We had no idea initially what we wanted to see, but with her help we were able to plan a great final itinerary.” 

Be sure to check in with us next week as we continue to blog about the big trip, and don’t forget you too can be eligible to win the Norwegian Experience contest! All you have to do is recruit one new, dues-paying member and make sure your name is listed in the “referred by” field. Entries are taken from members recruited between January 1st and December 31st, 2012. Also, remember that you can enter as many times as you recruit throughout the year, which increases your chances of winning!
Spitsbergen from LOS&CO on Vimeo.

Norwegian Experience: Day 4, 5 & 6

It has been a busy couple of days for Norwegian Experience winner, Nancy Madson, but it sounds like she is loving every minute. Last time I spoke with Nancy was on Thursday, so we had quite a bit to catch up on this morning. Since then Nancy has visited six stave churches, the emigrant museum, the historic Kvikne's hotel and the Flåm railway and more. So here goes!

In Lillehammer we visited the ice arena for 1994 Olympics. The arena roof is shaped like an upside down Viking ship. We didn’t go inside but it was interesting to see the building. The most notable part of that day was the emigrant museum in Hamar. We had traditional rommegrot and dried reindeer and sausage with flat bread. The curator at the museum was wonderful too and very interesting. He dispelled so many myths about immigration! One myth was that traditionally we think of Norwegian emigration happening beginning in 1825 but many left prior to 1825. He also talked quite a bit about the number of emigrants who returned to Norway. It was also interesting to hear that the most Norwegians emigrated in 2010—30,000 last year. Which is the most ever in absolute numbers. The curator was very thought provoking, a bit of a philosopher, it was very educational.

Later we drove through the Gudbrandsdalen Valley. I know everyone thinks of Norway for the fjords but this valley is a real contender to the fjords, it is so beautiful!

So far we’ve been able to see eight different stave churches in various stages of remodeling, reconstruction and restoration. When the churches were first constructed in the 12th and 13th centuries they were very basic and dark, changing to be more ornate during the Catholic years, and then changing again after the reformation. It was wonderful to see these churches and hear about the changes they went through over the years. On Sunday we saw the Borghund stave church in Lærdal, which is currently undergoing a restoration. We were able to climb the scaffolding and actually see many of the areas being repaired in detail. It was the best. I can’t imagine having a better tour of the stave churches!

We had a wonderful time in Undredal on Sunday evening as well. We had dinner at a goat cheese factory. We enjoyed a delicious course of cheeses as well as my favorite brown cheese, geitost. I love that cheese! We also participated in some Norwegian music and folk dancing.

When I visited in 2000 I didn’t participate in any organized tours. However, I can’t stress enough how wonderful this tour has been. I have learned so much more. Linda McCormick and Borton Overseas have done a fabulous job putting this together. If Sons of Norway decides to do another tour, I would so highly recommend it, not only because of the things you see but also because of the camaraderie with tour members. I’ve made quite a few connections with members I wouldn’t have otherwise met. It is a totally different experience than when our members get together for the convention, a tour like this helps you meet those everyday members. It really is a fabulous tour. I just hope Sons of Norway and Borton Overseas does this again!

Don’t forget to check the blog later for more updates, and be sure to visit the Sons of Norway website if you’d like to be the lucky recipient of this amazing contest for 2011!

Norwegian Experience: Day 2 & 3

Both Wednesday and Thursday have been fun-filled days for Nancy Madson, 2010 Norwegian Experience contest winner. Nancy visited the Oslo Folk Museum, Gol stave church, the Viking Ship Musuem, Parliament and much more! Let’s hear how she’s enjoying the trip!


Walk me through your day on Wednesday…did you have any favorite stops?

Wednesday was great! Last night especially! Our visit to Parliament was really interesting and the folk dance group afterward was wonderful and very large! There were dancers and musicians of all ages, from 10 to 70. There were even young children playing the accordion. Afterward we were served dessert and coffee and the dancers went out into the audience and encouraged us to dance a waltz with them. It was a great time!

I also did a bit of shopping with Luella. She wanted bunad shoes. (Of course this prompted my active imagination. So to prevent myself from picturing ornate, heavily embroidered shoes, I just had to ask. Nancy was happy to put my curiosity to rest, “special shoes you wear with a bunad-dancing shoes.”)

What did you do on the tour on Thursday?

A little bit of driving, we visited Heddal stave church, which is absolutely beautiful. Very large and decorated and it is currently in use, from April to October. They can’t open the church in winter because the electric heat would damage the interior since the church is 800 years old.

We also stopped at Hadeland Glassworks, which was very interesting and educational. I have watched freeform glassblowing before but at Hadeland today they used molds instead. I watched an artist use 3 molds in one piece today. I also did a bit of Christmas shopping for my family in their gift shop. (Nancy did give me the details on the nifty gifts she picked up--which sound wonderful--but I won’t spoil the surprise for the lucky recipients!) I also received a wonderful gift from Hadeland for being the contest winner, a beautiful cobalt blue Christmas ornament set of three hand-blown kings.

We also made a surprise stop in Eidsvoll to Eidsvollsbygningen, the manor house where the Norwegian constitution was written. Unfortunately the building was closed for restoration but it was nice to stop and see it from the outside.

When I visited in 2000 I didn’t participate in any tours, but this visit has been so much more of a learning experience. The tour guides with Borton Overseas have been wonderful. I’ve been taking notes and trying to remember everything. One of the things I learned was that Norwegians have a triangular flag as well as the rectangular flag. The triangular flag is used more for everyday use and what we would consider the “traditional” Norwegian flag is used for more official occasions. I was also surprised by the amount of sod roofs and stabburs I saw today. You think of them being “of the past” but you still see them in use in Norway. I’m hoping to find a stabbur souvenir to take home with me. I really enjoy those little buildings-some are so ornate and others are fairly plain.

I also was interviewed by John Granly, journalist and brother to our International Director Ernst Granly, for the local paper in Eidsvoll. So who knows, my picture might be in the local paper!

Don’t forget to check the blog later for more updates! On Friday Nancy will be off to Hamar and Lom to visit the Emigrant museum and the Ringebu and Lom stave churches, ending with a stay at the historic Fossheim Hotel. So, if you’d like to be the lucky recipient of this amazing contest for 2011, be sure to visit the Sons of Norway website and check out the contest details here!

Norwegian Experience : Day 1

Yesterday afternoon I had the opportunity to check in with Nancy Madson, the 2010 Norwegian Experience recruitment contest winner, via Skype. A member since 1990, Nancy has held numerous lodge leadership positions and is currently vice president of Solskinn 6-150 and a zone director. As the 2010 winner, Nancy will be spending the next week visiting some of Norway’s most scenic and historic places, including UNESCO World Heritage sites and several stave churches, courtesy of Borton Overseas and Sons of Norway. I caught up with Nancy after a busy travel day to Oslo, complete with an orientation city tour and a welcome dinner and dessert with Sons of Norway district 8 members.

How has the trip experience been so far? Are you enjoying taking part in the Presidential Tour with Sons of Norway members?
The hotel is really beautiful and the flight went well…although it was very long. I think I will probably be asleep within a minute of my head hitting the pillow! Half the fun of the trip is enjoying it with fellow members. Having common connections and interests just adds to the trip and I’ve really enjoyed meeting other members.

What are you most excited to see?
The Stave Churches! I was able to see 2 of them during my visit in 2000, but seeing 8 of the 28 of them is really something special. I’m also really looking forward to the food! I’d like to try some new things as well as enjoy the food Norway is known for, like seafood and reindeer. I am also really looking forward to trying whale during our stop in Bergen.

Any highlights from the Oslo city tour?
I really enjoyed seeing all the amazing architecture. Everything is so old and intricate. Where I live in Palm Springs everything is new, you don’t get to see carvings and stonework like this there. While others looked at the stores, I was looking up at the great buildings. I did stop into one store…a bunad shop! It almost made you drool to see all those great bunads.

On Wednesday you will be visiting the Oslo Folk Museum, the Gol stave church and the Viking Ship Museum. Have you visited these heritage sites before?
Yes, I was able to see many of these places when I visited Norway several years ago for the International Convention. However, this time I am looking forward to being able to visit with a good friend of mine who actually works at the Folk Museum in Oslo. We’re also going to experience a behind-the-scenes visit to Parliament Wednesday afternoon and a performance by a folk dancing group. Later in the day I’d like to explore the area a bit and do some shopping.

Is there anything about the city that surprised you or looked different since your visit in 2000?
I had forgotten a lot. Last time I visited I was under the weather and so it made it a bit more difficult to really enjoy the city, so everything really looks brand new to me! I did notice all the construction that seems to be happening in the city and I love the new Oslo Opera House, it is so beautiful!


Visit the blog later this week to see more updates from Nancy and exciting trip details along the way! And don't forget, you, too, can be eligible to win the Norwegian Experience! For contest details, click here.

Norwegian Experience Wrap Up

This year’s Norwegian Experience winner, Bruce Johnson, is back at home and has some thoughts on his trip of a lifetime. Here’s what he had to share:

What was your favorite part of the trip?
Norway is amazing. We spent some time in England, Scotland and the Netherlands but nothing compares to the beauty of Norway, fjords and all. The trip was so well planned and executed that we really couldn’t have asked for a more seamless and unbelievable trip from start to finish. On a more personal note, visiting with my cousins in Norway was really special.

How was it working with Borton Overseas during the duration of the trip and planning?
Excellent. Linda McCormick is super! Every question and concern we had was answered. The itinerary was superior to anything we’ve ever done before. I still don’t know how they managed getting us the captain’s suite on the MS Balmoral!

If you could do the trip over, is there anything you’d change or do differently?
I don’t think there is anything that I would change. This trip was different for my wife and I because we had the opportunity to see Norway from a cruise ship, which gave us a completely different perspective. It was amazing, we learned so much!

Any favorite souvenirs from your trip?
We have 9 grandchildren that love trolls. We couldn’t come home from Norway without getting them each some trolls and some Norwegian t-shirts. For Mary and I, the photos and memories of the trip are really the best souvenirs. You can buy things, but memories are really the best things you can bring home from a trip like this.

What advice do you have for future winners of the trip?
Enjoy. Enjoy. Enjoy. This truly is an experience that the average person could never do or plan again. You really need to absorb every minute!

What about people recruiting for next year’s trip? Any advice for them?
I joined 4 years ago and membership has really been a great adventure. After the September 2009 issue of Viking our lodge started offering ½ price 1-year memberships to new members. Our lodge paid for one half of the membership and the new member paid the other half. I was able to sign up 10 new lodge members after that. Watching the newly recruited members get excited about Sons of Norway really is a trip! Recruiting just 1 family member would make a huge difference in membership numbers. We can do it!

How has this trip helped connect you with your Norwegian Heritage?
It really is unbelievable. Before joining Sons of Norway I didn’t even know that I had family in Norway. Now I have Norwegian 2nd, 3rd and 4th cousins!* I’ve learned so much and am so much more connected to my heritage now--my cousin Jon is even trying to teach me Norwegian!

*Here’s a recap of Bruce’s story in case you missed the Norwegian Experience preview blog post. Shortly after joining, Bruce learned through military records that his grandfather had emigrated from Tønsberg, Norway at the age of 16 to join the U.S. Navy. After discovering his grandfather’s Norwegian roots, Bruce went in search of his family’s ties to Norway, writing an article for the Olso-based magazine “Familien.” In the months afterward, Bruce was able to connect with his Norwegian second cousin and visit them in Tønsberg.

Now that you’ve had a chance to look back at your time in Norway, do you have any final thoughts on the experience?
Sons of Norway and Borton Overseas really outdid themselves. Every member should make an attempt to win this trip. I literally cannot describe all that we did and saw and what a great experience it was!

I also want to offer that any members who wish to contact me about our lodge's member recruitment ideas or about the trip are more than welcome to. I'd be happy to help! You can reach me at bjohns8@maine.rr.com.

Norwegian Experience: Day 7

We’ve got the latest from the 2010 Norwegian Experience winner, Bruce Johnson, as he concludes his first day of sightseeing in Oslo. Below you’ll find some of the highlights of the day’s tour, including a visit to Vigeland Park, Holmenkollen and the Norsk Folkemuseum.

Today we had a four hour guided tour of Oslo. Our guide was Gro Steimler. Gro's former husband was the 1st employee of the Sons of Norway and his name is Asle Thorseth and he was the General Manager for the SON in Norway in 1982 so Gro was really happy to be giving a tour to people from the SON.

We first went to the Vigeland Park. We had visited here on our trip in June but with the guide we learned so much more than just walking in the Park. The Park opened in 1950 but the sculptor, Gustav Vigeland died in 1943 before the park was open. He lived at the park and worked for 40 years. The park has 5 sections, The Gate, the bridge where the famous angry boy statue is made of bronze, then the fountain, the monolith and the wheel of life. The sculptures represent the wheel of life and relationships. The statues start with babies and children and progress to the end of life.

Our driver and guide then took us to Holmenkollen. The museum is currently closed for construction but we were able to walk close enough to see the new ski jump being built for the Feb competition.

We next went to the Norsk Folkemuseum and we saw the Stave Church that was moved here from Gol. It was built around year 1200 and relocated here in 1884. We viewed a few of the other buildings but due to lack of time will hopefully return tomorrow.

We visited the area known as Aker Brygge and saw the Fortress built in 1299 to protect Oslo from the enemy which was Sweden at that time. Gro then took us to see the old part of Oslo and gave us a lot of history on the area and of Norway which became independent in 1905. She told us about the present monarchy and the future Royal family.

We then visited the Oak Hill area and saw the building that once housed the school for maritime studies but today is a school called Atlantis. One room was painted by Per Krough and depicts life in the country and in the city in all four seasons. Oslo has a lot of new development underway. They are building a new cultural center and park and a new sculpture park with only sculptures of women. One man is paying for the new sculpture park and building a gondola to get up to the park. If people come here next year it will look a lot different.

Our trip includes the Oslo pass that we would highly recommend for anyone spend 48 hours in Oslo. It includes transportation and admission to most of the attractions in Oslo. The City Hall was closed today and tomorrow as the prize for technology was being presented.

In the afternoon my cousin and his wife also named Gro, their daughter and granddaughter met us and we went to the Norwegian resistance museum. After a great dinner we walked up the famous Karl Johan pedestrian street and saw the law school where Susanne attends school. My cousin's name is Gro Hillestad and her aunt lives in San Diego and is a member of SON. Her name is Kanneola Mreing. It was a beautiful sunny day and if anyone comes to Oslo it was great having a guide to show us the city. I tried taking lots of notes but know I did not capture everything she told us. I will pass on the name of her company tomorrow. She donated a really nice book on the Open Air Museum to our Lodge and her name is Gro Steimler.

We’ll have more stories and final thoughts from Bruce as he enjoys his last full day of the Norwegian Experience trip and returns to the U.S. on Thursday.

Norwegian Experience: Day 6

Another great communique from Bruce, the latest winner of the Norwegian Experience Recruitment Contest, sponsored by Borton Overseas and Sons of Norway. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Today we arrived in Molde which is known as the town of jazz and roses because of the international jazz festival that takes place every year in the middle two weeks of July. The town has beautiful roses growing everywhere including the roof of city hall. Molde is a new modern city unlike most of the small villages we have seen on this trip. 2/3 of the town was destroyed when the Germans bombed the city in 1940. It now has a new football stadium, Aker Stadium that 2 wealthy men who were born in Molde paid for. It opened in 1998 and is said to be the grandest stadium in Europe. It has a beautiful Church with a separate bell tower. It houses modern shops. Norway has 19 counties and Molde is the capital of this county and has 25,000 people. In front of city hall is a nice statue of a Rose Maiden.

We took a bus tour to see the Norwegian countryside and fjords. We got on a ferry to cross the Romsdalfjord. We continued by bus across the Orskog Mountain Plateau to the Storfjord and passed the village of Stordal and stopped to visit the Rose church which we found really interesting. Rose-Kyrkja, The Rose Church was built in 1789. The entire Church is painted using a Rosemaling technique which was described as a baroque style. Several artifacts from the medieval stave church are now in the Rose Church. The walls are decorated with scenes from the Bible. The crucifix of Jesus from the Stave Church depicts Jesus with 4 nails holding him to the cross and he has a crown showing him as a King. The crucifix on the alter is a later style showing the suffering Jesus and he only has three nails holding him to the cross. The church is only used for special services and on May 17th and July 29th, which is flag day and the day the famed King Olaf, who introduced Christianity to Norway, died.

The tour guides are always relating facts about Norway that many of you may already know such as Norway is 2nd longest country after Chile. The coast never freezes thanks to the warm Gulf stream from Mexico and the weather is milder than most think along the coast. In summer the Oslo area has 22 hours of sunlight. There are still 28 Stave churches in Norway. 98% of electricity is from hydropower and we saw new hydroelectrical plants recently build in the mountains. All that is visible is a big door in the mountain. Norway is also leading the world in alternative sources of energy form tidal energy, thermal energy and converting salt water into fresh water producing energy.

From there our bus took us to Valldal where many strawberries and grown and harvested and we ate at a small Norwegian restaurant and the buffet was Norwegian foods such as salmon, reindeer, meatballs, flat bread, boiled potatoes and all the fixings plus much more food and deserts.

Back on the bus we stopped at Gudbrandsjuvet, s steep gorge with a foaming river at the bottom. We then traveled to the Trollstigen Mountain Plateau. The drive down the Troll Road has eleven hairpin bends where Bruce held on for life. The waterfalls in this region are beyond description. We stopped at the Troll Wall for pictures and then traveled through tunnels and ferries back to our ship. The Troll Road was built by hand in 1936. Some people do base jumping here but it is illegal due to the many injuries and death but some still jump. Base jumping is not illegal in any other place in Norway. On the way back we passed the town of Afarnes with about 2000 people and they manufacture lots of uniforms.

We have had a very memorable cruise. We have met the best people from all walks of life and we will never forget our journey. We feel so lucky to have won this trip and it was not just a cruise, we really fell in love with Norway.

Ok, that's all for now. Be sure to check back for more from our Norwegian Experience winner!

Norwegian Experience: Day 5

Today we have another great report from Bruce, the 2009 Norwegian Experience Winner!

Today we arrived in Olden which is at the head of the Norjiford. The fjord goes 60 miles inland from the sea and stops at the foot of Norway's largest glacier, Jostedalsbreen. There is a lake in the village called Moldevatnet. There is a pretty church and beautiful waterfalls.

Today we took a 7 hour tour to see Fjordland Scenery. We had a wonderful tour guide who was full of information about Norway history, politics and geography. Our bus drivers name was Rasmus Faraldset. He has family in Minneapolis who belong to Sons of Norway. One is Foanell Dyrstad 1991-1995 Red Wing, Orlyn Kringstad who was a member as well as Betty Bergland in Saint Paul and Karen Backer also of St Paul.

On our tour the bus drove along the fjord and we passed many farms, mostly cows, sheep and goats. This area has a large Dairy. There was also a Fox and Mink farm. The farms are disappearing as young people do not want to remain on the farms any longer. We then traveled to Vatedalen known as the wet valley. We went to the northern end of Jolster Lake which is the richest fishing lake on the west coast.

We went through a four mile tunnel that was just opened last year. Walter Mondale's family is from this area. We then saw the largest glacier in Europe called the mighty Jostedal Glacier. We visited the Norwegian Glacier Center which was really interesting. We saw a movie about the glacier and walked through simulated ice caves. We had a nice lunch in Skei at the northern end of the spectacular Jolster Lake.

Some of the facts that our tour guide related to use were:
1. Unemployment is at 3.5%
2. 80% of the people in Norway are Lutheran but people are not attending church any more so the church changed its music and service to attract young people but the young still do not attend and now the older church members do not like the changes.
3. The population now has 10% immigrants mostly from Poland, Iraq and Somali
4. The second largest church is now Muslim
5. Norway gives an 11 month maternity leave with full pay and if a child is ill the mother can take time off and get full pay.
6. Norway has a law called right of access and anyone can camp or hike etc. anywhere even if they do not own the land, no keep out personal property signs.

The guide gave us a lot more interesting facts about Norway and it sounds like a really great place to live.

Tonight we had a party in our cabin and invited the people from the USA and people we have met on the ship and everyone had a good time. After dinner we went to a Buddy Holly tribute show and now it is after midnight and we have a busy last day on the ship tomorrow so going to bed and will write more tomorrow.

Thanks for the update, Bruce. I'm sure the readers at home are really enjoying the blog posts!

Norwegian Experience: Day 4

Today we have a great report from this year's Norwegian Experience winner! It sounds like Bruce is having the time of his life! Here's what he had to say:

We have been traveling up the Sognefjorden, the western part of Norway. Today we went on a 3 hour tour through the Jotunheimen National Park. The road was very narrow and very steep and we went up 4,600 feet. They had snow up there about a week ago and the roads had to be plowed before the buses could travel back down. We saw beautiful glaciers and waterfalls. The road is called the Sognefjell mountain road and is a national tourist route and the highest mountain crossing in Northern Europe. It is a very winding road up to Turtagro and we went all the way to the top, coming down we met a bus going up and our bus had to back up this very narrow road and we were very close to the edge of the cliff looking down the side of this very high mountain, a little scary I must say. This is where the alpine sport started in Norway. International teams come here in late spring and early summer to practice their cross-country skiing as the snow remains here until quite late.

Along the road are tall sticks and that is how the snowplows know where the road is so they can plow in the spring. The road is closed in the winter. There are also large round stone piles with a stick in the middle. That was how people hiked through the mountain going from pile to pile and the stones had compass direction carved into them.

The road is also called the hand made road as the government was slow to act so the farmers from each side began building the roads themselves by hand so trade could take place from east to west to bring and sell their fish and other commodities.

The areas has mostly farming and produce mostly meat and milk. They have lots of sheep and cows. They have to move the animals to other places soon as they only use these farms in the summer months and government makes them move the animals before winter.

Only about 2.5% of the land in Norway is used for farming, 25% is forest and the rest is lakes, rivers, mountains.

It was cold in the mountain summit today but really beautiful with the sun shining on the glaciers. Some people come here to hike in the mountains and they have little camps that you can pick up a key at the hotel and use the cabins. Payment is by the honor system, you leave whatever amount you think is right in the cabin and return the key when you leave. This is a new port of cruise ships and the roads are just being build along the pier. Many buildings are being constructed and the road will be completed by next year so area will see lots of new growth with the ships coming in.

Upon the ships arrival this morning a man was standing on the pier playing an accordion and two Norwegian ladies waving the Norwegian flags. The Norwegians seem to be very happy to have the smaller ships visit Norway as they can come up the Fjords and stop at small villages. This is a great way of seeing Norway. We passed an old Stave Church today that we could see from our ship. The captain is Norwegian and does a great job of coming onto the PA system to let us know when areas of interest can be seen such as the church or waterfalls. Most of the stave churches no longer exist near the ocean because of the salt. The one in this village was destroyed by arson about 10 years ago. Their are less than 25 left in Norway and Sweden.

As I finish this post, we are sailing along the Sognefjorn and will continue for about six hours before entering the North Sea again. I'll e-mail more tomorrow.

Well, thanks for the great report, Bruce! Make sure to check back for more tomorrow!

Norwegian Experience: Day 3

Today Norwegian Experience winner Bruce Johnson enjoyed an excursion from the MS Balmoral to the Hardangerfjord, which Bruce says “is incredibly beautiful.” The boat then dropped the Johnson’s off in Ulvik, a municipality in Hordaland county. Ulvik is situated in the innermost part of the Hardangerfjord and stretches to 1800 meters above sea level. Due to the lush gardens and famous fruit blossom in May, tourism has been a big part of the life in the small village. It only has 1000 residents.

While in Ulvik, Bruce and his wife toured the Lekve Fruit Farm and learned about the production of apple cider and juice. Afterward they sampled local cuisine from the farm’s restaurant that opened in 2009.

The cruise ship is now traveling along the Norwegian coast, heading toward tomorrow’s destination of Skjolden, Norway. Bruce described the view saying, “we have breath-taking views right from our balcony of waterfalls and salmon farms and glaciers. Norway is the most beautiful country anyone can imagine and this must be one of the most wonderful ways in the world to see Norway.”

Check back in later this week with more updates from Bruce, and of course, more details of this amazing trip. Also, if you’d like to learn more about the Ulvik area, Bruce recommends contacting Caroline S Lehmann at caroline.lehmann@ulvik.hommune.no.

Norwegian Experience: Day 2

Yes, it is that time again. Time to play “where in the world is the Norwegian Experience winner, Bruce Johnson, today?” If you’ve been following the progress of the MS Balmoral with the ship locator feature then you know that Bruce has arrived in Stavanger, Norway.

When we left off yesterday morning, Bruce was enjoying his last views of Scotland before heading off to Norway and the North Sea. Later that night Bruce and his wife attended a reception for the ship’s international travelers and met 4 other American passengers, two of which were from Minnesota and had also booked their cruise with Borton Overseas. Apparently Bruce hasn’t forgotten how he became eligible for the recruitment contest in the first place, since he shared Sons of Norway materials with his fellow American travelers and even worked on recruiting them.

Upon arriving in Norway, the Johnson's took a walking tour of Stavanger, enjoying the “beautiful town and cobblestone walks and nice shops.” After the tour, they took a 3-hour boat trip to the Stavanger archipelago and the 31-mile-long Lysefjord. During the tour the boat traveled just underneath the Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock), a natural cliff that is just over 1,800 feet above sea level. Bruce says the tour boat actually got close enough to the waterfalls in the area that the crew was able to collect some of the water in a container for them to drink. They also got up close and personal with some of the wildlife and hand fed mountain goats. They finished their tour with freshly made waffles and cream and coffee.

Tomorrow, Bruce will be visiting Eidfjord, a municipality of the Hardangerfjord area. The Hardangerfjord is the third largest fjord in the world and second largest in Norway.

Don’t forget to visit the blog later this week for more updates from Bruce’s trip.

Norwegian Experience: Day 1

This morning I had the opportunity to check in with this year’s Norwegian Experience winner, Bruce Johnson. Bruce and his wife, Mary, are currently traversing the North Sea on the MS Balmoral, setting out from Invergordon, Scotland to Stavanger, Norway. As we spoke, Bruce described the coastal views from his patio as the ship traveled through the channel to open waters. How cool is that?

We’re catching up with Bruce and Mary a bit later on their journey. They departed last week and spent a bit of time in London prior to the start of their Fred Olsen cruise that began on Saturday. During their time in London they were able to visit Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and of course, the Tower of London.

Upon beginning their cruise in Dover, the Johnson’s say they were warmly welcomed by the ship’s crew and arrived at their cabin to find a fruit basket, flowers and chilled champagne waiting for them. Bruce says they even received a call from the ship’s captain asking if they would like to steer the ship! Not only has the staff been great, but Bruce says the accommodations throughout the trip have been fantastic, from the international flight to their stay in London and now their stay in the captain’s suite on the MS Balmoral.

After enjoying tours of the canals in Amsterdam and partaking in a Loch Ness Mystery Tour in Scotland, Bruce is eagerly awaiting the beginning of the Norwegian portion of his journey in Stavanger.

So what’s on deck for tomorrow?

Glad you asked! Tomorrow, Bruce will be arriving in Stavanger, Norway, enjoying a boat trip and excursions to the Lysefjord and the Hardangerfjord.

Check back in later this week with more updates from Bruce and more trip details. You can also check out the ship’s progress from Scotland to Norway with a nifty ship locator feature located here.