Norway
By: Kaleb Boyd, Date: 5/4/15, Period 6
Climate/Weather
The best time to visit Norway is from March to August, when the temperatures rise. This is also the best time to experience some mild temperatures, which average in the mid 60s, but it can get colder. Norway can experience nearly 24 hours of daylight, with the famous midnight sun usually appearing in June or July. There are winter days of near total darkness. This is matched with frigid weather and temperatures diving into the teens and 20s. The month with the most rainfall is in September and August is the month with the second most rainfall.
Culture
The official languages of Norway are Norwegian, Nynorsk, and Bokmal. Holidays celebrated in Norway are Christmas, Constitution Day, Easter, New Year's Day, Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, Labour Day, Ascension Day, Whit Sunday, and Whit Monday. Two of the most celebrated holidays are Christmas and Constitution Day. They celebrate Christmas with fairs and markets and there are also seasonal concerts and performances during this time. Christmas in Norway is celebrated by most Norwegians with a big dinner on Christmas Eve followed by a Christmas service in one of the many churches around the country. On Christmas day, most families have a big brunch at noon or a dinner in the afternoon. Constitution Day is celebrated on May 17 with a large parade in the capital city of Oslo. In the parade are mostly children with their banners, flags, and bands. This children's parade in Oslo is the longest parade in Norway. This is a holiday because on May 17, 1814 Norway got its own constitution and became independent from the Danish autocracy. Some major religions are Evangelical Lutheran, Roman Catholic, and Christian. Most people in Norway are Evangelical Lutheran.
Sightseeing/Activities
One famous place to visit is the Akershus Fortress. It is located in the city center of Oslo, the capital. Akershus Fortress or Akershus Castle was built to protect Oslo and it was also used as a prison. The building of the fortress/castle began in 1299 under King Hakon V. It was completed in the 1300s and had a strategical location at the very end of the headland and withstood many blockades.
Another place to see is the Nidaros Cathedral in the city of Trondheim. The Nidaros Cathedral is Norway's national sanctuary, and was built over the grave of St. Olav, Norway's patron saint. Construction for it started in 1070, but the oldest parts still in existence are from the middle of the twelfth century. It was damaged by fire on several occasions, it lay largely in ruins at the time of the Reformation in 1537. The cathedral was rebuilt each time, mainly in the Gothic style, but the oldest parts around the transept reflect the Roman style. In 1869 extensive restorations were begun, and a century later Nidaros was again restored to its original greatness.
One more place to visit is the Royal Palace. The Royal Palace is in Oslo was built in the first half of the 19th century and was completed in 1849 as the Norwegian residence of King Charles III. Today the royal residence at the top of Karl Johans gate is home to King Harald V and Queen Sonja. The building is in neoclassical style with an exterior of stuccoed brick. The Palace Park surrounds the palace on all sides and features grassy areas, trees, small ponds and statues.
Another place to see is the Nidaros Cathedral in the city of Trondheim. The Nidaros Cathedral is Norway's national sanctuary, and was built over the grave of St. Olav, Norway's patron saint. Construction for it started in 1070, but the oldest parts still in existence are from the middle of the twelfth century. It was damaged by fire on several occasions, it lay largely in ruins at the time of the Reformation in 1537. The cathedral was rebuilt each time, mainly in the Gothic style, but the oldest parts around the transept reflect the Roman style. In 1869 extensive restorations were begun, and a century later Nidaros was again restored to its original greatness.
One more place to visit is the Royal Palace. The Royal Palace is in Oslo was built in the first half of the 19th century and was completed in 1849 as the Norwegian residence of King Charles III. Today the royal residence at the top of Karl Johans gate is home to King Harald V and Queen Sonja. The building is in neoclassical style with an exterior of stuccoed brick. The Palace Park surrounds the palace on all sides and features grassy areas, trees, small ponds and statues.
Current Information
Norway's currency is the Norwegian krone. One krone is equal 0.13 cents. One U.S. dollar is 7.60 krones. Norway's government is a monarchy in which the power is divided between three branches: a legislative branch which is responsible for appropriations; an executive branch, the Government; and a judicial branch, the courts. The King of Norway is Harald V. The Norwegian economy is a prosperous mixed economy, with a private sector, a large state sector, and an extensive social safety net. Norway is a member of NATO. The government controls key areas, such as the petroleum sector, and large scale state majority owned enterprises. Norway's economic score is 71.8 and their GDP is $280 billion. Norway's top exports are petroleum, natural gas, oil, fish, machines, aluminum, and electronic equipment.
Norway's King Harald V
Food
One well known food from Norway is seafood bisque. It is a thick, rich creamy, seafood soup, which usually contains shellfish. This recipe serves 4-6 people. The ingredients needed for this are 24 peeled shrimps, 1 cod fillet, 1 small salmon fillet, 4 cups of fish stock, 3/4 cups of sweet cream, 3/4 cups of sour cream, 1/3 cup of white wine, 2 peeled potatoes chopped, 1/4 cup of onions finely chopped, 1/2 cup of leeks cleaned well and thinly sliced, 1/3 cup of parsley root cut into strips, salt, and pepper. To cook it first you pour the stock into a soup pan, add vegetables and bring it to a boil. Then, you turn to it to simmer, add white wine, and add seafood. Next you cook medium heat until the fish is flaky, add chives, but retain some for a garnish. When vegetables and seafood are done add sour cream. Continue simmering while stirring gently, then add the cream, and after that let it rest and garnish with chopped fresh chives or parsley. Now the seafood bisque is done.
Seafood Bisque
Transportation and Lodging
The best city to go to in Norway is Oslo, the capital. The flight would be from Chicago to Oslo on United Airlines. The cost of airfare round trip is $1,090. The flight is 10 hours and 50 minutes with one 43 minute stop at Newark Airport in Newark, New Jersey. Then, the flight is straight to Oslo, Norway. The hotel I recommend is the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel in central Oslo. It is rated 4.5 stars out of 5. The price for an average room is $195 per night. The room has a private bathroom and 2 beds. This hotel has free cancellation, free internet, breakfast in the morning, and no credit card fees. The Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel is 384 feet tall, which is Norway's tallest building. On the thirty-third and thirty-fourth floors is a swimming pool and a sauna. It has 37 floors and 673 rooms.
The itinerary of places visited in Norway will be to go to the Royal Palace and get a guided tour of it on the first day, which costs 95 krones. On the second day you could go to the Akershus Fortress. The day after you could go for a walk around the whole city of Oslo. The next day you could go to one of the beaches in Oslo. And if you are there on Sunday you should go to the Museum of Architecture or some of the other museums on that day.
The itinerary of places visited in Norway will be to go to the Royal Palace and get a guided tour of it on the first day, which costs 95 krones. On the second day you could go to the Akershus Fortress. The day after you could go for a walk around the whole city of Oslo. The next day you could go to one of the beaches in Oslo. And if you are there on Sunday you should go to the Museum of Architecture or some of the other museums on that day.
Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel
Citations
"Akershus Fortress." Visit Oslo. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 May 2015.
<http://www.visitoslo.com/en/activities-and-attractions/attractions/
?TLp=14900&Akershus-Fortress>.
"Best times to Visit Norway." Us news: Travel. us news, n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2015.
<http://travel.usnews.com/Oslo_Norway/When_To_Visit/>.
"National Holidays and Celebrations." Visit Norway. Innovation Norway, n.d. Web.
30 Apr. 2015. <http://www.visitnorway.com/us/vn/categoryoverview/
?cat=3452908>.
"Norway Economy Profile." Index Mundi. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 May 2015.
<http://www.indexmundi.com/norway/economy_profile.html>.
"Norway Physical Map." All World Maps. Map hill, n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2015.
<http://www.allworldmaps.com/norway-physical-map/>.
"Norwegian (Norsk)." omniglot.com. Omniglot, n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2015.
<http://www.omniglot.com/writing/norwegian.htm>.
"Political Map of Norway." mapsofworld.com. Maps of World, n.d. Web. 29 Apr.
2015. <http://www.mapsofworld.com/norway/norway-political-map.html>.
<http://www.visitoslo.com/en/activities-and-attractions/attractions/
?TLp=14900&Akershus-Fortress>.
"Best times to Visit Norway." Us news: Travel. us news, n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2015.
<http://travel.usnews.com/Oslo_Norway/When_To_Visit/>.
"National Holidays and Celebrations." Visit Norway. Innovation Norway, n.d. Web.
30 Apr. 2015. <http://www.visitnorway.com/us/vn/categoryoverview/
?cat=3452908>.
"Norway Economy Profile." Index Mundi. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 May 2015.
<http://www.indexmundi.com/norway/economy_profile.html>.
"Norway Physical Map." All World Maps. Map hill, n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2015.
<http://www.allworldmaps.com/norway-physical-map/>.
"Norwegian (Norsk)." omniglot.com. Omniglot, n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2015.
<http://www.omniglot.com/writing/norwegian.htm>.
"Political Map of Norway." mapsofworld.com. Maps of World, n.d. Web. 29 Apr.
2015. <http://www.mapsofworld.com/norway/norway-political-map.html>.