August 9, 2023
A Quiet Day in Norheimsund (August 9, 2023)
And Random Reflections on Norway
Well, after yesterday’s challenging ride we laid low today. The weather was bad and my leg was aching so it was a good choice. Hotel Sandven was a great hotel in which to do that. The hotel was built in 1857 by Mr. Sandven (no surprise there) and acquired by Thon Hotels in 2011. It sits right on the Fjord and has that traditional clapboard look you see in old traditional Norwegians hotels, but the rooms have been nicely remodeled and we were happy to snuggle up in ours. Dave took a walk around town (Norheimsund has around 5,000 people) and there is a mild but present tourist vibe; there were “fjordsafaris” offered, which means they put 20 people to so in a fast boat in special protective gear and race around the fjord for a couple of hours. We passed on the opportunity but I did something similar eight years ago and if you only had a day in the fjords it probably was worth doing, because the tour guide gave us some good historical data on Norway.
Dave had a walk around the town and scoped out a dinner place (pizza tonight) and the sports/cycling store across the street. I worked on the journal and hung out but was lured to the cycling store in the afternoon where I paid 1890 NOK (180 USD) for a pink cycling windbreaker by a Norwegian company and started making a purchase or two for our grandson (who is coming onto four years old). (We have become so inured to Norwegian costs that Dave didn’t even blink when I showed him the jacket and told him what it cost…).
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A few random Norwegian-related observations:
Money: nobody uses cash here. There are even places where cash is not allowed to be used. We even used a credit card to pay 10 NOK (1 USD) to use the toilet in a hostel on the Rallarvegen. We pulled a few thousand kroner out of the cash machine early on in our visit and the only use for it so far as been to leave it for the housekeeping staff (which incidentally, they don’t always pick up). Which leads me to tipping…..
Tipping: not done essentially and they don’t make it easy to do. On the credit card slip there is no line for tipping. They kind of make you think about it, ask on how to tip etc, although one server did say that if we tipped it did actually go to the staff.
Norwegian Tunnels: a mixed bag. If you plan a cycling trip here, be sure to research where the tunnels are and whether they allow bikes, because many tunnels do not. (You’re pretty safe in concluding that you can go through the tunnels on established Norwegian bike routes). Some tunnels have a button to press that flashes lights and let cars know you’re in there and we have had a few of those. Just watch for them and don’t blaze on by. In general, for Jill, the tunnels are terrifying. Other riders have commented on this and now I understand. The noise that cars make coming through the tunnels behind you is awful and I ride like crazy when I’m in a tunnel. I dread them.
Assimilating in Norway: we think this would be difficult. Our hosts of our cabin, Lucie and Paul (in Myrdal) said when they moved from France to Norway they couldn’t get jobs because they didn’t speak Norwegian. Lucie is a nurse, and nurses are in scarce supply everywhere so this surprised me. In several hotels the staffs have been Asian and when we inquired of our server at the Utne Hotel, we learned that he and his colleagues came over from the Philippines on a five month work visa - but you don’t get to stay.
Cars: everybody drives a late model, upscale, but low key car. Norwegians don’t flash their wealth the way Americans, and some other nationalities do, but there are very few clunker vehicles anywhere in Norway, including on their farms and in rural areas.
Everything is Spick and Span: there is virtually no litter anywhere. It’s so impressive. Buildings are well-maintained, even old farm buildings, and still are in some type of use. Except in larger cities, graffiti is absent from buildings. They clearly care for their property.
Norwegian Liquor Laws: strict and weird to an American. In a restaurant you can’t buy a bottle of wine, cork the unfinished part and take it back to your room. The server uncorks the wine and takes the cork. You can’t order a double shot in one glass (although you can get an extra shot on the side). You have to buy alcohol in the special vinmonopolet stores which are closed on Sundays. (We haven’t been in one yet, doing all our imbibing in restaurants). Alcohol is heavily taxed, and that appears to reduce drinking, at least in public. We rarely see a bottle of wine at a dinner table (except our own) and indeed see a lot of people order a coke, even at a nice dinner. Our front desk clerk in Bergen says he never goes out without “prepartying” beforehand to save money. And there is just a de- emphasizing of drinking. In even very nice Norwegian hotels, they don’t have a separate bar or bar tender: if you want a drink you ask at the front desk and they make it for you in between checking folks in or out.
Not much is free in Norway, but here are a few things: 1. Local ferries if you’re a pedestrian, a cyclist or on a motorbike; 2. Coffee/ tea all day at some hotels; 3. Tap water at restaurants; 4. Bread, at most restaurants.
Norwegian politeness and professionalism: people are so polite here, and nobody raises their voice. At the breakfast buffet, no matter how crowded it is, everyone moves in and out and stands in line without any aggression. Cars are invariably courteous and never show frustration with us whether we’re on our bikes or walking. And Norwegians are extremely law-abiding: nobody jaywalks or speeds. And everyone pays strict attention to pedestrian walk lights, even when there's no traffic around.
Norwegian dogs: this principal applies to other Norwegian pets as well. Dogs are everywhere but they are super well-behaved, always on leashes, and look very well-tended. It’s like the canine population has been imbued with the politeness and culture of their owners.
Seafood: Actually, the food in Norway has been uniformly good. I'd say it has exceeded our expectations. They go very light on seasoning and seem averse to all things spicy, but the quality of the produce has been very good. We have been especially enjoying seafood here and it didn't matter which parts of Norway we have visited, from the coasts to the central mountains, the seafood has been uniformly excellent. Although prepared simply, they treat seafood with the respect it deserves. So far, we've yet to encounter overcooked, dry seafood. When in doubt about a place or menu, order the seafood.
Anyway, back to our regularly scheduled programming. We had a low-key but very good pizza and a real insalata mista at the local pizza joint. It was the best pizza we have had on the trip. (In general, Scandinavians haven’t really figured out how to make good pizza). Because we couldn’t take our bottle of wine back to our room we had to sit and savor it there. Poor us!
Tomorrow we have a long day, 70 km and another ferry to reach Rosendal. We’re watching the weather predictions like a hawk.
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