Scandinavia - The Land of the Vikings

Scandinavia is a subregion in Northern Europe that is made up of three kingdoms: Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, which is where the Vikings originated from. We often see Vikings depicted as barbaric, skillful, unstoppable, muscle-toned, long bearded, reddish-haired, blue-eyed warriors with horned helmets that embark on long-ship sea expeditions in search of new lands to invade, conquer, and colonize. Not sure how much that is real or legend, and while I, personally, didn’t see any Vikings, I did get to mingle and coexist with a multi-lingual, digitally modernized, and highly technologically advanced society—I was blown away by the Scandinavian simplicity, orderliness, and efficiency. Thus, I will share some of the cool practices, innovative amenities, beautiful and shocking, experiences that I got to witness while touring these lovely lands.

SWEDEN—Winter Wonderland.

The first country of all three kingdoms on my list is Sweden. I have always loved all things “Swedish”, but now I can attest that I truly do love the Swedish. Sweden deemed as a country that is full of design, creativity, and harmony! They certainly have some of the most beautiful women on earth, amazing meatballs, and are the trendy creators of IKEA, which happens to be one of my FAVE stores. Their captivating sceneries, green landscapes, and snowy mountains are sights to see!

During my visit to Stockholm, I stayed at a boutique hotel that was connected to the train station, which facilitated my late arrival and allowed me to move around easily. The self-check-in was smooth and automatic. I was literally on the elevator in less than two minutes after having walked in! My room was small, cute, warm, and sealed; perhaps, the rooms are meant to feel airtight to maintain indoor heat, which was perfectly fine by me.

I signed up for free* a walking tour, as I usually do, because it allows me to meet other solo travelers, and learn about the area, its history, the culture, and their customs. Usually, at the end of every tour, guides will gladly offer tips and make suggestions for anyone seeking assistance. If Stockholm is on your bucket list, and you want to explore plenty, I recommend that you join all three of the free tours offered in Stockholm, which are the old town tour, city tour, and the ghost tour, so you can hear about the dark times, the Medieval era, the Vikings, Stockholm Syndrome, and much more, since I found all of them to be incredibly fascinating. *You graciously tip the guide what you want at the end of the tour.

My favorite area of all Stockholm was the Old Town, better known as Gamla Stan, which was the original city center during the Middle Ages. This area is located on a compacted “island” that is full of cold-looking, but well-preserved colorful medieval buildings and narrow winding alley-way cobblestoned streets. So, dress warmly, wear comfy shoes, and get lost in this magnificent place, for it is packed with bars, cafés, bistros, shops, museums, and friendly locals. I love the fact that in Gamla Stan you are able to have breakfast for dinner, and dinner for breakfast, and drinks are served all day, whether it is coffee or an alcoholic beverage! During my stroll, I witnessed several elderly ladies sweeping their home entrance, kids playing outside, and the men indulging in some “Fika,” an important concept in the Swedish culture, which basically translates to hanging out, a social break, simply to drink coffee! I am obviously not Swedish, but I am an avid FIKA participant! LOL

During your visit to Gamla Stan, I suggest that you clear your calendar for a couple of hours and make time to visit the Nobel Peace Prize Museum, as it is an absolute MUST! There are self-guided tours and group tours available, to make your visit a pleasant and informative one. I was fascinated by EVERYTHING! I literally read every plaque, clicked on every category field on the monitors, and learned about the formulation behind the most prestigious award in the world. I was clueless as to the work and honor that follows this award: with so much intellectual knowledge, substance, and meaning, it must be the greatest honor to be nominated, selected, awarded, and be recognized, globally, for your achievements and advancements in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, Peace, and Economics. I hope that the legacy created by Alfred Nobel, the generous humanitarian and founder, who donated his fortune to establish the Nobel Peace Prize, continues for centuries to come, and that our future generation leads the world into bigger and better advances.

If museums are your thing, I also recommend a visit to the Viking Museum located outside of the main district on the waterfront of Marina. I had a great time at the museum and walked out with more accurate perspectives and knowledge about the Vikings. And whether you’ll be upset, or not, that the Vikings did not wear horned helmets and that they were not heartless savages, the Museum offers several interactive, educational, and entertaining exhibits make it fun for all ages that. You can also catch a tour with my friend, Alex, a native, who takes on the role of a Viking and will walk you through the museum, share exciting legendary tales, debunk some myths, and provide insight into the everyday life of a Viking. At the very end of your visit, once you have completed the 10-minute adventure ride, you can grab a tasty meal at the coffee shop and pick up some cool souvenirs at the gift shop, like I did.

As a last fun fact regarding Stockholm, you’ll be happy to hear that everyone spoke English and that all the menus, attractions, signs were also offered in English—this token facilitated my visit tremendously. I also wanna say that Stockholm airport is officially my favorite now, as there were bathroom stalls located next to every gate, every seat had a power station, they offered Free Wi-Fi, and there was a huge selection of food!! Overall, my trip to Sweden was a ten, even though I was not a fan of the unisex bathrooms!! Men grunting in the stalls and teen boys hanging out while waiting for their friends is simply not my cup of tea—I wanted some privacy because it happened to the ‘that time’ of the month, and it all felt uncomfortable. And more so, because some of the men looked annoyed each time that I stood at the mirror sink to fix my hair or touch-up my lipstick. Sorry fellas, but that’s just something that I, and many women, always do—it’s an unspoken rule 😊

DENMARK—A lovely Kingdom.

Copenhagen, Denmark blew my mind!

I was “shook”, as these young kids say nowadays, by the love, respect, entrustment, principles, and harmony that the Danish apply and believe in! I will share some of the most touching, impressive, profound moments, and customs that I witnessed and learned about the Danish. I loved how the people and country operate; they are so accepting of each other! I also loved their food!! WOW!! So yummy! For some of the most tasty meals, drinks, cheese, fish, teas, fresh produce, and flowers visit Torvehallerne, a glass-hall market, offering foods and items from around the world. I spent a few hours snacking, sipping, window shopping, and eating all the delicacies that I laid my eyes on. TIP: You must try every Smørre­brød available!

Ok, so to begin, I was flabbergasted that NO ONE checked or stamped anyone’s passport coming into Copenhagen. I’m a law-abiding citizen, and someone that follows the rules—most of the time LOL—so, I was extremely confused that the control center area was completely empty! My arrival time was after 11p, which was late, but still…I was concerned that no one had verified any of my documentation, because I didn’t want to run into any issues or get detained upon exiting the country for not having an entry stamp. Thankfully, everything went smoothly at my departure, and no one asked any questions. This was my first clue that something was “different” about the Danish.

If you plan to visit Denmark, you are not required to convert US dollars into Kroners, the Danish local currency. Denmark was entirely cashless, so I was able to pay with my credit card for everything, and I mean absolutely EVERYTHING!  I even tipped my tour guide and paid the lady selling souvenirs on the street with my card! How awesome was that!? I didn’t have to worry about not having enough cash or taking out too much and having to sell it back. This is huge!! Kuddos Denmark!! You are amazing!!

And speaking of amazing, I also noted that there were hundreds of UNLOCKED, UNTOUCHED, and UNSUPERVISED bikes “parked” outside stores, residential buildings, restaurants, and metro stations, some with baskets, diaper bags, coats, and/or baby chariots mounted on them, and no one took them!! WOW! I was astonished! The level of respect for each other’s personal belongings is so profound! I couldn’t believe it! Sadly, I could never do this in the US, for obvious reasons LOL!

I also really liked the Danish orderly, and practical way of getting on and off the metro. No one pushed, shoved, or cut in front of anyone to jump on or off the metro cabins [take note, New Yorkers and Parisians]—people simply approached the platform and formed a line behind one of the many white “L” shaped outlines on the platform. Once the metro approached the station, all the doors automatically stopped right at the black panel floor plates, and those standing behind the “L” shaped lines simply stood by, waited patiently, and stepped onto the metro, only after all the riding passengers had exited. I was unaware that there was a boarding process, until I noticed a family of four arrive at the platform, and immediately formed a line behind the “L” shape outline. I then glanced over and realized that I was the ONLY person just randomly standing there LOL!

Another element that I also thought to be astounding about the Danish was the fact that no one checked if you paid or scanned your ticket before boarding or while riding any public system. On my first day, I stepped onto the bus and attempted to activate my bus pass, but the scanner wasn’t flashing, so a local approached me and explained that the scanner was only to add funds to your transportation card. So, I asked if she could guide me and tell where I was supposed to scan my pass (to avoid getting in trouble, if screened), and she stated that it was simply MY responsibility to pay and scan my ticket at machines located at the entrance and exit of every station. Upon exiting, I searched for the machines, but didn’t see any—they were located on the entrance platforms only! Throughout my visit, I also noticed there were no turnstiles, scanners, code enforcement officers, or security gates on any platforms, yet everyone scanned their ticket upon entering the station! So righteous! The Danish are truly remarkable, compliant, and open people, which leads me to Freetown Christiania.

No visit to Copenhagen is complete without touring Freetown Christiania, which is a small neighborhood located in the heart of Copenhagen. This self-governing “free town” was established in 1971 by a group of hippies that broke in, squatted, and eventually settled within the compounds of abandoned military barracks. The autonomous community, consisting of 900 residents, has its own flag, has adopted its own rules and regulations, and has declared itself independent of the Danish kingdom; and as one can imagine, this philosophy has created major concern, turmoil, and controversy for the Danish government, mainly due to the illegal drug trade within the “Green Light” district of Christiania.

But that didn’t stop me from visiting LOL! Christiania had been on my list for a few years, so I caught the metro and toured the ‘town’ one afternoon, and I am so glad that I did because it was not frightening, dark, or crowded, as it is often portrayed—it was actually lots of fun! Everyone was respectful and friendly! The main square was full of locals, tourists, residents, locally grown produce, organic restaurants, chic bars, and live music. Everyone was commingling, drinking beer, dancing, and “smoking”—except me 😊. I purchased a few souvenirs and local memorabilia at a few of their trendy shops. I was fascinated to learn that the residents are big on sustainability, and that their number one rule is: NO VIOLENCE! They don’t allow and promote guns, other weapons, and gangs. Sure, there were some noticeable illicit transactions going on, but people simply walked by and carried on with their day. Should you decide to enter the ground, please respect their rules, lifestyle, and choices, so in other words, mind your business, and do not take pictures or videos of anyone within their walls.

NORWAY – The happiest Country in the world!

I was indecisive about going to Norway because people constantly emphasized on how cold and expensive it was. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect because I was not able to gage prices based on research, but now having visited, I can confirm that it is expensive, but it wasn’t as excessive as I had been led to believe! In my experience, Iceland was much pricier than Norway! And yes, it was cold, but it was also November, so it was expected. However, you will be delighted to hear that there are many heated streets and sidewalks in Oslo!  Yeap!!! You read that right!! The pavement was heated. How cool is that? I couldn’t believe it!! It was a wonderful surprise, and certainly not the only one that I got to experience and witness while in Oslo.

One morning, I was standing outside a Bistro skimming their menu when a couple walked out, reached under a stroller to grab their coats, and as they were getting dressed, they began to babble and “talk” to a baby in the stroller!! I was like WTF!?!? I was immediately transfixed! I asked myself: Did they really just leave their baby outside, in the stroller, in the cold, unsupervised, while they ate breakfast!!?? And the answer was YES! I noticed two more strollers with two more bundled-up sleeping babies! HUH!?! WHY!?! So, I walked in, looked around, and immediately confirmed that there were no strollers inside the café, but only adults enjoying their breakfast! OH. EME.GEEEE!!!! I was confused, so I took a seat, pulled out my phone, and began to type “Babies out…” when the results auto populated into “Babies outside Norway” 😲  WHAT!?!? THIS WAS REAL!! Apparently, it’s customary for Norwegians (and apparently the Danish, too) to leave their babies outside, unattended, in freezing temperatures, to nap —without any fear of having their babies being kidnapped—because they believe that 1. Exposing babies to fresh air reduces illnesses, 2. It can also aid babies in sleeping better at night, and 3. It allows babies to sleep for longer periods of time. I was blown away!! Americans would never do that, sadly, out of fear of having their babies kidnapped and/or getting arrested for child endangerment! Imagine how beautiful and peaceful it must be to live in a society where you have enough belief, trust, and surety that no one will take and harm your baby!? WOW!! So much grace, love, unity, support, integrity, and righteousness. No wonder the Norwegians are considered the happiest people in the world!! You have inner peace!

During my short stay in Oslo, I also learned that tap water was drinkable and one of the cleanest, with the highest-quality, and safest in the world! So, in other words, you can drink water straight from your bathroom sink LOL! You can actually feel the purity when you shower—the water is so soft and delicate. At every restaurant, café, and local eatery, you will find a drinking faucet with free cups to go! I didn’t see any water bottles at any of the installations that I visited. So, it seems to me that the Norwegians are also staying healthy and keeping the earth clean! Just beautiful!

I enjoyed Oslo and was very impressed with their innovations. Everyone was so friendly and inviting! By the way, if you are a solo traveler and wanna meet locals, the 7-Eleven’s in Oslo are local evening hangout spots. Many friends gathered, drank coffee, enjoyed a snack, and even logged on to use the free WiFi. Who would’ve thought? I wanted to stay in Norway a bit longer and travel higher to witness the magical Northern Lights, but it was a long distance away, and with highs of 33º degrees on most days in early November, I opted to bypass—it was just too cold for me! I was amazed at how many ladies wore short dresses and only a light coat!! I literally froze. every.single.day.