Just a word about what we have learned about Norwegian culture before I talk about today. Yes, this is a socialistic state but the rewards are plentiful. The culture and governmental philosophy here is based on family and quality of life for the individual. The government provides and even subsidizes services that support family and good health. Things that are outside this realm are heavily taxed. For example, there is hefty tax on sugar, salt, fat and super-heavy tax on tobacco and alcohol (although they do love to drink!). Thus, fruit and vegetables are inexpensive and fast food is high priced; so is beer and wine. Norway has abundant oil - it's one of their main exports, but there is heavy tax on gasoline (with tax gas is $8 gallon); electricity for electric cars is free. Family services, art healthcare and ecological preservation are subsidized by the state so that all may have good medicarl care, better enjoy life and so that every child, rich or poor has a good start in life. Education is cost-free through graduate Ph.D. work. Both partners of working couples are entitled to one-year leave of absence at childbirth with full pay paid by the state. At a minimum so the mom can nurse her baby, new mothers are required to take a minimum 10 weeks leave of absence from work for childbirth so the infant gets a good start. Ninety percent of Norwegian moms breastfeed their baby. Work days are short - 8:30 to 4/4:30 pm in winter and 8:30 to 3/3:30 in summer so children can be picked up and have quality time at home. Daycare begins at age one for children and its costs are subsidized by the state. All families, rich or poor, use the same day care facilities and they cost only about $50/week per child with 2 meals per day included Day care facilities close by 4 pm. Workers get an average of 48 paid vacation days per year and are even given a holiday allowance so that all families, rich or poor, can take a proper holiday. Medical care for everyone is state provided as well.

Yes, Norwegians do pay income tax but it nearly as high in other socialistic countries like Iceland. They have high minimum wage, there is little gender discrepancy in wages and the state depends on full-employment to support the economy and the state-provided services. Thus everyone works.

I just read before we arrived here that Norwegians are among the very happiest people on earth. No wonder.

Tromso, Norway -March 29, 2017

Last night after dinner at the apartment we took a walk around the neighborhood. It was snowing but in a very gentle way. Trees and fence pickets were laden with snow. Long icicles hung from roof eaves. We past a chapel and a peaceful ancient cemetery with dark, old, snow-covered headstones. Occasionally we passed others walking and a car drove by now and then. Then we went home to snooze in this winter wonderland.

Snow was still falling when we woke so we took our time waking, re-arranging our bags, washing a few items and finishing last night's blog update. At about 11:30 we finally finished clothing all our warm layers, boots, gloves, scarves and various other paraphernalia to keep us warm and headed out the door for a 20-minute walk to Sentrum, the city center. From there we found the "green i" international sign for tourist information. There we took a ticket for the queue and while waiting met a couple from Redwood City, California and Little Rock, Arkansas. Imagine!!! When our number was called we bought break-the bank tickets to probably our most important excursions on this entire trip - dog sledding, Northern Lights search, and a cruise through the fjords. We are going to be busy people for the next couple of days but experiencing these things is why we came here.

Tickets in tow, ahh! The sky was still cloudy with light snow so we knew the view would not be fantastic, but we took the cable car up the mountain anyway. We shared a reindeer (I keep calling it rainbow burger; rainbow boots, etc.—short circuit in my brain, I guess) burger and salad - and a glass of wine, of course, and while we lingered, the sky cleared and the sights of the mountains, water and city were what did not expect - they were in fact fantastic! When the sun comes out, it's simply brilliant! Everything is bright and there are no other words except brilliant, simply brilliant!

The cable car conductor taking us down the mountain said we could walk across the bridge back to the city, so of course, we did. From a distance one can tell that there is a lovely arch in the bridge which our legs surely felt as we reached the midpoint! Still the weather remained sunny and the view up and down the fjord was beautiful.

We found the bus stop in the city for the 40 Bus to take us near our apartment but decided to ride on to the next stop or two to see a lake that is nearby. Because it has little surrounding artificial light, the lake is said to be a near-by Northern Lights viewing spot. If stars are visible in the skies tonight, we are going to walk there and take our chances for catching a glimpse.

We knew the bus route made a u-turn at some point so we simply stayed on the bus to see whatelse we might find. After all we have seen today, it is hard to say the longer bus ride showed us much more than what we had already seen - but the scenery was good, the bus was warm, comfy, and pleasant and I was beside my man in this part of the world.