In the unconscious① of a traveller， Norway evokes a concept of an extreme land， of absolute north. The extreme north of Europe is known as Lapland， a land that straddles the Norwegian borders to include the northern part of Scandinavia and a small portion of Russia. The native population is the “semi” who live traditionally from hunting and fishing， in symbiosis， even if nowadays in a technological version， with their environment.
The capital of Norway， Oslo， has a population of barely half a million. The city ensures the necessary administrative and cultural cohesion of a people who have a very strong sense of harmony with the nature， born in their distant Viking past and proudly cultivated② throughout the years.
The Holmenkollen ski-jumping board is one of the most famous symbols of Oslo. Norwegians’ relationship with skis goes very far back in time： indeed it is not improbable that even the Vikings traversed Scandinavia on these wooden slats.
The fundamental relationship that Norwegians have with nature makes them open and uninhibited with respect to nudity. Here， the human body is displayed with spontaneity③ and directness， like one of the many natural elements that blend in with the landscape.
In front of the square of the City Hall， the quay that overlooks the fjord④—the Aker Brygge—has been attractively restructured and turned into a walk， a shopping centre and an entertainment area. But the grand spectacle is still the beating of the waves of the sea and the boats bathed in the golden light of the summer.
Another look at the fortress of Akershus， which once again demonstrates the harmony of the city with nature， is all the more worthwhile.
The itinerary⑤ from north to south is a compendium⑥ of Norwegian nature： thundering waterfalls， rushing mountain streams and roads that run along glaciers， after having gone through dense pine forests and coastal lakes and fjords.
The interior of the country is incredibly rugged and almost one third of it is covered in trees. Despite its northern latitude， the Norwegian climate is essentially maritime and damp， because it is influenced by the mitigating action of the warm Gulf Stream， originating⑦ from the Gulf of Mexico， which flows up the coast preventing the formation of sea ice.
Bergen， a port lying in the southeast of the country， is crowded with brightly coloured houses， which belonged to German traders of the powerful Hanseatic League. Despite several fires， the area maintains the atmosphere of the “old port” and Commercial City from the Middle Ages. UNESCO recently declared it a World Heritage Site and included it in the list of monuments that are to be preserved.
There is a large park in the centre of Bergen which is taken up almost completely by an octagonal lake， around which， lie some of the principal museums in the city.
The Hakonshallen， the most beautiful monument in the city， lies within the walls of Bergen’s fortress. The great 13th century Gothic hall was built for the parties and the receptions⑧ in the days of the city’s control over trade in the North Sea.
You get the best view over Bergen， the fjords and the surrounding pine—covered mountains from the belvedere. It’s easy to admire Norwegians for their unique way of respecting the nature！
From north to south， from Lapland to Oslo and Bergen， Norwegian people has convinced us， with time， that human beings， as the most advanced yet most vulnerable⑨ in the grand family of nature， can live in harmony with all its other members.
① unconsciousadj. 不省人事，未发觉的，无意识的
② cultivatedadj. 耕耘的，有教养的，栽植的
③ spontaneityn. 自发性
④ fjordn. 海湾，峡湾
⑤ itineraryn. 路线
⑥ compendiumn. 纲要，概略
⑦ originatev. 引起，创办；起源，发生
⑧ receptionn. 接待，接见；接待会，接见会
⑨ vulnerableadj. 易受攻击的
挪威人和自然
提起挪威，让人想起的是地球北端的一片极地风光。欧洲的最北端叫做拉普兰，它位于挪威北部边界，包括斯堪的纳维亚半岛的北部和俄罗斯的一小部分。当地人被称作萨米人，自古以渔猎为生。甚至在今天，他们仍然过着与自然共生共存的生活。
挪威首都奥斯陆人口不足50万，它的城市文化给人们带来了强烈的凝聚力，人们有了一种与自然和谐相处的责任感。这种凝聚力源自他们的历史，并且得到了发扬和光大。
荷门克伦（Holmenkollen）滑雪台是奥斯陆的标志建筑之一。挪威人和滑雪渊源已久，的确，当时人们在这窄木条上穿越斯堪的纳维亚半岛不是不可能的。
挪威人与自然的亲密关系造就了挪威人的单纯和不羁。他们对人体艺术大胆而由衷的追求，使他们与自然景观融为了一体。
市政厅广场前，阿克·布鲁日（Aker Brugge）码头俯瞰着海湾。如今，它已经变成了步行街、购物中心和娱乐区。但最引人注目的仍然是峡湾中的声声海浪和沐浴在日光下的片片轻舟。
阿克斯胡斯（Akershus）城堡充分展现了奥斯陆与自然之间的融洽，绝对值得再多看一眼。
从北到南可以领略到挪威自然的概貌。穿越茂密的松树林和沿海的湖泊和峡湾后，出现在面前的将是雷鸣的瀑布、奔流的山溪和冰川旁边的坦途。
挪威的内陆地形崎岖，近1/3被树木覆盖。尽管纬度很高，挪威的海洋气候却是十分湿润，它受来自墨西哥湾的暖洋流影响，沿海终年不结冰。
卑尔根，挪威东南港城，布满了许多颜色鲜艳的小房子，它们属于汉萨联盟的德国商人们。数次大火之后，卑尔根仍然保持了中世纪港口和商业中心的原来面貌。联合国教科文组织把它列入了世界文化遗产名录予以保护。
卑尔根市中心有一个大公园。整个公园几乎被一个八角湖所覆盖，它周围聚集了市内主要的博物馆。
市内最美丽的遗迹克勤王礼堂（Hakonshallen）位于卑尔根堡的城墙之内，这座13世纪的哥特式建筑，原是在卑尔根掌控北海海上贸易时期为聚会和接待客人而修建的。
在观景台上能看到卑尔根、海湾及周围葱葱群山最好的风光。在这儿，我们将对挪威人尊崇自然的独特方式发出由衷的感叹。
从北到南，从拉普兰到奥斯陆和卑尔根，挪威人用时间向我们证明了：人类作为自然家庭中最高级但也是最脆弱的一分子，能够与其他成员融洽地生活在一起。