Valhalla, I'm Coming...Maybe

The United Nations, based on a series of economic indicators from 2007, has recently released the list of the top countries to live in for 2012.  The top twenty countries are: 

1.      Norway

2.      Australia

3.      Iceland

4.      Canada

5.      Ireland

6.      Netherlands

7.      Sweden

8.      France

9.      Switzerland

10.  Japan

11.  Luxembourg

12.  Finland

13.  United States

14.  Austria

15.  Spain

16.  Denmark

17.  Belgium

18.  Italy

19.  Liechtenstein

20.  New Zealand 

I must admit to being intrigued by Scandinavia in general and Norway in particular.  Add to that Iceland and Sweden, also in the top ten, and it would make one heck of a road trip.  I think the United States deserve to be higher on the list (surely we can do better than France) but the list does highlight what many people believe to be true – the great white North is an attractive place.   

So, what draws me to the region?   A couple of things actually and at the top of the list are the history, mythology and culture.  Since I was a boy, I’ve been fascinated by the Vikings and their story of how they shaped the people, food and culture of the region is appealing.  For example, did you know that the Icelandic parliament, the Althing, is the oldest parliament in the world?  It was established in 930 and its sits outside the national capital, Reykjavik, which has geothermal heated sidewalks.  Norway was the birthplace of skiing – a sport that I’ve managed to do as worse as any other human being alive.  I was in the country as part of a military exercise and we had to be on skis.  This had to provide our Norwegian compatriots hours of fun.  On a side note, have you ever wondered who the first guy was that thought it was a good idea to put sticks of wood under his feet and go flying down a slick, snow-covered mountain side?  I bet he was made fun of for years.   

In Finland, they are known as the birthplace of saunas and its world championship of wife carrying.  I’m a bit more accustomed to saunas and thank God for them.  As for the wife-carrying, I’m not sure about that one but I’m not going to let it dampen my enthusiasm for Scandinavia.  Denmark is the home of Legos but I never played with those as a child (or as an adult) so I can’t say that is an attraction but there is a great crime show out of Denmark called The Eagle.  It is also the home of philosopher Soren Kierkegaard who influenced so many others and to walk in his steps would be wonderful.  Also as a child, I just assume that every woman in Sweden looked like Ingrid Bergman who transfixed me when I watched Casablanca.  As an adult, I know that is not possibly true but if it is only 50% true, it would be worth the visit.   

Of all these interesting and enticing facts, it can be blistering cold, the sun remains in the sky all day long during the summer (and not at all in the winter), the governments are wont to dabble in anti-Semitism and their taxes are extraordinary high.  Still, I am beginning to create an itinerary in my head.  Will I ever live there?  I checked with my aforementioned wonderful wife, who shook her head “no” without verbalizing her disinterest.  I can still dream, can’t I?