The Kingdom of Peace

Kingdom of Norway was just another European country for me before I and my family landed in Kristiansand ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristiansand ). A sunny Sunday afternoon welcomed us, as the City hopper touched down on Kjevik—the airport in Kristiansand. Since then, after experiencing Kristiansand for a few days, I now realize that it is a synonym for peace, tranquility and beauty taken together. In fact, Norway is rated as the most peaceful country in the world, and now after experiencing it I truly understand what it means. Incidentally, my hometown is one of the most populous cities in the world, bustling with an economic upturn after three decades. So tranquility is rare, and at least for me, can only be experienced by staying at home. In Norway tranquility is not confined indoors, but engulfs you at every place and at every moment. Many moments seemed exactly the same as we walked along the idyllic countryside—the cool breeze kissed our face, the warm sun embraced us, the flowers smiled at us, and a sudden rain surprised us. In moments of stillness, I saw the clear blue sky merge with the calmness of the sea, and sparse white clouds play hide-n-seek behind the green tree laden hills. In other words, I felt ecstatic experiencing the stillness around me, and the harmonious synchronicity of what nature had to offer.
The uniqueness of the trip was in the time that I got to spend with my son. Mundane activities—like helping him experience different types of food, taking him to the beach, helping him work with the coloring kit he got from his ever smiling “auntie” during the flight, or even singing a lullaby for him while putting him to sleep—had taken a whole new meaning. For me that was bliss, and though the time is destined to be finite, I’m sure the experience would continue to warm my heart forever.
I have never stopped at experiencing different kinds of food, and this trip had been no different. I tasted the freshest salmon, trout, tuna, sardine and mackerel along with the juiciest varieties of steak and BBQ pork ribs. And to top it all were the fruits—plums, blueberries, grapes, oranges, pears, pineapple, watermelon and apples—all of them sweet, fresh and juicy. Even my son had taken an instant liking for the food, and it warmed my heart to see him eat without any fuss. I was not required to put in the humongous effort that my wife puts in back home, in ensuring that my son is properly fed.
Apart from the idyllic settings of Kristiansand, there is nothing much that’ll attract a typical “tourist”. Yes like most European countries there is a Cathedral and a High Street.

And fortunately the Cathedral is close to the High Street, so it would only take one less than an hour to visit both…unless off course you are not a proverbial shopper. You could also visit a teeny-weeny fortress—Christiansholm, and spend some time in the teeny-weeny beach with its teeny-weeny waves.

So for a person looking for UNESCO World Heritage Sites this is surely not the place, but the perfect place for a person who can feel the significance of insignificant things—peace, beauty, synchronicity, harmony and God’s grace. For the person who is willing, a journey to Norway is a journey to one’s inner self—to realize one’s nature by walking along moments of self-discovery. Oscar Wilde once said “The aim of life is self-development. To realize one's nature perfectly—that is what each of us is here for.” If you agree, you got to be here in Norway.
However, the best thing about Norway is its people. Everyone looks so radiant and so happy. The women are pretty (yes you guessed it right, with blonde hairs and blue eyes), the men are handsome, and the children look joyous. We also discovered that they are polite, warm, and friendly after spending an evening with a lovely Norwegian couple. Their hospitality could have easily given the proverbial “Indian hospitality” a run for its money. They not only treated us with a sumptuous dinner consisting of fish, pork, chicken, and salads, but also took us for a boat ride through the nearest fjord ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fjord ), without which my Norwegian summer would have remained incomplete. The crystal clear water of the fjord reflected the colors of the sky so faithfully that for a moment I felt if heaven and earth was turned upside down, it would not have made much of a difference. Probably it had been turned upside down already. Heaven descended on the fjord and touched our hearts—touched by the beauty of Norway and its beautiful people.