BUS SCHOOL (SCANDINAVIA, ETC. PART 3)

Our bus passed through some absolutely beautiful mountainous areas in Norway, above the fjords, through
many mountain tunnels, alongside awesome waterfalls, and skirting little plots of steep land with sweet small wooden cabins  called hytte, belonging to families who think nothing of driving 6 hours out of the city on weekends to get to their mountain retreats. Most cabins on the mountainside or along the water have been in their families for generations.  The Scandinavian people love being outdoors.  Love it!

This is where I part company with my ancestors.  I'm actually more of an indoors-y girl.  Especially when it is cold and snowy outside. But the hearty Norwegians (and all Scandinavians and Nordic peoples) seem to love being outside regardless of the weather.  Skiing and hiking are generally deemed desirable and enjoyable.  I grudgingly admire that, I guess.  But I don't understand it.  I have a perfectly good home that is warm and dry.  Oh well... I didn't go to daycare/preschool there.

Not always and not everywhere, but in some places there is a thing called "Nature Daycare".  Children are shepherded into the forest and spend the ENTIRE DAY outside, playing, eating, learning about respecting and surviving in nature.  Sometimes it's cold and/or rainy.  No matter.  That's part of the learning experience.  Kids grow up appreciating and caring for the natural world.  Imagine. 

Also kids go to elementary school at around 6-7 years old.  (Six has recently been deemed a bit young, so there is a move toward seven being better so children have time to be children before moving into the school system.)  They to learn to get along, learn group engagement, learn their ABCs but not to compete and be stressed out with homework and grades.  No grades are issued at all until our middle school equivalent age.  There are lessons (actual social-emotional curriculum lessons!) in empathy and collaboration, cooperation, trust, and consensus building.  Imagine.

Most students do a "gap year" between high school and college.  This is seen as a good thing to have on your resume, indicating you have taken time to experience life and are well-prepared to devote yourself to further study.  And not everyone strives for a big career.  In fact, some criticize Scandinavians for "settling" for a simple, contended life.  Compared to the U.S. they are not ambitious in the same way.  A good life is considered one that is happy and content, where one fits in with the community and does not stand out by seeking admiration or ego-glorification.  In fact, this would be frowned upon.  Self-glorification would be an embarrassment.  Imagine.

Getting along and being content might help explain why crime is so low.  Only 1-3% of the population is impacted by violence.  They feel safe, trust the police and military, do not own firearms (except for hunting and those are regulated such that you don't just place a mail order or walk into the gun store to get one.)  Speaking of police: they are required to have 3 years of training most of which is around social services and de-escalation.  They rarely fire their weapons on the job.  Imagine.

Caring for nature has led to a cultural commitment to taking action to address climate change.  There are
no landfills.  People are expected to reuse and recycle.  Incinerators are used (highly controlled for toxic emissions) and the steam generated is piped into a system that helps heat homes.  The harbor areas are being cleaned up from their industrial past to be accessible for recreation.   People-focused, green technology is being used to develop waterfront areas into housing and retail centers.   97% of new cars purchased are electric, although there was a 50% drop in Tesla sales recently due to Musk's romance with Trump and his unwillingness to work with local unions.  

Speaking of politics, Denmark speaks of the "Greenland Moment" when Trump announced that the U.S. would take control of Greenland, "one way or the other".  The Nordic countries and other EU nations formed an almost universal alliance in opposition to a possible invasion, committing their military to
defend Greenland against the United States.  They began to send troops ready to blow up landing strips or whatever was necessary to "slow the U.S. down" even though they knew they could not withstand a full blown invasion.  Scandinavian countries, some of our staunchest allies in NATO, have lost trust in the United States.  Tourism to the U.S. was down 50% last year, more this year.  There is some hope that the U.S. can turn things around in coming elections, but they are skeptical.  Scandinavians were shocked Trump was elected for a second time.  (Me too.)

So, even though they are commonly lumped together, how do Scandinavians see each other?  Our guide, Heidi, described it (tongue in cheek) like this:  Scandinavians are siblings, with Finland being a close cousin.  Sweden, Denmark, and Norway are united by common genetics and a common language base.  Finland has a different genetic heritage and language origin, but is still a Nordic cousin.  

Sweden sees itself as the eldest son - mature, responsible, sophisticated, and a little reserved.  It gets annoyed with Denmark, the middle child, which can be too laid back, a bit lazy, and perhaps drinks too much.  Norway is the youngest.  It prefers to be outdoors having fun, is a little neglectful of responsibilities, just tagging along and not paying attention.  

I don't know if each country would agree with these characterizations, but on the surface they seemed to hold true from our observations as tourists.  (LOL)  All in all, each county had unifying characteristics and was also distinctly unique.  

At least, that's the view from here...©

Photo Credit: Hub, the official photographer.  a Hytte; Norwegian waterfalls; Swedish schoolchildren; Danish riverside saunas (get hot inside, then plunge into the river and swim a few laps); Danish protest (our travel companion, Buddy, agrees.)

5,479 DAYS

I am deeply grateful for 5, 479 days without alcohol.  Today is my 15th anniversary of the best decision ever.  No alcohol, no recreational drugs.  Just me, discovering every day the world as it is; no mind alteration to make it better, to make it through, to make it stop.  

I was not a daily heavy drinker, but I decided I was drinking more than was healthy -- which recent studies are showing is far, far less than previously recommended.  (Some of those earlier, often quoted studies were at least partially funded by the alcohol industry, who now, of course, argue with those researchers who say no amount of alcohol is truly safe.)  Quitting, I discovered that I don't need drugs (yes, alcohol is a toxic drug) to relax, to socialize, to celebrate, to grieve.  It adds nothing and takes so much.

In the past 15 years I have had days of pure joy, days of deep despair, days of contentment, days of boredom, days of hopelessness.  I have felt it all, every minute.  Pure experiencing.  Not always easy.  Always worth it.  My thoughts, feelings, nervous system responses to life are my own -- not influenced or owned by a drug.

So today I give a shout-out to all who walk this path with me. It is lonely here oftentimes, making this commitment to sobriety in our alcohol- and drug-fueled culture.  Finding kindred spirits smoothes the way and soothes the soul.  A special gratitude goes to my Ocean Shores friends who, while I was on a visit there, saw me, encouraged me, and even many years into my no alcohol/drugs decision finally allowed me to feel truly seen and truly supported.  No more apologies; no more being a good sport.  I found my sober voice in harmony with theirs and it was life-changing.

Five years ago, Jon hosted a family brunch for me to celebrate a decade of no alcohol/drugs. Leading up to that anniversary, I had made a big deal of it and he was thoughtful enough to organize a family get-together where everyone brought N/A drinks of various kinds to gift to me.  It was a memorable and much appreciated day.

This year no one even mentioned it until I pointed it out today (and bought myself flowers to mark the occasion.)  It's OK; it's a very personal decision I've made and one not shared by my family.  They accept and support me, but they do not walk this no alcohol/no drug path with me and the celebration is really mine alone.

So, do not raise a glass to me today (even of the N/A variety.)  Instead, take a deep breath and know that is the ilixer of life.  And it is enough.  🙏🏽

At least, that's the view from here...©

BUS SCHOOL (SCANDINAVIA, ETC. PART 2)

Here's what struck us most about Scandinavia:  People seem content.  

Now I know not every day is "happy dance day" anywhere in the world.  There are issues and problems and disagreements.  I'm trying not to turn a 2-week visit to Sweden, Denmark, and Norway into a visit to Utopia, but there are striking cultural/political differences between those social democratic countries and our republic right now.  Ours is struggling to hang onto democracy, mired in massive governmental corruption, has an ever growing income and wealth discrepancy leading to anger, resentment, all the 'isms', and a terrifying flirtation with fascist-leaning strongmen who promise they have all the answers, but really are just power-mad money grubbers.  

What I want to report is that it doesn't have to be like this.  And where it isn't, people get along and look out for each other.

Here are some things we learned "on the bus".  I took notes.  Truly.  I was so impressed with our excellent guide, Heidi from Denmark, as well as all the local guides who were part of our trip.  

(Insert Personal Testimonial: Rick Steves Europe Tours is known for the quality of its guides -- he pays them a living wage so there is no tipping and no trotting us off to souvenier shops where they get a kick back on sales.  They are well-educated on all aspects of the history and culture of their countries, and are open, friendly and well-organized.  This was our 5th trip and this was my favorite guide.  Also, one local guide said he loves Rick Steves groups because he can "tell the truth", meaning he can talk about political issues with honesty without worrying about offending a more conservative audience.  R.S. travelers do tend toward the liberal side in general.)

1)  TRUST AND CONSENSUS: The first stunning thing I learned in "Bus School" (Heidi's narrative while driving places), was that Scandinavia operates on a model of "trust and consensus".  Wait.  What did she say?  Yes, they highly value the ideal and practice of trust.  They assume people want what is best for each other.  They are surprised that someone would do something to hurt another deliberately.  When disagreements arise, they work to come to consensus so that everyone is heard and has a part in the final decision. This is true of personal relationships as well as in the political system.  

Let's contrast that with the rampant lack of trust in each other and our government in the US, where disagreements and differences are fought over with the intention that one side will "win" by whatever means -- cheating, threatening, and bullying allowed.  I have become so inured to this system that I was ridiculously incredulous that Scandinavia does it all so much more respectfully and humanely and people actually value this approach.  

2) HUMILITY: Here's a simple, but telling example.  We got off the plane in Stockholm airport and found the baggage claim area.  People gathered around the carousel waiting for the bags to arrive.  I am used to the push and shove approach where early comers get the prime location right in front of the baggage belt so they can lean in, get their bag first as it rolls past on the conveyor belt, blocking everyone behind them. Once spied, they reach in to grab the sometimes heavy and awkward suitcase, knocking another person out of the way, then make their way through the crowd with some aggression to leave the area and dash to their destination.

In Sweden, we all stood behind a yellow line around the carousel, which created a "lane" of emptiness where, when one saw their bag, they calmly stepped forward, took it from the carousel, and wheeled it unimpeded inside the yellow line in that empty lane, clearing the area for others behind them to do the same.  It was late at night when we arrived; I was really tired and sort of out of it.  I stood watching this most civilized and respectful scene with awe.  I really could hardly believe it.  

I learned at Bus School that another aspect of Scandinavian culture is that no one is thought "better" than anyone else and to boast, brag, or pull rank is not a done thing.  No one wants to "stand out" and be the focus of attention. It would be considered the height of rudeness and would be frowned upon and scorned a bit.  People are self-effacing and do not seek undue attention, feeling decidedly uncomfortable in the limelight.  Blending in is the norm.  So, at the carousel they all took turns.  Politely, patiently, without resentment.  Imagine.

3) SOCIAL COHESION AND SOCIAL WELFARE:  It is important in Scandinavia to work towards an egalitarian society.  Yes, these countries are capitalist.  The means of production are not in the the hands of the government.  But vast income inequality is not the goal.  A society where all can live comfortably is.  They work to ensure that polarizing forces do not take hold.  Famously this has meant that the Social Democrats have been elected most frequently.  These countries run on a Universal Welfare system.  This is not "welfare" like we think of it in the U.S. where some people need governmental assistance to survive.  This is welfare in the sense of "for the welfare of all".  

So what does this mean?  It means there is a "people first" philosophy where income is taxed at a very

high rate (39-52% depending on the country), which applies to everyone from low-wage earners to multi-millionaires.  This sounds terrifying and outrageous to us. Who would want to pay that much of their income in taxes?  In the U.S. it becomes a game of the wealthy, especially, to try to find enough loopholes in tax law to keep one's wealth from being taxed at a higher rate.  Middle and lower wage earners generally don't have these loopholes, so overall they pay a higher tax rate than let's say, billionaire Jeff Bezos.  In the U.S. everyone tries to keep as much of their wage as possible because every penny is needed to survive and thrive.  How will I pay for health care?  Education for my kids?  Childcare?  Elder care?   How can I take time off work when a new baby arrives?  Will I be able to take a vacation from the job, for a week or two?

Um.  Yes.  If you live in Scandinavia.  Because what you pay into the system in taxes helps fund all of those things for everyone.  Parents get 80% of salary during paid parental leave, some up to 18 months for each parent.  Childcare and Eldercare are highly subsidized, capped based on income to make it affordable for all.  Hospital stays are free and other health care heavily subsidized such that out of pocket co-pays are generally less than $250 annually. All education is free, even college, and in some cases a living stipend for an apartment is also offered.  Workers get 5-6 weeks paid vacation annually.  

How in the world can this system work?  Like this: Everyone is expected to work and pay into the system through taxes.  If one needs skills training, it is provided free of charge. Help is available for any aspect of job transfer; if you quit or get fired or are moving from temporary to permanent employment, you get help finding a new job.  If you have a language barrier (as in the case of recent immigrants) you get free language and culture lessons.  The system relies on people eager to contribute to it through their work, and the system rewards this work by providing  a universally applied "for the welfare of all" comfortable standard of living.  People there are delighted with the way this all works.  They seem to be truly happy and content.

So, do not be fooled by the rhetoric of the billionaire class in the U.S.  This is not communism, nor is it socialism; it is a capitalist social democratic/universal welfare system where all contribute fairly and all benefit equally.  What a concept!  

So much to learn, right?  Let's take a break and come back to Bus School later.  Time for recess!

At least that's the view from here...©

Photo Credit:  Hub.  He's our official photographer.  These are just some random choices of Sweden and Denmark, from the hundreds he took on our trip.  I should make a photo book. (I always intend to.) There are so many great ones.

GOD MORGEN, VENNER! (SCANDINAVIA, ETC. PART 1)

Good Morning, Friends! (Kudos to those Norwegians who didn't need the translation.)

I am back from a month of travels and with 3 weeks recovery time behind me I finally have some energy to sit at my computer to unravel the trip, share some insights, and allow you to witness my vow never to travel again.  (Just kidding.  I think.  Pretty sure.  We will see.)

Some of you followed my daily Facebook posts which I love doing because I love it when others post their travels too -- nice sharing!  But also because my posts and photos act as a travel journal and documentation of the where and when and what of our trips.  These post-travel blog posts go a bit deeper into the why and how, with info and insights gained.  Here goes...

Overview:  The intention was a 14-day tour with Rick Steves Europe travel gurus.  Locals know that Rick, of PBS and ubiquitous travel guide fame, lives just down the freeway from us and we feel like we are old friends.  We've met him, chatted with him, go to all of his public travel forums; I even took a travel writing class from him.  He would not know us, so don't ask him.  This was our 5th tour with his company and it was excellent, as were all the others.  There are quirks that seem to be unique to his tours that can be challenging, but overall the good outweighs the challenging (most of the time, but some frustrations add up, that's for sure!).  I've come to realize that travel is uncomfortable sometimes, challenging most of the time, exhausting all of the time.  It is not vacation.  Vacation is for chillin' out in a beautiful place with no agenda beyond getting dressed (maybe) and seeing what unfolds organically.  Travel has a relentless itinerary.

Anyway, this was Rick's "Best of Scandinavia" tour.  It is one of his company's most popular and we had to be waitlisted to get in, and we were lucky enough to score entry.  Since we were flying Icelandic Air from Seattle to Stockholm, we were able to take advantage of their layover in Reykavik option, so we planned 4 pre-tour nights in Iceland before heading to Sweden.  

The overnight flight to Iceland was as they all are for me -- interminable, uncomfortable, claustrophobic, sleepless.  At least it was only 7 hours.  Hub and I always try to get an exit row, aisle seats across from each other when there are no seat configurations that are just two together.  Hub is able to sleep on planes (with a little help from a gentle sleep aid) so he had his new hearing aids tuned into music, a neck pillow, a blanket, and a cozy little snooze.  I was across the aisle alternately trying to sleep and stay conscious.

After a few hours of sleepless discomfort, we were about 2/3 of the way into the flight when I started to feel lightheaded and a bit nauseated.  I've had unexplained fainting episodes before (many years ago) and this felt like that.  My legs felt weak, my pulse slow, things started to get a bit dark around the edges of my vision, I was shaky and sweaty.  So of course I was also in a bit of a panic, but I recalled all my tools for warding this thing off so I started doing my slow diaphragmatic breathing with long exhales; started contracting large muscle groups in my lower extremities to get the blood flowing upward from my legs to my brain; lowered my head as close to my lap as I could get it...

And then I heard the thud.  A man in the window seat in the row in front of Hub apparently got up to use the restroom and crashed to the floor in a dead faint.  He was a larger man.  I have no idea how he ended up prone between the seat rows, but I saw his feet sticking out into the aisle and a seat-mate racing to the back of the plane to get the flight attendant.  Two of them immediately brought him an oxygen tank, staying with him until he was alert enough to sit again.  They opened the shade of his window seat to  reveal a dawn sky.  Others opened their shades too, letting light into the dark cabin. Cooler air seemed to be coming into the cabin too, which had been hot and stale throughout the whole flight.  With light and air, I started to feel better also.

When we landed I mentioned to the flight attendants as I deplaned that I, too, had a near fainting episode and wondered if there was a problem in that part of the plane.  They admonished me a bit for not letting them know.  They said some people do not react well to the decreased oxygen levels in the pressurized cabin and it's important to alert the flight attendants.  Noted.  

A quick Google search later revealed that the FAA has approved cabin pressure when flying to mimic the O2 level of being at 5,000-8,000 ft. elevation.  And when necessary (storms, I guess) they are authorized to go to 10,000 feet cabin pressure for brief periods.  Yikes!  I realized that when I visited a friend in Boulder, Colorado (elev. 5430 ft) I felt the same "lack of air" and dizziness, as well as when I tried to walk (unsteadily) at the Maunakea Observatory (elev. 13,797 ft) on the Big Island Hawaii.  So I am one of those who doesn't respond well to the rarified cabin pressure which might explain why I am so miserable on most flights and always feel sick.  I thought I was just a wimp. (⬅️ Theme) 

But we made it to Iceland and went immediately from the airport to the Blue Lagoon.  It's famous.  Big tourist attraction. Here's what Mr. Google says:  

"This stunning lagoon holds six million liters of geothermal seawater, which is naturally renewed every 40 hours. The lagoon is shallow, with an average depth of 1.2 meters (about 4 feet) and a maximum depth of just over 1.5 meters (about 5 feet). The average temperature of the water is a warm and inviting 37-39°C (98-102°F), perfect for bathing in Iceland's cool climate.

The water in the Blue Lagoon is unique due to its rich content of silica, algae, and minerals, giving the lagoon its famous milky blue appearance. These components have skin-healing and rejuvenating properties, distinguishing the Blue Lagoon from any other spa in the world and making it a unique experience for visitors seeking relaxation and wellness benefits."

It was also surreal.  Iceland turned out to be way more barren and stark than I anticipated, like driving through a moonscape.  In the midst of the moon rock, the lagoon was unique and inviting and huge enough that it didn't feel crowded at all.  And the warm water felt heavenly in the 52-degree air temp.  We stayed a couple of hours there, did the silica mask thing, got our free drinks at the water-y walk up bar, tried to take it all in.  But I was so jet lagged and still a bit on the queasy, shaky side.  It just all seemed like a dream I was having.

After some sleep that night at our apartment, the rest of our Iceland visit was interesting and I'm glad we stopped there.  I've always wanted to go.  In photos it looks exotic and other-worldly and very beautiful.  All true. 

We wandered around Reykjavik and liked it, so colorful and peaceful.  Iceland is known to be one of he safest countries in the world.  People seem to be uninterested in killing each other.  Maybe they are too busy being in awe of their surroundings or trying to learn their indecipherable language.

We drove the Golden Circle and saw beauiful waterfalls, including the amazing Gullfoss, a geyser (not as big as Yellowstone's), and Pingviller National Park where we walked in the rift between tectonic plates.  

We stopped at a greenhouse restaurant, Frioheimar, that was very fun.  The greenhouse grows tomatoes and offers unlimited tomato soup and homemade breads, serving diners at tables literally tucked inside the warm and cozy greenhouse, next to growing plants. 

One day we went for a bit of the Ring Road drive (to the south) where we found more green and less barren surroundings, more varied landscape with hills and mountains and small picturesque towns , more spectacular waterfalls (Seljalandsfoss, Glijufurarfoss,Skógafoss, a glacier (Solheimajokull), and a black sand (actually, pebble) beach (Reynisfjara Beach).  

For Game of Thrones fans, Iceland was the location for many scenes in the TV show so at the Skogafoss stop I dialed up a YouTube video with theme music and sat on a bench before a huge waterfall featured in a pivotal scene in the show, listening with volume up in my ear buds, and was transported there again.  I watched all the tourists who had been merely annoying suddenly turn into majestic citizens of the North, as they approached Winterfell. (Sorry, nerding out on GOT there.)  

Oh, one more thing about Iceland.  We saw an outdoor menu posted that featured Icelandic Horse and Smoked Puffin.  Cute creatures, beware!

And so our trip began.  More to come.

At least, that's the view from here...©