Nordic | A Midsummer Solstice in the Arctic Circle’s Midnight Sun – A Magical Journey Collecting the 'World’s Best'

People often say, 'The summer solstice hasn’t arrived, yet it has.'

What is the summer solstice? One aspect is that the daylight hours in the Northern Hemisphere reach their longest of the year. So long that around the solstice, there is no sunset within the Arctic Circle, and no night in nearby areas south of it.

'Then why don’t we go to the Arctic Circle to celebrate the solstice?' 'Let’s go!'

And so, that year, our Nordic group of four – we went to Iceland at the beginning of the year, barely making use of the few hours of daylight to see the sights, chasing the Northern Lights in the long nights; and mid-year we visited the other four Nordic countries, freely squandering the 24 hours of daylight gifted to us each day, embarking on a journey without night.

If you ask me what it’s like to travel during the midnight sun, I’ll tell you: as long as you’re awake, you can travel anywhere; as long as you don’t draw the curtains, it’s always daytime. Of course, the wonders of Nordic summer go far beyond the midnight sun – this is a magical trip where, if you’re greedy enough and daring enough, your wishes come true.

Taking off from London at night, strolling through sunlit streets in Finland at midnight – the joy of the midnight sun begins.

Crossing the Arctic Circle line at Santa Claus Village, shaking Santa’s hand and wishing him a happy solstice, earning your own Arctic Circle certificate.

Encountering Stockholm under a blanket of clouds – no night, but no sunshine either, experiencing the real life of Nordic people in its profundity.

Getting lost in Sweden’s incredible underground art, stopping at each station to explore the stories and art unique to that place.

Making Bergen our base, immersing ourselves in the crystal-clear nature of the west coast. If you read this article, you’ll fall in love with Norway too.

Taking 'the world’s most incredible train route', weaving through plateaus, snowy mountains, valleys, forests, waterfalls, rivers, and villages.

Collecting a series of 'world’s best' in the unique fjords, experiencing Norway’s most representative natural landscapes, the soul of Norway.

Sitting on the Bryggen waterfront, watching the reflection of colorful wooden houses ripple under the midnight sun, marveling at the magic of this never-setting summer.

A dream-come-true day: by plane, ferry, car, and on foot, finally reaching the world’s number one natural landscape, overlooking the Lysefjord from the cliff.

Flying to the next city in the early hours and at midnight, capturing sunrises and sunsets over the coastline from the air.

At the end of this magical journey, Denmark greeted us with long-awaited brilliance and heat, and the eternal fairy-tale world.

The Iceland trip at the beginning of the year was so perfect that I wasn’t really looking forward to this trip before departure – I just thought experiencing the midnight sun would be cool. But as I sat on that evening flight from London to Helsinki, watching the sky gradually brighten until it was embraced by sunlight, I began to look forward to it. This trip was destined to be another wonderful one.

This article, let’s go back together to that magical plane, back to that wondrous night, and set off again.

We traveled to four Nordic countries on this trip: Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. If I had to describe each country’s travel and impression with one word, Finland’s word would be 'magical.'

Why magical? Because of the incredible midnight sun night tour, because we crossed the Arctic Circle, because we met Santa Claus on the solstice, and because that Christmas we received postcards we had sent to each other during the trip.

Finland is a lovely country. Its national flower is the lily of the valley, which symbolizes purity and happiness. On that bright night, walking through the empty city of Helsinki, we felt the same surprise: Is this a familiar kind of purity?

In Iceland’s nature at the beginning of the year, we experienced unprecedented purity – as long as it was light, everything was white. That white was refreshing, a purity that allowed no impurity. In Helsinki, in the summer, in a colorful city, we also felt purity – a purity hard to forget.

A cloudless sky, starbursts visible everywhere told us that between us and the sun there was only pure air, spotless; the Baltic Sea was as calm as a mirror, reflecting the azure sky; clean streets, not a single piece of trash, the empty city so quiet you could hear an echo.

Pure Finland, as if washed clean, conveys a happiness and beauty that flows steadily.

The first photo of this trip was the moment I described earlier, taken at midnight.

I learned about the midnight sun in textbooks as a child, but I never thought it would appear so suddenly before me. Flying from London northeast, in just under three hours, we went from night to day.

In Finland, our top destination was Rovaniemi – to celebrate the solstice in the Arctic Circle. But there were no direct flights from London to Rovaniemi, so we had to transfer in Helsinki. We deliberately extended the layover to experience a fun 'midnight sun night tour' in the city center.

Helsinki, the capital of Finland, lies on the Baltic Sea. At 60° north, it is one of the world’s northernmost capitals.

We got off at the central station, and the first thing we saw was the National Gallery opposite. The National Gallery is Finland’s largest collection of classical art and the first museum to acquire a Van Gogh.

The advantage of a night tour is the magical experience; the downside is that indoor venues don’t open until actual daytime – kind of like window shopping. But for someone 'uncultured' like me, who only loves natural scenery and architecture, a midnight sun night tour couldn’t be more wonderful.

Even as I describe that day right now, I find it fascinating. Imagine: the person in this photo is actually walking at night, and I took this sunny photo at night too.

The trams on the road were also running at night, gliding past us very quietly.

Empty streets – doesn’t it feel surreal? A bit like a movie scene?

Remember what I said at the beginning? Midnight sun travel means as long as you’re awake, you can travel anywhere – and that’s what we were doing.

After about five minutes of walking, we reached Helsinki Cathedral.

Helsinki Cathedral is a landmark of Helsinki. Its pure white main body is immaculate, with Greek columns and light blue-green bronze domes showcasing the church’s grandeur. Taking advantage of the emptiness, my friends and I ran up and down the steps, taking many silly photos (I won’t share them). Tired from running, we sat on the steps of Senate Square for a quiet photo.

Senate Square, home to Helsinki Cathedral, is the center of civic activity in Helsinki, the best place to admire Neoclassical architecture, and an important landmark of Finland. In the center of the square stands the bronze statue of Tsar Alexander II, commemorating his granting of autonomy to Finland.

Walking to the east side of the square, we saw the cathedral from a different, more three-dimensional angle. The cathedral is one of the three masterpieces of architect Engel; the other two – the Government Palace and the University of Helsinki – are also visible from the square.

Since returning from Iceland, I’ve loved taking photos of starbursts, which only appear in very clear skies. Through the Greek columns, I snapped a picture to record this quiet, beautiful morning.

Helsinki has many trams, and the tracks are everywhere on the ground.

I love wandering the streets, observing the unique characteristics and cultures of each city. Helsinki’s tram tracks, along with the ubiquitous bike racks and parked bicycles (just like in the Netherlands), record the rhythm of daily life.

On the way to the Orthodox church, we encountered a tram that glowed golden in the sunlight.

When we reached Uspenski Cathedral, we also reached the Baltic Sea shore; the cathedral sits at the southwest corner of the harbor.

At the harbor, I captured another starburst. That morning in Helsinki was the purest in my memory: a pure sky, cloudless; pure streets, magical and peaceful; pure sea, calm as a mirror.

On the small bridge leading to the cathedral, there were many padlocks, presumably holding people’s memories and secrets. This pink lock from 2015 with two names engraved on it – probably a love story. I wonder if it’s still going strong.

Buildings in Helsinki are mostly built with light-colored granite, earning it the nickname 'White City of the North.' Uspenski Cathedral, with its golden-green domes and red brick walls, stands out in Russian architectural style. It has 13 golden domes, which is rare – 13 is not a lucky number in the West, highlighting Russia’s legacy in Finland.

Speaking of my outfit, many people might recognize it as a once-trendy style. Actually, by the time of this trip, it was no longer that popular in China, but I was living in the UK at the time, where it was still quite hot. We still bought sets of these clothes – the more vibrant the color, the more popular. Friends in China told me nobody wore them anymore, but I didn’t believe it and chose an orange set for this Nordic trip.

While editing the photos for this travelogue, I considered changing the color to something darker and more modern, but in the end I kept it. Since it’s a travel diary, I want to stay true to what happened at that moment – both on the destination and on myself. Such memories are valuable and worth sharing.

Sunlight cast through the lock bridge onto the ground, at a low angle, creating long shadows with a great sense of stretch.

No clouds, no wind; the Baltic Sea was like a mirror, reflecting everything on shore.

There were many small shops by the shore. I don’t know Finnish, but I recognize numbers! I could figure out the opening hours and prices – they had written the shop’s advertisement on a huge decorative fan, very interesting.

Sitting on the empty shore, gazing at the empty sea, I felt the purity that belongs only to Finland.

Helsinki, set against the sea, always looks clean and beautiful – whether under the summer blue sky and sea or with winter ice floes – earning it the nickname 'Daughter of the Baltic.'

This is the Havis Amanda statue, also known as the 'Daughter of the Baltic' bronze statue, a symbol of Helsinki. Amanda faces the sea, her left hand on her cheek, silently gazing at the Gulf of Finland, often called the goddess of the sea.

On the way to the Silent Chapel, we came across a small park (I couldn’t find its name), full of life.

I saw a theater that wasn’t open, with benches lined up outside. It looked like there were often performances; maybe the glass front opens up during shows.

I also saw Helsinki’s summer trees in full bloom – very interesting.

Helsinki is generally cool – I’m not sure if these are summer or spring flowers, but they bloomed brilliantly.

There was also a bicycle painted pink, possibly advertising a rental or sales shop. In the Nordic region, I truly felt illiterate – I could only understand pictures and numbers.

We walked to the Silent Chapel, an innovative Finnish wooden structure. Here, from bustle to silence is just one step away.

I love Finnish churches – they truly make Helsinki a heaven for architecture appreciation, as each church looks less and less like a traditional church.

If the barrel-shaped chapel above still has some architectural quality, the Rock Church doesn’t even look like a building. It’s the only church in the world built inside solid rock, completely overturning the concept of a church. It looks like a landed UFO, and the entrance is like a tunnel.

We were very interested, so we decided to have breakfast nearby, stroll around a bit, and wait for it to open so we could explore inside.

The exterior walls of the Rock Church are covered with copper sheets, while the interior retains the natural texture of the granite rock face, reflecting Finns’ love for nature and simplicity.

We finally waited until 10 o’clock and could enter through the tunnel entrance.

As soon as we stepped inside, the light and shadow were stunning. Sunlight streamed through the grilles, casting patterned light on the seats, bright and dark – so beautiful.

There was someone rehearsing on stage, but I couldn’t look away; I was captivated by the dome, clicking the shutter nonstop.

It looked different from every angle. Looking straight at the unlit side, I saw the azure sky.

Looking obliquely toward the lit side, soft light poured in gently.

And then, I was lucky enough to catch another starburst.

That carefree night and morning ended happily. We returned to Helsinki Airport and flew to our Arctic destination, Rovaniemi. As I write this now, it’s 3:05 AM Beijing time. I can’t help but wonder: what would it be like if it were light outside? What would it be like to go on a 'night tour'?

I dare not think further because it feels too far away. But on that solstice, this night tour was real – like a waking dream. There were almost no people on the streets; the city was empty, the sky was bright, the sun was shining – so magical.

The excitement continues; the magical journey has just begun. See you in the Arctic Circle.

Do you remember the original purpose of our trip? To celebrate the summer solstice in the Arctic Circle.

If other places on our trip only had no night, but still had sunrise and sunset, then the place we were about to reach had true midnight sun. Crossing the 66th parallel north, the Arctic Circle, we would truly say goodbye to sunrise and sunset – not just 24 hours of daylight, but 24 hours of sunshine.

Travel is really interesting – it keeps us travel lovers energetic; the more exciting the journey, the more we forget about sleep.

What is sleep? Do humans need sleep?

By now, we hadn’t slept for over 30 hours since London, but we were getting more and more excited, not even sleepy on the plane. When we landed in Rovaniemi, we were greeted by a Christmas-decorated airport – the airport was even called 'Santa’s Official Home Airport.'

We had booked a cabin in Santa Claus Village, and a shuttle from the village was waiting for us. Soon we arrived at our accommodation.

A row of cabins had two units; we were four people and booked the whole row – this was our home for the night.

Inside, the Christmas atmosphere was strong. Was it summer solstice or winter solstice? Hard to tell. The design of houses in the Arctic Circle is different – the curtains have two layers; after all, you have to create your own darkness.

The cabin also had a sauna, brand new and clean. We had a great idea: take a sauna at night, then sleep soundly. But after the sauna at night... haha, what is sleep? What is drowsiness? The sky was still bright – why sleep?

Sauna is a necessity in Finland; there is one sauna for every three people. Pure and introverted Finns’ most common way to relax is the sauna. Especially around the winter solstice, when the Arctic Circle experiences polar night, with endless cold and snowy darkness, the sauna becomes especially warm and comforting.

I rarely take photos in bathrooms, but I did twice on this trip: once here in the cabin, and once in a public bathroom in Sweden. In the Nordic region, anything is possible.

After pretending to rest in the room, we went to the restaurant for dinner. Even if we weren’t sleepy, we still got hungry. Everything in Santa Claus Village was red-toned, creating a strong Christmas vibe.

I ordered a burger and potato wedges; the golden food against the red background immediately gave off a Christmas sparkle.

The restaurant windows were also interesting. I loved this place – every detail was thoughtful.

After dinner, we went to the post office to buy stamps, planning to write postcards at night and drop them in the mailbox tomorrow.

I bought 8 stamps. Guess how many postcards I bought? And how long it took me to write them?

These were the most meaningful stamps I’d ever seen – printed with 'Arctic Circle,' Santa, and Santa Claus Village. With such interesting stamps, how could I not write a few more?

Why is there lamplight? Because we obediently closed the curtains. Even though the room was dim, our excitement couldn’t be contained – tomorrow we would cross the Arctic Circle and meet Santa! Could we possibly sleep?

So we got up early, had breakfast, and started exploring the village.

In the center of the village, there was a signpost pointing to various world cities. I excitedly looked for Beijing – and found it! A wave of homesickness washed over me. I sent a photo to friends in China, telling them, 'Look, you’re southeast of me!'

Then! We reached the big event of the day! The most anticipated moment of the entire trip!

Crossing the Arctic Circle! This was my first time crossing the Arctic Circle – so thrilling!

In the central area of Santa Claus Village, there is a white line marked 'Arctic Circle' and '66°32′35' – that’s the Arctic Circle line.

I probably took a few dozen photos there? Being silly is my specialty.

I picked the most normal one to show you. The funniest part: after dozens of shots, when I came back from the Arctic Hall with my certificate, I couldn’t resist taking many more – it was too memorable.

Another highlight was visiting Santa Claus.

Pushing open the door marked 'Santa is here,' we could find Santa. We couldn’t bring our own cameras or bags inside; staff would take photos, and there were cameras in the office, available for purchase at the end of the visit.

Being silly is impossible to hide – I must have been the silliest girl Santa had ever seen, so excited. There weren’t many people, just us, so Santa chatted with us for a long time – about how he replies to children’s postcards, where we came from, and our trip.

At the time, I thought it was magical and fun.

Later, when I looked at the photos and videos, I realized how excited and silly I was – so silly I couldn’t bear to watch anymore. But having something in life that makes me this happy is wonderful. Everything about travel delights me; as long as I’m traveling, I’m very, very happy.

Thank you, Santa Claus, for making this solstice unforgettable.

With two big wishes fulfilled, we entered the play-and-wander phase and went to Santa’s Post Office.

There were different mailboxes: for Europe, for the world, for immediate sending, and for next Christmas.

I sent immediate postcards to myself, family, and friends; to our Nordic group of four, I chose next Christmas.

And so, on the winter solstice that year, we received postcards we had sent to each other from Santa Claus Village on that summer solstice. The longer I travel, the more I love these meaningful, traditional ways. I have a special cabinet for these travel memories.

After all that ceremony, we fed the reindeer. Since it was summer, we couldn’t ride a sleigh, but we could get close to them by feeding them branches under staff guidance.

Satisfied, the sky cleared up, and we wandered around the village for a while before heading back to pack.

Before leaving, I reluctantly took a photo with the cabin. I still clearly remember our unit numbers: 52 and 53. Because they held our beautiful memories of that solstice in the Arctic Circle – a magical solstice worth remembering.

The staff from Santa Claus Village drove us to the airport, and we boarded the plane for Sweden.

See that dark cloud? We were flying toward it, to experience the typical Nordic summer rainy season.

Goodbye, pure and magical Finland.

Seeing the title, are you a little curious? Why 'Kingdom of Peace'? Because in Swedish, 'Sweden' means 'Kingdom of Peace.'

We often hear about Nordic design and Nordic style. What exactly is Nordic art? In what environment does such art emerge? Before coming to Sweden, I had these questions in my mind. After arriving, I gradually found answers. The weather and history have shaped this peaceful kingdom, and this peaceful kingdom has shaped its art.

Imagine: if you lived in a city that has only night for a month or two, then no night for another month or two, no high temperatures all year, and rain for nearly half the year – how would you change? In a peaceful kingdom where everyone can be at peace with themselves and enjoy solitude, how would you change?

When I first arrived in Sweden, I didn’t think about all this. Maybe as I get older, or as I’ve traveled to more places and become more interested in the world’s diversity, I gained a deeper understanding of Sweden while preparing this travelogue. After watching some Swedish films and listening to Swedish songs, looking back at my trip to Sweden, it becomes more and more interesting.

A few years ago, I wrote an article about travel, and my original words about Sweden were 'In some places, dreams shatter.' I’ve always liked Sweden, liked Stockholm, but here I encountered the most depressing rain, even worse than all the weather despair I had in the UK. Now, thinking back, although the rain prevented me from capturing the most beautiful scenery, it let me see the most real Sweden. Understanding Swedish art and life in this environment becomes much easier.

In fact, the dream didn’t shatter; I just didn’t see another dimension of the dream at the time of travel.

So we flew into that dark cloud. It was the first time I saw an airplane with a double rainbow on the cloud.

As I mentioned, at the time of travel, my mood also flew into the dark cloud. During the few days in Stockholm, I felt a bit down. The world’s most beautiful capital? Where is the beauty?

People grow. Now I have discovered its beauty and have begun to cherish and appreciate this trip.

After arriving in Sweden, we finally slept – a long, deep sleep.

Maybe because we were finally tired, or maybe because Sweden’s rain made us drowsy. Either way, sleeping was good.

We stayed near the city center, and in the morning we strolled to the old town.

There it was: the famous Nobel Museum, featuring introductions to laureates, a historical review of the Nobel Prize, and an introduction to Alfred Nobel. The Nobel Prize has great international significance in science, education, culture, etc. Many alumni from our university have won Nobel Prizes, and their stories appear in this museum. But being 'uncultured,' we still didn’t go inside.

The square where the Nobel Museum is located is the city’s main square, also Stockholm’s oldest square, around which the medieval old town gradually formed. In the square stands a monument to a well, the site of Stockholm’s earliest water source.

For example, benches were painted in various colors. Perhaps in a deep city like Stockholm, color brightens things up.

The windows of small shops displayed different designs. This little hedgehog caught my eye – very three-dimensional and vivid. I don’t know why, but I felt it was very Stockholm.

Entering an alley from the other side of the square, we reached the old town’s shopping street. Though it’s a commercial street, it wasn’t bustling, filled with various exquisite Swedish designs – very interesting.

This is a small lamp shop; lampshades were made to look like various skirts, along with many fun little dolls.

Passing through this alley, we arrived at the famous Stockholm Royal Palace.

Its history dates back to the Middle Ages, originally a military fortress. At the end of the 17th century, it was gradually renovated and expanded into today’s palace.

This is where the king works and holds ceremonies, and it’s an important tourist attraction in Stockholm.

The royal family has now moved to Drottningholm Palace in the suburbs, but it remains the official residence of the Swedish king.

Apart from the floors used as royal residences, the rest of the palace has other uses, such as the Gustav III Museum of Antiquities, the Treasury, the Armory, and the Three Crowns Museum in the basement – these museums alone could take a day to explore.

We arrived just at noon in summer, when the changing of the guard took place in front of the palace. We witnessed the solemn ceremony as guards performed the traditional changing of the guard.

The ceremony lasted a long time, with parades and music, and the square was crowded with onlookers.

After watching the ceremony, we returned to the old town to find a delicious lunch.

You probably guessed: our first meal in Sweden was Swedish meatballs.

The meatballs were exquisite and tasty, but honestly different from what I imagined. Growing up eating IKEA Swedish meatballs, I always thought they were small, but these were surprisingly large.

After lunch, we continued exploring Stockholm’s old town. The old town dates back to the 13th century, over 700 years old. It features medieval alleys, cobblestone streets, and ancient architecture, strongly influenced by North Germanic style.

This is Stockholm Cathedral, one of the oldest buildings in Stockholm, an important representative of Swedish brick Gothic architecture, and the site of Swedish royal coronations.

Following the old town, we returned to the Royal Palace to continue our tour.

The Swedish Royal Palace was the only palace we visited inside during this Nordic trip. Not sure if the palaces in other Nordic countries are similar, but we felt Nordic palaces are less luxurious than Western European ones.

The palace displayed the royal family’s daily items, including many clothes, accessories, and even wedding gowns.

The palace once suffered a great fire. The exhibition hall described its former splendor, and one room recreated the state before the fire.

After touring several exhibition halls and museums, we got a bit tired – maybe because the royal family doesn’t live here, so many rooms are open, or because the displayed items were so abundant that it was dazzling.

Leaving the palace, I took a standard tourist photo – since we were here, it deserved a memento.

It took us a long time to finish visiting the palace. If there were nightfall, I’d say 'We went from daylight to darkness.'

Leaving the Royal Palace, we went to Fjällgatan. I was looking forward to this place because long ago I saw a photo of it under a sunny sky in a magazine – as beautiful as a painting. But at that moment... haha.

Stockholm is truly a mysterious city. Is this the same Baltic Sea as in Finland? Does the Baltic Sea have two colors?

Briefly taking off my thick coat for a portrait. I realized that year I really loved that shirt – the cover of my UK travelogue was that shirt, and the Nordic travelogue cover is also that shirt. Looking back, maybe it suited the UK and Nordic weather: a short-sleeved sweater-like fabric, warm but showing some skin, not too dull.

Haha! Seeing this photo, I can’t help laughing.

This is the photo of the public bathroom I mentioned! I never thought I’d raise my DSLR in a public bathroom, nor spend half an hour editing a bathroom photo, nor put my name on a bathroom photo.

But all of this happened in Sweden. At that moment, I couldn’t help but exclaim: art is truly everywhere in Sweden. This artwork was in the center of the mirror in the women’s public bathroom near Fjällgatan, even with delicate, layered two-tone lighting.

The rain eased a bit, but the overcast sky remained.

We went to Kungsholmen to see the famous Stockholm City Hall.

City Hall is a landmark of Stockholm, flanked by water, a red brick tower with a spire.

There are many sculptures by the sea; Nordic sculptures are mostly bronze in greenish-blue, very cool-toned.

Across the water is Riddarholmen, with the pointed Riddarholm Church on the left.

Inside City Hall, looking up, the ceilings on both sides are interesting – asymmetrical but harmonious and well-designed.

Perhaps this frozen moment is Sweden’s impression in my heart: red brick buildings, green sculptures, and an overcast sky.

Looking out through the arched gallery, the vast Baltic Sea glowed, inviting us to walk toward it.

We lingered in the gallery for a while, sheltered from the rain, quietly enjoying the brightness outside.

At this point, do you think we’ve seen all of Stockholm? Not yet! The underground is even more exciting!

If it’s raining heavily outside, hide in the subway; if there’s no night outside, come to the subway to find darkness.

If you ask me where the most fun place in Sweden is, I’ll definitely say the subway (I didn’t say the public bathroom – that’s already impressive, haha, anything is possible in Sweden). For Swedes, the subway is mostly transportation, but for tourists, its artistic value far exceeds its transport function.

A bit of time has passed, and I can’t quite distinguish which station is which. The process of searching for these memories is enjoyable. Reading about these subway stations online, I’ve gained a deeper understanding than I had at the time. Perhaps during the Nordic trip, I only marveled at how interesting they were; now I know many of the stories behind them.

So writing each travelogue is a joyful process – not only does it help me recall memories and relive the trip, but it also allows me to calm down and deeply understand the city I once visited. In this chapter, I’ll tell you about our journey through Stockholm’s subway.

Let me briefly mention the general lines in Stockholm: mainly red, green, and blue lines. The subway decoration is also interesting. It is said that in 1955, two Swedish artists proposed decorating the subway, and many stations became works of art. Notably, not every station on this art corridor has design, and not every line at interchange stations is designed – we have to discover them ourselves.

We didn’t do thorough research before coming, not knowing which stations had surprises, so we decided to explore this art corridor like an adventure. We entered the subway at T-Centralen on the blue line and started opening blind boxes along the blue line.

The station in this picture is T-Centralen, Stockholm’s central subway station, an interchange for the red, green, and blue lines. There is no design on the red and green line platforms, but surprises await on the blue line – a must-visit for Stockholm subway tours.

The design of this station is mainly blue and white, themed around the ancient Athens Olympics, with many blue and white olive leaves. What attracted me most was the mural next to the escalator, depicting the busy builders of that time – some holding blueprints, others using tools for construction. Because Stockholm has many rivers, the subway was dug very deep, and the builders worked hard. This mural seems to let us see their construction process, vivid and three-dimensional.

The next station is Radhuset. I didn’t find much information online. In my understanding, it’s a mine. Walking in the tunnel feels immersive, with a sense of heat and desolation.

My favorite part was the two shoes on the ceiling of the mine – very interesting. It feels like an inverted mine, as if the ceiling is actually the floor, a kind of spatial reversal. It also makes me wonder whose shoes they are and what they symbolize.

We wanted to open a blind box farther away, so we went to the blue line branch, Solna Centrum.

Its theme is the problems of Sweden’s industrial revolution in the 1970s: green represents forest, red represents the sky, and black represents burned land and garbage.

Behind the bright colors is a sad story, visually striking. We often talk about environmental pollution – it sounds like a light phrase, but when artists use colors to depict it, it becomes truly terrifying. When the sky is dyed red, red no longer represents celebration but danger and terror – the world is no longer beautiful. This contrasts sharply with T-Centralen’s blue and white scheme.

Our route after that became very confusing – so confusing that even after some detective work, I couldn’t figure out why we went that way. I thought my memory was wrong and I’d misidentified stations, but it seems not – our Nordic group of four is unmatched in silliness.

If you want a normal art tour, continue three more stations after Hallonbergen to reach Akalla, mentioned at the end of this section. But I’ll still share our confusing route. The only reasonable explanation I can think of is that we wanted to exit at Akalla, but we had read online that Kungsträdgården and Stadion had designs we hadn’t seen yet, so we went back and took the line again.

So we turned back at Hallonbergen, returning to the starting point of the blue line main line, Kungsträdgården, themed as the King’s Garden. Because the area above ground has royal gardens, artists turned this station into an underground garden.

Then we returned to T-Centralen and transferred to the red line, arriving at Stockholm’s most famous subway station, Stadion, represented by a vivid rainbow.

Taking advantage of a train stop, I took another empty shot, with more blue echoing the sky and more dynamism.

The theme of this station is the 1912 Summer Olympics. On one side of the corridor, there is a huge poster. Although I don’t understand Swedish, the word 'Olympic' is similar to English, and I could guess it commemorates the Summer Olympics held from June 29 to July 22, 1912.

Walking out, there are many interesting sculptures, including signs pointing north and south, and musical notes – very fun.

Then we returned to the blue line and got off at another interchange between the blue and green lines, Fridhemsplan. This station has sailboats and an airplane – the theme might be sailing.

This station is interesting because it’s not very famous, so there’s little online information. At the time of our trip, we didn’t record the station names. The 'detective work' was fun – it took me a long time to find someone saying the station is called Fridhemsplan. But to write the travelogue, I had to be sure, so I looked at the subway map many times, but couldn’t find the name.

I found many stations with 'hems' and 'plan,' so I thought the name was correct, but I still couldn’t locate it. Then I discovered that on the green line, these stations are on a curve, so the names don’t fit and are marked with numbers; the names corresponding to the numbers are in the legend.

When I realized this, I smiled happily. Not only is travel joyful, but the process of 'archaeologically' revisiting a trip is also joyful.

After that, we didn’t stop and took the old subway to Akalla.

Akalla’s design is simple, mainly yellow, with only a few ceramic tile murals.

Thus, our Swedish trip truly ended.

As I said earlier, at the moment of travel, I was a little disappointed, but with the passage of time, I increasingly love this trip – it’s very real and very Swedish. Just like the UK: if it’s cloudy and rainy all the time, it would be strange if all travel photos were sunny. Experiencing sudden heavy rain and then a rainbow after the rain brings you closer to real British life.

The same goes for Sweden. I’ve gained new insight: just go ahead and travel. If the memory isn’t perfect, seal it away for now. When we open it again someday, we’ll discover the beauty of that time. Perhaps imperfection is the most perfect.

After saying goodbye to Sweden, we were about to welcome Norway, the country where we spent the longest time on this Nordic trip. Writing this gives me goosebumps. Because:

Norway is too beautiful!

Beside crossing the Arctic Circle and visiting Santa, I was most looking forward to Norway. I looked forward to it during the trip, while editing photos, and while writing – I couldn’t wait to get to Norway (even at this moment of proofreading, I’m looking forward). For someone like me who dislikes history and culture (aka 'uncultured') and loves natural travel, Norway is heaven in Europe.

Our Nordic group of four all love natural travel, so we allocated more time for Norway than the other three countries combined. Apart from Rovaniemi, we only visited the capitals of the other three countries; in Norway, we skipped the capital and seriously explored the west coast.

What’s on Norway’s west coast? 80% of the world’s fjords, countless forests, plateaus, glaciers, snowy mountains, waterfalls, rivers, villages, fish markets, and the world’s number one natural landscape, Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock). During our days in Norway, everything felt surreal. Because of the midnight sun, we greedily had two extra-long days; and because we wanted to stop and enjoy life, we had days of emptiness with only a few photos.

If Helsinki felt like sleepwalking due to the wonder of time and space, then this sleepwalk in Norway was due to the sacredness of nature’s gift. This trip in Norway made me feel infinite ethereality and remoteness even while I was there. Norway is like a country where immortals live – so beautiful it doesn’t seem to belong to Earth. Nature’s gift is so magical it’s sacred.

Compared to Norway’s capital Oslo, we unhesitatingly chose Bergen as our base for the Norwegian trip. Although Bergen is Norway’s second-largest city, it is the largest and most beautiful port on the west coast. It lies on the steep fjord coastline of western Norway, a picturesque harbor city.

It’s perfect for summer travel. The essence of Norwegian summer lies in Bergen and the nearby coastline. While Oslo has more politics and culture, Bergen is thoroughly natural and pure. Bergen’s tourism is well-developed with many activities, making it an ideal base for Norwegian travel – fast or slow, rich or leisurely.

Guess what time it is now? Haha, asking this during the midnight sun is fun. It was early morning. We arrived in Bergen late last night, greeted by Bergen’s sunset, and checked into our hotel in the city center.

Our life in Bergen was very slow. This day was one of them. The first photo was taken at 7:26 AM, the last at 1:51 PM.

After breakfast, we went out to do a big task: we booked tomorrow’s Norway in a Nutshell tour at the tourist center. I’ll explain exactly what that is in the next chapter. Then we spent the day leisurely strolling.

Bryggen’s northwest side is the sea, the other three sides are land. We sat on the southwest side for a while in the sun, then crossed the fish market to the northeast side of the harbor.

The seafood at Bergen Fish Market is freshly caught that day – very, very fresh. After we came down from Fløyen Mountain, we went there to taste the deliciousness.

Except for the truly expensive prices, everything else was perfect. One king crab leg cost over 400 NOK, roughly 400 RMB at the exchange rate then. But it was really fresh – I’ve often heard words like 'melts in your mouth' and 'sweet' but never truly experienced them until that fish market in Norway.

The fish market is on the southeast shore of the harbor. Shooting northwest, you can capture a long, narrow view of the sea.

On the northeast shore, before encountering the famous colorful houses of Bryggen, we first saw this vintage car with loud music playing.

This is the old town of Bryggen. These wooden houses built in the early 18th century were declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. Bryggen’s colorful harbor is an important scenic symbol of Bergen, and of all Norway.

Before coming, I couldn’t tell Bergen and Bryggen apart. Later I learned that 'Bryggen' means 'wharf' in Norwegian, so Bergen’s wharf is Bryggen, and Bryggen is the oldest part of Bergen.

By the shore, there were many small boats with lowered sails, bobbing in the waves.

After a short walk, we reached the cable car station for Fløyen.

Fløyen (Mount Fløyen) is east of Bergen, only 320 meters above sea level. It’s not high, suitable for hiking, but the cable car is spectacular, one of Norway’s most famous attractions. There’s a saying: 'If you haven’t taken the Fløibanen cable car, you haven’t truly been to Bergen.' So we chose the cable car.

The Fløibanen cable car runs year-round, seven days a week, from morning to night.

If you’re in a front position, stand at the very bottom of the car. The cable car goes fast, giving a feeling of rushing through, and riding backward makes it even more thrilling. At the same time, you can capture all the beautiful scenery like I did.

At the top, you can fully enjoy the view of the city surrounded by mountains and fjords.

I love this photo – it shows the panoramic view of Bergen and the cable car track we came up on, with both motion and stillness.

I intentionally wore simple, clean clothes for Bergen. In my impression, Bergen is too pure – pure enough to tolerate no mixed colors. And indeed, it was truly beautiful, so beautiful it felt unreal.

Looking east from the summit, you can see the endless city. Norway is bounded by sea on three sides, with the east inland.

The sky was overcast, and the Norwegian flag fluttered in the wind. I often see jokes online that the flags of the five Nordic countries clearly copied each other – same pattern, just different colors – which is funny.

Later I learned from research that Norway was once a colony of Denmark, so the flag evolved from the Danish flag. The Danish flag is a red rectangle with a white cross. Norway added a dark blue cross inside the white one, creating the Norwegian flag.

This is the Norwegian mountain troll. Norway has many mountains, and the trolls guard Norwegians’ homes. You can see trolls everywhere in Norway. They look friendly, with long noses – very cute.

The best route for visiting Fløyen is to take the cable car up, experience the thrill of speed, then slowly hike down, not missing the forest scenery. We hiked down, enjoyed the delicious fish market food, and happily ended the day at noon, starting to relax.

Slow living is what Norway’s scenery deserves.

Norway’s tourism is so well-developed that they created the 'Norway in a Nutshell' tour.

What is Norway in a Nutshell? In English, it’s called 'Norway in a Nutshell' – literally 'Norway in a nutshell.' Norway is big; aside from the Northern Lights in the far north, the main scenery consists of fjords, valleys, rivers, waterfalls, plateaus, and glaciers. Norway in a Nutshell is a condensed version of Norway, allowing you to see the most essential landscapes in one or two days in the most efficient way.

I had heard about Norway in a Nutshell long before this trip because it boasts many 'mosts': 'one of the most beautiful train journeys in Europe,' 'the world’s most incredible train route,' 'the most beautiful landscape on the planet,' 'Norway’s longest fjord,' 'the world’s narrowest fjord,' 'one of the 50 most beautiful travel destinations,' 'the most outstanding and beautiful fjord region on Earth' – so many titles that it’s hard not to know about it.

For me, the best part of Norway in a Nutshell isn’t just the scenery; it’s the way it’s done. It’s not a regular tour with a guide and fixed destinations; it’s more like an experience. People often say the most beautiful scenery is on the road, and Norway in a Nutshell is the best embodiment of that. If you only treat the transportation as transportation, you’ll spend the whole day on the move; if you treat it as a guide, you’ll be in the scenery all day.

Another interesting point is that you can customize your own 'Norway in a Nutshell' based on your time, location, and interests. For example, since Bergen was our base, we chose a round trip from Bergen. We told the tourist center what we wanted to see, and they recommended a combination: take the train from Bergen to Flåm, then a ferry back to Bergen, all in one day – greedily including all the highlights. Perfect!

This chapter has been long because I wanted to introduce this interesting way of traveling in detail, so you can better understand our trip today and appreciate its wonder. Now, let’s 1:1 recreate this most splendid day and virtually travel through this stunning scenery.

【Bergen NSB Station】

NSB stands for Norwegian State Railways. I know the abbreviation is funny! Don’t worry – Denmark’s will be even funnier later. You might wonder why it’s NSB, not NSR? It’s the Norwegian abbreviation: Norges Statsbaner.

【First Train: Bergen - Myrdal】

There were two train segments today. The first was already beautiful, but its main purpose was to get to Myrdal – it wasn’t the highlight. The second segment from Myrdal to Flåm is the essence of the railway part.

The photo above shows the scenery along the way. We started to see snowy mountains, forests, and villages, moving deeper into the mountains.

This photo was also taken on this stretch, and the scenery began to become incredible. Then we transferred to the second train.

【Second Train: Myrdal - Flåm】

This is the route rated by Lonely Planet as the world’s most incredible train ride. Before coming, we specifically researched that you should sit on the left side by the window to see all the scenery. Unfortunately, our previous train was a few minutes late, and when we transferred, most seats were taken – only right-side seats were left.

Since we were here anyway, scenery was far more important than seats! So I traded for a 'standing ticket' – haha, just kidding, but I did stand by the left door between carriages. Not as comfortable as sitting, but I was more focused and had a perfect angle to see and photograph all the scenery along the way.

As soon as the train started, we were among snowy mountains. This area is high plateau, very cold. The high mountains were still covered in thick snow, with no sign of spring.

Through the heavy snow, we could vaguely see a few small houses. I couldn’t help but marvel that people live in such a desolate place – this is their life.

Higher up, the snow grew thicker, and the rivers reflected more strongly – hard to tell if it was ice or water. This is why the railway is 'one of Europe’s most beautiful train journeys' – in just an hour, it took us from summer to deep winter.

【Kjosfossen Waterfall】

The train slowed down and stopped, and we heard the sound of water and music. My friends called me to get off, saying they just discovered we could go see the waterfall. Unfortunately, we were late – the performance by the red-dressed dancer at the waterfall had just ended. If you come here, rush out as soon as the door opens to see the dancer dancing by the waterfall to music – I’m sure it’s beautiful.

We missed the dance, but not the rushing waterfall. The water was very fast, and the mist was heavy. We took photos for a few minutes, and our coats were covered in moisture. Norway is amazing – from that point on, we entered the 'waterfall phase.'

Back on the train, we entered the Aurlandsdalen Valley, a low valley between high mountains. The melting snow from the mountains formed waterfalls that flowed into the valley, creating rivers. This was the most spectacular part of the train journey for me – this is Norway.

You saw this photo at the beginning of the article, which shows how much I love it. If I had to pick one image to represent this train journey, it would be this one – it satisfies my greed for natural beauty: snowy mountains, waterfalls, valleys, rivers, and villages all in one photo – incredible!

The terrain gradually lowered, and the white world turned green. The snowy mountains gave way, and we were accompanied by waterfalls and rivers.

Our railway line followed the valley, always seeing rivers of varying heights and widths. Where the terrain undulated, the rivers formed small waterfalls like this.

I also love this photo – the village built along the river, and the importance of the church in Western culture is evident. Even in this tiny hamlet, there is a pointed church spire to meet people’s spiritual needs.

If you’ve read this far, this train journey is about to end. Our scheduled arrival in Flåm at 11:55 was delayed by 20 minutes. We got off the train and said goodbye to one of the most beautiful railways.

【Flåm Town】

Why does the train journey end in Flåm? Because it lies at the inner end of the Aurlandsfjord, making it a necessary stop on the Norway in a Nutshell route. Does 'Aurland' sound familiar? Remember the Aurlandsdalen Valley we just passed? Aurland is a beautiful place with both a valley and a fjord, so this essential trip must come here.

Flåm itself doesn’t have major attractions – it’s mainly for resting, strolling, having lunch, and connecting the morning train trip with the afternoon boat trip.

The town has a café and restaurant shaped like a train, and an NSB museum about this railway. We had time, so we decided to climb the small hill in town.

At the start of the climb, we saw a 'little train' sightseeing vehicle. If you don’t want to climb or are short on time, you can take that. We wanted to walk through the forest, so we hiked up.

Along the path, many rocks had various sculptures. We guessed at their meanings but weren’t sure. Norway feels like a pure, spiritual place to us.

At the top of the hill, we could overlook Flåm’s small harbor, the starting point of the Aurlandsfjord, and the distant snowy mountains. Later, we would depart from this harbor for our fjord tour.

On the way down, there were more delicate little sculptures – mysterious but sacred.

I tried to search for information online, but only found similar photos, no explanations. So I’ll leave it as a mystery.

Back in the town center, we visited the Flåm Railway Museum, saw many books about this railway – even in Chinese. I missed China, so seeing Chinese felt especially warm; I couldn’t help but take a photo.

As boarding time approached, we went to the harbor to wait for our boat. While waiting, we saw many beautiful boats. In a country with an extensive water system like Norway, boats are an important means of transport.

Lonely Planet says that the fjord landscape on Norway’s west coast is unique and stunning, considered by many to be the most beautiful landscape on the planet.

Norway has many fjords – it’s said that 80% of the world’s fjords are in Norway, and fjords are Norway’s most representative natural landscape, the soul of Norway. The four most famous fjords are Geirangerfjord, Sognefjord, Hardangerfjord, and Lysefjord.

Today’s destination was Sognefjord, in southwestern Norway. It is Norway’s longest fjord and the world’s second longest, about 203 km long. We would explore two branches of Sognefjord: the Aurlandsfjord and the Nærøyfjord, the most scenic parts.

【Fjord Tour】

We boarded the boat. We were lucky to get seats by the window in the front cabin, but you know me – with such beautiful scenery, how could I stay inside? Haha, as soon as the boat left, I went out on deck.

Was it cold? Very, very cold. Low temperature, strong wind, and rain on and off.

Let me describe myself at that moment: wearing my purple jacket with the hood up (it kept blowing off because of the wind, so I tightened the drawstring), and I hid my camera inside my coat to protect it from rain. Why no people shots? Because I was the only one on deck, and the wind made me squint.

Did I love it? Absolutely. The more extreme the weather, the more beautiful the scenery; the greater the contrast with daily life, the more I felt free.

The boat slowly left Flåm, cruising on the Aurlandsfjord. The Aurlandsfjord is a branch of Sognefjord. If it weren’t for the later Nærøyfjord, I’d think the Aurlandsfjord was already unimaginably beautiful.

Our boat sailed through the fjord, leaving white waves. Although it was drizzling and windy, the clear high mountains on both sides impressed me deeply.

The Norwegian flag flew at the stern, a touch of vivid red in the green forest world and green fjord.

There was much perennial snow on the mountain peaks. The characteristic of the Aurlandsfjord is its fjord and the high mountains on both sides.

Then we entered the legendary Nærøyfjord.

Why legendary? Because it is a branch of Geirangerfjord and Sognefjord, and the most charming branch of Sognefjord. It is the world’s narrowest fjord, at its narrowest point only 250 meters wide, with 1200-meter high cliffs on both sides. In 2005, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, called 'the most outstanding and beautiful fjord region on Earth.'

Actually, its titles don’t stop there – half of the titles at the start of this chapter belong to the Nærøyfjord. Entering this fjord, I felt I had arrived in a world of waterfalls. Each part of Norway’s fjords has its own beauty.

When encountering a waterfall, the boat would slow down and approach so passengers could enjoy it up close. There were many waterfalls on both sides of the Nærøyfjord, but they didn’t seem very powerful.

Continuing, we entered a world of snowy mountains. The endless snowy mountains on both sides added liveliness and nature to the fjord.

The snowy mountains were more distant than the forests, but very dazzling; they were closer to the clouds, yet their outlines were clear.

My shutter finger couldn’t stop. Compared to Sweden’s rain, I could accept the rain in the fjords more – perhaps because in my inherent impression, fjords should be so pure and aloof.

The fjord varied in width. When narrow, we were very close to the mountains on both sides, with white waterfalls flowing between the high mountain forests.

Another wide shot captured the contrast: melting snow on the left formed a large waterfall, while on the right a smaller stream; both eventually merged into the fjord.

These three photos are among my favorites and achievements, capturing the light and shadow under snowy mountains and dark clouds. No blue skies, but a silver-white world, with the reflection of snowy mountains and forests rippling in the fjord.

Zooming in, I could see small villages at the foot of the mountains. These photos capture the colors and impressions of Norway’s fjords in my heart.

I like this one even more because it includes not only distant snowy mountains but also lively forests and small houses nearby. I don’t envy the owners of those houses at all – not their pastoral life, nor living in the forest, looking down at the fjord and up at the snowy mountains every day. You know I’m being ironic – this photo is so beautiful that just looking at it feels wonderful, let alone living there.

One more wide shot: see the reflection of the dark clouds on the water – is it a mirror? No, with ripples, more magnificent than a mirror.

We passed another small village. The Nærøyfjord has many settlements along its shores, offering not only natural beauty but also poetic pastoral life.

The wind grew stronger, and our boat shook violently. Our white wake was no longer clear.

After a long time, the sky gradually cleared – the first time I saw blue sky in the fjord.

The rain stopped, and with the blue sky, the temperature became friendlier. More people came out on deck. We started taking portraits – first thing was to take off our thick, almost dripping coats and put on stylish sunglasses, haha.

As we kept shooting, the clouds overhead also drifted away, and the sun came out. The warmth on my skin made my whole afternoon joyful. Can you imagine this woman huddled up just a short while ago? I really liked myself back then – so carefree. Although I’m mentally even freer now, I haven’t left the country for 2 years and 4 months, and haven’t left Beijing for 1 year and 8 months – nowhere to be carefree.

Taking another photo from the stern under the blue sky and white clouds, the world felt bright and beautiful, but it lost some of the earlier mystery.

This fjord tour was perfect – we saw both the depth of the fjords and their sunny side.

It had been a while since I struck such a silly pose – it showed I was genuinely happy.

By the way, a little joke to tell you (every travelogue has a few undignified stories – what can I do, haha). Actually, my shirt was a shirt-dress. My planned outfit was the dress with my white sneakers, fresh and girly. But the weather, haha, you know – I rolled the dress up and tied it around my waist, wore pants underneath, and my thick coat over. When the sky cleared, I gradually returned to my OOTD. Later, when I got off, you won’t be surprised to see it become a dress again.

As the sky grew clearer and the sea wider, our fjord tour neared its end. That doesn’t mean we were close to Bergen – our boat would continue, but we were about to leave the fjord and head out to the open sea.

We made one last stop in the fjord. During the stop, we watched a little boy fishing.

Just as we were about to depart, the boy caught something. Seeing him happily pull up his hook, we felt happy too.

When we reached the west coast, the clouds in the sky grew sparser and the seawater clearer.

We often encountered small boats on the sea. If there were tourists on board, our passengers would shout greetings – very outgoing.

In the Norway in a Nutshell, there are many options for returning from Flåm to Bergen. We could take a direct boat like we did, or take a boat partway and then switch to a bus or train.

We took the train on the way there, so we wanted to experience the boat on the way back. Even though the latter part wasn’t a fjord, we wanted to sail on the sea and enjoy the scenery along the coast.

By now, the sun had moved to the west, and the west coast became gentler.

The sun came out, but the wind didn’t diminish. The wind layered the sea’s surface, and our speedboat bobbed up and down.

I loved this bridge – a bridge spanning beautiful scenery. I wondered what it felt like to cross it from above. Which view is better – looking down from the bridge, or looking up at it from below?

As we approached the bridge, we got closer to this red boat. A touch of red in a sea of blue – doesn’t this scene look familiar?

There were many boats passing by, and I kept taking photos. I took over a thousand photos that day – you can see how much I loved this place. You can also imagine how hard it was to choose photos – each had its own character. I always wanted to pick the most comprehensive one to tell you the most complete, true story and make you love this place too.

When the mountains on the shore became lower and the houses more colorful, I knew I was approaching Bergen.

Many boats of all sizes were moored in the harbor. In the Nordic region, there are many means of transportation. If you come to Norway, you can choose to drive or take a cruise. Living in the UK, we were used to relying on planes, subways, and buses – this familiar mode felt simple and easy. If you choose a different transport, it might be a different travel experience.

Back at Bryggen, the sun was lower, and the sea surface turned colorful.

The water in the harbor was very clear, with strong sunlight. The colorful houses reflected in the sea, swaying with the waves.

I thought to myself: how wonderful the midnight sun is! If not for it, we wouldn’t have seen so much scenery in one day. As we left the fjord for the open sea, the sky would have started to darken; by now it would be pitch black.

【Return to Shore】

Our boat arrived a few minutes late. We disembarked and ended our Norway in a Nutshell tour. Having had so much fun, we spontaneously decided: since it was already late, let’s stay even later to watch a Nordic 'sunset' – a night that never gets dark. So we wandered along the shore, waiting for a 'sunset' that wouldn’t bring darkness.

Late at night, my dress finally became a dress again, completing the day’s look. I sat on the shore, letting the warm light fall on my face. At that moment, I thought: I don’t know what the night view looks like here, but this memory is special and cool enough.

I really like these next three photos. I’m sitting in the light – this is definitely the midnight sun.

Actually, I originally wanted to use 'midnight sun' as the title for this travelogue to describe the polar day, but later I felt it couldn’t fully capture the trip’s wonder. 'Midnight sun' is perfect as a theme for these photos, or 'midnight sunset.'

In the photo, I’m the only person on the shore, sitting casually. My friend even captured my favorite starburst on me in the first photo. So beautiful, so magical – travel is wonderful.

Thus, we ended the day in the early hours.

Grateful for the midnight sun giving us such a fulfilling, beautiful day; grateful for nature creating such incredible Norway; grateful for Norway’s tourism industry creating Norway in a Nutshell; grateful for my companions for traveling with me through the five Nordic countries.

I was truly happy in the light – so happy that we had another sleepless night.

To what extent of the unknown? To the point that even now, I don’t know which fjord we visited. I asked my friends, and nobody knows. So how did we go? Let’s go back to that morning.

We all wanted more after yesterday’s fjord tour, so we decided to visit another fjord today. We went to the tourist center and asked for recommendations. The staff suggested Norway in a Nutshell; we said we already did that – any other suggestions?

The staff said the boat at our door would depart in 5 minutes for a fjord called something-or-other, and guaranteed it would be fun – why not join? So we paid and boarded immediately.

Why 'something-or-other'? Because Norwegian fjord names, you know, are in Norwegian – long words with no spaces. I can only recognize the four major fjords; for others, we had to use elimination to guess it wasn’t one of those four. So all we knew was: a fjord, not one of the big four. But you know, the unknown can be wonderful – so wonderful that when we boarded, the captain thought we might have been drinking because we were so cheerful.

Our boat left from the same harbor we returned to yesterday. Today’s boat was small, which allowed us to interact with the captain and get closer to nature more flexibly.

As we left the harbor, we saw a very luxurious cruise ship with many decks and many cabins.

Some passengers were already on their balconies. I remembered a line from a classmate I liked in high school, written in his weekly journal: 'Scenery is interesting – when you look at others, you become part of their scenery too.' That was exactly this moment: people on our little boat looked up at the lady on the balcony, and she looked down at us passing by.

After about seven hours, Bergen had changed color – from the warm tones of last midnight back to cool colors.

The lady at the tourist center was right – this boat ride was indeed very fun, and the scenery was completely different from yesterday. No high mountains, the water was very calm; today it truly was a mirror. I love these photos – the sky and the fjord are axisymmetric.

Could paradise be more than this? The captain turned off the engine, letting us float silently in the fjord. We listened to birds, watched the calm water and reflections.

Perhaps because Norway has so much green, they love building red things – like the flag, the red boat yesterday, and the red houses now. Norwegians are really skilled: as long as there’s a small flat area at the foot of a mountain, they build a house.

Rounding a bend, the fjord was no longer calm – ripples appeared, and we arrived at a hidden paradise. Could the pastoral scenes in dreams be like this? Even in dreams, I wouldn’t dare to imagine such beauty.

The deeper into the fjord, the lower the clouds. Look at that low dark cloud – doesn’t it look painted on?

Look at that lonely little house on the shore. I’m sure their means of transport is a small boat, parked right at their doorstep. What an interesting life – where we have parking spots, they have mooring spots.

Then we reached what I think was the most spectacular part of this boat ride. The fun of a small boat is a more immersive experience. The captain drove right under a waterfall and asked the crew to fetch a bucket of icy waterfall water, giving each of us a cup – absolutely fantastic.

To the sound of music, we each received our cup. It was truly sacred water – very clear, very cold, unforgettable.

Savoring nature’s gift in the middle of a green wonderland – so wonderful.

After drinking the icy water, we continued. Today’s fjord tour didn’t have many world-class sights, but it had quiet, subtle beauty.

Taking off my coat for a few photos was chilling – Norwegian summer is really cool.

Rounding another bend, we came to another waterfall. We couldn’t collect water this time, but we stopped the boat and listened quietly for a long time.

Today’s fjord was small, but it had everything. Thanks to the captain, everyone had a great time.

After living in the UK for a while, I caught a bit of social extroversion. My friend mentioned that the captain’s little flag looked fun. So I went to chat with the captain. After a while, he asked: 'I’ve been wondering – have you been drinking? Why are you so cheerful?' I said, 'Of course not – it’s only morning! Isn’t Norway’s scenery worth celebrating?'

The captain laughed heartily and told us more stories about the fjord. I asked if he could lend us the flag for a photo. He said, 'Sure, but only if you take a photo with me first.' So we took this photo. My friend captured it well – it has a sense of story. The photo was sudden; I didn’t have time to take off my coat, fix my hair, or compose my expression, but it truly recorded the joy of that moment.

The captain was very cute: 'I have two flags – I’ll lend you one more. Have fun!'

So we went to the bow to pose. The wind at the bow was very strong – you can tell from my flying hair and the flag. In this photo, it’s the only one where my face is fully visible; in others, my hair covered my face. Haha, so fun.

This is the kind of travel I love most: day after day, feeling the sea breeze in the fjords, exploring one fjord after another, experiencing different kinds of joy.

There’s much more to say about this fjord trip, but due to space, I’ll stop here. I’ll tell you more when I have a chance.

For the rest of our time in Bergen, we relaxed, wandered the old town, and explored streets of small shops.

One day, two friends suddenly got excited and went out to buy Pandora, happily showing us. I didn’t quite get it at first – I always thought Pandora was for kids. But before the end of Norway, at the next stop, I happily fell into the pit.

At the end of this chapter, I’ll share one more photo taken from the wooden buildings of Bryggen. The trip to Bergen was truly wonderful.

With nature, human warmth, and memories – you might have noticed that whenever I talk about nature, I get verbose, eager to share my excitement. So, let’s wrap up and continue this journey – fly to the most, most, most, most, most exciting stop!

This chapter’s title was the fastest to come up with – maybe 10 seconds? And I never changed it, because Preikestolen is so stunning and famous. It’s ranked number one on CNN’s list of the world’s 50 most spectacular natural landscapes – a must-see for every travel lover.

Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) is a naturally formed rock formation in the middle of Lysefjord, near Stavanger in southern Norway, with a vertical drop of 604 meters. The top platform is the best viewpoint for Lysefjord, one of Norway’s four major fjords.

How do you get to such an incredible place? Exactly – so we had a day of pursuing dreams. Thankful for the midnight sun, making it an extraordinary day; thankful for Norway, giving us the most unforgettable day.

Due to an unexpected visit from Aunt Flo that morning, this day was especially unforgettable. My aunt is notoriously fond of traveling – she never misses any of my trips, and she definitely wanted to join for Preikestolen. But the first day is especially painful – imagine how tough that day was.

But for a dream, since we were here, why give up? I steeled myself and went for it.

So we left Bergen at 6 AM. On the plane, we saw a glory (Brocken spectre) – very stunning. We love flying in the Nordic region; we always see amazing scenery. On the flight to Iceland at the beginning of the year, we saw a sunset in a sea of clouds. Flights in the Nordic region are incredibly cheap – sometimes even cheaper than buses. For example, our flight from Copenhagen back to London was only 8 euros, with no extra fees – unbelievable! And you don’t need a real name to book; it’s easy to buy tickets and board.

So we love traveling by plane – it’s efficient, and you can see the city from above.

Bergen is not far from Stavanger – both on Norway’s west coast – so the plane quickly descended and landed at Stavanger Airport.

Half our anxiety lifted as we saw the sky: blue and clear!

Did you know? The day at Preikestolen was the one we worried about most, because we valued this trip the most, and the variables were huge – weather being the biggest. Not long before our visit, some friends had been there and encountered heavy fog. Visibility at the top was extremely low; from the classic angle, you couldn’t even see the rock, let alone the people on it.

So we were in a great mood. We bought boat tickets from Stavanger to Tau, crossing with other travelers and commuters.

It was 9:30 AM, Stavanger’s commuter time. Many cars were coming from Tau on the ferry, and many cyclists.

Tau is the dock opposite Stavanger. After disembarking, we took a bus to Preikestolen. 'Preikestolen' is Norwegian for Pulpit Rock – I can’t pronounce it, so I just remember the English name, which is much simpler.

After a few transfers, we finally reached the trailhead. No gate – just a simple sign, very natural.

The hike from the entrance to the top is 3.8 km, with a pure walking time of 4–5 hours. We took 6 hours including playing and resting.

I always take a photo at the start of each hike as a souvenir. Why am I stooping in this photo? Because I was in too much pain to stand straight – consider myself lucky to be smiling. You can imagine how I managed the next 6 hours. Thankfully, my friends helped carry my load; I only took my DSLR and continued shooting while climbing.

The start of the trail was normal – stone steps, smooth and not too steep.

At first, we felt quite optimistic, taking photos of each other climbing Preikestolen.

But gradually, the trail became difficult. First, water flowed across the path – our shoes weren’t waterproof, so we had to walk around it.

Then, the path turned into loose gravel. Europeans looked professional with their hiking boots and poles.

Then the steps became steeper, requiring more effort to climb.

How did we know the way on Preikestolen? Apart from our map, we encountered a sign about every half hour. The sign showed the direction and distance, letting hikers see how far they still had to go. We found that distance was usually disheartening – Preikestolen is so hard to climb that the number changed little after a long walk.

More frequent than signs were these rocks with a red 'T' – as long as we saw them, we knew we were on the right track. If we didn’t see one for a while, it meant we had to backtrack to the last junction.

Many people brought their pets. Usually, the pets ran ahead while the owners panted behind. Animals are definitely more agile – in balance and endurance.

This sign indicates we were 2.2 km from the parking lot and 1.8 km from the top – more than halfway. By then, we were exhausted. While drinking water, I filmed a video. Watching it a few days ago, I couldn’t bear it – our lipstick had smeared onto our teeth, and we were all laughing while holding our sides.

Further on, there was no real path – we just had to scramble over rocks. Luckily, we weren’t alone; if we had been on our own, we wouldn’t have been sure we were going the right way.

I also filmed this section – a large rock that a dog jumped down from, with its owner letting out the leash and chasing after – very funny.

See that red dot in the picture? We were there – 2.7 km in. Victory was near.

At that moment, we caught our first glimpse of Lysefjord – so exciting! I took a posey photo to mark the occasion.

After that, the trail became much easier – flat, not steep, and alongside the fjord with stunning views.

Just before reaching Preikestolen, we encountered a large crack – a fissure running right through the rock, through which we could see the water below.

Then, this wild woman forgot her pain and started acting silly. I’m really brave – the more spectacular the sight, the more I love it.

Wait! I have to give a teaser – I can’t let you see the next photo right away!

I need to write a bit more, add more line breaks, make you wait a bit!

Because I finally fulfilled my wish! I reached Preikestolen!

The sky was clear! No wind! I actually managed to stand on the very tip of the rock!

I took this photo that became my phone wallpaper and avatar for years.

Okay, here it is – take a look! ~~~~~~~~~~

That tiny figure on top is me. Suddenly, I loved this orange-red outfit. If I were wearing blue, would you have found me? Haha, even now while writing, I’m still excited. I still remember the satisfaction and gratitude of that moment.

Later, after descending, I posted a quick update on WeChat. My friends in China were stunned: 'Is that really you on the top?'

Haha, that day was worth it; this trip was worth it. So wonderful, so perfect.

After that, we played on the top, overlooking Lysefjord and the boats below – they looked like tiny lines.

I sat on Preikestolen, zoning out, and took a photo with Lysefjord. The breeze was so comfortable.

Preikestolen is huge – 625 square meters. Except for the classic angle, there were few people, so we could stop and enjoy the view. I even lay down and looked over the edge – you don’t want to see what I saw: a straight drop of over 600 meters down to the sea.

Not only are portraits cool here, but landscape shots are also masterpieces. The difference from Sognefjord in how you experience it also creates different perspectives.

Sognefjord is about forests, waterfalls, snow-capped mountains, and pastoral scenes; Lysefjord is about the blue water beneath sheer cliffs.

After enjoying ourselves, we descended. I didn’t take any more photos – I capped the lens and slung the camera behind me. I don’t even remember the descent – maybe I passed out from pain? Anyway, I fulfilled my dream and successfully reached Preikestolen.

We took the bus back to Tau, then the ferry to Stavanger. Actually, this stretch of sea is also a fjord – Boknafjorden. Norway’s west coast and nearby inland areas have many fjords, but they aren’t tourist attractions because they’re less famous. In reality, we were traveling through different fjords every day.

It was late when we returned to Stavanger – no more commuters. Again, thanks to the midnight sun for giving us such a long, dream-fulfilling day.

We went back to our hotel in Stavanger, slept in the next day, and explored the old town.

Oh, and I bought Pandora! Haha, this Nordic trip really made me fall for Pandora. Why not wait until Denmark? Because Pandora is a Danish brand? Because this was my memory of traveling in Norway – if I got hooked in Norway, I should buy it in Norway. Others buy fridge magnets at Preikestolen; I bought Pandora – isn’t that fun?

After that, we flew away from Stavanger. See that golden glow in the distance? That was our destination, the last stop of the whole Nordic trip: Copenhagen, Denmark.

Farewell, Norway – even now, revisiting this trip, I feel so reluctant. Grateful to nature, grateful to Norway, for giving us this wonderful, unforgettable journey.

Unknowingly, we’ve reached the end of the trip.

Do you remember the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen from childhood? Remember the Little Mermaid in the tales?

No matter the era or country we grew up in, those eternal classics accompanied our childhood. A Nordic trip without fairy tales wouldn’t be magical enough. So at the end of the trip, we decided to find that childhood fairy-tale world.

Denmark is the southernmost of the five Nordic countries, closest to the European continent. Thus, Denmark is less aloof than the other four, more approachable – traveling here felt more like a vacation.

It surprised us not only with fairy tales but also with the intense, brilliant sunshine that only occurs about one week a year. In Denmark, temperatures above 30°C happen only about one week per year – and we were lucky enough to experience it.

The Nordic region is famous for its rainy summers. As we flew south, farther from the Arctic Circle, we finally entered another season – we flew into that golden light.

When we landed in Copenhagen, we experienced our first insomnia in the Nordic region not due to the midnight sun, but because of the heat. Summer temperatures in the Nordics are not high, so air conditioning is not standard in every room.

It was so hot that we went out early to explore the city. The 'metro' we took was above ground, so I’m not sure if it should be translated as metro or train – its operator is 'DSB' (haha, I laughed childishly again – wasn’t my prediction accurate? Norway’s 'NSB' is instantly outdone by Denmark). Actually, DSB comes from Danish: Danske Statsbaner, meaning Danish State Railways.

Look at the brightness and contrast of this photo – it’s completely different from the earlier tones. People’s clothing is also different – we went from an indeterminate season to a hot summer.

You know the UK weather – similar to what we’ve experienced in the past two weeks. When the UK has temperatures over 30°C and sun, everyone celebrates. Copenhagen rarely has such heat – temperatures above 30°C don’t last more than a week. We were so lucky to catch it.

So with the sunny weather, it was bound to be an incredibly happy day.

Our first stop in Copenhagen was the Little Mermaid, located in Langelinie Park.

Langelinie Park is a park along the Langelinie promenade, also called the Seaside Park. It stretches for several kilometers, dotted with exquisite sculptures. Walking through the park is a joy – one side has gardens and sculptures, the other has the harbor and wharves.

Each Nordic country left a deep impression on me. For Denmark, that impression is this unforgettable sunny day and the heat – thanks to the perfect weather, we enjoyed breathtaking sights.

The sky grew clearer, even cloudless. Large potted plants in Copenhagen’s gardens bloomed brilliantly under the scorching sun.

Walking along, we encountered the symbol of Copenhagen and Denmark: the Little Mermaid. It looked different from my imagination – in many promotional images, it seems large, but it’s actually quite small. I’m petite (around 40 kg), and she looks even smaller than me!

The Little Mermaid is a bronze sculpture based on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale 'The Little Mermaid.' In the story, the mermaid saves a prince at age 15 and falls in love with him, but he leaves her. The lovesick mermaid still sits on the rock by the sea day after day, waiting for the prince’s return.

The Little Mermaid faces Langelinie Park, i.e., north. If you photograph her from the front, it’s backlit. Shooting from the east or west gives a more three-dimensional view. I captured her grace from the east, including her gentle tail.

You can also view the Little Mermaid from a boat – Copenhagen offers various boat tours.

Now let me show you the Little Mermaid’s popularity – she’s surrounded 360 degrees. On shore and at sea, people raise their cameras and binoculars to see her.

I don’t particularly like children and have no plans to have my own, but in Copenhagen, I encountered a 'make-you-want-a-daughter' scene – this little girl was so cute and beautiful. With her mother, it was a lovely sight. For a moment, I even hesitated.

The flower beds along the way were filled with summer flowers – so brilliant and charming.

Although Langelinie Park is very long, walking is never boring – there are sculptures everywhere, high and low.

I loved this place – it resembled the fairy-tale world I had imagined: a garden with a pointed church, elegant women, and stories.

Further on, we reached the Gefion Fountain, another landmark in Langelinie Park, as famous as the Little Mermaid. The fountain consists of bronze figures of the goddess Gefion and four oxen pulling a plow, created by Danish sculptor Anders Bundgaard over ten years. It was inaugurated in 1908, over a century ago.

The Gefion Fountain comes from a beautiful folk legend: Gefion asked the gods for land to survive. The gods said, 'I will give you as much land as you can plow in a day.' So Gefion turned her four sons into oxen and plowed day and night.

Look at my OOTD – very different from earlier days. No more thick coats or long pants – I immediately switched to flip-flops and showed off my 'long legs.' The photo is a bit compressed, but you can still vaguely see my new Pandora accessories from the Stavanger old town – a ring and a necklace with delicate little pink flowers, matching my outfit perfectly.

At that time, I had a long-distance boyfriend in China, so I wore the ring on my middle finger. While editing this photo, I considered photoshopping it out. But then I thought: a person’s bravery and confidence lie in accepting the past. Since I lived earnestly at the time, regardless of the outcome, it’s a memory worth celebrating. Why hide or deny the past? Besides, that day I was filled with happiness from buying Pandora – it only took one Nordic trip to go from disliking the brand to loving it. That joy is worth recording. So I decided to keep this beautiful memory.

Leaving Langelinie Park, we arrived at Kongens Nytorv (King’s New Square) – the essence of Copenhagen.

The square features Frederik’s Church, Amalienborg Palace, and the changing of the guard.

The changing of the guard takes place in front of Amalienborg Palace, the current residence of the Danish royal family. Unlike the Swedish Royal Palace, the Danish royal family still lives here. If the flag is raised on the square, it means the Queen is in residence.

Amalienborg Palace consists of four identical buildings. Two of them – Christian VIII’s Palace and Christian VII’s Palace – are open to visitors.

The changing of the guard here is much simpler than in Sweden – quick and straightforward.

Behind me is Frederik’s Church. Being 'uncultured,' we admired the architecture and then went to find Copenhagen’s best ice cream.

After the changing of the guard, the guards began their duty energetically. I couldn’t help but marvel at how white and tall Nordic people are.

Copenhagen is also a city with extensive waterways – boats and harbors everywhere. The Danish flag fluttered brilliantly in the sun.

Speaking of, we found this famous ice cream shop. All waffle cones are freshly baked, the ice cream is creamy with a rich milk flavor, with many options and toppings – even coffee. It was paradise on a hot summer day.

This was the softest ice cream I’ve ever seen – it’s called 'soft ice' in Norwegian. It was so soft that it melted as soon as I took it out to pose with the ice cream sculpture at the door. Imagine how messy our eating was.

This was the softest ice cream I’ve ever seen – it’s called 'soft ice' in Norwegian. It was so soft that it melted as soon as I took it out to pose with the ice cream sculpture at the door. Imagine how messy our eating was.

This was the softest ice cream I’ve ever seen – it’s called 'soft ice' in Norwegian. It was so soft that it melted as soon as I took it out to pose with the ice cream sculpture at the door. Imagine how messy our eating was.

The harbor was lively. Under the umbrellas of the restaurants along Nyhavn, diners filled the seats. Music played – a lively atmosphere.

The colorful houses here aren’t wooden – otherwise, it would look just like Bryggen.

I took a photo with Nyhavn. The trip was almost over, so I relaxed and enjoyed wandering the city aimlessly.

We continued to Slotsholmen (Castle Island), an island in central Copenhagen, part of the inner city. Many central Danish government institutions are located here.

It really has a historical feel – the buildings are fascinating. That pointed spiral tower behind me is great.

While photographing the Old Stock Exchange, I happened to capture some Danish beauties on bikes. Respecting privacy, I rarely include identifiable people in my photos, except occasional back shots, sunglasses, or blurry faces. This one is safe to share – I love it: Danish history and beautiful people.

I think the most interesting part of Copenhagen’s buildings isn’t the base, but the roofs – they’re all unique.

It was so hot that we went to a convenience store to buy cold water. Then I found these – bottled water with fresh mint leaves and fruit. I immediately bought one to try.

This photo is funny. Danes’ social outgoingness rivals the British – when someone sees a camera, they jump in for a photo (I’m guilty of this too, haha). This is Copenhagen City Hall Square. While my friend was taking my picture, this tall, handsome guy put down his bike and rushed into my frame to photobomb. He was so fast – he ran away immediately after. My friend snapped a few shots but missed the moment. Still, this one is interesting enough.

I love this culture – spreading joy. You should look through your travel photos to see if I photobombed any of them!

And here is the famous Hans Christian Andersen. Out of respect, I won’t introduce him – everyone knows him. Any part of the statue that people can touch has lost its green patina – people love him so much.

We continued our aimless stroll through the streets, encountering people crossing the traffic light. Copenhagen’s city center is so lively, and Danes are incredibly good-looking.

On a shopping street, we found a bubble machine in front of a children’s store. Colorful bubbles shone in the sunlight – so whimsical.

I took this photo because the pigeon on the sculpture’s head is not part of the sculpture. At first, we thought it was an interesting sculpture – a woman holding a child with a pigeon on her head. Then we saw the pigeon move – so amusing.

When we were dying from the heat, we stumbled upon Denmark’s most famous pastry shop. We couldn’t miss it and ordered a few slices of the cake recommended by the staff. I chose a puff pastry cake – a huge slice that didn’t fit on one plate (a normal large plate, not a dessert plate). The size of a 'slice' in Denmark is different from what we thought.

The cake shop was semi-underground; we could see ground level and the wedding cakes displayed in the window.

This photo is the last one from this segment of memories, and the last photo of this article. It was taken the night we left Copenhagen. After that, we boarded the plane back to London, returning from a sunny day to a cloudy night.

The Nordic trip felt like a dream – from night to day, the journey began; from day back to night, it ended.

I’m so grateful to have met the Nordic region on this summer solstice, for this amazing trip, for so many firsts, and for seeing so many 'world’s bests.' Grateful for nature’s magic and gifts, grateful for the generations who created history and culture, grateful for travel that slowly takes us around the world.

Goodbye, four Nordic countries – we will meet again. After all, this was a trip without night – I haven’t seen you in the dark, nor your Northern Lights.

Here ends this magical journey.

Writing this article has been the happiest thing this early summer – from editing photos, to researching materials, to slowly recording the trip. Along the way, I had the chance to step out of the country and see my beloved world, to see the amazing version of myself before the pandemic, and to discover how I’ve grown.

While preparing this Nordic travelogue, I listened to many Nordic songs, read many introductions about the Nordic region, and even read texts translated from various Nordic languages into English. I gained a deeper understanding of the Nordic region than when I first visited, and developed a deeper affection. During these times when I can’t go abroad, returning to the beginnings of each journey and rediscovering the world is also a blessing.

I love the five Nordic countries, and I love our Nordic group of four. We are all nature lovers. As I said at the beginning, we chased the Northern Lights together in Iceland at the start of the year, and spent the midnight sun in the other four Nordic countries mid-year – unforgettable trips spent with them.

Over the years, I’ve traveled halfway around the world, but the most extreme landscapes I’ve encountered are in the Nordic region. Its unique geography creates extreme landscapes: the Arctic Circle, midnight sun, polar night, aurora – all phenomena so unreal that they share the character 'polar' or 'extreme,' and thus they are extremely beautiful.

There’s always a time to say goodbye. Writing this gives me goosebumps again. I’m a very sentimental person, always filled with reluctance. I was reluctant when this trip ended, and now, revisiting it, I feel reluctant again.

The next article is already planned. See you on the next journey soon.

Yours,

Lavinia Chen (Cheng Man)

June 10, 2022

Table of Contents:

1. Let’s Go – Celebrate the Summer Solstice in the Arctic Circle

2. 🇫🇮 Magical Finland, Pure Happiness

3. Helsinki: Midnight Sun Night Tour During a Layover

4. Rovaniemi: The Arctic Circle and Santa Claus

5. 🇸🇪 Artistic Sweden, the Kingdom of Peace

6. Stockholm: That Deep Dark Cloud

7. Swedish Subway: Stations That Are Works of Art

8. 🇳🇴 Miraculous Norway, Nature’s Gift

9. Bergen: The Most Beautiful Port on the West Coast

10. Norway in a Nutshell: Collecting Many World’s Best

11. Unknown: A Fjord Trip to Somewhere Unknown

12. Preikestolen: Just Saying the Name Is Enough

13. 🇩🇰 Fairy-Tale Denmark, Scorching Brilliance

14. Copenhagen: That Tale of Summer Brilliance

15. Afterword

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