I haven't been travelling much in Norway, and what I HAVE seen hasn't been that impressive... I just got a message from a woman travelling in France, describing gardens and castles and so on, and sad to say; we haven't preserved anything here. There might be some museums or museum-like-villages, but there's no real authentic Norwegian life there anymore, we've changed the wood with plastic and the food with McDonalds. The authorities forbids everything natural - my friend won gold medal for the best cheese (and has very healthy and non-smelly cows) and is now not allowed to sell neither milk or cheese (he sold the milk fresh): But wow - you should go to see him, it's close to Sandefjord!! He probably will let you work for food and bed, yeah you have to do this!!!

Gustav Koot

Langeliveien 12

3080

Holmestrand

Phone 33 05 00 13

skaarbu@start.no

There's also a great goat-cheese-making woman on the way from east-Norway to Bergen (near Aurland and Flåm):

Pascale Baudonnel

5746 Undredal

57 63 17 46

pascale@gardsost.no

The man is from Holland, the woman from France... They are both uniqe, hospitable people who will show you the best of what Norway once was, and tell you the (for most people - hidden) truth about what it is...

Not very far from the woman is an old man making old-fashioned flat-bread, sour cabbage and barley-porridge. He's also an idealistic person, not doing it as a museum, but to do something good. He's full of life and creativety, mixing his bread and cabbage with old forgotten herbs (that in old days was forbidden NOT to grow). Maybe he doesn't speak English, but if you'll bring a translator, it will be an experience for

life...

Ivar B Løne

Gullfjordungsv. 22, 5700 Voss

56 51 26 69

If you want to go far, I guess Northern Norway is the less spoiled and most beautiful place, I've been to Sanna/Træna outside Sandnnesjøen/Bodø, which was exeptionally beautiful, with lots of caves where people used to live in old days. Also in the beginning of August: Lots of big super-tasty blueberries.

Good man living there, who maybe has got time to show you around:

Martin Alvin Thorsen

8742 Selvær

979 89 334

About food and restaurants - you know it all already, it's cheap fast-food or expensive art-food... Unless you visit those guys above... Greet them from Oyvind in Stavanger if you'll contact them.

Good Luck!

Oyvind