The Scandinavian countries consistently come out on top in surveys of the world’s happiest people. The tour guide on my recent trip to this part of the world certainly helped prove these studies true. Perla, a citizen of Iceland, radiated joy.

The bag you see on the shoulder of this beaming thirty-five-year-old was inscribed with the words, “Don’t look for happiness. Make it.” Perla did just that throughout our trip. She was our Nordic Visitor logistics coordinator, getting us on and off all those modes of transportation I talked about in my last post. When faced with a double-booking on a train, she didn’t panic but declared the situation, “very strange,” and worked it out with a train attendant. I can still hear her lilting, enthusiastic voice in my head.

She was the most cheerful person I encountered in Scandinavia but not the only friendly one. The warm, welcoming people, almost all speaking English, helped me feel secure and appreciated as a tourist. The safe and upbeat atmosphere of Scandinavia made it into my top ten list of reasons to visit this part of the world.

Perla told us her favorite city of the trip was Copenhagen, and after visiting, I have to agree and add it to my top ten list. The capital of Denmark, this city has quite a few attractions and just an overall good vibe. Our tour group floated down the Nyhavn, the famous canal that’s on postcards and refrigerator magnets. This area was once known for seedy bars and brothels but is now restored with waterfront restaurants in colorful old buildings.

Copenhagen is also the location of the Little Mermaid statue. This is not the Little Mermaid from the Disney movie, but the one featured in the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, the famous Danish author. The plot of Andersen’s fairy tale is more complex and not quite as “happily ever after” as the Disney movie. The statue is perched on a rock in the harbor and has become a must-see for Copenhagen tourists (including me).

Tivoli Gardens, the second oldest amusement park in the world, is also in Copenhagen. Although I wasn’t game for any of the rides, I did enjoy people-watching in this well-maintained, upscale park.

Another favorite activity of the trip was eating Scandinavian food. I’ll admit some dishes were a bit strange for my taste, but I always enjoy trying at least some of the cuisine of any country I visit. It’s part of the cultural experience, right?

So even though this Scandinavian lunch of raw herring with raw onions and beets wasn’t what I call delicious, I did taste some of everything on my plate (except the onion). If only that herring had been fried and those beets had been some good ol’ Eastern North Carolina slaw….

The fish soup was more to my liking as were the open-face sandwiches, called smorrebrod in Denmark. These sandwiches are made with the diner’s choice of a variety of toppings on Danish rye bread. The main toppings are usually some type of fish, meat, or cheese. The sandwich pictured here has chicken salad with sprigs of something green and a piece of bacon.

The Scandinavian countries may not have the collection of world-renowned art found in European countries such as France and Italy, but Oslo, the capital of Norway, does contain one very famous painting: “The Scream.” Seeing a version of this in the National Gallery in Oslo was one of my favorite moments of the trip.

I learned that Edvard Munch, the artist, created more than one version of his masterpiece. The most well-known version is the one I saw, which, incidentally, was stolen in 1994 but recovered three months later.

Reading about “The Scream,” I found Munch’s explanation of what prompted this painting.

I was walking along the road with two friends. The Sun was setting –
The Sky turned a bloody red
And I felt a whiff of Melancholy – I stood
Still, deathly tired – over the blue-black
Fjord and City hung Blood and Tongues of Fire
My Friends walked on – I remained behind
– shivering with Anxiety – I felt the great Scream in Nature

I can see all that in the painting.

I’ve yet to mention Estonia in these two posts about my trip, but the country’s capital, Tallinn, made it into my list of top ten. Finland and Estonia were part of a pre-tour package before my small group joined a slightly larger band of tourists for the guided tour of three Scandinavian countries, Sweden, Finland, and Norway.

I didn’t have high expectations of Tallinn. Estonia borders Russia and spent the years after World War II under Soviet domination until the breakup of the USSR in 1991. While I could see the Russian influence in the onion-domed architecture and even the type of souvenirs sold (those Russian nesting dolls), the Old Town of Tallinn was quite Estonian.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Old Town is known for its preserved structures and city wall dating to the 13th century. The 13th century! Here in America, we think the 17th century is historic.

What’s not to love about cobblestone streets and an entrance with 13th century towers?

Again, here are the last five picks to round out my list of top ten reasons to visit Scandinavia (and Estonia): the safe and upbeat atmosphere, Copenhagen, Scandinavian food, “The Scream,” and the Old Town of Tallin.

There were other highlights. If you haven’t had enough, below are some captioned pictures.