Admired Leader
Prime Minister of Norway, Erna Solberg, has championed many facets since her 2013 election, from sustainability to global solutions, all while leading the “land of the midnight sun.” Not only that, but as mentioned in the May issue of Viking...
The Anniversaries of a Lifetime
This year marks a very special year for the beloved churches of Årdal, Norway. It’s not only the 100th anniversary of the “new” church in Årdal, but also the incredible and historical 400th anniversary of the old church.
Norway’s Wacky Winter Sport
From Sobetsu, Japan to Vardø, Norway, people around the world take part in the latest—and arguably strangest—winter sport dubbed Yukigassen.
A Mysterious Fortress on the Oslo Fjord
A woman named Mantelgeisten appears out of the darkness in a long robe. Prison chains rattle. Screams of horror and torture linger from the dungeons. Known to be the most haunted castle in Norway, Akershus Fortress attracts more than three million visitors every year...
If You Turned 70 during 2018, You Should Read This
Happy belated birthday, and congratulations on now needing to understand required minimum distributions (RMDs) from your annuities! Annuities are a great way to supplement your social security or pension plans. Not only do they accumulate cash tax-deferred, but they also offer you guaranteed payments for life. When the markets are volatile, it is nice to know that your annuity is protecting your principle. There has been an increased awareness [...]
Norway in International Politics
Over the past couple of years, I’ve published a blog on various topics pertaining to international diplomacy, first on HuffingtonPost.com and then on WashingtonDiplomat.com. While I enjoyed the opportunity to get my thoughts out there, I was never sure I was reaching quite the right audience.
Out of this World: Solobservatoriet
Imagine wandering into a glowing planetary system nestled deep within a forest. No, your eyes are not tricking you. Celebrated architecture and design firm Snøhetta is designing a new planetarium and visitor center for Norway’s largest astronomical facility.
Star Chef
In the March issue of Viking magazine, we catch up with Scandinavian celebrity chef Tina Nordström. From her cookbooks, television shows, kitchen items and wine, there are few areas of the food industry she has left untouched.
Discover Your Family Roots through DNA Testing
With today’s advances in DNA testing and the resulting ability to make connections with previously unknown relatives, it’s easy to see why more and more people are opting to test their DNA to get detailed results. Recently, three women connected through DNA testing and met up at a Sons of Norway lodge in Story City, IA. The women had learned about their ancestors’ immigration to the United States from [...]
Tame Your Tax Situation with a Fixed Annuity
Perhaps you are saving for retirement, or maybe you have already hit your goal for retirement savings. Either way, if you are a conservative investor who wants to build assets for the future and don’t sleep well when the markets look more like a roller coaster than a merry-go-round, a fixed annuity may be a good fit. There are not a lot of other investment vehicles that can provide [...]
Chinese Athletes take on Ski Jumping, Train in Norway
As the host country of the 2022 Olympics, China wants to harness the “host country advantage” and repeat their medals sweep from the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics. The only problem is that there is not a big winter sports tradition in China … yet.
Viking Presents New Monthly Feature
Starting next month, Norway’s Ambassador to the United States Kåre Aas will be a featured columnist for Sons of Norway’s signature publication, Viking magazine. The ambassador will share key insights about modern Norway, discuss various international topics including transatlantic security, peace and reconciliation, and the Arctic. He also invites subscribers to join the conversation by posting comments and questions to his social media feeds. “The Norwegian American community is [...]
Oslo’s Coolest Foodie
Anders Husa speaks with Viking magazine about his passion for photography, travel and all things food. By Frances Smith In 2011, Anders Husa created a blog called Foodie Stories to document his favorite restaurants. Today, he’s an award-winning food expert and writer that’s on the pulse of Norway’s restaurant scene. Between traveling, snapping photographs and making YouTube videos, Husa spreads the word about cutting-edge restaurants in Scandinavia and beyond. [...]
Norwegian Child Prodigy Remembered
Lodge members from Draxten 1-464 and Vennekretsen 1-559 volunteer to clean and maintain the Ole Bull statue. This month, precisely 209 years ago on February 5, Norway’s first internationally known musician was born; Ole Borneman Bull. A child prodigy, Bull began studying the violin at the age of five, and just four years later was soloing with the Bergen Harmonic Society. Known for his unique performance method, [...]
Unique WW II Airplane Unearthed in Norway after 76 Years
Image Credit: TONY HOSKINS A rare World War II fighter plane, piloted by a Scotsman who was a key figure in “The Great Escape," has been recovered largely intact from a Norwegian mountainside. In 1942, RAF Flight Lieutenant Alastair “Sandy” Gunn, 22, was on a clandestine mission to take photos of a German battleship in Trondheim Fjord when his plane was shot down by German fighter planes. [...]