It is a late, long July afternoon of this Norwegian summer. The light fades, but does not die completely. Here in Southern Norway, at 11:45PM, the day glow diffuses, allowing for a long, ponderous twilight. This is the blue hour, that in Norway last much longer than a mere HOUR. It is the period of […]The post Norway, Light And Dark appeared first on Pursuitist.

It is a late, long July afternoon of this Norwegian summer. The light fades, but does not die completely. Here in Southern Norway, at 11:45PM, the day glow diffuses, allowing for a long, ponderous twilight. This is the blue hour, that in Norway last much longer than a mere HOUR. It is the period of twilight each morning and evening where there is neither full daylight nor complete darkness, the time between past and future, and in folklore, a time when spirits say their final goodbyes, as they pass from earth. It is a time when light and dark, past and present mingle, and right now in Norway, the blue hour seems a perfect metaphor for the delicate, diverse equilibrium that has helped create the evolving cultural identity of contemporary Norway.When we traveled to Norway recently, we saw for ourselves the complex, ever shifting balances of light/dark, nature/culture, past/present, that seem to pervade many aspects of travel in that country, and not just in the long blue twilight. These elements work to create a unique culture, infused with the restless strivings of old Viking DNA: adventure vs. home, with newfou...