Life in Norway, based on tradition and simplicity, on quality and authenticity, parallels today's trends. Ecologically conscious, Norwegians are experts at living off the land's bounty and are envied by many other European countries. Increasingly numerous visitors travel north, and most of them choose Norway as their destination. Nature is so powerful here that it dictates the Norwegian way of life. This is why Solvi Dos Santos and Elisabeth Holte have chosen the rhythm of the seasons to reveal the country's diversity and richness. We are invited into Norwegian homes at the most pleasant time of year and we discover the charming hotels, traditional restaurants, and delightful house-museums that are all listed in the Visitor's Guide at the end of this book. In the winter, residents unite in the warmth of farms located in the grand valleys at the interior of the country, which reveal the splendor of their rose-painting decorations, their traditional built-in beds, and their large ballrooms. Spring is celebrated all along the breath-taking western fjords covered with blossoming fruit trees and in white-painted manor houses. In summertime, Norwegians spread out to the southern coasts with their small houses built just next to the water's edge, or travel to the north of the Arctic Circle where the Midnight Sun lights up continuous outdoor life. Autumn brings Norwegians back to hunting pavilions nestled deep within the forests to the fireside, and to wild berry collecting. Edvard Grieg's voice mixes with those of Henrik Ibsen, Edvard Munch, Knut Hamsen, Sigrid Undset, Tarjei Vesaas, and Liv Ullmann to affirm the Norwegian's deep love for their homes and their regions. As KnutFaldbakken explains in his preface: "The art of that people, our original traditions, have