Businesswoman Amparo Costales was captivated by Oslo’s architecture and Norwegian nature. He even caught cod
Nordic culture attracted Amparo Costales’ attention. The entrepreneur, who chaired the Association of Hostesses and Models and founded the tourism innovation platform Seven Arts Tourism, landed in Oslo to discover “an unparalleled architecture and a very cohesive and cosmopolitan society”.
What surprised you about Norway’s capital?
I took an architectural route that left me impressed. I started at the Opera House, designed by the Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta; I continued to Tjuvholmen, a neighborhood that brings together works by great contemporary architects, and ended in the former industrial area of Vulkan. Then I embarked.
Did he go to sea?
I was in the beautiful city of Bergen, which looks like an open-air urban museum. And from there I went to visit islands by boat.
Which islands did you visit?
Several, but above all I remember the Isla de los Pájaros. It is within the Gjesvaerstappan nature reserve, and, although you cannot get off the boat because it is a highly protected area, it is impressive to enjoy the birds perched on the cliff ledges. We saw puffins and also cormorants, guillemots and sea eagles. I loved it. Then I visited North Cape.
This is where the Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic Ocean are separated…
Yes, it is one of those enclaves where the world ended; a finis terrae with a 307-meter cliff. In the visitor’s center they explain the history of this mythical place.
He did not relax for a moment.
Yes, at the ice hotel Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel in Alta, Lapland. The walls, floors and even the glasses are frozen. Inside there is a temperature of between -4 and -7º C and the rooms have thermal blankets and sleeping bags. To walk through it they put thermal clothing that does not let you lose heat.
Any other experience?
Another thing I had never done before was fishing for cod and we went for a day at sea. They talked to us about this fish as a resource, the treatment they carry out, the ways of cooking it, and, of course, traditional fishing.
What about the famous Norwegian fishermen’s cream?
Yes. The water is freezing and the deck is very cold. They carry the ointment to apply all the time: on the lips, the face and the most exposed parts. They are very methodical; I have never participated in anything like this before.
