Norwegians are born with skis on, the saying goes. But when people tell me they’re going skiing in the Alps, Whistler, or Colorado, I cannot relate. As a Norwegian, skiing mostly means moving slowly across flat-ish terrain while carrying a packed lunch, family, and pets in tow, chatting and enjoying the scenery until you find a nice spot to build a fire. This isn’t a sport. This is friluftsliv , the Norwegian concept that translates as “free air life.” Friluftsliv (pronounced “free-loofts-liv”) is about stepping out under open skies and breathing fresh air. “Norwegians regard friluftsliv as activities in nature, such as walking, bicycling, berry and mushroom harvesting, fishing, hunting, sleeping in a tent or hammock, sailing, climbing, skating, swimming, and cross-country skiing,” says Bente Lier, general secretary at Norsk Friluftsliv , Norway’s outdoors association. “Relaxing, observing the quiet, enjoying the smell of coffee brewing on a bonfire, is all friluftsliv,” says Lier. T
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