Introduction

Today I woke up to a new light.

Yesterday was cold and dark here in Oslo, with clear signs that autumn was losing out to the inevitability of winter. One week ago a determined wind from the north had decided to swipe all the yellow and red leaves off the trees, and once the street cleaners had done their job, grayness seemed to engulf everything but the brightly colored buildings in the center of the city.

Then today was a new day. When I pulled the curtains aside, expecting just another bleak Sunday morning, I found that the world outside had been transformed. A white blanket of snow covered the streets, trees, and rooftops, turning the busy capital into a chaotic fairy-tale city with skidding cars and joyful children at play. And, although the sun has long since withdrawn from the energetic omnipresence of summer, the day is bright in a way only a winter day in the high north can be.