Wulff's Blog: 2012 Cruise of Coastal Norway II: Honningsvag, Tromso & Lofoten

Saturday, June 23 AT SEA

The view from our ocean view room window. The rougher water was indicative of the Force 7 wind.

Italian Breakfast in the Coral Dining Room

Today we crossed the Arctic Circle

as Annette and I played cribbage.

Fred always had fruit for lunch:

Dinner was formal tonight:
Annette welcomed help from the waiters to hook up her neckless.

Of course, we enjoyed the company of our friendly table mates.

The salmon was always tasty,

as was dessert

One could argue that the enthusiastic Showtime performance of Kyle Esplin was the best entertainment so far.

After the show Annette and Fred played cribbage -- fortified with margaritas:

Sunday, June 24, Honningsvag and the North Cape

Our scheduled reserved tour was not until the afternoon, so after breakfast Annette and I attended an art presentation "Boticelli to Warhol" in the Explorers Lounge.

The art historian did an excellent job of covering such a wide range of art.

Honningsvag is the gateway to Norway's North Cape on Magerøya Island. This is the northernmost point in Europe, and the true land of the midnight sun. From mid-May to July, the full disc of the sun never dips below the horizon. In winter, the days barely lighten to a spectral gloom. To the north lies only the remote Svalbard Archipelago, Jan Mayan Island, and the polar ice cap.

Our tour of Magersya Island was to be a, half-day, guided tour that begins at the pier. Here we boarded a motorcoach and embarked on a scenic drive across the stunning Norwegian landscape.   

As we traveled out of Honningsvag, where 3,500 out of the 4,000 inhabitants on Mageraya Island live, we followed Skipsfjord before climbing to the plateau. As we traversed this treeless landscape we had the opportunity to view some of the 4,000 to 5,000 reindeer that graze here. The reindeer are domesticated and belong to the Sami people, a minority group living primarily in the county of Finnimark. Ten percent of the Sami people still live a nomadic life, following their deer to the coast in the spring and returning to the interior in the autumn.

Although we did not visit the actually North Cape we did have a commanding view of the North Cape. The North Cape was a hotly contested theatre during WW II, when both U-boats and surface raiders attacked the Arctic convoys to Russia. Much of northern Norway was devastated in 1944 allied troops withdrew.

Out tour included the charming Christmas and Winterhouse in Skarsvag , the northernmost fishing village in the world.

We had the opportunity to shop at the gallery which features arts, handicrafts and books inspired by the island and its ever-changing seasons.   

Just outside the store were drying racks for preserving cod:

What really attracted our attention was the reindeer nearby:

The church:

After a few more photo shots at the village,
we enjoyed a brief and scenic drive back to our Princess ship in the harbor at Honningsvag

En Route we stopped for a visit at Kamoyvar

We arrived back at the ship in time for dinner, which for Fred included fresh fruit, rib-eye steak and Black Forest chocolate cake.

Showtime was Production Show "Piano Man"

Monday, June 26, Tromso, Norway

Since our shore excursion did not begin until the afternoon, our breakfast in the Coral Dining Room was quite leisurely. Fred had English bacon with his asparagus omelette.

Later in the day, we took our coffee (or hot chocolate) break at the International Cafe.

We alway met such nice people wherever we went.

Around 2 pm we met in the Explorers Lounge for reserved shore excursion of Tromso. Lying north of the Arctic Circle, Tromso has been a departure point for Arctic explorers and hunters since the 18th century. Today, this town of some 50,000 individuals is home to the northernmost university in the world, which gives Tromso a lively cultural and street scene, highlighted by the annual Midnight Sun Marathon.  

Our narrated tour around the picturesque island of Tromso took us through the city that is a reflection of its past with an eye towards the future. Many homes and structures we saw date back to the 18th and 19th centuries yet sit comfortably alongside many new and modern neighborhoods.   

A short distance from the town center, the Polaria Arctic Center unique building resembles huge blocks of ice roughened by the harsh waters of the Arctic. A number of exhibits include short films that showcase the splendors and harshness of northern Norway. Take a walk along the "Arctic Walkway" and experience the elements of Arctic nature such as a snowstorm, a dozing polar bear, the tundra and the Aurora Borealis.

At the end of the walkway is the museum's aquarium where you can meet bearded seals and see interesting exhibits of the most common species of fish that live in the Barents Sea.

Next to the main building were exhibits about polar expeditions.

Next, we viewed stunning vistas of the surrounding areas as you cross the Tromso Bridge en route to the Arctic Cathedral, one of Tromso's most revered treasures. The crystal blue waters of the Norwegian Sea slip aimlessly along below the bridge and between rows of mountains.

At last we came to the white Arctic Cathedral, Tromso's famous landmark.   A symbol of Norwegian culture and faith, the Arctic Cathedral is an innovative design of glass, steel and concrete resembling a giant glacier resting at the base of the mountains.

The main entrance is surrounded by a large glass facade with a pronounced cross. Inside, the Cathedral boasts one of the largest stained glass windows in Europe. Each evening during the summer months the Cathedral holds a concert to welcome the return of the Midnight Sun.  

At the back of the church was a large pipe organ.

Candle holders in the nave were interesting

From a viewing platform outside the church one could get another view of the bridge

-- and then off to the right our ship was resting peacefully.

On the return in our motorcoach we had a scenic trip back over the bridge and to the ship.

Showtime starred Emily Reed:

At 9 pm we watched "Adagio Body Balancing" in the atrium:

The evening was concluded with cocktails.

Tuesday, June 26,Lofoten Islands (Gravdal)

Some passengers disembarked soon after the anchor was dropped to walk around the pier area. Gravdal is one of the largest villages in Vestvågøy and part of the Lofoten Archipelago in northern Norway. Gravdal serves as your gateway to the Lofoten Islands, the western remnants of great mountains that were worn away by glaciers. Lying entirely above the Arctic Circle, the islands' dramatic natural architecture of rocky peaks along with picturesque villages places this archipelago in a league of its own.

We chose to enjoy a narrated motorcoach tour of the beautiful Lofoten Islands.

Our half-day adventure first took in the sights of the charming village of Ballstad which rests at the foot of Ballstadaksia Mountain.

We stopped at a pier in Ballstad for a photo stop.

I zoomed in the lighthouse that marked the entrance to the harbor.

Our Italian guide pointed out our journey on a map (the pink part)

At one point we had a commanding view of the Caribbean Princess.

The bus stopped so we could photograph this beautiful church.

We continued on toward Haukland Beach...

Then we arrived at Haukland Beach. The long stretch of pearly white sand and sapphire water look so inviting that it may be hard to remember you're near the frozen Arctic and the water may be very cold.

After our stop here we went through a long tunnel to reach Utakleiv. According to "The London Times" newspaper the beach at Utakleiv is considered one of the world's "most romantic."