Our Hurtigruten Adventure - Bring on the Northern Lights

Our Hurtigruten Adventure

Friday, November 17, 2017

Alesund                       Sunrise                        Sunset             Day Length

8:56 am                       15:43 pm         6 hrs 46 min

Well, that was quite a night. The ship rocked and rolled and so did we. Happily, we both managed to stay in our beds but there were times that I wondered if that would happen. Things were about the same when we got up this morning. Making it upstairs to the dining room was a zig zag of steps to say the least. Hold onto the rail and search for the next place to anchor yourself before you let go. Some of the chairs I grabbed were moveable which made the adventure all that much more exciting.  Jim managed to get us both a bit of breakfast and then we headed back to our cabin where we felt much more secure. Gravol worked its magic and we both made it through the morning unscathed.

The ship pulled into port in Alesund in the late morning and, of course, the ship was relatively still for the next few hours. Jim had signed up for an excursion so he headed out right after lunch on a walking tour of Alesund, a very attractive and colourful city. There is a great deal of emphasis on architecture in Alesund, in part because of a major fire that swept through the community in the early 1900s. In the rebuilding, the art nouveau style was used in most of the buildings. Jim enjoyed his tour very much even though it began with a big hail storm. Given the weather and the excursion options, I chose to remain on board for the afternoon. I was happy to have made that decision because, while the ship was docked, it was a great time to take a shower without having to hold on for dear life.

Soon after Jim returned from his outing, the ship continued on its way north along the coast of Norway. We were mostly travelling in sheltered water for the next several hours with islands to our west and mainland to the east. The islands were picturesque, many with snow-covered mountains. And the water was mostly calm. Late in the afternoon, there was a briefing by the ‘activity team’ about the rest of today and the excursions for tomorrow. It was at that time that we learned that we would experience gale-like conditions for a few hours this evening. Happily, we had time to enjoy a short movie about the Northern Lights and eat our dinner while the water was still calm. We are now back in our cabin where we can safely manage the ups and downs of the ship. It still has not reached the level of turbulence we experienced last night but who knows what lies ahead.

We are looking forward to a much calmer day tomorrow, perhaps even with some sunshine. The forecast for tomorrow night is attractive for seeing Northern Lights. Fingers crossed.

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Trondheim       Sunrise                        Sunset             Day Length

                        8:51 am                       15:15 pm         6 hrs 24 min

Our day began early this morning.  The ship pulled into Trondheim just as we finished breakfast. We were due to board the bus for a city tour at 7:45 am. That is early for us retirees, especially when it was still dark as night outside. Each day we travel further north, we get fewer and fewer hours of daylight. Today it was about 6 hours; tomorrow less than 5. Yes, it changes that quickly. Nonetheless, we boarded the bus and headed away from the port are into the main part of the city of Trondheim.

Trondheim has a long history. It was founded initially in the late 990’s and has been an active community ever since. At one time, it was the capital of Norway and the King’s summer palace is still here. The town has sustained some major fires during its long history so the buildings have all been rebuilt at some stage. Still, there are a large number of old wooden houses remaining, looking very much like rowhouses except that they are all painted different colours. That is because the tradition here is to always paint your house a different colour than your neighbours. The colours certainly add a brightness to the city on a dark, cold morning.

We passed by the summer palace which was interesting in that it was built on a corner of two streets directly adjacent to the sidewalk. No fence, no evidence of guards, no clear security … just a house awaiting the arrival of the king when next he arrives. The only clue that he is not in residence now is that absence of a flag on the flagpole.

As we travelled the streets of the city, daylight slowly emerged and provided a better look at our surroundings. We passed through the business area which has a number of wonderful looking shops offering everything you might expect to find in a community. Of course, in addition to the regular shops where residents might make purchases, there are a number of tourist shops as well, marketing items that are made in or somehow represent Norway’s heritage, culture and food. Jim and I have not indulged ourselves yet but the time will come when we can no longer resist the wonderful products that are available here.

Trondheim is a university town with a major medical centre. There is world class brain research underway here with a collection of doctors and researchers from many different countries working on understanding the healthy brain so that they can develop more effective treatments for brains that are injured or unhealthy in some other way.

About 39,000 students attend the university in a variety of programs. In Norway, university education is available free of charge.

Our tour continued high up on a hilltop to a viewpoint that provided great photo opportunities in many directions. It was a very cold morning and the road was covered with ice which made it tricky for the driver of the bus and treacherous for anyone walking on the street or paths. Of course, our tour guide was quick to remind us to be very careful when getting off the bus and walking to the lookout. The last thing anyone wants is a fall and/or injury.

From the hilltop, we travelled to the Nidaros Cathedral, built over a period of 200 years from 1070 to 1300. Originally it was a Catholic cathedral but after the Protestant Reformation, it was taken from the Catholic Church by the Lutheran Church in 1537. It is the most northern medieval cathedral in the world. Over the years, there have been three major fires in the cathedral that required major rebuilding and refurbishment. Thus, it has three different architectural styles evident in the columns that support the roof. It also has many beautiful stained glass windows including a large rose window at the back of the cathedral. One of the most impressive features in the cathedral are its two pipe organs which, together have over 12,000 pipes. Both have been rebuilt since 2000 and they are both fully functional and used regularly.

Our tour of the cathedral concluded and we were hurried back onto the bus. There were passengers from a southbound Hurtigruten ship that was departing the port at 10 am and we had to have them back on time. Some of our passengers chose to walk back to the ship with the stern reminder to be back well before boarding because the captain does not wait for latecomers.

And so, our tour came to an end. Which leads me to a comment or two about cruise excursions. As many of you may know, Jim and I have never travelled on a regular cruiseship and so we have not been acquainted with some of the details of this style of travel. I am shocked at the prices of the excursions. Norway is an expensive country, to be sure, but the bus trip this morning cost Jim and I each more than $100.00 and we were off the ship just over 2 hours. Of course, each day a variety of excursions will be available to us but we are certainly going to assess the relative value based on interest, length and cost. Trip Advisor has once again been a helpful tool as we can read other people’s comments about various trips. Yikes!!

Back on board, we spent a leisurely morning. I sat in one of the common areas and enjoyed the view from the window as I relaxed and crocheted. Jim had actually walked back from the town and enjoyed the fresh air. Before we knew it, the ship was underway and it was lunchtime again. Well, almost lunchtime. There was a point of interest as we pulled out of port which merited a short presentation on the open deck. It was an island that had been long used as a prison by early Norwegian kings, and island where criminals were often beheaded and their heads hung on long poles for all to see.

One of the many things we are enjoying about this trip is the program that has been designed to inform and entertain us. For those of you who are cruisers, this is probably very familiar, but for us who have not experienced a traditional cruise, we are very impressed. Daily briefings, lectures, movies, points of interest as we pass them, food presentations, announcements and the everpresent search for the Northern Lights. We had a bit of a false alarm tonight as someone told the crew, he/she had seen the Northern Lights off the bow of the ship. Of course, we scurried into our winter outdoor clothing and joined the crowd outside. Northern lights are elusive and there may well have been a flash or two a few minutes before but we did not see any hint of them at all. What we did see though was a relatively clear sky, lovely to view after so many cloudy, wet days. We also saw such a panorama of stars. Constellations we knew and constellations we have not seen before. Thousands of stars flickering high above us in the dark night sky. Beautiful!

And now the day is done. Time to sleep. If the Northern Lights become visible in the night, we will hear an announcement to beckon us outside. And we will respond.

Sunday, November 19, 2017

Boda    Sunrise                        Sunset             Day Length

            9:23 am                       14:11 pm         4 hrs 47 min

Today was another busy day aboard the MS Richard With. The first announcement of the day came over the phone at 6:45 am, letting us know that we would be crossing the Arctic Circle within about 45 minutes. We were invited to gather on the outside area on Deck 7 to mark this event with a celebration and photos of the Arctic Circle Monument that was on a tiny nearby island as we crossed. Of course, Jim and I leapt out of bed and donned our warmest clothes and made our way to Deck 7. It was chilly and windy outside. And dark!! Sunrise was still almost two hours away. We watched and waited in the dark with about a hundred other passengers and finally the lighted monument came into sight. We collectively counted down and raised a cheer as we passed the marker, crossing the Arctic Circle. Of course, cameras were clicking fast and furious. It was a memorable moment.

This is the third time that Jim and I have crossed the Arctic Circle. The first time was on a train in Finland in 1976. We were on our way to Rovaniemi, the most northerly point on the railway in Finland. The second time we crossed was on the Dempster Highway in 1980, the year that highway opened and the first time it was possible to drive to the Arctic Ocean in Canada. You know us … why not? So off we went with Karen across Canada and up north too. We have photos of both previous occasions and can now add a third photo to our collection.

After the Arctic Circle Crossing, we had breakfast, an amazing array of traditional breakfast foods as well as an assortment of Norwegian breakfast foods including eleven kinds of smoked or marinated fish. For those of us with curiosity and an element of risk-taking, this breakfast is a veritable bonanza of untried tastes. Jim and I are enjoying ourselves thoroughly.

Next came the Arctic Circle Crossing Official Celebration (10:30 am) in which passengers were offered the opportunity to have a bucket of ice water poured down their backs in exchange for a small glass of whiskey or wine. Brrrrr!!!! Neither Jim nor I participated in this activity. We were still sipping our champagne from earlier this morning.

Following the AC Celebration, there was a presentation about “Who the Vikings Were”. It was very interesting to hear the story of the Vikings from a Norwegian perspective. The speaker addressed a wide range of topics from places of origin, to interaction with other nations, language development, agricultural activity, clothing and community structure. Whereas we may think of Vikings as a waring people, this speaker was able to paint a somewhat broader picture for us although he did acknowledge that raiding other communities and territories was also a component of their culture and survival. It was a very interesting presentation, providing lots to think about in terms of our own stereotypes and understanding of history.

Lunch followed and then we came into port at a town called Boda, a small northern town that has the furthest north railway station in Norway. It still holds strictly to the ‘no shopping on Sunday’ rule so not a single store or museum was open. Even the taxicabs take the day off. There is a ground covering of snow and the sidewalks were very slippery. The ship provides slip resistant ice grips to attach to shoes and boots for walking. I decided to remain on the ship but Jim went into town for a short walk. There really was not much to see but I think he enjoyed being off the boat for a while. I brought a crocheting project with me and I am slowly seeing some progress. A quiet afternoon with my yarn was perfect.

The ship set sail again and soon it was time for the afternoon briefing. More activities for the evening were announced and a daylight report, a weather report and a northern lights prediction were all part of the briefing. A delicious dinner followed.

I should take some time to talk about the food served on this ship. Breakfast is a huge buffet which I described briefly earlier. Fruit and cheese are a significant part of this meal as well as fish and other predictable breakfast items for the North American palate as well as the European palate. Lunch is another huge buffet that begins with a delicious soup, offers an array of salads, presents several options for a main course – meats, vegetables, pasta, potatoes, several varieties of cold fish, a cheese board to die for and many desserts as well as more fruit.

Dinner is a three course meal that is served at the table. We have assigned seating and are working hard to find common ground with the couple we are paired with. Jim and I tend to be pretty good conversationalists but this couple are simply not engaging. The first two nights were pretty awkward, at least for us, but tonight was quite a bit better. Jim and I had actually discussed a strategy to get them to respond to questions or express an opinion. They are from upstate New York so politics or anything related are totally off the table, of course.

Back to the meal … we are served a starter, often fish-based, followed by a beautifully presented main course (tonight it was a braised rib roast with mashed potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes). Then a small but delicious dessert, often a somewhat unusual combination of flavours created by the chef. Tonight, it was a tart rhubarb sauce atop a smooth light chocolate pudding topped with a gold-glazed meringue. It was absolutely and surprisingly delicious.

One of the great things about our evening meal is that most of the ingredients are locally sourced, brought on the ship from local villages, specific area farms, and even clearly defined fishing grounds. This not only supports the local economy but ensures that we are eating the freshest and the best food available in the region.  Brilliant!

I bet you thought we were done for the night but not so!! Three more activities awaited us. At 9:15, there was a storytelling session in which one of the activity leaders read us a legend about fishing, a story that was said to have occurred in the nearby Trollfjord. Just as the reading was concluded, our ship entered the fjord. To mark this occasion and also to draw us out onto the rear deck of the ship, a special drink was prepared and served in Trollfjord mugs and fishcakes were served to anyone who wanted one.

Just as we were all gathering on the deck, the Northern Lights danced into the sky as if on cue. Of course, we all turned our eyes to the sky and took in the spectacle that had attracted most of us onto this cruise.  It was a modest display tonight, mostly white, with flashes and streaks that shot up into the sky occasionally. A large cloud-like shape hovered above the peaks of the mountains and lit the night sky. I would be remiss if I did not mention the incredible array of stars that were visible in the dark night sky. We were far away from any town, village or hamlet at this time so there was nothing to diminish the brightness of the stars. It was truly breathtaking, both the Northern Lights and the star-studded sky. What an amazing way to end our day.

Monday, November 20, 2017

Finnsnes         Sunrise                        Sunset             Day Length

                        9:52 am                       13:13 pm         3 hrs 21 min

Today has been a pleasant but quiet day on the ship. Jim and I slept a little late this morning. Without the knock on the door from the person who services our cabin, we might never have wakened up. It was 8:45 am and it was still pitch black outside. Sunrise, as noted above, was still almost an hour away. We did manage to get to breakfast on time and sat with a couple from Germany who spoke no English. We have usually had great luck with eating companions, people from Scotland, England, Scotland, England, Scotland … you get the pattern. Many of these folks are on the Hurtigruten for at least the second time. The first trip was in the summer and it is now quite a different trip in the winter. The primary goal for all is to see the Northern Lights.

There were two information sessions this morning. The first was a lecture about the hunting/gathering strategies of the early settlers in the area, dating back several hundred years. We were introduced to the mammals of northern Norway and the demise of some of them (right whales, polar bears) as a result of overhunting. White foxes, reindeer and northern voles are well established though. There are more reindeer in Norway than people. There is a quite a lot of domestic farming taking place historically as well as currently. We pulled into port at Finnsnes where, due to the effect of the Gulf Stream, the daytime average temperature during the winter is above freezing. As we cruised along the shoreline, the farm buildings, landscape and equipment were all visible. Pigs, chickens and some cattle are raised along with goats and sheep. Mostly root crops are planted – potatoes, leeks, turnips, parsnips and onions are the most common.

Later in the morning, there was a film about the history of Tromso (pronounced Troomsa), a town we will visit later today. Several expensive excursions are available today but Jim and I are not going to visit the town on this journey though as we are returning to Tromso in about a week and spending a few days here.

We enjoyed lunch today with a couple from Dundee, Scotland who have also lived in Melbourne, Australia for several years. They, like us, return frequently for visits and continue to explore the country. They have also visited several other places that we have enjoyed, notably India, Dubai and parts of Europe. A lively conversation accompanied a delicious meal. I spent the afternoon alternately reading and crocheting, watching night fall quickly on Tromso (2:55 pm pitch black). Jim wandered the town a bit and found things to photograph and explore when we return to this city.

Crocheting on a window seat in a corridor in the ship has been a wonderful way to meet people. Some stop to ask what I am doing. Some stop to tell me what they are doing. Some are just friendly folks who smile and stop for a short conversation. Some are a bit bolder and sit down in the next chair for a longer conversation. Any which way, I have certainly met a lot of fine people on the ship which has made this cruise all the more enjoyable. Earlier today, a man stopped for a chat and when he learned my name he stood and sang Richie Valens “O Donna” to me. That was a little over the top!

Dinner tonight with our table partners was very nice indeed. Frist of all, the food was sensational! Hen soup (not chicken but hen) followed by arctic char and a potato casserole. Dessert was a lovely pudding with dandelion sauce made on a nearby island. Amazing that dandelions grow so well this far north.  Again, the main ingredients for each course were locally sourced. What fun! Best of all, the conversation really flowed smoothly tonight. It was as if all the off buttons had been turned on and we shared stories, laughter, and dreams. It has taken a few days but I think we have arrived in a place of comfort. Too bad we only have one night left.

Digressing for a moment to add in a bit of trivia. It is notable that the northern regions of Norway, specifically the Svalbard Islands, have the mildest climate anywhere on earth at this latitude. In January and February, the average daily temperature is above freezing. The Gulf Stream contributes significantly to this. And the vegetation that is able to grow here is quite diverse, including dandelions.

As the evening progressed, northern lights were again announced. We went to the outdoor deck and had a good look. It was another modest display but it has been three nights in a row. That is very exciting.

Later In the evening was the ‘gathering’, the daily briefing, delayed due to the schedule of ports of call and passenger excursions. As a finale to the first part of this journey, there was a photo contest. A spectacular time-lapse photo of the Northern Lights took the prize. I did not see with the naked eye what his camera was able to produce. I guess my much loved ‘magic’ camera was just not up to the challenge.

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Havoysund, Norway

Polar Night – no discernable suntime from now until Monday, January 22, 2018 when daylight will reappear for 1 hour and 9 minutes

It was dark this morning when we arose. And it remained dark for a long time. When we pulled into port in Havoysund at about 8:45 am, the light had just risen above the horizon. It was like dawn. But the sun did not follow. Today is the first day of the Polar Night in Havoysund and the sun will not reappear until January 22.

Of course, there was lots of discussion among the passengers about the merits of living in such an environment. What would it be like to be in total darkness for so long? And what would it be like to experience continuous sunlight during the summer months. Do the hours of work change when it is dark? How do construction workers do their job? How cold does it get when there is no sun to warm the air?

To be honest, there was more light this morning than we had expected. We certainly experience many very dull winter days at home and there was more light here today than on the dullest day we would encounter at home. The difference is that the days here will continue to get darker and shorter as the sun sinks further below the horizon. By 2:30 this afternoon, the world was as dark as night and will remain that way until tomorrow morning when the light appears again, a little bit later then today.

Our next morning port of call was Honningsvag, a larger community which attracted the attention of many passengers. Honningsvag is the closest place to the North Cape that we will land. The North Cape is a very high cliff that marks the furthest north point of land on mainland Europe. The was an excursion to that point today. Jim and I decided that we would rather use the money required for this excursion to purchase something significant to bring home with us. So we stayed on the ship and will have to settle for seeing the photos taken by others. Some passengers also went on a guided hike into the local terrain. Jim did wander into the village for a short while after lunch.

There was a short delay leaving Honningsvag as one of our cruise passengers did not return to the ship. We are underway now so we hope that she made it back before we set sail. At the beginning of the cruise, we were warned that there would be no departure delays because of latecomers. (Later we learned she was already on the ship but had forgotten to sign back in.)

We carried on north during the rest of the afternoon, travelling to Mehamn which is the furthest point north we will reach. The latitude at Mehamn is 71.03. It is still over 2200 kilometres to the North Pole. At Mehamn, we turned south making our final voyage to Kirkenes where we will disembark in the morning.

We attended our final briefing meeting, always informative and entertaining. We did not really need to be there since the information was not useful to those of us who were leaving the ship. At the end of the meeting, though, an announcement was made that there were Northern Lights off the port bow of the ship. We immediately donned our coats and boots and made our way to Deck 7. And our breath was taken away!!! The Northern Lights were spectacular!! White, green, even some red shot through the sky. The whirled and twisted and filled the sky with grandeur. Everywhere we looked, there was more and more to see. Each time we thought we had seen it all, it changed again, stretching in a new direction. It was like magic. Four nights in a row we have seen these lights, each night a bit better. But tonight was amazing!!! Definitely the best came on our final night. (And it was still only 6 pm.)

A wonderful buffet dinner was presented at 6:30 – crab, arctic char, giant prawns, trout, salmon, mackerel, shrimp, mussels and a myriad of meats including reindeer. The chef had outdone himself. The dessert table was laden with fruit and puddings and fresh whipped cream.  All of it delicious!!

We spent a short time getting our cabin organized for departure and then made our way back to Deck 4 to spend some time with friends we have made along this voyage. They all come from the UK and were happy to exchange details with us.

By this time, it was snowing outside and the ship was rocking and rolling a bit. Time to settle in for the night and stay close to ‘home’ for our last night on board.

It has been a wonderful journey, seeing spectacular scenery, visiting some very remote and interesting towns, learning some of the history and culture of the area, eating fresh food from nearby communities, and spending time with many interesting people on board. And, of course, there are the Northern Lights!!!  We would highly recommend the Hurtigruten to anyone. It is a fascinating and comfortable journey.

While we are reluctant to leave the ship in the morning, we have a new adventure awaiting us.

Two days in Kirkenes, three days in Trompso and a bus/train journey to Stockholm where we will spend one final day before flying home on December 1.