Arctic Awakening

Okay!  I admit, the name of this post was totally stolen!  From Hutigruten!  But I couldn't come up with a better description myself! 

The first half of May this year, 2016, we spent a wonderful 16 days exploring Bergen and Oslo and the magically beautiful coast of Norway, sailing along fjords and enjoying the most beautiful scenery.

 

After having spent 2 days wandering around Bergen, we boarded the Hutigruten ship, Finnmarken, for our journey north, as north as we would probably ever get. Unless.....

Hutigruten's Finnmarken.  Our rather comfortable ride up north and back.

What a beautiful country Norway is!  Oxblood red wooden houses against a back drop of green hills and snow covered mountains! 

 

And then crossing the Arctic Circle  we went all the way to the North Cape and beyond.

Nordkapp

Click on the links below for photos of all the places we've visited  !!

Bergen  30/4/2016

Maloy, Torvik, Alesund, Moldo and Kristiansund  02/05/2016

Trondheim and Rorvik 03/05/2016

Ornes, Crossing the Polar Circle, Bodo, Stamsund,  Svolvaer and a first visit to the Trollfjorden 04/05/2016

Harstad Finnsnes Tromso Skjervoy 05/05/2016

Hammerfest, Honningsvag to Batsfjord 06/05/2016

  Vadso Kirkenes Vardo Batsfjord Berlevag 07/05/2016

  Honningsvag Havoysund Hammerfest Oksfjord Skjervoy Tromso 08/05/2016

Harstad Risoyhamn Sortland Stokmarknes Trollfjord Svolvaer Stamsund 09/05/2016

  Ornes Polarcircle Nesna Sandnessjoen Bronnoysund Rorvik 10/05/2016

Trondheim Kristiansund Molde Alesund 11/05/2016

 Torvik Maloy Floro Bergen 12/05/2016 

Oslo. The City.  14 - 16/05/2016

Oslo. Museums 14 - 16/05/2016

Oslo. Vigeland Park 14 - 16/05/2016

Vigeland Park in Oslo

Sculptures by Gustav Vigeland in Vigeland Park

 

     

Bergen.

Beautiful Bergen. Second largest city of Norway.   Surrounded by 7 hills and 7 fjords!

View from the top of Mount Fløyen.

Fløibanen funicular to the top of Mount Fløyen

Bryggen

Bryggen

Bryggen

En jij kan per bus echt overal naar toen!!

Walking down Mount Fløyen.

Maloy, Torvik, Alesund, Moldo and Kristiansund

 

Wandering around Torvik

So I put on my earrings and make-up for this shipload of visitors!

Beautiful Ålesund

 

Art Nouveau architecture in Ålesund

 

Strolling along the quayside promenade in Kristiansund

Trondheim and Rorvik

Lovely Trondheim, Norway's third largest city.

Gamle Bybro (Old Town Bridge)

Bakklandet and Mollenberg neighbourhoods on the other side of the river

Nidaros Cathedral

idaros Cathedral

Monk Island

Ornes, Crossing the Polar Circle, Bodo, Stamsund, Svolvaer and a first visit to the Trollfjorden

Bodo

Is or isn't it art ......

 

Late afternoon stop in Stamsund

  

Sailing through the beautiful and narrow strait of Raftsund to pay an evening visit to the Trollfjord at around 23:30.

 

 

Harstad Finnsnes Tromso Skjervoy

Early morning stop in Harstad

Exploring Harstad and feeling rather at home!

Road crossing for children pulling wooden snails on wheels?  Or just 'Baie lekker'?

And a few hours later in Finnsnes

Killing time in Finnsnes.

Leaving Finnsnes

Early afternoon we arrive in Tromsø, the largest town in northern Norway, also known as the capital of the Arctic.

Brightening up the harbour area.

The Domkirke in the town center, one of Norway's largest wooden churches.

After having walked around the town center, we cross the long bridge to get a closer look at the Arctic Cathedral (or Tromsdalen Church).

Beautiful church with eleven triangles representing glacial crevasses and auroral curtains and a huge triangular stained-glass window.

Returning to the harbour area to catch our lift further north.