Yet Further North - Bodø and the Ferry

Today is a day of two halves, the morning exploring Bodø and all it has to offer and this afternoon beginning the next stage of our journey north on a ferry

As usual let's start with the beginning of the day.

Waking up

I woke this morning at 4.30am, what has been my normal waking time all holiday. No need to set an alarm as our onward journey is not until 3.20pm.

I complete the photos from Monday by 5.30am; I then shower etc and Drew does the same. We go down for breakfast at 6.30am, lots of new tastes and flavours as well as the usual ones.

Breakfast

I began with my yogurt, nuts and fruit

It is good to see the nuts and seeds reappearing at breakfast, it is walnuts today.

Drew has a fried eggs with various versions of mushrooms and bacon.

I have my pickle selection

they really do pickle everything up here - pickled carrots, picked mange tout and pickled radish all appear for the first time, alongside the more typical pickled herring, smoked salmon and peppered mackerel, plus cheese.

Drew feels like sugar today, so enjoys some sweet items.

While I go for a vegetable selection with scrambled eggs

Roasted cauliflower and broccoli, join a vegetable fritter with a mushroom and spring onion base along with scrambled eggs and roasted potatoes. Really sets you up for the day ahead.

We come back to the room at 7.15am. I then load Tuesday's photos to Flickr, just before 8 and start editing yesterday's photos. 

Bodø 

We left the hotel at 9.00am and have no great expectations of Bodø. Our extra night in Trondheim (we had intended three, but the detailed plans led to four, which worked out well with the photo editing catch-up day) was to be here for this afternoon's sailing. Yesterday and today's plans were only because you can't get the train from Trondheim to the ferry in one day, but have to stop somewhere overnight. Bodø is the obvious place as the ferry will leave from here. 

So, unlike all the places we stayed at because we wanted to see them, Bodø is the poor relation, we were here, but didn't have the usual detailed plan for things to see, but wandered around the small town cente.

We were astounded to find that a small town like Bodø has a Cathedral, and not a small one either. A huge edifice with a spectacular interior. Drew had noted last night that the Nazi's had flattened Bodø, which means that the buildings are all post 1945. But, Bodø didn't just re-build what had been there, but were creative in their architecture. The Cathedral is a great sign of that.

Here are some of the images we captured of it, as ever more can be found on Flickr, starting here.

You will notice some interesting features, especially the unusual, but traditional local culture, of celebrating faith by the creation of mats with images - these are hung on the wall.

From the Cathedral we walk around the other sights of Bodø, some of the key ones here but more on Flickr at the link above.

We then came upon an area of murals in Bodø centre, we love the effort to decorate the streets that mural artists make, so we always try to capture them. 

Having exhausted the items that any 'Things to do in Bodø' list could produce we walked to the Port to check out the location we needed to be at this afternoon. Like much in Bodø it isn't far away from our hotel.

So, feeling we had made a good effort we went back to the hotel at 11am.

[Co-pilot's note: I think, dear readers, that he is being slightly hard on the fair city of Bodø, I suspect it is a very nice place to live and that people are very happy to live here. You have to compare a place like Bodø with, perhaps, Pontypridd in terms of size, and there is a world of difference.]

Check-out

We have a midday check out, so after some time in the room we come downstairs at 11.50am, check out on the Thon app and sit in the open airy sitting area near reception in the hotel.

At 12.53pm our vessel arrives in the Port. We can see it arriving from the front of the Hotel. The sound of its horn indicating a big ship was coming in.

I sit in reception and complete naming and loading yesterday's photos to Flickr. We have a last toilet visit and leave the hotel at 2pm. 

To the Ferry

We stroll gently along the harbour and Drew is able to take some photos that he tried to take this morning, but the fog had come down then, it is much clearer now. 

On the Ferry

We arrive at the ship, the Hurtigruten Polarlys, at 2.30pm. We are able to board and collect our key cards immediately, but the cabin doesn't become available until 3pm. So we head to the Panorama room and sit comfortably until it is that time. 

They announce the rooms are ready exactly at 3pm, we go down to collect our luggage from the Luggage Room and head to room 530 and take our usual photos. 

At 3.10pm the ship blows its horn, it is a loud noise scaring a young lad along the deck from us. It is the 10 minutes warning sign and hordes of people head from a tour bus, an explorer jeep and other places. All are boarded by 3.16pm, the goods gangway is closed, the people gangway pulled up and we leave at 3.20pm exactly, our next stop at 7.15pm tonight is at Stamsund.

The cabin has a map on the TV and a view from the bridge; we made use of both. But went outside on deck for the departure:

Dinner

When we had boarded earlier and been given our cabin key, we had been told that we were on table 45 for the 6pm sitting. 

We arrive at 6pm and are shown to our table. Luckily the ship isn't full, so we don't have to make conversation with others, as no one is sat beside us.

We had Sparkling Water and Coke Zero for our drinks.

Drew had Pickled halibut with cucumber, sugar kelp cream and dill

A lovely juicy fish with sharp crunchy vegetables. He enjoyed his choice. 

Chicken liver with blackcurrant syrup and pickled rhubarb

The flavours were excellent, but I wouldn't have minded some toast to put the liver on. I also wouldn't have minded a larger portion!

I then had beef culotte with variations of cauliflower, gratinated potato cream, and jus with lovage oil

It is impressive the quality of the food they are able to present on a journey like this. Still, again, it seems a little skimpy.

Drew had decided to have the Boknafisk with variations of cauliflower, gratinated potato cream and creamy bacon sauce with chive oil, as he hadn't tried the stockfish this area is famous for, yet.

Drew took to the flavour of the fish, finding that it has a slightly meatier texture than a normal piece of fish. It was very well seasoned and the accompaniments were good. But even Drew commented on the size of portion. Perhaps people who are using this ship to travel up the coast and have a full food package of breakfast, lunch and dinner would find the proportions right as this would be there second three course meal of the day, but we who are only on half board as we are travelling from 3.20pm one day to 2.15pm the next, felt the need for a little more. 

Drew then had Rhubarb cake with redcurrants and vanilla sauce

which he found beautifully sweet and full of vanilla flavour. 

I, of course, opted for the cheese course 

There were tiny portions of cheese - A Jarlsberg type, a Manchego type and a Cheddar type - all made her in Norway. But sadly, the biscuits weren't biscuits for cheese but more like the Marie biscuits of my youth.

We had finished dinner by 6.50pm, which is great timing for us to arrive at our first port on the Lofoten Islands.

Arriving in Stamsund 

We then go back on deck as the ship docks at Stamsund the first place it stops on the Lofoten Islands, one of the most beautiful parts of the journey we are told - but on this occasion one of the foggiest.

I loved Drew's comments as we came towards the islands: "Come to the prettiest part of Norway, they said. The Lofoten Islands, they said. We do and the fog has got there before us."

Still we enjoyed watching the process of docking and a new batch of travellers embarking. 

The end of the evening

After we leave Stamsund, we go for a coffee and some crisps (dinner being so small) in the Panorama lounge 

We come back to the room at 8.30pm. Both of us are tired, either the effect of the sea air or of the long travelling day on the train on Wednesday, but whichever it was we were both dozing by 9pm, so by 9.30pm we bit the bullet and went to bed. 

We look forward to waking-up with you in the next post

All aboard the Nordland Line - From Trondheim to Bodø

Today's the day that we pass into the Arctic Circle for the first time in our lives. We were exited enough when we were 196 miles away from it in Fairbanks, Alaska. But today we pass it and continue north. [Captain's Comment: Arrgggg, TO THE NORTH!!!]

But before I describe that, let's go back to the beginning of the day.

Waking Up

I wake up at 2.15am, a do-nothing active day yesterday combined with an early travel day today was likely to see an early rise - so here I am starting to add Sunday's photos to Flickr.

The first 147 photos went up by 3.30am and the second 271 (mainly of Nidaros Cathedral and its museums - with lots of stained glass for Robin to identity!) were named and added by 5.00am.

Drew also wakes at 5.00am and gently coughs to hint he wants his Nespresso Coffee, by this time, so do I!

I load the final set of photos that we downloaded from the camera yesterday and began to edit them. Once they are up all 1182 will be complete along with a few that Drew took yesterday - it feels like a real achievement. 

I go in to the shower this morning at 5.30am, the shower here in Thon Hotel Nidaros is really lovely, one of those with two heads, the American style, static upper flow and the European style, side on but flexible flow. I have often commented on showers in previous years' blogs, especially when limited to American style types. I whinge a lot about them. Up until now you haven't heard anything as they have all been European style showers, but here they have the ultimate form - double heads, so you get the advantages of both, without the disadvantages of one or the other.

 Drew goes in at 5.50am after I have completed my ablutions. 

Breakfast

Cases packed and hand luggage prepared we go down to breakfast at 6.27am.

I start with my regular yogurt with fruit and nuts

Drew goes for a fry, using toast to catch the drippy parts of the egg yolk.

I have Oatmeal, there is a cinnamon shaker there and I'm happy to use it. 

My main course with rugbrød, Norwegian blue, herring, mackerel and salmon with pickles. Is it's usual delight, it includes pickled cherry tomatoes, which is something I've not thought of pickling (and by me I mean Drew who does the hard work on this front at home)

Drew finishes with pancakes and raisins, after he'd had another fried breakfast plate that didn't get photoed.

We go up to the room for final bits and bobs and check out on the app at 7.10am. and drop my keys at reception 

Trondheim Central Station

We arrive at the station at 7.14am, even walking slowly and with traffic lights holding us up at the crossing it is still only four minutes from one to another - a well located hotel.

The departure board tells us that we should go to the platform for the train which departs in 30 minutes.

Apologies for the quality of the picture - I'm not good at taking photos while walking!

We go down to the platform and their is our train - the F7 to Bodø.

It is run and managed by by SJ Nord the Norwegian subsidary of the Swedish Train network. 

The engine looks quite old - it is as we will see a little later.

Drew boards the train at 7.23am

And gets to try our seats.

This time they are Premium Pluss - like the Pluss level on the Oslo to Bergen train but with posher seats, as I demonstrate.

They also have USC-C, USB-A and electric sockets in the arm of the seat, 

along with a tray in the other arm. 

The luggage is even closer to us than before, right above our heads in large luggage racks. 

On the Nordlandsbanen 

As mentioned earlier the Nordlandsbanen is not provided by VY - the Norwegian Train company, but by SJ Nord, the Norwegian branch of Swedish Rail. When we board I read about some of the challenges of the line, its engines and its future.

On our way

Our router today looks like this

and these are the timings. This is the longest Norwegian train line, and it shows.

As on the previous train there are free coffee and tea on this journey and in addition little chocolates and apples and pears. 

The route begins with pretty Fjords, large lakes, huge mountains and forests plus loads and loads of tunnels.

Harran

We stop at all the stations on the route. I note Harran as it is at 100 meters above sea level, and the route takes a distinct change in scenery from that point on.

Mosjøen 

From Mosjøen on we are again in the fjords, but this time the Northern Fjords, having become familiar with the Western ones previously. Vefsnfjorden alongside us the first of the Northern Fjord. 

At 1.45pm, I have a snooze in the comfortable seats for 15 minutes.

The train then runs around Ranfjorden. We arrive in Mo I Rana at 2.31pm right on time. Impressive after this long journey. 

We have our fourth coffee but this time also water and an apple for me and chocolate for Drew. 

I want to know how Drew takes such great photos while on a moving train and mine all jump and become blurred!

At 3pm we know we are approaching the Arctic Circle, it will be our first time north of it and we are getting very excited. Drew is sitting looking out the window with camera poised. 

We climb the steep Saltfjellveien and at 3.33pm we begin to head down, at the bottom of the hill we will have reached the Circle. The train has an announcement on its board. 

And at 3.36pm we pass into the Arctic circle where we will be until next Wednesday. 

The train continues on its route and the topography changes again

Bodø

At 5.44pm we arrive in Bodø and we leave the train

We are straight out of the station at at 5.50pm and we walk to the Thon Hotel Nordlys, arriving at 6.02pm. 

Thon Hotel Nordlys

We arrive in the hotel and go to our room 617 on the top floor of the hotel.

As we were arriving here in the evening and departing on the Ferry tomorrow, I didn't upgrade this room as I have with the other Thon Hotels. So we see the first 'regular' room from Thon. A fair bit smaller than a superior room (and a lot smaller than the business room in Trondheim) but comfortable enough. Less coffee and tea too - but there is plenty in the lobby anyway.

Dinner

We haven't booked anywhere in Bodø for food, leaving it to our arrival. So we went out for a wander along the side of the dock, just outside the hotel.

We found a place about 200 meters from the hotel called Bryggerikaia, we'd identified it via Google Maps on our way up and it was great.

We ordered sparkling water to start and it was the Eira brand that we have had at many places before. The national park where it is produced is quite near here.

Drew decided to have a Ginger Beer with his starter. It was a surprise to find that it had come here from Hexham in the North East of England, but actually that isn't a huge distance from here, by sea of course.

We began with a plate of Focaccia, I expected it with oil and perhaps balsamic vinegar, but it came with whipped butter, something that is often seen on menus in Norway. [Co-pilot's note: I have tried, dear readers, to explain the difficulties in growing olives north of the Arctic Circle!!]

The bread was delightful, I'll say nothing for the butter.

At this point my phone decided to have a funny few minutes, where photos I saw were taken not getting stored. This effected my photo of the Hvalskinke - Whale Ham, so I have had to borrow this from a internet source who had visited here 3 months ago.

It looked just like this and was fresh and vibrant with the beetroot working well with the almost meaty flavour of the whale ham. I'd certainly try whale again.

Drew had Ost Og Karamelisert Fiken - Raw Marinated Scallops and Salmon - Drew's scallops and salmon photo really wasn't great either, though it hadn't disappeared all together

They then provided Rundstykke og smør - Roll and Butter, everyone seems to get this just for ordering, so after out focaccia we had some more bread - this one a seeded wholemeal. Crunchy and good for dipping.

Trying to keep a local flavour to my food I opted for Grillet Tørrfisk - Grilled Stockfish - this is the fish that made this coast rich. A fish not dried with salt but naturally dried by the sun and wind, it is normally the abundant cod from this water, but Tørr means dried, so it can be any other type of while fish, like haddock. 

It was very tasty and no sense of it being de-dried to make it edible had any effect on the tasty fish.

Drew choose Fisk Og Skalldyr - Fish and Chips - this is often associated with Britain, but the UK (especially Scotland has lots of connections with this part of Norway, so whether we got the idea from the Norwegians or the Norwegians got it from the Scots, history does not recall. 

Drew was really pleased with his fish, it had breadcrumbs which were crunchy and with a good solid amount of fish, the chips were real chips and salted to perfection.

Drew finished the meal with Sjokoladekrem - Chocolate Cream - this dessert was made up of good individual components, it was chocolaty, the pastry was perfect, the creams really tasty - but it didn't seem to achieve coherence, it didn't gel together. He felt there should be more to it.

I was treated to Ost og kjeks - Cheese and crackers

These were all local cheeses - one tasting like Brie, one like Manchego and the regular companion of this holiday a lovely Norwegian Blue form Stavanger.

We finished the meal with a double espresso each.

 

We went back to the hotel and were in bed at 10.30pm, the train might have been very comfortable, but the journey had still made us tired.