To the Paris of the North - Tromsø

In the blog of Lloyd and Chrissi's trip to Norway in 2023, Lloyd notes that Tromsø that was known in the 19th Century as the Paris of the North. It seems the name was given ironically as travellers expected Tromsø to be a wild outpost and they found it far more sophisticated and developed than they expected.

Today our northern trip continues on the Hurtigruten Polarlys and finishes in the Parish of the North. This image is our last view of the Polarlys as it heads out to sea.

Before we get to that's part of the story, let's go back to the beginning of the day.

Waking up

Friday dawns for me at 4.00am - a full 6 and a half hours sleep, which is a very long time for me. The bed in the ship's cabin is perfect, harder than the soft beds of the hotels in Norway, given the comfort I need to sleep well. It means I get a great night's sleep and wake up feeling fresh and glad to be alive.

Since we last looked the ship has gone from Stamsund to stop during the night at Svolvær (10.15pm), Stokmarknes (1.40am), and Sortland at (3.10am). We slept soundly through all of those. Our next sight is the channel between Dragnes and Risøyhamn with out next port of call being Risøyhamn where we are due to arrive at 4.50am, making steady progress north.

We will continue with stops at: Harstad (6.45am), Finnsnes (11.30am) and our destination Tromsø (2.15pm).

I begin to update the blog on our first full day in Trondheim and deal with some emails from my parish admin role which can't wait. I begin my ablutions at 6 and Drew follows after me. I must say this is a vast improvement on any previous shower I've had at sea. A large comfortable space and with little ship movement to make a shower a feat of standing up, let along washing. Excellent by Hurtigruten. 

We then go out on deck at 6.30am for our arrival at Harstad. Here are the scenes we saw as we arrived:

Drew clearly makes an effort for these photos, getting almost blown off his feet as the wind from the land whips across the sea.

Breakfast

While in port we go down for breakfast at 7.00am, as it opens, both of us feeling hungry after the meagrely food of last night's dinner. This means we have plenty from this morning's buffet to make up for the gaps.

The Hurtigruten Polarlys has a wider selection for breakfast than many of the places we have stayed, all of whom have had a lot of variety.

I begin with yogurt, nuts and seeds. Today's breakfast is the first time we have seen almonds since Oslo so they join the hazelnuts and four types of seeds in the bowl.

Drew opts to start breakfast with a salad and breadroll.

I then have oatmeal with cinnamon on top - I may have tipped the cinnamon shaker a little to vigorously, but it was very tasty.

I then venture into the pickled everything section with pickled beetroot, pickled gherkins, pickled cauliflower, pickled cherry tomatoes along with the more familiar varieties of pickled herring and peppered mackerel.

Drew visits the cooked part of the buffet and has sausages, eggs and potatoes

I decide to top up some more with omelette, roast potatoes, peppered cheese, Norvegia and Jarlsberg, 

Drew completes with some lovely sweet treats.

Back to the Cabin

I go back to the cabin and complete the blog post on Trondheim. It is a complex process as the ship's wifi doesn't allow access to photo applications like Flickr and Google photos, so I have to compose the text (some of which I'd written in real time in the Microsoft Notes app) and then disconnect from wifi and use a hotspot from Drew's phone to add the photos, luckily sailing close to land means we have mobile signal. 

Finnsnes

I finished the blog post at 10.30am, in time to go out and take photos of Finnsnes as we approach. 

We arrive just before 11am and leave at 11.30am - given the short gap it is a surprise to see how many passengers leave the ship to stretch there legs before rushing back when the hooter sounds.

As we leave Finnsnes we pass under a large bridge, Drew manages to capture it well.

He even takes the underside of the bridge

which is this wind is not an easy task

Check-Out

We take a last photo of Captain Jack looking out through the porthole

and leave the room at 11.45pm (check out is Midday) and go up to the Café area on floor four. 

We continue to travel through the Fjords noting how well Slartibartfast had done on his "little fiddly bits". The fjords through which we have travelled in this last day has shown the good job he or the creator has done on this part of God's earth.

Arrival at Tromsø

So, we have arrived in the deepest north, latitude of 69.65°N (or at least as far north as we are going on this trip) my mind is brought back to my childhood and stories of Noggin the Nog and Nogbad the Bad finally after 50+ years I am in that imaginary land: "In the lands of the North, where the Black Rocks stand guard against the cold sea." as the narrotor would always start the programme.

The ship comes into the harbour between the island of Tromsø and its mainland neighbour Tomasjorda

ADD VIDEO

Google even provides an automatic animation of Steve throwing the rope to the dock-hand and yes, it does hit him/her.

The ship docks at 2.12pm and we can see the top of our hotel, with its bright blue Radisson Blu sign. But we let the people, heading off on their trips for the short time they are in port, leave the ship first as they are time-limited and we are not. 

We walk the three minutes to the hotel, arriving at 2.30pm.

Radisson Blu Hotel

While Thon have two hotels in Tromsø, neither of them had availability for the whole weekend when I was looking to book in January. So, I then looked at a map of Tromsø to see where the port and the bus station were, as we were coming in at one and leaving from the other, I thought it best to locate ourselves near both. It turns out that this wasn't really a challenge as the bus station is three floors below the Hurtigruten docking area in the same building!

That done I looked at a number of the hotels and saw a Radisson Blu near by. 

While I had never stayed at a Radisson Blu I'd had good feedback from my sister who had stayed in one, I therefore joined their customer membership scheme on the app and booked. Given the 20% discount offered by the scheme, along with the savings I had made on the Thon bookings, I thought, this being the last hotel that I booked, that I might treat ourselves, so opted for a Junior Suite. It was the best use of our money, as the view from the room window of the port and the amazing bridge to Tomasjorda, with the 'Arctic Cathedral' and Cable Car beyond that we spent most spare moments looking out.

We got to room 502

at 2.45pm and unpacked and settled in.

Mass for the Feast of the Assumption

The purpose of our timings for the last week has to be to get to Tromsø for Mass this evening. Today is the Solemnity of the Assumption - a Holyday of Obligation - which means all Catholics are supposed to attend Mass. Given the limited number of churches in Norway (See this post for details) getting from Trondheim to Tromsø to arrive in time for Mass today was a logistical challenge - one I relished, and relish more now it has been successfully achieved.

I left the hotel at 6.35pm and arrived at Our Lady's Cathedral at 6.40pm - a very gentle walk.

The Norwegian confirmed I was where I should be with the simple words: Catholic Church

The doors confused me for a while, the sign with Mass times then has an arrow pointing in opposite directions. I thought this meant the entry was to the side. It actually was pointing to the steps onside and the ramp the other - there are times when I over think things!! [Co-pilot's note: I think, dear readers, I speak for all of us when I say - No shit Sherlock!!]

I went into the lovely little Cathedral which would seat 100 or so. It is the most-nrtherly Catholic Church in the world, as well as being the most northerly Cathedral of any Christian tradiion in the world. The Lutheran Cathedral is about 1/2 a mile south.

St. Olav, though not the patron of this church, unlike the other two cathedrals in Norway (Oslo and Trondheim) is well represented by this large image.

As it happens the Assumption is not a holyday in Norway - each BIshops' COnference agrees with Rome which days are appropriate in which country. As a rule of tumb it is lots in Catholic countries (Rome, Spain etc.) and less so in countries where protestant churches are dominant - the UK is a kind of mid spot on this. But I know Canon Law well enough to know that "you take your obligation with you if you are traveling not changing domicile." Canon 12.3

Given this there are only 18 of us present plus the priest. Given in Norway the feast is transferred to the following Sunday, tonight we have the readings and prayers of the Vigil Mass. Given the English Masses in Oslo and Trondheim this is my first Norwegian Mass - there is a helpful leaflet provided with the words in Norwegian, but as for the æ, ø & å I can only reflect that the ø sounds like er but I have no idea with the others - but I try my best.

Mass finishes, with four hymns and all, by 7.45pm

Dinner

I meet Drew at 8pm and we meander down to the harbour – about a minute away - where we have dinner booked for 8.15pm. We are in torrential rain, but our MacsinSacs again come to our rescue.

The restaurant is called Full Steam.

We start with drinks Drew with a Coke Zero and I with a sparkling water. Is Squad a person's name I wonder. I've not found out yet!!

I start the meal with Husets Friterte Torsketunge - Fried Cod Tongues - these Crispy panko-breaded Atlantic cod tongues, served with carrots roast potatoes and remoulade bring back lovely memories of eating Cod Tongue in Newfoundland, though they roast them there and they look more obviously like tongues (they love Cod cheeks too!)

Drew has Røkt Vågehval - Smoked Minke Whale - and we manage a photo this time - yes it is as black as it looks.

Drew continues with a Reinsdyrburger - Reindeer Burger - 

and I have whale for the second day in a row, the Husets Enestående Hvalbiff - Whale Steak - Grilled Minke whale steak, served with a rich red wine sauce, roasted baby potatoes, and seasonal vegetables, topped with a touch of Norwegian lingonberry.

We both have double espressos to finish. 

We finish the meal at 9.45pm and walk back to the hotel for 9.50pm. We sit and watch the boats, including the Hurtigruten Polarlys leaving, for some time. Then head to bed at 11pm.

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