Evening in Lofoten

Day 9: Lofoten

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Early in the evening, we made a brief stop in Svolvaer. This picturesque harbor overlooks the Vestfjord. Our one hour stop gave us just enough time to walk around his fishing village before returning for dinner.

Svolvær

One of the world's largest seasonal fisheries takes place in Lofoten. From mid-February until the end of April, Lofoten is full of life. The Arctic cod migrates from the vast, nutritious areas of the Barents Sea in its millions, en route to the spawning grounds near Lofoten to continue the species.

Arctic Cod

Hurtigruten's Classic Coastal Norway Voyage offers the opportunity to taste regional food each day of the trip.   Today's menu included locally caught arctic cod.  There's nothing like fresh fish caught that same day and prepared for dinner.

Svolvær is not just a center for fishing. In the winter streets are full of skiers on their way to the winter sports center, as well as artists who flock here for the local scenery, the colourful street life and, perhaps more than anything else, the light. Lofoten’s outstanding nature has inspired and attracted artists for years, leaving Vågan with the highest number of established artists and one of Northern Norway’s most important art communities, with galleries and museums almost everywhere you walk.

Additional photos can be found on our Norway Shutterfly page

Svolvaer
Norway's Coastal Kitchen





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Harstad to Tromso

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Harstad 

During the night our Hurtigruten ship navigated the narrow Raftsund strait. Day 5 of our voyage began with a stop in Harstad, situated on Hinnøya, the largest island in Norway. It is the third largest city in Northern Norway, and an important center of commerce for the entire region.

Harstad has a sheltered location and a good harbor. Forests, mountains, fjords, islands, and miles of trails offer unforgettable outdoor experiences all year round. Terraced buildings lead up from the harbor, against a backdrop of forests and mountains. Just outside town lies Trondenes Church, the world's northernmost medieval church, dating back to the 13th century.


Since we were only docking there for just over an hour, we decided to take some pictures and then have breakfast.  From here we continued via Finnsnes to Tromsø for a prolonged stay.

After breakfast there was a DVD  video shown in Panorama Lounge on Deck G: Tromso, the Gateway to the Arctic.  We spent a lot of time in this lounge during the cruise - we were able to plug our PC in and work on our pictures.

Finnsnes

Fisheries and agriculture add character to this small town in sheltered waters south of Tromsø 

Finnsnes is a small town located on the mainland in the municipality of Lenvik. Several small boroughs surround Finnsnes, forming one large urban area. It is an important hub for transportation both on land and sea. Tromsø and Harstad can be reached within a little more than an hour by speedboat.

There are several attractions in Finnsnes and for tourists this is the reference point when sightseeing in the region.

Finnsnes has become known as the gateway to Senja - also known as the island of adventure, and "Norway in miniature" with mountains and fjords, small communities, hospitality and go-ahead spirit - and all kinds of weather.

Vesteralen only made a brief stop at this port, so we didn't get off the ship.  Instead, we went for lunch after taking pictures of the town.  Next stop:  extended stay in Tromsø

Additional photos can be found on our Norway Shutterfly page

Harstad - Finnsnes


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Starting Point for the True North

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Bodø

Bodø is home to the world’s strongest maelstrom Saltstraumen and the Børvasstindan mountain range. Surrounded by sea and fjord, the light in Bodø constantly shifts with the wind and weather. And then there’s the exotic fact that both the midnight sun and northern lights can be seen from here.

The city’s main charm lies in its backdrop of distant rugged peaks and vast skies. The Børvasstindan mountain range offers both hiking and climbing opportunities, and the Bodømarka forrest is great for skiing in the wintertime and long walks in the summer season. Bodø also has the densest population of white-tailed sea eagles in the world, which is why the city is often referred to as the Sea eagle capital.

Bodø Peace Cathedral 

Bodø Cathedral is a cathedral in the municipality of Bodø in Nordland county, Norway. It is located in the town of Bodø. The church is part of the Bodø parish in the Bodø deanery in the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland.

Hurtigruten provided a shuttle bus to the town center. We arrived at the cathedral after a short walk through the snow-covered streets.   The white snow, blue sky, and puffy clouds made a gorgeous setting for exterior pictures of the cathedral. The church has a 36-metre (118 ft) tall independent clock tower that contains three bells. There is also a memorial to those who died from Bodø during the World War II.

Going inside, the colorful stained-glass windows were quite stunning.  We were glad that we'd decided to go exploring on our own.  Originally, we had planned to book an excursion, but decided this was one port where it wouldn't be necessary.

Additional photos can be found on our Norway Shutterfly page

Bodo


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