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Crossing the 71st Parallel to the North Cape

December 22, 2009 by
Nordkapp Road in Winter

Making it to Nordkapp or the North Cape: Day 6:  Øksfjord - Hammerfest - Havøysund - Honningsvåg - Kjøllefjord - Mehamn - Berlevåg. In Finnmark, icebergs, wind and weather have created a harsher, more dramatic landscape. You will see both abandoned fishing stations and lively fishing ports bustling with activity.Havøysund is the next port of call before arriving in Honningsvåg in the late morning. To many people the visit to North Cape, the mountain with the peculiar horn, is the … [Read more...]

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Tromsø – Hunting the Northern Lights

December 20, 2009 by

Tromsø has Many Northernmost Claims: Tromsø is a town that can boast of many things. This capital of Arctic Norway is the gateway to the Arctic Ocean and is the largest town in the polar region of Scandinavia. Tromsø is a very important research town and at Polaria, the national centre for research and information, studies of the polar region and the Arctic are carried out, as is marine biology.  For those hunting the Northern Lights, the Northern Lights Observatory is here as … [Read more...]

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Tromsø – Capital of Arctic Norway

December 20, 2009 by
Tromso Ishavskatendralen Cathedral

This Gateway to the Arctic is also known as the "Paris of the North": DAY 5: Stokmarknes - Sortland - Risøyhamn - Harstad - Finnsnes - Tromsø - Skjervøy. You awake to find the ship sailing between Norway's two largest islands, Hinnoya and Senja. Or perhaps, earlier still, in Harstad. Finnsnes is reached late morning, a community where the equipment factory is vital to the fishing industry. After crossing Malangen, you'll experience the route's most dynamic maelstrom, Rystraumen.At 2.30 … [Read more...]

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Making it to the Arctic Circle!

December 19, 2009 by
Arctic Coastline

Hurtigruten Norwegian Cruise - Arctic Circle, Norway: DAY 4: Brønøysund - Sandnessjøen - Nesna - Ørnes - Bodø - Stamsund - Svolvaer. You will have passed the Arctic Circle before the whole ship is fully awake.  The ship will follow the mighty Borvasstindene Mountains before arriving into Bodo, North Norway's second largest city at 12.30 p.m.  Here you have time to go ashore and see Bodo Cathedral which dates back to 1856, with its basilica and free standing church tower. There is … [Read more...]

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So What's a Trollfjord Drink?

December 18, 2009 by

A Hurtigruten Tradition on Crossing the Arctic Circle: We reached the Arctic Circle this morning and as we pass the entrance of the Trollfjord, it is a tradition on  a Hurtigruten cruise that you have a Trollfjord drink. Our invitation says to put on warm clothes and to be out on the deck at 23:30 and we'll have the opportunity to taste some fishcakes and to buy a Trollfjord drink!!! It's freezing and drizzling and there's not much cover on the deck. After a few minutes of waiting, our … [Read more...]

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Trondheim, a Viking town and Norway’s Coronation City

December 18, 2009 by
Trondheim Cathedral

Hurtigruten Norwegian Cruise - Trondheim Visit, Norway: DAY 3: Trondheim - Rørvik. Arrive Trondheim at 6.00 a.m. Trondheim, Norway's third largest city, founded by Olav Tryggvasson in 977 AD, has a strong academic flavour and can boast the country's oldest school, first official theatre and one of the first national newspapers.. (B, L, D) 06:00 - We arrive in Trondheim, Norway's second oldest city. This is a major stop and we're here till noon which is good news for … [Read more...]

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Visiting Alesund and Molde on our Norwegian Cruise

December 17, 2009 by
View of Alesund, Norway

Hurtigruten Norwegian Cruise - Alesund and Molde Visits, Norway: DAY 2:  Floro - Maloy - Torvik - Alesund - Molde - Kristiansund. Early arrival at Maloy at 06:45 The ship rounds the Cape of Stadt, Norway's westernmost point. You will pass the bird rock of Runde where 32 species of birds are present during the nesting season before arriving into Alesund at 12.00 noon where the ship will dock for approximately three hours. (B, L, D) We arrive in Maloy at 06:45 and in the … [Read more...]

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Alesund – Norway's Art Nouveau Town

December 2, 2009 by

A Fairytale Town of Towers, Turrets and Ornaments: If you didn't know better, you'd think that this is a beautiful picture of model buildings assembled from a modelling kit, but this is Ålesund , Norway's Art Nouveau town. In January 1904 a devastating fire raged through Ålesund , burning down 850 homes and leaving 10,000 people homeless. Only 20 percent of the houses in the town centre survived the fire. Through a tremendous effort by the local population and other helpers, Ålesund was … [Read more...]

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Norway | Shopping

May 17, 2009 by

What to shop in Norway All the major towns like Alesund, Bergen, Trondheim, Kristiansand, Tromso, Stavanger and Oslo have their town squares, around which you'll find department stores, shops and markets. Norway is an expensive country for most visitors outside of the Scandinavian region, so looking for reasonably priced gifts or souvenirs can be a challenge. Things to buy in this country include knitted sweaters, watches, and jewellery. The local food is especially good, if you're allowed … [Read more...]

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