Third day on board started with a 5 klm walk around the deck on level 5 whilst the ship docked at Trondheim. Spectacular views of the harbour in the morning light. Kerry joined me for the first 20 minutes. This docking is becoming rather mundane. After breakfast we caught the bus to the city “sentrum” and walked up town finding interesting things like the hole in the road exposing a window below ground, the old town with its quaint timber buildings and note the steps which indicate the depth of snow expected yearly. Then the old docks redeveloped as a modern residential area and the old warehouses now redeveloped as residences.
We were making our way to Nidadros Cathedral. A Christian cathedral in medieval style. After the Norwegian reformation in 1524 it is now Lutheran. Most unusual to see such an ornamented stone building as a Lutheran Church. It is very detailed with many grotesques adorning the roof and windows. We started to walk back to the ship and found the Love Bridge adorned with the locks of lovers swearing undying love. As we made our way back we ran into this tiger – uni students raising money to save Sumatran tigers.
But we ran out of time and with the ship leaving on time – no excuses we caught a cab back and had a lazy afternoon watching the scenery, a very remote lighthouse, the sunset and answering emails. It was during this time that we sailed into the Arctic Circle. With the onset of the evening we passed the beacon marking the outer edge of the circle. We are in the territory of the “northern lights”.
Day 4 on board the boat and after half a dozen stops overnight we pull into Ornes to drop off passengers.
Then onto Bodo. Bodo is just past the Arctic Circle so the ship’s crew initiated everyone stupid enough to have ice poured down their back whilst in 0 degrees on the back of deck 7. There was a competition to guess the time the ship crossed the circle and I speculated 0712.00. The correct time was 0711.59 and you would not credit it but 3 kids from Israel won.
We sailed past an old volcanic cone topped with snow before tying up in Bodo. Bodo is an ordinary town but interesting to stroll around for the afternoon. We rugged up and then strolled past the “Spare ” Bank took a seat on the street furniture and visited a more traditional Lutheran Church.
The girls found a kitchen shop and whilst I cooled my heels I noticed some of the street art – it grabbed my attention.
Then we visited Svolvaer and an ice sculpture museum – a short visit as the ship only docked for an hour. As we sailed out of the harbour the fish dry racks were illuminated and looked like a modern church reflected in the waters of the harbour.
Back on the boat at 2315 to be exact. We enjoyed Norwegian fish cakes and mulled rum also on the back of deck 7. Temperature now -2 degrees. Got to bed about 24.00 nodded off to sleep and there is an announcement that the northern lights can be seen. Bolted upstairs (deck 3 to deck 7) in my night attire with a big coat over the top to freeze whilst looking at the northern lights (aurora borealis) and grabbed some photos. Back to bed and a sleep in before going on our wilderness adventure.
glendon1954 