Next morning, we enjoy a lie in and a peaceful preparation for breakfast. Today we go to Hammerfest at 10.15 and then Tromso at 23.45 for the midnight concert. Hammerfest is a really pleasant town but shame about the weather. The tour manager recommends we buy spikes for this visit due to the icy conditions. The best advice. They stretch over your shoe and provide a very efficient set of spikes for walking on ice and icy surfaces. As I said earlier I spotted two outstanding churches in this town as we departed going North so I have the opportunity to see them. They are certainly remarkable but there are churches everywhere in this town including the Seventh Day Adventists. The Polar Bear Club is located in the tourist info centre and to see the display is free but you can join the club for what purpose I don’t know.
Home for lunch a walk in the gym (the decks are still icy – we are in the Arctic circle) on the treadmill. Whilst I had a nanna nap to prepare for tonight, the boat moves on to Tromsø, a city in Norway, which is a major cultural hub above the Arctic Circle. It’s famed as a viewing point for colorful Northern Lights that sometimes light up the nighttime sky. The city’s historic center, on the island of Tromsø, is distinguished by its centuries-old wooden houses. The 1965 Arctic Cathedral, with its distinctive peaked roof and soaring stained-glass windows, dominates the skyline. Dinner, read my book then at 2345 we join the rush to the concert. The obligatory bus ride to the Arctic Cathedral.
Wow it is surprising. My first impression was a mini Sydney Opera House. It is made up of a series of inverted concrete “Vs” with the ends closed off with stained glass windows. Very simple design with stunning effect. The concert turned out to be a presentation by a soprano, female flautist and male pianist presenting Norwegian instrumental and vocal pieces, and Sami folk music called “yoiks”. They started off at the organ on the mezzanine (a 26-piece pipe organ) and progressed to the temporary platform at the front. Very pleasant and the musicians superbly accomplished. To bed as we are off again in the morning at 0800.
glendon1954 