Our Norwegian Adventure - The Where (Up and Down the Norwegian Coast)

This map (from the Havila Voyages website) shows the 34 coastal town stops the ship made on our voyage. Some stops were 15 minutes - enough to deliver the mail, take on supplies and passengers - and some were several hours, allowing enough time to explore the towns on our own or participate in excursions. 

Our first walkabout stop (Thursday, March 9) was in Alesund, where we found the seasickness medicine, saw "Probably the World's Best" fish and chips stand and a lovely church on a hill, visited a thrift shop and slid down/fell down some icy steep streets (It's me.  Hi, I'm the problem...)

A statue on the church grounds commemorating those who didn't return from WW II. 

Icy steep street

Thrift/antique shop.  I could have purchased a lot of things here; I regret leaving a vintage stuffed Santa wearing a traditional Norwegian folk costume.  

Arne and Carlos gave a lecture that afternoon on their lives as designers and their train station home.  Later, Clay went back out and climbed 400 icy steps up a hill (little mountain?) in Alesund.  I'll let him write some about that, if he wants ...

On Friday, March 10, we stopped in Trondheim and made a long, icy walk to the Husfliden Shop (there are many Husfliden in the country, run by the Norwegian Folk Art and Craft Association.  They are dedicated to keeping the traditional crafts of the county alive, and are full of beautiful items and lots of yarn!) At the Trondheim shop, we  were treated to an interesting lesson on Norwegian Folk Costumes. 

I wish I remembered her name - she was sweet, knowledgeable and like
all the Norwegians we met, very proud of her country and its heritage.   

When we were upstairs in their atelier, I loved looking at all the costumes with their delicate, colorful embroidery work and beautiful fabrics.  (I got so wrapped up in the presentation that I forgot to take many photos.  Believe me, they were gorgeous.)

If you'd like to know more about the costumes, go to the A&C YouTube channel and search for folk costume.  Or watch this one:

On March 11, we crossed the Arctic Circle, and Clay participated in a cold baptism, having a dipper full of ice water poured down his back to mark the occasion (although he has crossed the Arctic Circle several times in his work travels).

The metal globe on this island marks the Arctic Circle. 

Gathering on deck

Again, I don't remember what they called this troll,
but he had some sort of rule over the Arctic Circle. Quite cute, not at all scary. 

The North Cape is the northern-most point of continental Europe, where the Norwegian Sea (part of the Atlantic Ocean) meets the Barents Sea (part of the Arctic Ocean.)  We visited there on Monday, March 13.

It was very cold up there. 

There was a really wonderful museum with so much interesting
 information about the North Cape - biological, historical, societal. 

 Plus they served waffles. 

Children of the World Sculpture

Icy field/snowy mountain selfie

And, for your viewing pleasure, a short film of our bus ride from the North Cape back to the ship.  

Ai-yi-yi, it was scary. 

We stopped in Kirkenes on Tuesday, March 14 and took a hike into town.  

A dog sled race was going to be coming through the town, so they were plowing the streets with a special dog sled plow.  We wished we could have seen the race, but had to head back to the ship before the dogs got there.  But then, Clay turned on our TV after supper that night, and there was the dog sled winner, giving an interview right in this area.  We didn't understand a word he said, but it was cool nevertheless. 

We were very close to Russia, and Ukrainian sentiment was obvious everywhere.

So close to Russia - too close!

And, we saw a tiny Northern Lights display.  

Past midnight that evening, the Lights were beautiful.  Or so we heard - I think I remember barely waking up and hearing an announcement...  it's a good reason to go back someday soon.  (Apparently, the next week, the Lights were spectacular all over - Alaska, Southern Norway, England!)  

Thursday, March 16.  Here's a little movie of lots of knitters working quietly in the lounge:

That afternoon, we had a special guest join us on the ship, Ragnhild Lie, who I remembered from Arne and Carlos videos from Loftoten in the summer of 2020.  She is a shepherd, a yarn dyer, weaver, purveyor - just the coolest.  She gave an interesting lecture and had a pop-up shop on the ship.  And of course, once again, I forgot to take photos of her and her fiber.  But you can see her in the A&C YouTube, Road Trip Part 4.  

And, you can order her wool here, from the Lofoten Wool website.  As soon as I get all my other projects completed, I'm going to order a sweater kit!  

This post won't be complete until I write about our Trodheim excursion, which I promise I'll get to ASAP.  Or I might ask Clay to do it.  And our return to Bergen.  He can write that one, too, as our hotel there was his pick ... 

Peace.