Post by Grubb. I always get a kick out of the absurdities of travel, especially the misunderstandings. While we were boating up the coast of Norway (a few days ago), we took a quick bus jaunt over the Lofoten archipelago. Our guide, speaking first in Norwegian, then in English, was a middle-aged man who directed our…
Month: May 2023
Our route, Wednesday, May31
Got on a plane in Tromso Flew to Oslo Changed planes Flew to Stockholm Then, to get from the airport to Stockholm, the best option is to take the Arlanda express train. But it had a derailment a few days ago and was still out of action. We stopped by the info desk at the…
Can you find…
The entrance to the hidden mall? Inside the mall on the 3rd floor, a large cafe with a reading nook.
Stop, there’s an aurora!
Post by Grubb. And it’s inside the Nordnorsk Museum painted by Gunvor Bull-Teilman in 1974. It’s the only aurora borealis we saw today.
Lutheran cathedral, old style
Post by Grubb. In the middle of Tromsø, made entirely out of wood, is a 19th century Lutheran cathedral painted yellow. The uncushioned pews are more like I remember enduring. Per Vigeland’s stained glass told a more compelling story than the vague figures looming in the Arctic Cathedral. That’s Moses lifting up a snake in the…
Lights out
Post by Grubb. The Northern Light Planetarium on the campus of UiT Arctic University of Norway sits on a ridge above Tromsø. Since it wasn’t raining, we decided to walk up to the planetarium and take in a show they have about those otherworldly lights. It was a beautiful trek, like taking a walk in the hills…
Our route, Tuesday, May 30
We hoofed it up to the planetarium because they had a presentation on the Northern lights Bus back down to the Nordnorsk KundstMuseum for some Nordic art Walk over to Tromsø Cathedral (northern most Lutheran Cathedral) Stroll in and out of shops just because Discovered another hidden mall
Hands-on aurora
Post by Grubb. The #33 bus got us to the rainy forest leading up to the Arctic University Museum. Outside the museum was an example of a hut the indigenous Sami peoples of northern Norway lived in. If we had the construction students at CNM build something like this we would call it a Hobbitat for Humanity. …
The Daily Food Report
Post by Ella. After a day outside in the 44° feels-like 39° weather (rain in the morning, a little sunshine breaking through in the afternoon), I think a gal needs her shot of aquavit. That’s how I started the meal at Arctandria Restaurant. Loitin Akevitt. Great caraway taste. For starters, we shared a plank of…
Arctic Cathedral in Five Takes
Post by Grubb. The accordion ripple of white concrete give this church the look of a collapsing iceberg that can be seen from miles around. My father’s church in Los Alamos was an A-frame like the Arctic Cathedral in Tromsø. Similar to the Arctic Cathedral, it also had stained glass windows above the altar that let…
What grows so high and cold?
Post by Ella. A trip to the Arctic Alpine Botanical gardens in Tromsø certainly gave us a clue. Cultivated from seed from arctic and alpine regions all over the world. A scenic public bus ride carried us from the Arctic University Museum to the gardens. Which are free of charge, just walk in and stroll…
Our route, Monday, May 29
A big circle. The scenic route. Forget tour busses. The public busses are great. First to the Arctic University Museum for a little science and culture Then to the Arctic Alpine Botanical gardens for some flora And how about a little religion at the Arctic Cathedral? Topped off by dinner at Arctandria restaurant for sea…
There’s always one
Post by Grubb. First we went to the Contemporary Art Museum. It was closed. So we stood in the rain and watched seagulls roost in art created for their hanging out. Ella stepped out of the rain to momentarily roost in an A-frame. Then we crossed the street to see a number of contemporary art installations from…
The daily food report
Post by Ella. I’ll bet you’ve been missing this 🤪. The food on the ferry was not bad but nothing to write home about, except the breakfast buffets. They had everything you could ever want. I had a nice little glass of lingonberry smoothie one morning. In Tromsø last night, we had dinner at Nyt (does…
Among giants
Post by Grubb. Just entering the Troll Museum gives you a clue. There are mountain trolls, and sea trolls, and forest trolls on display with their legends explained, and there is Yggdrasil, the mythological Nordic tree of life. But the real giants inside are Ibsen and Grieg. In a room where I put on earphones and…