As I said, wi-fi becomes a bit of a problem up here - not so much the signal on the ship, but blogger has problems working out where it thinks I am!!! Taking the chance while it has found me.
First stop today was Trondheim, the "Arctic Capital" of Norway, city of about 100 000. Huge cathedral which they wanted to charge you to go into which I think is a bit rich so we didn't! We only had about 2 hours to look around so we took a wander around - the city was founded in 799 by Leiv Eriksson, the Viking king who is credited with setting up trade with the Americas way back then - sorry Christopher Columbus!
Quite a nice city centre with more old timber wharf buildings. Got our best coffee of the trip at a lovely little cafe in the new shopping centre. Freezing cold of course (the weather, not the coffee) - we went past workmen installing heating pipes under a new footpath!!
Back on the boat for a midday departure which took us out of the harbour past some beautiful old lighthouses, still in use with automatic lights but which can also be rented for holidays if you really want to get away frrom it all!
Navigating these waters is quite extraordinary - changing course constantly as little islands and shoals appear - before GPS it must have been a nightmare. We had an interesting manouvre today as the ship had to turn 90 dgrees into a passage (Stokksund) which has an opening only 45 meters wide - the photos are interesting!
All along the way of course he scenery is just spectacularly beautiful - interestingly we seem to have left the "fijord" type landscpes and that has been replaced by generally lower rocky landscapes with fishing and farming villages scattered along the coast - just have to see the photos I'm afraid! I did manage to get facebook off last night so some there.
Big day tomorrow - we cross the Arctic Circle in the morning!
Trivia: Kaiser Willhelm was travelling on his yacht through these waters and apparently as they approached Stokksund he became so nervous that he tried to take control of the yacht - his captain pushed him aside saying "I'm in charge here" - a fairly brave move at the time! The repentant Kaier later gave him a gold watch.
Cap report: They are multiplying!! There was a "Hurtigruten" woolly cap on our beds when we returned to our cabins last night!
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