On Top of Europe

After our first night on the MS Trollfjord (a rough one in open sea, the Barents Sea) we arose at 5 a.m. yesterday in order to make the 6 a.m. land excursion to Nordkapp, Europe's most northerly point.

Although we missed lunch at the restaurant at the end of the universe in Å, we made it for breakfast at another restaurant at the end of the universe, in a branch of the Rica Hotel chain. (Breakfast included many different herrings).

The weather was reasonably cooperative, i.e., it didn't rain and fog did not obscure the view from Nordkapp. Frequently, you can't even see the far point, according to our guide. Temperatures were moderate, though I still needed my new wool sweater and my rain jacket as a windbreaker. In addition to the view and the hotel Nord Kapp featured this monument dedicated to the children of the world; the large medallions were designed by children, which Jean Sue admires in this photo.

(As always, click on a photo to enlarge it.)

Four buses set out on the excursion from our stop at Honningsvag: one where the guide spoke in Norse, two where the guides delivered their spiels in both German and Norse, and ours, for Francophones and English speakers. We would rejoin the ship in Hammerfest.

After about an hour and a half at Nord Kapp we headed down the peninsula for a brief stop at souvenir shop operated by a Sami family. The patriarch posed in full indigenous regalia, along with one of his reindeer. Here are a couple photos.

With one stop, it was nearly a three-hour bus ride to meet the MS Trollfjord in Hammerfest, which boasts it's the most northerly city in the world (Honningsvag, one-third its size, disputes the point). Today, Hammerfest is enjoying an energy boom as a a center for liquefying and shipping the natural gas found offshore.

After a quick stop at the Mega Coop to pick up some soda (at half the price they charge on board) we rejoined the Trollfjord and set sale, heading south to Tromsø.