Our trip over the norwegian polar artic circle, Lofoten islands - Day 3

DAY 3  (saturday 20 february 2010) - Svolvær - Henningsvær - Kabelvåg - Sørvågen

Our day starts early, and it has been carefully planned on the basis of the few buses travelling on saturday. The first one leaves slightly after the sunrise (which in february is about at 7am, while the sunset is at 17 pm), at 8:35am, when the fresh air combines with the wonderful colours of the sky behind the mountains. The trip takes just 30 minutes, but the ticket is very expensive, 57 nok, about 7 euro! Why? We ask to the conductor and find that the student discount (-50%) is applied only on the trip longer than 50km. Paradoxically, we pay more for a small displacement than a long one. However, the road network on the Lofoten is reduced to the essential, the roadway in many stretches is just sufficient for two cars, but everything is compensated by the sensation to drive in an unreal landscape. For some kilometres you may run on the slope of a mountain and you may believe to be on the Alps, then a wide valley opens up at your sight and after a while you find yourself on a winding road on the sea, few metres from the waves!

Our first destination is Henningsvær, called also the "Venice of the North". Well, for one who loves Venice like me, the paragon is very stretched. But while walking in the peaceful streets of the village, one can understand why someone thought about this similarity: canals, small houses on the water, and the whole village located in the middle of the sea, on a small island connected with the mainland just with a pair of bridges.

The limited size let you have an excellent view on the surroundings: at the sealine, on your back the mountains and a blue sky in place of the now gone sunset.

You can notice that Henningsvær is an important fishermen village by observing the wooden setting-up, typical on the Lofoten, used to dry the fish (on the left in the picture above). After a couple of hours the bus comes back and brings us to Kabelvåg, a bigger village and slightly more active, relatively to the Lofoten's standards. Here you can find a supermarket, a kiosk, and other useful services. After a break we head for the statue of King Øystein, who in 1120 ordered to build the first RORBU on the Lofoten. The rorobu is a small wooden house, built usually between the seaside and the land, similar to a pile-dwelling, born to give hospitality to the fishersmen during the fish season. On the Lofoten today the rorbuer (plural) are widespread as tourist accomodation during the summer. Many of them have all the comforts, losing a bit of the traditional fascination, but still being charming thanks to the wood and the unmistakable red color. The stone statue of the king enjoys a breathtaking view over Kabelvåg, with a 360 degree panorama view on sea, mountains and valleys.

We catch a glimpes of a cliff and a typical norwegian iron-lighthouse, painted in red and white. It's difficult to resist, and we go down the hill to reach it.

Before coming back to Svolvaer we cannot miss the Vågan kirke, the second largest wooden house in northern Norway, built in 1898.

In the evening it's planned a long displacement by bus which takes around 3 hours (117 nok), from the island of Austvågsøya, the northernmost of the Lofoten, to Moskenesøya, in the village of Sørvågen which will hold some nice surprises. The first is the accomodation, an amazing two-floor house all for us! Because of the low-season prices are really good, (we paid 150 nok per night per person + 80 nok to rent the linens) and there aren't a lot of tourists invading rorbuer, hotles and campings. This time we have a typical norwegian dinner, with boiled potatoes and a delicious tomato soup.

Our trip over the norwegian polar artic circle, Lofoten islands - Day 2

Day 2 (friday 19 february 2010) - Bodø - Svolvær

In Bodø the sun is shining and the sky is clear. We'll son get used to this climate which will stay with us all the days, except the last one. Perceived temperature is quite cold, some said that it's around -20 °C...however, it's ok and we walk to the tourist office in the city center. Opening hours during the winter, generally all around Norway, are very limited, so be sure to check before the departure. Unfortunately, this could not be enough...in fact, the tourist office is closed in spite of the written opening hours. Luckily, the nice and welcoming hall is opened, as the ferries' ticket-offices. We leave the baggages in the boxes, paying 50 nok for 24 hours. A kind old man approaches to us, asking if we need help. Ok, we have to debunk a myth before going on: norwegians, generally speaking, are not reserved or cold, but they are shy, which is different. Once you break the shyness, or in case of need, they are very kind and friendly! It's not unusual that if you are in the middle of a street trying to find your way with a map, some will voluntarily stop and ask if you need an help. Obviously, everyone here speaks english!
However, in the end the old man drive us on the top of an hill which dominate the city, a wonderful panoramic viewpoint you cannot miss to start the tour in the North! Up there, the North expresses itself through a cutting and cold wind....but the landscape and the sun let us to forget about the rest.









After exploring the surrounding, we start to go down following the road to the city center, where apparently there is nothing interesting to see, at least in the winter, so we have a look around in the shops. It has been a challenging decision, but in the end we decide to have lunch at Peppes Pizza, a norwegian chain which is everywhere in Norway: take some norwegians, put them making american-style pizza. The result, I'll be honest, is not so bad, but prices are high, as almost everything here.
After a quiet afternoon in Bodø, we take the ferry at 18:00 pm (162 nok, http://www.torghatten-nord.no/) to the Lofoten: it's comfortable, stable, and in time. We place our first foot on the Lofoten's ground at 21:35 in Svolvær. You can forget about big cities, crowded centers, traffic jam and cars. With less than 5000 people, Svolvær is one of the biggest city on the islands. And this says everything! City is desert, street lamps light the empty streets, the atmosphere is really enchanting.






The lights of a kiosk still opened contrast with the rest. We stop in the shop to ask how to reach our accomodation, which should be at walking distance from there. While we are walking we notice something in the sky, a kind of band, similar to a light cloud, almost invisible, blue colored. It's so weak that we have been in doubt for a long time, but in the end we realize that it was a northern light, even if almost invisible! Unfortunately it lasted for few minutes, and we didn't have the time to arrange everything and search for a good observation point to try to take some pictures. Well, it's not so bad, it's an invitation to come back in Norway in the future, hunting the northern lights!



Sjøhus camping is one of the cheapest accomodation in Svolvær, and it has a lot of wooden houses comfortable and suggestive, located on a sea canal. Moreover, almost all the cabins and houses of Lofoten are equipped with a kitchen, and this let us to prepare a good italian dinner, avoiding restaurants and sandwiches. Bon appetit!

Our trip over the norwegian polar artic circle, Lofoten islands - Day 1

Here we are at the very (?!) awaited report of our trip to the North! And when I say North I mean over the polar articc circle which crosses Norway. I tried to write a report which explains in detail where we've been and what we've done, giving also the most useful informations for those who'd like to do a similar trip.  Of course I also tried to talk about local culture and traditions. Before starting, here some notes:


- The national currency is the norwegian crown (nok). Today one euro is 8.01..nok. If you have problem, you can google "100 nok to euro" to have the daily conversion.
- all the prices refer to one-way tickets and student price, except where specified.
- ATM = automated teller machine, these machines let you withdraw money in local currency paying a fixed fee which changes according to your credit/prepaid card.
- kiosks: In Norway you can find some famous shops which sell food, sweets, hot meals, but also magazines, newspapers, and tickets. The most famous are Narveseen, 7eleven, Deli De Luca. I'll call "kiosks" all these kind of shops.

I'll publish a report for every day of the trip, once at time, in the next weeks, to let you read in a relaxed way. I'll soon link the image gallery with all the photos. Buon viaggio! (Have a nice trip!)


Day 1 (18 february 2010) - Kristiansand - Oslo - Bodø


The silent and comfortable norwegian train which brings me from Kristiansand to Oslo in 4.40 hours is by now a pleasant custom for me. A taste of norwegian landscape from the train, in winter.



By traveling in Norway, and not only, one learns to get used to long travel. If before coming you thought that a trip which takes you 2-3 hours was a loong trip, well, now it will become a normal and even short. For those who doesn't know Norway yet, in the next map we can start to have a geographical overlook. Kristiansand is point A, and Oslo point B. Our north destination is still not visible.

 

Temperature in Oslo is usually colder than in the South. That day was not an exception, and so I just decided to have a quick walk in the center while waiting for my two friends. I've already been in Oslo many times and with a warm and very good weather, so it hasn't been a priority for me.




The other two members of the Lofoten Arctic Team come in the afternoon at 15:35 landing to the little airport in Rygge from Milan. Rygge is located south of Oslo, and it's almost only served by Ryanair. From Rygge to Oslo (and viceversa) you have two options:
a) you can take the free shuttle from the airport to the small Rygge train station. It's very small and you'll only find an automatic machine of NSB (norwegian railway) and a train shelter to sit and protect from the wind, if there is wind! Trains are quite frequent, and the trip takes around 50 minutes. Ticket costs 104 nok for student, and 136 for adults.
b) you can take a direct bus from the airport, Rygge ekspressen which will bring you behind Oslo main train station in around one hour. It's slighlt more expensive than the train.


Oslo main station is fantastic, full of every kind of shop, and located in the middle of the center. To be obliged to spend some hours in Oslo means to be free to have a walk in the main street to the Royal Palace (less than one hours round-trip); it means to eat something in the kiosks or simply stop at one of the many souvenirs' shop. You must not forget the wonderful tourist office, located outside the train station in a glass tower.

The plane which will fly us to the polar circle will land from Oslo main airport, Gardermoen. To go there is very easy, you can take a train (Flytoget) every 10 minutes daily, it costs 85 nok. This is for sure the most comfortable, cheap and fast option.


Well, before going on, I have to clarify the situation about Oslo airports, which always causes disorientation. Oslo has only a city airport, called Oslo gardermoen. Then there are other two minor airports: one is Oslo Rygge, southern of Oslo on the east cost of Oslofjord, one hour distant. Secondo is Oslo Torp sandefjord, 1 hour and half south-west Oslo. Both are served by Ryanair and are connected with Oslo by trains and buses.


At the Gardermoen airport, after the security check and a difficult research of an ATM, our wait becomes longer because of a delay; an announcement explains the reasons fot ir, but my norwegian is still insufficient to let me understand what they say. Maybe the cause is the ice? It could be. I didn't know this but hereabouts they "wash" the plane's wings before leaving. Just have a look.





The company we're using is Norwegian, a low cost company which flies all over Europe with interesting prices. Our fligh is from Bodø, thr main city in the region of Nordland, on the cost in front of Lofoten islands. We take off, in delay, at 20:30.......and after 1 hour and 30 minutes of flight, we land: we are at 67 degree, 18 minutes and 0 seconds N, 14° 32' East, beyond the artic polar circle! You can feel it: wind is strong and cutting. We'll then find out lately that probably the perceived temperature on that day was around -26 °C. Bodø airport is almost in the city center, just 3km away from it,and this is very useful when you arrive late and cannot find a bus. In our case, we didn't have this problem because some friendly students I contacted before (thanks to Vladimir at the ISU Agder!) picked up us at the airport and gave us hospitality. In retun, we made spaghetti with home-made american recipe tomato sauce! The result, in spite of the absence of the essential colander, has been good! Bodø doesn't have an University, but an Høgskolen (a kind of college), which is almost the same thing. The students are almost all americans, and the question is: what are americans doing in Bodø? :)