Just relaxing after dinner with some interesting conversation and an announcement comes from the bridge about how beautiful the moonlight was and we should all go out and enjoy it. We were not sure if this was just a ploy to get us out of the dining room but anyway it worked and we went back to the cabin to get jackets and cameras and ventured out into the icy night air. We were greeted by a most spectacular show from the Northern Lights and a beautiful orange/red horizon and starry sky. We have been treated to the best possible viewing at this time of year.
Up and about early this morning and down for breakfast followed by a 9am information session about the Fram expeditions. A very interesting topic about the early expeditions to the North and South Poles.
At 10.45 we dock in Hammerfest, the Northern most town in the world at 70°39'48". The towns insignia is a polar bear in a circle which is ironic as polar bears are not found in Hammerfest but they do have a polar bear museum.
We take the Zigzag path to the top of the mountain behind the town for spectacular views over the harbor and town.
We walk back down the same way and head back to the ship via the polar bear museum.
It's open seating for lunch today so we head down about 1pm and just avoid the rush. The food has been beautiful with lots of variety at the buffet lunch and dinners which are a 3course set menu are all very different depending on the region through which we have traveled.
At lunch we discover that Barbara, our dining partner from Canberra has broken her leg. A couple of days ago she 'twisted' her ankle on a ramp coming out of one of the exits, or so she thought. As it hadn't improved they went to the doctor in Hammerfest and in the 2 hours we had there, she saw a GP, went to the hospital for an X-ray, found out it was a clean break at the base of her femur and had a soft plaster put on and made it back to the ship on time. Try doing that in Australia!
Easy afternoon now with a lecture about Whaling in Norway and later the Norwegian way of life. Tonight at 11.55pm we are going to a midnight concert in the Tromsø cathedral so a nana nap might be in order this afternoon.
The sleep didn't really eventuate but we did have a session about whales in Norway then our usual Norway way of life. Our sentence today is 'Ken jeg kjøpe deg en ol?Apparently a sentence very few Norwegians would use. Translated - can I buy you a beer?
Out other dinner mates have been upgraded to a suite today due to some issues with the airconditioning in their room so the six of us meet there to check out the suite and see how the other half are traveling. It's very spacious and has a sitting area as well as a bedroom and as I recall quite a lot more expensive!
After dinner the crew have a bit of a fashion show of the items you can purchase in the shop and then it's outside again for another spectacular Northern Lights shoe, tonight they are longer and brighter and more colours.
At midnight we go to the Tromsø Arctic Cathedral for a concert given by a vocalist a pianist and a flutist. The acoustics in the cathedral are fabulous and although we don't understand a word of what he is singing except for Auld Lang Syne, it is very enjoyable. Late night as we get back to the ship after 1.30 am.