Two Alta pubs, as the ice slowly melted

Apart from a thriving and modern shopping centre, there isn't that much to see in the town of Alta. In the previous post, we covered the town's location, its role as a well-protected naval anchorage, that provided a safe refuge for the Nazi battleship, Tirpitz, as well as its troubled history in the final weeks of World War II, but in what continues to be something of an enigma, we haven't really looked at why our cruise line decided to mark our visit with a two-day stay. Speculation remains that it was Alta's location, and reputation as a centre for snow-related outdoor activities, that appealed to the organisers of our Norwegian cruise, but leaving this aside, what attractions are there for those who live and work in the area?

My own, admittedly rather limited and somewhat biased research, was based on things that Alta can offer to beer lovers, like me, but in the end that didn't boil down to much either. I travelled into the town on both days of our stop-over in the spectacular setting of the Altafjord, taking thee free shuttle-bus on both occasions. My research had revealed just a couple of potential candidates in the form of a restaurant called Nori, and an establishment known as Puskas Platebar & Pub. This self-styled beer café was the clear winner, and was the place I patronised on the first day of my visit.

There was a real good feel to Puskas, with its well laid out, Scandinavian style interior, a good selection of Norwegian beers, plus a pleasant and friendly girl working behind the bar. She was chatty and informative, as well, and served me up a bottle of Dream Porter, from Oslo Brewery, which weighed in at 6.5%. She also fixed me a waffle, filled with slices of traditional, Norwegian brown cheese, plus a large dollop of sour cream. Describing the waffle as a traditional Norwegian bar snack, this tasty offering  proved more filling than it looked, and was also a good match for the porter, with its well-balanced mix of milk chocolate and liquorice flavours.

As well as its beer selection, Puskas was a place that specialised in vinyl. Just round the corner from the main bar, there was a separate area where punters could look through the pub's extensive record selection, and then buy any that took their fancy. I didn't realise this, until I got chatting to one of the pub's other customers, an individual who'd travelled to Alta on the same cruise ship as me, and confirmed by the girl behind the bar. 

This fella seemed pleased with his vinyl purchases, but not to the extent of revealing what they were. "Geeky", would be the right word, but each to their own, so as this fellow cruiser quite obviously didn't want to chat further, I left him to it. I was tempted to stay for another, but with an evening excursion booked to Helman Husky Lodge, I thought I'd better get back to the ship, grab a light evening snack from the buffet, don my thermals and then meet up on the quayside, with the rest of the party.

That excursion gave me my first sighting of the Northern Lights, but the morning after I took a further ride  into downtown Alta, primarily to pick up a few more goodies for Mrs PBT's. I was unable to persuade her to accompany me, a decision that given the slippery conditions underfoot was almost certainly the correct one. 

Arriving back in Alta I was surprised, and also disappointed at seeing how much snow had melted. Walking around in the slush wasn't what I'd anticipated from Alta. One of the tour guides later confirmed that the unseasonably warm temperatures were an anomaly, and really we should have been experiencing  temperatures of minus five to minus twenty! Whatever the reason for this "glitch" it was already starting to affect some of the local attractions, not least of which where the rather sorry-looking, snow sculptures, melting slowly outside one of the entrances to the shopping centre.

Undeterred, I grabbed a coffee from one of the interior kiosks, before having a further look around. Wanting to sample something different, I decided to give the ultra-modern looking Nori Restaurant a try. My prime reason for doing so was to grab something to eat, alongside a beer or two. Nori seemed  quiet when I pushed the door open and after waiting to be directed to a table, I enquired about a snack to go with the Tromso-brewed, Isbjorn Pilsner. I ordered a toasted Foccia, filled with avocado, olives and tomatoes, all very healthy, but what I really fancied was a couple of freshly filled, cheese cobs, as stocked, and served, straight from the bar at the legendary Great Western, in Wolverhampton!

Nori didn't get any busier, so after drinking up and finishing my Pilsner - supplied by the ubiquitous Mack Brewery, from Tromso. I settled my tab and headed off towards the town's gift shop, primarily because I wanted a souvenir fashioned from the locally quarried, and ultra-hard, grey slate. It's the mineral that the town is best know for, but, as I soon found out, it's most expensive sliver of rock. So, another fridge magnet to add to the growing collection at home. The shop was busy selling all sorts of souvenirs/tourist tat, but you don't go that far north without coming away with something local.

I then made my way back to the shuttle bus, and re-boarded the ship. I went up to the top deck with Eileen, after dinner, which was the time that the Northern Lights put in their second appearance. Mrs PBT's was especially pleased, as she'd missed out on this spectacular light show, the previous evening. We watched as our ship slowly slipped anchor, and began our departure from Alta. Little did we know this was going to be our last sighting of land for five days. Returning to the cabin Eileen mentioned our steward had warned that the sea was likely to be rough, once we left the sheltered waters of Altafjord, and had advised not to leave any glasses. full or otherwise in a place where they could slide off.

True to the steward's word, the seas became increasingly rough during the night, and the following morning we discovered that our ship would not be able to call at Narvik, as originally scheduled. The captain's midday announcement confirmed we would not be able to berth there, and worse still, the area of deep depression we were experiencing, was the first of several such weather systems. So, with no port to call at, we grudgingly settled down to five days of being tossed about on the high seas, experiencing the worst that the Norwegian Sea could throw at us.

Alta - a modern shopping centre, husky dogs, and the Northern Lights, experienced from the far northern tip of Norway,

After learning a bit more about some of the bizarre ceremonies associated with "Crossing the Line", we're off to Alta, the final destination on our recent cruise. I say final because Alta ended up being our last port of call, even though that honour should have gone to Narvik. Unfortunately, the weather took a turn for the worst, after our ship departed from Alta, with the captain warning us of a number of deep depressions developing off the coast of Norway. This was a pity, as Narvik represented the final Norwegian coastal settlement, of any size, that we haven't visited during our two cruises to this part of Scandinavia.

Alta is considered the northernmost city in the world with a population surpassing 10,000. Alta is located in Finnmark county, at the inner end of the Alta Fjord and is the largest town in the region. Situated at approximately 70 degrees north, far above the Arctic Circle, the city serves as a regional hub and is surrounded by impressive mountains and forests. 

Alta is also the gateway to the vast Finnmarksvidda, which at 8,500 square miles is Norway’s largest mountain plateau. It is a functional town made up of several communities strung together along the E6 highway, but also serves as a centre of transportation in Finnmark county. The town's port facilities are situated along Altafjorden, just alongside Alta Airport, where there are direct flights to Oslo and certain other cities in Norway like Tromsø. Our ship was berthed close to the end of the runway, which gave us a good view of the planes landing, and taking off, even though there weren't that many flights in and out of the airport.

During the German occupation of Norway during World War II, Alta was a key strategic location for the Nazi forces. The battleship Tirpitz was based in the Altafjord for two years and served as one of the main threats against convoys delivering supplies from Western Allies to the Soviet Union. The area around Alta held the Nazi’s largest naval base outside of Germany during World War II. 

Alta was devastated at the end of the conflict, as the Nazis instituted as scorched earth policy in the wake of their retreat. The Germans felt pressure from an alliance between Finland and Russia and initiated a forced evacuation of the local people around Alta. About 45,000 people were forcibly relocated to the Tromsø area, and before they left, the occupying forces destroyed almost everything including buildings, infrastructure, mines and wells.

Modern day Alta has risen from the ashes of war, and now boasts a well-laid out town centre, that incorporates an extensive and modern shopping centre, and one that isn't dominated by multi-national retailers. I visited on both days of our stop-over in Alta, and whilst not normally a fan of shopping arcades, was impressed with what I saw. In the absence of much else, Alta's modern and well-laid out shopping centre, seemed to act as a magnet for the local populace, by drawing in people from all walks of life. 

There was also a number of cafes and bars - more about the latter, later, but if you live in an area that is perpetually dark for one part of the year, and then a location that remains light, for part of the summer, I imagine you will crave company and seek the comfort that goes with your fellow human beings - or some of them, perhaps!

Somewhat disappointedly, the weather was a good 10-15 degrees warmer than it should have been for late March, which meant that much of the snow had started to melt, something that was even more noticeable on the second day of our visit. This was quite noticeable, when I stepped down from the shuttle bus, and was saved from landing flat on my back, by a burly, local tour guide! Despite the slippery conditions underfoot, I made it across to Alta's ultra-modern place of worship. Known as Northern Lights Cathedral, this impressive church was consecrated on 10th February 2013. As well as a significant local landmark, the cathedral is visible from many parts of the city.

Apart from the shops, the cathedral, the bars, and the stunning scenery, there’s not a great deal in Alta to keep visitors occupied beyond a one-day stay, unless you’re a history buff, of course. So why, in common with other visiting cruise ships, stay for two day? The consensus seems to be, this is down to the large number of excursions available to passengers, most of which include outdoor, winter activities, such as dog sledding, or being pulled through the snow by horse-driven sleighs.

One such activity that I took part in, was a visit to the Holmen Husky Lodge, situated to the south of the city. The centre offers husky-pulled sled rides by day and accommodation in purpose-built glamping tepees, by night. I visited Holmen, not so much to see the huskies, but more so because I thought that the location of the lodge, away from the lights of the city centre, would offer the best chance of witnessing the famous, but elusive, Northern Lights. 

I was right too, as towards the end of a talk about the dogs, and their work, we were hurriedly called away from the warmth of the large tepee, we were sitting in, and out into the cold, dark night, to see the Aurora Borealis in all its glory! And the lights were certainly glorious, and well worth travelling to the far northern reaches of the globe, to have the chance of seeing them. What started as just a faint glow, soon sprang into life, and we were treated to a spectacular display of heavenly illuminations.  

The following evening, as our ship was preparing to set sail, we witnessed a further display, from the observation deck of our cruise liner. This time, Mrs PBT's was able to see the lights for herself and thus didn't feel cheated after missing them the previous night. Still to come, a few Norwegian beers enjoyed in a couple of far northern bars, plus some final observations on this wild and rugged part of northern Europe.

"Crossing the line" and becoming a "Blue Nose"

One feature of life aboard ship, that both Mrs PBT's and I were blissfully unaware of, was the strange ritual associated with crossing the line on the map, known as the "Arctic Circle". Whilst both of us had heard of crossing the equator, by passing from the northern hemisphere into the southern hemisphere, and vice versa, we naturally assumed that was it as far as "Crossing the Line" was concerned. We turned out to be wrong, and as our cruise ship steamed steadily northwards, we realised that by passing beyond the line know as the Arctic Circle, we were passing into another part of the globe, and by doing so, we found ourselves facing another seafaring tradition that was worth taking note of. 

The Arctic Circle marks the boundary for where you can experience the midnight sun in one part of the year, and the gloom of an Arctic winter at another. It's all due to the tilt of the earth's axis, and means that, the Arctic receives 24 hours of sunlight each summer, but 24 hours of darkness each winter. So, as with crossing the equator, traversing the Arctic Circle is another tradition that is marked, and quite often celebrated in nautical circles. The concept of commemorating line crossings is rooted in naval history. Sailors would engage in various ceremonial activities to mark the first time in their careers that they would navigate across prominent latitude boundaries – like the Equator, the Arctic Circle or its counterpart, the Antarctic Circle – as well as other important maritime milestones, like crossing the Panama Canal. So with those old matelots keen on letting their hair down, let's take a closer look at crossing this particular boundary. 

First the myth and legend behind such a crossing which, in the best naval tradition is designated as the “Order of the Blue Nose”. This seafaring tradition  dictates that when sailors cross into the Arctic Circle, they enter the realm of "Boreas Rex, King of the North", and the only way to be accepted into the order is to successfully complete his list of challenges. There is no fixed set of guidelines to celebrate crossing this crossing but, as the name “blue nose” suggests, it usually involves painting the nose of the participants in this colour, either by using dyes, paint or other blue-coloured substances. The term "Blue Nose” is self-explanatory, and hints, none too subtly, that some form of exposure to icy-cold water is about to take place, leaving the recipient with a "Blue Nose", and possibly other blue extremities!

It was Mrs PBT's who spotted a notification in the daily newsletter, distributed to all cabins, regarding traversing the Arctic Circle and inviting all passengers to witness and join in with the ceremony, up on the pool deck. We duly turned up, although with a stiff northerly wind blowing, and temperatures hovering just above freezing, it wasn't a day for getting wet, or for removing warm clothing. A handful of people, drawn from the ship's entertainment company, were in charge of the ceremony. They were dressed in a variety of different costumes, although one was clearly supposed to be King Neptune, one was a pirate, whilst the third was a bearded bloke, quite clearly in drag, with a long blonde wig, and a party frock! After a speech or two, volunteers, willing to become "blue noses", were called forward. Varying amounts of ice-cold water, drawn straight from the unheated swimming pool, were splashed, or even tipped over the, it must be said, quite willing volunteers, although Mrs PBT's and I had no desire to join them. It was cold enough just standing out on the pool deck, whilst wrapped up in a thick, insulated coat, topped off with a woolly hat. It was a bit of fun, and whilst the pair of us didn't technically qualify as "Blue Noses", at least in spirit, we did in reality. 

Looking back, it reminded me of the time when I crossed another of these significant, but imaginary lines, drawn across the surface of the globe. The date was March 2007, and I'd just booked a week's break for myself, in the Maldives. The holiday came at the end of a very stressful period in my life, which involved starting work for my current employer, whilst at the same time overseeing the sale of the off-licence business that Eileen and I had been running in Tonbridge, for the previous five years. I was putting in the 8 - 5 hours at my new employer, whilst looking after the off-licence in the evening and at weekends. Finding a buyer for the business was relatively straight forward, but dealing with the legal side was the complete opposite. With three sets of solicitors involved, you can imagine the stress behind both the business sale, and the complications of re-assigning the lease on the property, to the new owners. It was small wonder that I needed a break, once the whole thing was concluded, and the thought of disappearing to somewhere hot and sunny, on the other side of the world, was what kept me going through those dark, autumn and winter days.

So where did the crossing the line come into things? Well, the Maldivian resort selected for me, by the travel company, was a further 90 minutes flight from Male - capital of the Maldives, so after an 11 hour flight from Gatwick, I found myself boarding another aircraft, but this time a small, twin-prop plane with a capacity of 15-20 passengers. It was a smooth and relaxing flight, and en route to our chosen resort we passed over quite a few other coral atolls, some of which had been developed as resorts, whilst others just left to grow wild. Approximately half-way though the journey, the cabin crew advised that we were about to cross the equator, and as a memento of this event, we were all given a certificate, commemorating our "Crossing of the Line". I still have that certificate tucked away somewhere at home, but no matter where it is, it represents one of the two, significant lines of latitude, I have crossed in my lifetime.  

Tromsø reprised

 

You'd have thought that an afternoon in Tromsø would have been enough, but you'd be seriously wrong in thinking that, because not only did I return the following day, but there was also another pub that I visited in the town, prior to boarding the shuttle bus back to the ship. The Rorbua Pub was literally a stone's throw away from the shuttle-bus, pick-up point, and it would be extremely difficult not to notice its distinctive, red-painted exterior.  

I'd already clocked it when the bus dropped me and my fellow travellers off, earlier. From the outside it looked too good to miss, a view that was reinforced by several reviews I'd read, earlier on in the voyage. With shuttle buses running every 30-40 minutes there was no reason for not calling in at this rustic looking establishment, which is one of Tromsø's oldest pubs. Set out across two floors, with quite a steep staircase up to first floor level - which is where the toilets are, Rorbua is a very laid back establishment with a real rustic feel to it. This feeling is enhanced by the bare wooden floors and stripped back walls, and there was also another, stuffed polar bear, something that seems quite a feature in Tromsø.

After negotiating my way up to the "facilities" and back, I ordered myself a beer. Gullmack Lager, a full-bodied Dortmunder Export style beer, from local brewer, Mack, proved to be an enjoyable beer to end the afternoon on. Returning from the bar, with my beer, I found a seat on one of the comfortable-looking leather sofas, The one I chose was just below the stairs, and was partially occupied by a young couple. I asked if they minded me sitting there, and hearing my English voice, they replied that I was welcome to join them. 

They turned out to be scouse couple, who'd flown over to Tromsø on a whim, for a long weekend. For some reason they'd flown from Luton Airport, but that location might have been where they were living at. I didn't catch their names, but their trip was a real, spur of the moment decision, as they'd flown over without proper boots, and had splashed out on hiring a pair each. An elementary "schoolboy error", as one of my colleagues would say, and he was probably correct as the roads and pavements were quite slippery. 

The unseasonably  warm temperatures, mentioned in my previous post weren't helping, when it came to getting a grip, but I'm sure they weren't the first visitors to the Arctic to turn up with inappropriate footwear. Despite this oversight, I had to admire their sense of adventure, and enthusiasm. I've a feeling the pair were staying at a nearby hotel, as I did read somewhere about a tie-up between the Rorbua and the Radisson Blue. I wished the pair well for the rest of their stay, and walked the short distance to the shuttle bus stop where, as luck would have it, a bus was just pulling in.

The following day I decided on a return bus ride into central Tromsø, partly in order to pick up some crisps, and other snacks for Mrs PBT's - I'd noticed a large, Co-Op store, a short distance from the harbour. I also wanted to experience another pub in the city, because it's not every day that you are able to enjoy a drink in a location that is 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle! I picked up Eileen's treats first, before setting off towards the city centre. The weather was foul, with persistent rain, driven by a strong wind blowing, yes you've guessed it, straight from the Arctic!

I found the pub I was looking for, situated in a block not that far from where I was the day before, at Ølhallen. This was the Goth-themed Blårock Cafe housed in an attractive, blue-painted building, on the edge of the city's main shopping area. Like the previous day's find, Blå was set out across two different levels, and had an equally relaxed atmosphere as well. I stuck to just the one beer, invariably one brewed by Mack. It was called Nordlysk, and was a Dunkel style beer, albeit not a particularly dark example. 

The pub, which specialise in live music,  had a real Bohemian feel to it. I imagine it is a popular place after dark, although I'd better re-phrase that seeing as Tromsø has long polar nights from December through to February, with only 2-3 hours of blue-tinged twilight to chase away the winter gloom. Leaving the pub, I walked back to the bus stop. The rain had stopped, as I said farewell to this northern outpost. 

Had the weather been kinder, I would have walked across the impressive Tromsø Bridge, which connects the city with the settlement on the other side of the inlet. The bridge is tall enough to allow quite large ships to pass under, although it's worth remembering that tall bridges like this, are quite common in modern day Norway. There I would have found Tromsø's iconic Arctic Cathedral with its stunning architecture. Such a trek is best left to a warm, summer's day, or failing that, why not book a local tour. I also think that any return visit to the city, would be best left to summertime, when the weather is kinder, the hours of daylight are much longer, and the seas are considerably calmer!

Tromsø - gateway to the not so frozen north

I’d dreamt of visiting Tromsø for a long time, as there was something about this far northern Norwegian city that really appealed to me. The city is located on the island of Tromsøya which sits in the Tromsøysundet strait, just off the mainland of Northern Norway. The mainland suburb of Tromsdalen is connected to the city centre on Tromsøya by the Tromsø Bridge and the Tromsøysund Tunnel. 

The city centre contains the highest number of old wooden houses in Northern Norway, the oldest dating from 1789, and acts as a cultural hub for the region. Whilst Tromsø isn't as far north as Svalbard—which is separated from the European mainland and lies roughly halfway between the latter and the North Pole, Tromsø certainly evoked the atmosphere and look of a frontier town perched at the boundary of the frozen wilderness.

It reminded me of the town on the fringe of the frozen north, that was brought to life by author, Philip Pullman, in his work, Northern Lights - the first book in the original “His Dark Materials” trilogy. Those amongst you who have read this remarkable series, will recall the un-named, far-northern settlement, where the books’ protagonist, Lyra Belacqua, first encountered armoured bears and the adventurous balloonist, Lee Scoresby. So, when our cruise ship arrived at this town, close to the northern tip of Norway, I truly felt as though I had reached the edge of the Arctic, reminiscent of the setting from the novel.

Unlike the previous port, where myself plus most of the ships company walked into the city centre, that wasn't really possible due to the location of the docks, to the north of Tromsø. Given the mountainous nature of the surrounding area, and the associated scarcity of flat land in this part of the world, much of the area between the port and the city centre is given over to warehousing and associated light industries. 

In theory, it was walkable, but it would have been a lengthy, and rather boring trek. Fortunately, the cruise line had arranged a complimentary shuttle bus service, operating every 20 to 30 minutes, between the berth and the town centre. A similar, free service, was also available in other ports, such as Trondheim and Alta, and Ambassador Cruise Line are to be commend for providing such free and reliable transportation between the ship and the various city centres.

The coach dropped us at the waterfront just a short distance from the city's main shopping area and, true to form, I began my visit by calling in at the local Tourist Information Centre, to pick up city map. Much to my family's amusement and son Matthew's annoyance, I’m an avid map reader, especially as I find navigating my way around a new or strange place, far easier with the aid of a paper plan, than it is using my phone. 

Matthew, and to a certain extent Mrs PBT’s as well, is the one who normally relies on me to navigate our way around a new location, but surely, he must realise I don’t carry this information in my head! Perhaps he does! For the record, the TIC was situated inside the ferry departure terminal, where ships connecting Tromsø with nearby islands and other, outlying settlements, set sail from.

Next to the tourist office, was a FOREX outlet, where I was able to switch some of the Euro’s I’d brought with me, into Norwegian Krone. I then proceeded uphill towards the centrally located Tromsø Cathedral. Built in 1861, this attractive and unassuming building is Norway's only wooden cathedral, but due to its simplistic design, as well as its timber construction, doesn’t look out of place with the rest of the town. Just up from the cathedral, and running at a right angle to the latter, is Tromsø’s main shopping street. This area features a variety of interesting shops, cafes, restaurants, and bars, and includes, for those interested the world’s most northerly McDonald's restaurant, as well as the city’s own Hard Rock Café.

As I’m sure you will appreciate, I hadn’t travelled all this way, only to sell myself short with mas-produced pap from Uncle Sam, especially as I was in need of a locally brewed beer or two. I’d pre-selected a couple of pubs which looked promising, at least on paper, so I set off in search of the first of these. 

Described as Tromsø’s oldest pub, despite only dating back to 1928, Ølhallen is the flagship outlet for the Mack Brewery. Founded in 1877, by Ludwig Markus Mack, this family-owned brewery was originally located in the centre of Tromsø, but moved out in 2011, to Nordkjosbotn, 70km to the south. The old brewery buildings remain in Tromsø and are used primarily as a visitor attraction. The move possibly means that Mack are no longer the most northerly brewery in the world, but let’s not get too excited over such details.

Despite the move, Ølhallen remains a “must” for visitors to Tromsø, and descending the steps down into what, for me, had the feel and character of a Bavarian or Austrian Bierstube added to the excitement and sense of occasion. Ølhallen is a place where townspeople of all ages meet and enjoy beers from the Mack portfolio, as well as other Norwegian breweries. The outlet boasts of having one of the largest tap selections in Europe serving Norwegian quality beer from 72 different taps!

Others describe Ølhallen as a place where people of all ages come together, to enjoy a wide selection of beers from Mack and other Norwegian breweries. Ølhallen state that their Beer Hall has long been part of the city’s everyday social rhythm, describing it as a daytime and early-evening meeting place, where people stop for a social pint after work or sightseeing. Even today, it typically closes early in the evening and remains closed on Sundays, reinforcing its role as a pub focussed on the local community, rather than a place for late-night drinking.

Mack claim that in decades past, the Beer Hall was a well-known gathering place for polar explorers, hunters, and fishermen preparing for journeys into the Arctic ice. This history is still visible inside, with a stuffed polar bear serving as a reminder of Tromsø’s hunting past, while photographs of well-known Arctic figures line the walls, grounding the space firmly in the city’s northern identity. Ølhallen retains its traditional layout, including long wooden tables designed for shared seating. This combination of history, beer culture, and communal atmosphere makes the Beer Hall a clear reflection of  Tromsø’s social life, past and present.

With such an extensive variety of beers of offer, I was more than stumped for choice, so I did something I wouldn’t normally do by ordering a selection of five different beers, set out on a tray as a sort of “tasting wheel”. You see them laid out in the attached photo, but they ranged from a Pilsner, through to a full-bodied, Dunkel, with a Wheat Beer thrown in for good measure. Feeling slightly peckish and also wishing to soak up some of the beer, purchased a hot dog. Ølhallen was relatively empty when I first arrived, but by the time I worked my way through the selection of beers on the tasting tray, the place was starting to fill up.

For the record, I ticked and scored all five beers on Untappd, and should you wish, you can find details of them all, under my profile, on this global “ticking App”.  We shall return briefly, to Tromsø, next time, before taking a look at the Arctic town of Alta, the most northerly point of Norway, that we reached on our visit to the frozen north.

The photos relating to this post have now been retrieved, and added in retrospectively. I trust that they help set the scene, even though the sharp-eyed amongst you will have probably noticed the lack of snow. We hit a glitch as far as the weather was concerned, and instead of temperatures 5 or even 10 degrees below zero, the mercury was hovering at just above freezing. It also rained on our second day in port - more about that later, but rain on top of previously fallen and compacted snow, did make things very slippery underfoot. 

Mrs PBT's stayed on board ship, but I wouldn't have missed Tromsø for the world. In some ways, sub-zero temperatures would have given a much more authentic arctic feel, but with our visit taking place right at the end of March, that many have been asking a little too much.

Still to come, crossing the Arctic Circle, an evening at a husky farm, and the much anticipated appearance of  the Northern Lights!