Day 31: Rest Day in Tromso

August 1, 2024

A Walking Tour

“Are you the tour leader,” Patrick asks. “Yes, how did you know?” He replied and tells us his name is Mauricio from Argentina. “Because of the umbrella.” Patrick adds. There is another couple from Portugal that lived in Miami for awhile joining the free Tromso walking tour.

We visit a bit with Jordan, our French hostel mate before going to MacDonald’s for breakfast. He has landed some good gigs working as a tour guide. Last winter he spent in Finland watching the aurora, next week he will be on a small cruise ship from Norway to Iceland to Greenland to Canada.

Next at 10 we meet in the courtyard in front of the Cathedral for the Walking Tour. Mauricio starts with a few questions that are answered: Tromso is at the 69 degree latitude and the third largest city in Norway and has a mild climate due to the Gulf Stream. It is known at the “Gateway to the Arctic” and “Paris of the North”. Most of the houses were made out of wood until a massive fire in Northern Norway and Finland, where many relocated to Tromso.

He also reminded us of the history of the Nazi occupation during WWII.

Because of free university education for anyone in the world up until 2022, Tromso is very diverse population with a cosmopolitan feel. Now, the education is free only to Europeans, but still anyone can come to study for pay.

An interesting fact is Norway is a rich country from exporting oil and gas, yet relies mostly on green- energy of solar and wind. The fishing presently is part wild fishing and the salmon in the fishing farms that we saw plenty of in the fjords.

He gave some insight into the relationships with the indigenous Sami people that sounded very familiar to the American Indians. They would be described as drunken and lazy; they were not allowed to speak their own language. Even giving an example like what we have heard at home with Spanish speaking immigrants when a woman on a bus overheard someone speaking Sami and didn’t like it.

Troll of Norse Mythology and the statue of an Arctic Whaler

The tour lasted 2 ½ hours. We walked back to the “Tiniest bar in the Universe” for a reindeer hotdog. Then to the Polar Museum where there is good exhibits on the seal and whale hunting history and most interesting displays about Amundsen who was first to the South pole also was first to pass through the Northwest Passage on the Gjoa. A compass used on the South Pole expedition is displayed.

Reindeer hot dog at the tiniest bar in the universe

"het behouden huis" on Spitsbergen. Required reading in dutch schools.

Compass used on Amundsen's South Pole expedition.

The Fram was a polar exploration ship used by Nansen in 1898 in an attempt to reach the North Pole by floating with the ice cap. The ship and crew were stuck for almost three years. Later Amundsen used it to sail to the Antarctic for his polar expedition.

We returned to the hostel for a rest before venturing out to the Asian House Restaurant for dinner. Patrick continued to map out the next stage of cycling to the North Cape.

Grey day today. Weather forecast looks good, but it is very much open to abrupt change.....

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