Tromso and a fascinating afternoon

 A visit to the Polaria and the Polar Museum

 Our first stop was to the Polaria, the most northerly aquarium, well this side of the pond anyway, and we were able to look and touch some of the fish and crustacean species common in the waters off this part of Norway. The large spiny crabs reminded of the ones which were fished off the coast of Scotland around the isle of Mull. The fish were all cold water species as were the sea anemones.

There were three seals too which couldn't go out into the wild for one reason or another. They had a large tank but I still felt saddened for them, not quite the life they were born for.

Next we pilled back into the coach and headed off for the Polar Museum. I don't think the ship or the organisers or something had told these places an afternoon excursion was coming as both were attempting to close when we arrived! The Polarium had thirty minutes before closure when we arrived [we were about and hour and because they wanted to shut up shop none of us were able to even look in the souvenier shop].

So we arrived at the Polar Museum and again she wanted to close up. I heard her announce thrity minutes to closing and this time told the lady who was accompanying us from the ship. She contacted base and base contacted the museum, well it must have done because we were there for a good two hours. This was somewhere I could have spent a day as there was so much to see, read and take in.

As I said in my review, if you come thinking its going to be fluffy and nice it isn't, it does portray the world as they experienced it so there are animal skins, gutting of animals and guns a plenty. To be honest it amazes me those who lived here in those days survived, I'm not sure I would but then we never really know do we?

Anyway, we came out to the lady almost willing us to go and she was so pleased to say goodbye, not because we'd visited so much as left!

Our final stop was on the way back to the ship. We stopped ouside the famous cathedral in Tromso.

Walking, carefully down the slope by the side of the church. We couldn't go in as there was a service of some kind going on. Those who had come earlier had ended up being invited to sit in on a christening.

The way the church is constructed is like many of those in Iceland with steep sides, segmented construction and reminiscent of the icebergs etc.

 It really was getting cold now and the snow was playing in the air. Clambering back on the coach we all began to warm our fingers, hunt for our boarding passes and look forward to dinner; it had been a long day and it was already getting late..... just an hour of serving left in the Grill for dinner.