Tromsø offers many outdoor options
in summer and winter, on land or at
sea. Choices include sea or inland fishing,
whale safaris and scuba diving, skiing and
hiking, mountain climbing, biking, and swimming
(the local beach, "Telegrafbukta",
or Telegraph Bay, rarely gets above
14 degrees Centigrade, though). |
Tromso
Nicknamed 'the Paris of the North'
Tromso is a lively city, located spectacularly
on an island in Northern Norway, and surrounded by mountains,
fjords and islands in all directions. It
is the largest city in the region (2004:
pop. 62,000), and residents will frequently
point out that their outpost is home
to the "World's Northernmost"
brewery, university, planetarium, and
mountain cable car, to name a few
The city's most famous landmark is the
Arctic Cathedral ("Ishavskatedralen"), whose unique
architecture is evocative of snow and
icebergs. Its stained-glass windows are among
the largest in Europe.
The Tromsø Museum has a good permanent
exhibit on the Lapps (or "Sami"
people) who are the indigenous people to
the Northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland
and Russia. The Polar Museum exhibits artifacts relating to arctic hunting
and fishing, while the Polaria Experience
Centre focuses on Arctic nature and
environment, and features a "walk-through"
seal aquarium.
The Mountain Cablecar, "Fjellheisen,"
took us 420 meters above the sea, where we
delighted in the view of Tromsø.
Fishing, subsistence farming, and trade of
Arctic goods were the traditional occupations
in Tromsø. While education, administration,
and high tech industries have displaced them,
the locals' outlook on life is still
coloured by their roots. Residents are typically
open, direct and hospitable with a good sense
of humour that most certainly has been an
asset when the going gets rough.
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Seal at the Polaria |
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Seal at the Polaria |
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The Polaria |
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Arctic Cathedral |
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View over Tromso |
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Arctic Cathedral |
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Arctic Cathedral |
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View over Tromso |
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Top of the Mountain cablecar |
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View from top of the Mountain cablecar |
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View from top of the Mountain cablecar |
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View from top of the Mountain cablecar |
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Deep pile of snow! |
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Typical street |
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Street Toilets |
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Mack beer factory |
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Mack beer factory |
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Typical street |
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Harbour |
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Sunset |
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Harbour at night |
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Harbour at night |
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