Tromsø - Northern lights - No words

The sky gives me the best I have ever seen

When I knew about my Erasmus here I had imagined how Norway will be. Snow, ice, cold people, amazing landscapes ,etc.

In some sense, all of that I have found it in Tonsberg but Tromso is better. Spectacular.

An hectic trip:

We took the flight in Oslo Gardenmoen Airport at 11.45 a.m. In theory we only had to take a bus from Tonsberg to Holmestrand and then a train to Oslo Airport... haha what a joke! We take the bus to Holmestrand and while we were on the way, Alex sent us a sms saying that there was an accident in the rails and we cannot take the train in Holmestrand (Alex was in other bus). Ok. We arrive in Holmestrand and change the bus to go to Drammen (I have to visit Drammen yet). In Drammen we can take the train to airport... haha an old old old train!

The important it's that we arrived on time to take the flight!

Tromsø:

The first impressions there was really good. Actually, I didn't think that it would be so nice! Streets was very nordic style. All full of snow! I have never seen too much snow in the same place! Oh my God...!

Tromsø is situated in the Tromsøya island and our camping (Tromsø camping) was in the mainland. We have stayed there in a cabins without bathroom haha You can imagine the panorama wearing pajamas and tracking shoes! So fun...!

In Tromsø we visited the Bibliotek, Arctic Cathedral (of course), Polaria and obviously the center (Sentrum). I put some photos about tromsø place! Go on:

Ishavskatedralen - Arctic Cathedral.

Constructed by architect Jan Inge Hovig and completed at 1965.

One typical house in Tromsø

Tromsø church. This kind of church is frequently in Norway. They are nice because some of them are made of wood.

In the photo above, a part of Hurtigruten cruise you can see a building with some circles. That is the Bibliotek. I don't have photos of this building... I don't know why neither haha

This bridge is Tromsøbrua completed in 1960. We had to pass it everyday... Around 20 minutes walking... And the most of the times snowing. This photo is from the last day in Tromsø, the only sunny day in all trip.

It links the Tromsøya with mainland!

Round trip/Runtur:

The second day we went to the tourist information to asked them about the possibility to see the northern lights, where and how. They suggests us that we can do the round trip. It consists in a trip 8 hours run taking buses and ferrys, and finally going tromsø with Hurtigruten company. It costs 370kr for the studens, around 45 euros.

The probability to see the Aurora Borealis on wednesday was low but the sky was clear and we had to try it! I show you the round trip around Tromsø - Skjervøy and come back to Tromsø:

We took a bus at 1600 p.m in Tromsø and went to Breivikeidet to take a ferry. In this part of the tour we could see the Lyngen Alps... Wow! Precious snowed mountain chain. All of us became crazy with the views. A chain in the middle of the Lyngen fjord! All full of lakes, isolates houses... world apart! We couldn't take photos because we only passed with bus and the photos are not good.

In the second part, we took a ferry to Svensby. In 20 minutes we crossed and took another bus to Lyngseidet. In this part we could see the Lyngen church built in 1755. This church as used by the Germans as a stable during World War II. It's one of the most nice wooden church in Norway. In Lyngseidet we took the last ferry to Olderdalen. There we took the las bus to Skjervøy In the middle os this way we passed near of the Uløya island. In there we can see Havnnes and old trading centre owned by the Giæver family since 1795.

Finally we arrived at Skjervøy at 1945 p.m approximately. There the only that we could see was the Skjervøy church. She was built in 1728 and is the oldest in the diocese. Skjervøy town is the largest village in Nord-Troms county.

Unfortunately in the photo it's not possible to observe the real appearance. It seems poor and dark but it's because of there was a lot of purple lights illuminate her.

Finally we took the Polarlys Hurtigruten to Tromsø. I show you one photo of her docking maneuver.

The ship is the one you have could see in one of the photos above.

During all of four hours of the come back trip we was in the aft deck trying to see an aurora and we got it. We saw few little white auroras, like withe and cloudy arch in the sky. In fact, the auroras begins like a cloud in the sky and suddenly they change and become green in the north pole. Unlucky, we only could see this auroras in that trip and a little green aurora in the middle of the sky, but she leaves fast! However, the emotion of all of us in that moment was really really hard, we began to run over the deck to see the aurora and we shouted for joy! I don't know how to transmit the sensation, it was unique!

We arrived at camping at 0100 a.m. very very tired but happy!

Polaria:

In Thursday we went to Polaria, the aquarium. We could see seals and more kinds of marine animals that live in northern waters. In true, we paid 70kr.- to enter inside and if we would known before we wouldn't paid for that... Polaria is a little place. I think that in one hour or less you can see all. I show you one image of the Polaria building and one photo of one seal.

Northern lights chase:

In the afternoon we was talking about northern lights and three of us decided go to the tourist information and review the excursions about northern lights chase. The majority of these are too much expensive and we were a little bit sad for it but... finally we paid for the only opportunity that we had to see one bright aurora! The probability was moderate and the sky in Tromsø was not good but... The bus that we had to take bring us to the best place to see one. and the best place too see an aurora that day was in Skybotn, 30 minutes ride of the Finland frontier...LOL!

But the most important! WE GOT IT! We got see an spectacular aurora in front of us!!! WOW! I could take some photos with my compact camera. All of us thought that I couldn't take a photo but I did it!!! Fortunately we carried one reflex camera to take photos and we have nice pictures of our northern lights! Moreover, Oliver, one of our guides, took photos of us with the aurora behind of us! IT WAS INDESCRIBABLE! I remembered that in the first moment I was seeing the aurora becomes green I became aware that my eyes were full of tears!

All the poeple should see one northern light in their life, for sure! Enjoy it:

YES, IT'S MINE! :D

:)

I saw this... Incredible!

Cable car:

After the emotional night with the northern light some of us decided take one cable car and see the aerial views of Tromsø and the fjord! The views were hallucinants! The zone is really beautiful... This is the Norway what I hoped!

Troms fjord

"Like one onion"

My experience in Tromsø finsish in this moment. I glad to us to go to this too beautiful place. I hope come back again some day and repeat these days... I recommend you go there or some similar place... You will enjoy a lot for sure.

Nowadays in Tønsberg there's no snow and ice neither. It is light cold and I am better here... I don't have to change my wearing continuously...! The river is not frozen now I hope see ships sailing in front of me early!

Ses senere!

Ha det bra,

Laura