After by-passing Lerwick and Bodo, we finally got to step on Norwegian soil as the Viking Venus docked in Tromso. Tromso has a population of about 78,000 people and claims to be the largest city above the Arctic Circle in Europe. Tromso has a relatively mild climate for its latitude because of its proximity to the Gulf Stream. The town center is actually on an island, with suburbs developing on the mainland after a bridge built in 1960 connected the island to the mainland. The town is home to the University of Tromso with 10,000 students studying primarily marine science, aquaculture, arctic science and science of the aurora. Originally the take off point for hunters and Arctic explorers, Tromso now is an important fishing center. It also has the main hospital for northern Norway with a staff of 10K. Signage at the hospital is in Norwegian and Sami, the language of the indigenous people. Our included tour took us to the observatory/planetarium on the university campus for an informative film on the aurora, also a general tour of the town and finally driving by the beautiful Arctic Cathedral. Tromso has an amazing array of colorful wooden houses which survived the Nazis widespread destruction during WWII to hinder Russian advances.

But we did get to see the aurora. Good predictions for the Aurora Borealis. Clear skies. Even the temperatures were bearable - 27 deg upon departure at 7:15 PM and a balmy 31 upon our return at midnight. And the NL showed in spades. We drove about 35 miles west of Tromso to get dark conditions suitable for viewing. Pretty amazing phenomenon. One interesting factoid is while one can occasionally see with the naked eye the NL in the colors you see in pictures - green and very rarely red or blue, the reality is the NL present themselves as grayish streaks and swirls in the Arctic night. It is not until you take photo that the colors (usually green) pop out.

Another interesting custom we learned today is that Norwegians in the north try all they can do to brighten the dark, dark winters. Consequently, virtually all (95+%) the houses have lighting that shines to the outside. Some homes have exterior lighting similar to porch lights or security lighting. But the vast majority have interior lighting (lamps, swag lamps, electric candles,etc) that is placed by a window and apparently burns all night. In some homes the occupants had apparently gone to bed but the lights still burned. Sometimes between the window and curtain. Interesting custom.

Our last day in Tromso was marked with snow showers from about 9:00 AM until about 1:30. Tromso has been called the “Paris of the North ” because of its cosmopolitan air. Tromso has the northernmost university, brewery and cathedral. Jane had hoped to go shopping for loafers. Loafers? Yes, this area of Norway has made a loafer for a long time in a style we all should be familiar with. It is the kind that has the band across the top with a little pocket in them. Surely most of us remember Weeguns from our childhood days. Weeguns for Norwegian. In the 1930s in the US, the trend caught on that if you put a penny in each pocket, you’d always have the change to make an emergency phone call on a pay phone. Hence, the descriptor “penny loafers” became popular. Nowadays one can’t even find a pay phone. But alas, our practical side told us the snow-covered ice was probably not a good place for Old Texans to tackle. So we’ll try again in Alta, 122 nautical miles away. Alta is a little further north and will allow us another shot at the aurora if the weather cooperates.