On the Hurtigruten 4

We've been driving through the winter since Lofoten! Mostly between the islands and the mainland. At some point there are also whales to be seen... well, they can be seen as small dots briefly emerging from the water, but there are surprisingly many of them, as we are told, and they are porpoises, which get their name from the grunting sound they make (but not audible to us).

Because let's come to Alta - the capital of Finnmark, the northernmost region of Norway, a vast, almost deserted area... They have only been a city since 2000 (about 20,000 inhabitants after all) and there is a modern church to visit, the Northern Lights Cathedral. Modern but attractively designed on the inside, covered on the outside with titanium plates, the strange shape is supposed to represent the northern lights, it shines beautifully in the sunlight.

We take a one-hour bus ride to a Sami village, see reindeer and sleighs, sit with them in the tent and get a delicious stew called Bigos to accompany their reports and information.

Back at the ship we saw the first northern lights, albeit only slightly, which unfortunately disappeared due to the clouds.