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Norway Coast Cruise - Narvik - March 21st 2010
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Breakfast at 7 & what a surprise. It was cloudy in the Ofotfjord & the quarter-deck was covered in at least 4" of snow. A snowball fight broke out but not while I was out there. It was misty when we took the coach at 9 on the official tour, the first stop being the university view point, which gives an excellent view of the industrial 'park' cutting the town into two.
Panorama of Narvik from the University
Then, up the gondelbahn (called The Pride of Narvik) to the ski area. We chatted to a Swedish racer on the way up, who was competing in the Norwegian National Championships here. The view improved considerably while we were up at the top.
Panorama of Narvik from the Gondelbahn bergstation
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Back down, we were driven back to the ship & shown the small house the king stays in when visiting Narvik, very unpretentious & no apparent security. After lunch, I walked into Narvik along the industrialised fjord shore. Both the Seaman's Mission Church & the main town church were firmly close & this was a Sunday. I mentioned this to two God-botherers on our tour. I did see a Sami lady (left), selling yoik CDs, as far as I could see. The tourist office was also closed, despite the promises of our courier on the coach. There was a courtesy bus back, which I took, having exhausted the delights of Narvik, a Gertrude Stein type of town: I went there & when I got there, there was no there there. |
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Contact: Ken Baldry at 17 Gerrard Road, Islington,
London N1 8AY +44(0)20 7359 6294 or e-mail him
URL: http://www.art-science.com/Tourism/Norway/NC/NC5.html Last revised 1/4/2010 © 2010 Ken Baldry.
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