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It's not hard to find fjell, fjords and foss - mountains, watery valleys and waterfalls - when on a Norwegian Arctic adventure. A trip to the stunning west coast of Norway on Europe's northernmost tip, where Norway meets Finland and Russia, lives up to its reputation as having the most beautiful coastline in the world.

Traveling aboard the MS Nordlys, a working Hurtigruten ship, took us above the Arctic Circle at latitude 71º10'21" - marked by a globe monument atop a North Cape cliff that soars nearly 1,000 feet above a seemingly infinite horizon of a churning Arctic Sea. We were in the land of the midnight sun and polar nights.

Here, the sun can disappear for months or shine 24 hours a day depending on the season. It was summer, a time of colorful wildflowers and delicacies like cloudberries - fit for the Queen, who has been to this remote part of her kingdom to pick them.



The Hurtigruten ships that sail the west coast of Norway carry goods and mail, as well as passengers. The company was founded in 1893 to service small communities more accessible by sea than road. Eleven ships sail year round between islands, into fjords, and out in the open sea. Passenger itineraries are tailored to the schedule of this working ship. From the tip of the North Cape to the fish market in Bergen, the view is an ever-changing panorama and passengers can experience three seasons in one trip. Awaken to see a waterfall gushing from a mountain or a fisherman setting out for the day. Depending on when you choose to travel, you can experience the Midnight Sun or Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis). Winter adventures include Northern Lights, Sami reindeer races, and dogsledding in Tromso, followed by a meal in a traditional Sami tent.

The benefits of cruising are in unpacking once and spending your time enjoying your destination, not getting there.

However, this type of cruise is best suited to those seeking an authentic regional experience, not a party or spa ship. If you require fancier toiletry items than the complimentary liquid soap/shampoo, bring your own, but leave gowns and tuxedos at home. Self-service laundry facilities allow you to pack lightly. There is one 6:30 p.m. seating for dinner, with assigned seating and a plate of the day and vegetarian options. Breakfast and lunch are served buffet style, with herring and other fish certain to be among the selection. You won't find any casino, art auction, formal nights, or fancy entertainment on this boat. There is a small lounge to listen to music and to have a drink or after-dinner coffee.

What you can do on this trip is purchase a colorful hand-knitted hat from a craftsperson on the dock, listen as children in traditional costumes welcome you to their port with favorite melodies and watch cargo being unloaded in villages that depend on this service. Your Arctic cruising adventure is being part of the rhythm of everyday life in busy harbors and remote villages and becoming immersed in life based on the sea.

On the top of the world

On the first morning of the trip, our group was in Finnmark, a county in Northeast Norway that is larger than Denmark and the top salmon fishing region in the country. We had awakened early for a motor coach tour along the dramatic rocky terrain. Whales flourish, as do the reindeer that have been domesticated by the nomadic Sami people, the indigenous people of the North. Seals and a wide variety of sea birds, like puffins, can be sighted along the cliffs and shore. Once docked, our drive, which included traveling through a complex system of bridges and tunnels that connect even the most remote areas, included stops for reindeer on the road and a visit with a colorfully dressed Sami family and their reindeer at a local handicrafts shop.

After a bountiful breakfast buffet at Nordkapphallen (North Cape Hall) that included fishcakes and herring we headed for a riveting wide-screen film that brings the extremes of the seasons here to life. Exhibits on local history and culture, a chapel, and bar are located in a cavernous tunnel that leads to a wall of glass showcasing the view.

The North Cape area was an important strategic position for supply convoys and was occupied by the Nazis during World War II. We traveled on the blood road built by underfed Russian prisoners of war, many of whose bodies were tossed along the sides of the road. Few historical structures remain since most villages were burned to the ground under Hitler's scorched earth policy.

We rejoined our ship in Hammerfest, the northernmost town in the world. Nansen and Amundson began their expeditions to Greenland from this Arctic port, which is now booming from the oil industry and a high-tech offshore gas field project. Hammerfest is home to the Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society and the Meridian Monument, symbolic of the first official and exact measurement of the size and shape of our planet.

That night, we arrived in Tromso, called the "Paris of the North," for a midnight concert at Tromsdalen Church, known as the Arctic Cathedral. Norwegian folk music, hymns, ballads, and Sami Joik (chanting songs) were performed against a backdrop of a glass mosaic - a spectacular end to the first full day of our Hurtigruten cruise. Colorful gardens, fearless Vikings, and lefse

Our next day's stroll took us past colorfully-painted houses, wildflowers and gardens of the town of Harstad, on Norway's largest island, Hinnøya. Its latitude is the same as Greenland or northernmost Alaska, but the Gulf Stream gives it a milder climate. Salmon farming is a major industry in this region rich with seafood, including locally-cultivated mussels, which are said to be best savored with local dandelion wine while enjoying the views of the mountains.

We would also walk through what was in the Middle Ages a powerful Viking settlement with a strong chief that is now the site of the Trondenes Historical Center. King Olav knew that the best way to control the mighty Vikings was to convert them to Christianity. Here, in what must have seemed the end of the earth in the 13th century, he built the northernmost Medieval church, replacing the old Viking site. The adjacent museum houses exhibits of regional artifacts from the Viking and Middle Ages.

Our tour continued across Hinnøya past farms, fjords and mountains. We crossed the Gullesfjord by ferry, enjoying coffee and the Norwegian specialty lefse before joining the Nordlys in Sortland, in the Vesterålen Islands. This location was named the Blue City after over 50,000 liters of paint were used to give the town a distinctive new look.

Mountain creatures

We were soon in Trollfjorden. While the Nordlys turned around in this narrow area, we headed out on the MS Orca. White seagulls were lured by tasty morsels of fish, attracting the attention of the sharp-eyed inhabitants of the towering mountains. There were no sightings of the sun-wary creatures of Scandinavian folklore for whom the fjord is named, but camera shutters clicked away on our Sea Eagle Safari. These photogenic white-tailed birds of prey with wingspans of six feet or more swooped down by our boat, their powerful talons extended, and snatched the fish that had been thrown into the sea.

The smell of money

Still north of the Arctic Circle, we were soon in picturesque Lofoten, a group of islands named third most appealing in the world in 2007 by National Geographic Traveler.

The weeks between November and January feature sunless days of polar nights. This is the best time to see the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis). In summer, however, you can tee off during the endless days of the Midnight Sun at the world's northernmost golf course and play through the night.

Here cows, sheep, and goats graze and potatoes, cabbage, carrots, and berries are harvested. Cod is the major industry and we were regaled with maritime tales of the benefits of cod liver oil, the longevity of the dried cod, and how to use a cod bone to predict the weather.

Generations of fishermen and their families have tied cod two-by-two and hung it on wooden racks to create stockfish, or the salted version, clipfish. Three months of wind and sun, beginning in the end of February, preserves the nutrients in a rigid form that can be kept in storage houses for years. Quality depends on length, hardness, and the scent - which should be strong - and is referred to locally as the smell of money. About 90 percent is exported, primarily to Italy for bacalao. It is also used in Scandinavia for the Christmas delicacy lutefisk (lye fish), so named for its method of preparation. Lutefisk is traditionally served with aquavit (water of life), the distinctive Scandinavian caraway flavored distillation.

Artists are drawn to this area for its lush, green, dramatic mountains, white sandy beaches, and unique light. The picturesque fishing village of Henningsvaer has an outstanding art gallery with depictions of local life. The restored red fishermens' cabins known as rorbuer are popular with vacationers and must be reserved well in advance.

The greatest erotic adventure in the world

Between October and January, in an event described as the greatest erotic adventure in the world, the largest population of herring in the world - 12 million - come to Vestfjord to mate. Following them are six to seven hundred hungry Orcas, the greatest concentration of the species on the planet. These killer whales have developed a "carousel feeding" technique observed only in this area. They circle the herring and chase them into a tight area near the surface, then slap and stun their prey with their flukes.

Trondheim

The Viking town of Nidaros was founded around 997 by Viking King Olav Tryggvason. It has grown to be Norway's third largest city, Trondheim, a university town, technology capital, and research center with small town charm. It was Norway's first capital, and is the city of coronations and royal blessings.

The view from the overlook Utsikten, "The View," reveals a city nearly completely surrounded by water - the fjord and Nidelven (Nid River).

There is a colorful wharf area, monastic ruins, a red bridge with distinctive Gates of Happiness and wooden palaces of wealthy 17th and 18th century merchants, one of which became a royal residence. The 17th century Kristiansten Fortress was built high above the town to defend against the Swedes.

Some narrow alleys and streets remain from the Middle Ages, but after the devastating fire of 1681 most of the city was rebuilt with wide boulevards. In the center is Norway's most beautiful church, the Gothic Nidaros Cathedral. It is the kingdom's largest stone church and northernmost cathedral in the world. Constructed over the burial site of St. Olav, patron saint of Norway, it became a religious center and pilgrimage site. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1531 and reconstruction began 300 years later.

And there's more

You can extend your adventure in Norway's two largest cities before and after your cruise. In the country's capital, Oslo, you can learn more about polar expeditions, see the best preserved Viking ships, and visit an open air showcase of Sami and Norwegian history and culture at the museums of Bygdoy Island. Stop by Vigeland Sculpture Park, the Munch Museum and Nobel Peace Center in this city considered one of the greenest in the world.

In charming and picturesque Bergen, a city of culture, ride the funicular to the top of Mount Floyen for the spectacular view of Norway's second largest city and its fjords. Shop for snacks, souvenirs or handicrafts at the colorful fish market. Browse the boutiques and artisans' shops of the harbor area and learn the Hanseatic history of Bryggen. Spend an afternoon on a street lined with art galleries, or visit a leprosy museum in a former hospital for those afflicted. After a busy day, enjoy the best views in town of Bryggen's colorfully painted wooden warehouses over aquavit cocktails at the renowned Femte I Andre Bar in the Strand Hotel.

Seekonk's Linda Fasteson writes monthly for Living Well. She may be reached for travel tips or comments at rolidakr@comcast.net.