We then watched a screening of the film Kristine has been making of the trip, which was very good, but, at a cost of $150, we decided not to order a copy! Following Kristine's talk there was a farewell gatherimg in the theatre.
We went up on deck and had our first sighting of the Norwegian mainland.
We entered the fjord which leads into Tromso and the pilot boat came to escort us.
The expedition staff having a relaxing moment in the observation lounge.
As we moved closer to Tromso, sailing up the fjords, we had lunch in the sun on the aft deck. We were joined by Joy and Craig and later by Richard, Erik and Anne.
The bridge from the island centre of Tromso to the mainland in the distance.
We reached our dock in the late morning and in the afternoon, we joined a guided coach tour of Tromso with Christian (the younger) and a delightful Norwegian girl. She was called Sybille and was a student at the university. There is a thriving student population in Tromso made up of many nationalities, as all the classes are conducted in English.
On the quay about to board the coaches for the tour of Tromso.
We drove a short way to the Botanical Gardens which are maintained by the University. The land was donated to them and it has been landscaped into a very pleasant garden, free to the public and exhibiting plants from all over the world.
The university.
On the road from the University towards the centre of Tromso, we had good views across to the mainland.
We reached the centre of Tromso and visited the Polar Museum with its exhibits about polar exploration, wildlife and famous Norwegians, including Amundsen. We went outside and sat in the sun, admiring the waterfront and surrounding area.
We drove over the bridge to visit the Arctic Cathedral. It is really called Tromsdalen Church, but is known as the Arctic Cathedral because of its design. It is a very popular landmark.
It is an impressive building with a very tall stained-glass window behind the simple altar. The window is 23 metres high and the subject is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The artist was Viktor Sparre.
We drove on to a small lake on the edge of the city where we could take photos of the many water birds there. It is popular with the local people for walks and exercise.
We returned to the ship for our last night on board. She was being provisioned for her next trip. We had dinner with Joy and Craig and 2 other Australians, David and Jan, whom we hadn't spoken to before! Sadly, we then had to retire to our cabins to pack.
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