Trip to the Arctic Circle

So we took our trip to the Arctic Circle. We started off leaving Orland on the Kystekspressen Boat (fast boat as they call it). Here's a few pics:

Output from the back of the boat:

Boat at night from my room:

From there we spent the night in Trondheim at the Best Western again. Really nice place and have enjoyed my two visits there. The girl at the front desk recommended a restaurant to us that gave us a discount for staying at the Hotel. Our waiter, who turned out to be the owner, was from Turkey and he and his two other brothers are running this restaurant. At our table two of us had the grilled salmon, a plank steak (steak came out on a wooden plank surrounded by a wall of mashed potatoes) and another steak plate. Our plates were clean at the end. The food was terrific! He then brought us an authentic Turkish dessert on the house that his wife had made that day. Kind of a puffy pastry covered in a sugar sauce with whip cream and some fresh fruit. Probably the best tasting strawberries I have ever had. Any way, back to the room and get some sleep.

Saturday-

7:40 A.M on the train and heading to Mo I Rana. I don't think I have ever been on an actual train ride other than some sort of a commuter train. The train seemed kind of old fashion with lots of wood and felt antique. The seats were very comfortable and reclined way back. The view heading up there was just incredible. The gentle rocking of the train as it passed ever so close to the edge of the water and the snow topped mountains seemed to make nothing else matter at that moment. It was about a 7 hour ride but I finished my book and watched a movie and it seemed like no time at all.

Could have taken a thousand of these photos:

One of our stops along the way:


2:15- Arrive a Mo I Rana. Walked across the street and asked the taxi driver to take us to Rent a Wreck. Now, when I had spoke to the guy on the phone I was pretty sure he said he would be there until 3:00. No one was there. We then took the cab to the Avis counter, which was actually inside a gas station. They don't rent cars on the weekend and I pretty much knew that. So back to the train station and about $45 for the cab. Ouch!!! Don't take one of those very far. Continued to call the guy and finally got a call back. We talked him into picking us up at the train station and he agreed. We settle on 500kr (about $75 for the car, not bad spilt between the four of us). We left there and headed up the E6 to the Arctic Circle. Very nice drive up there, lots of rapids and snow covered mountains. And then we were there.

Our Rent A Wreck:

Arctic Circle Visitor Center:

Rhonda and Keith built a snow man. Rhonda put a Dallas Cowboys Santa hat on him and left it there:

Oh yeah, we saw a herd of Reindeer on the side of the rode on the way back:

I believe this statue is supposed to watch over the sea. Can't seem to find any info on it right now.

Back from te arctic circle, parked the car at the train station and left the key on the visor. We then walked up the street and had dinner at the Big Horn Steak house. We were the only ones there at about 8:30 or so. We all had a steak and they were really good. They had Garth Brooks, George Strait and Shania Twain on an endless loop. It started to get a little old after a while. Any way headed back to the train station and start waiting for the train at 12:15 A.M. The sun was just starting to set.

Sunday- 7:40 A.M. Back in Trondheim. The express boat does not leave until 4:15 and it was their national Holiday today (independence day?). People were everywhere with the women dressed in there Norwegian clothes and most of the men in black suits (we stuck out pretty good especially after being on a train for a day). Lots of marching bands and singing. Had some pizza for lunch and headed to the boat dock to wait.