Norway 5 -- Nordkapp

What do you expect when you go toward the pole?  Snow storm, of course.  In fact the storm was so bad it caused avalanches and the road to North Cape was closed causing the excursion which was to go there by bus, to be cancelled.  I had not planned on doing this, so it was not such a disappointment.  Instead, our expedition team took us on a walk of the town of Honnigsvag.  It was a small town, all destroyed during WWII except for the church.  It was in that building that the first people to resettle the town stayed while they rebuilt.  The architecture is simple and very efficient without ornamentation.  Ian tells me that this is what our northern towns look like also.

Speaking of Ian.  He is seasick -- not to the point of throwing up over the side (I took along both pills and some patches), but queasy enough to miss meals and just lie in bed.  It is amazing to see how the ship rocks and heaves when the waves don't seem very big at all.  Today we spent a good deal of time in the open sea -- going around the top of the country, so the people with the delicate constitutions found it a difficult day.

Today's lecture was on ship building here in Norway -- past to present and what is coming next.  They are just finishing the first hybrid ship which will run on electric only when it goes into the arctic and the antarctic where they wish to minimize their footprint. 

There is a picture puzzle table upstairs and anyone who wishes, sits down and puzzles a while.  There was a young German girl there today.  Also, whenever I pull out the heirloom, someone shows up to comment.  They love it and admire the dedication.  Nice people with which to interact.  But there are also the people who push in front and don't line up.  Just like anywhere else in the world.