Tromsö is the largest city in Northern Norway. 77.000 people live here depending on the season either in bright daylight around the clock or on a seemingly never-ending night. Tromsö is an important center for the discovery of the Arctic regions and a popular destination for hunters of the northern lights. Also, it happens to be home to the most northern brewery in the world – Mack Beer.
Summer days at the Polar Circle may seem long because they are. In July the sun doesn’t leave the horizon at the Lofoten island. So the sun may shine in the middle of the night, when she decides to show up of course. The weather tends to be moody here and can change quickly. There are more cloudy days than sunny ones. But no matter which weather the region remains uniquely impressive and beautiful.
(Continuation of part I) The wealth of fish on the Lofoten islands is a significant migration movement, which takes place in the cold season when it gets too hard for the cod up north in the Barents Sea. After being caught, the fish dries up naturally on wooden racks, which can be seen everywhere on the island. In early spring, the fish is collected and shipped when it gets warmer and comfier for flies and worms. After the process, the cod is called “stockfish,” due to its durability, it was necessary as a food source, especially in seafaring, for many centuries. Nowadays, tourism is the most important source of income on the islands, but cod fishing still plays a role, and the stockfish is still prevalent in former seafaring countries like Spain and Portugal.
The Lofoten islands are situated far north of the Arctic Circle in Norway. Actually, the name of the archipelago means foot of a lynx in Norse and derives from the fractured geography of the islands, which looks somewhat like the limb of an animal. Historically, the islands were known for cod fishing. Additionally, local fishermen and thousands of men from the mainland used to come to these islands in winter for a good catch. They lived in typical red fishermen’s houses close to the rough sea. (Continuation in part II)
Views on the sea shore and the capital of the Lofoten Islands.
Photographed in July 2019.
From a global perspective, Svolvaer may be just a little town, but in regards to the Lofoten islands in Northern Norway, Svolvaer, with its 5.000 inhabitants, is truly a metropolis. The people of the region come here for shopping and for administrative duties. Moreover, it is a cute town with lovely parks and many colorful houses. Some impressions from a walk in July 2019.
Michael Hoffman Photography 