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 in 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 northers 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.
(Contination from part I) The reason for the wealth in fish on the Lofoten islands is a large migration movement, which takes place in the cold season when it gets too cold for the cod up north in the Barents sea. After being caught the fish dries up in a natural way on wooden racks, which can be seen everywhere on the island. In early spring, when it gets warmer and comfier for flies and worms, the fish is being collected and shipped. After the process the cod is called “stockfish” and due to its durability it was important as source of food 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 popular in former seafaring countries like Spain and Portugal.
The Lofoten islands are situated far north at 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 to local fishermen thousands of men from the main land used to come to these islands in winter for a good catch. They lived in typical red fishermen houses close to the rough sea. (Continuation in part II)
Views on the sea shore at the capital of the Lofoten Islands.
Photographed in July 2019.
In a global view 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 nice parks and many colourful houses. Some impressions from a walk in July 2019.
Michael Hoffman Photography 