Vacation in the Land of the Midnight Sun
Lofoten Islands are a mountainous archipelago north of the Arctic Circle in Northern Norway. The name Lofoten, lynx’s foot, describes the shape of one of the islands and has now been extended to all. Words can’t fully describe the stunning beauty of the area. We just enjoyed a week’s vacation there with the Hiltons, Ithaca friends. Hiking, touring, seeing the midnight sun, eating lots of fish – and whale, the guys dipping in the water, the ladies shopping, visiting the fishing industry museum, a reconstructed Viking captain’s long (very long) house and an engaging WWII museum that focused on civilians and the German occupation of Lofoten. We stayed in 2 different rorbu’s, which are the original fishing cabins built by a Norwegian king for the fishermen in the 11th century. During the 1930’s as many as 40,000 men lived in these cabins a few months each winter; now they much smaller number of fishermen generally sleep on their boats (and the rorbus are now tourist gold.) Fishing for cod in the winter months (warmed a bit by the gulf stream), the Norwegians hang the fish to dry for up to three months. Then the fish is sold primarily to Italy and Aftrica – and this has been happening for many centuries. So these isolated islands are very international in view. We met tourists primarily from Germany and France; apparently a recent limit on fishing for foreigners is impacting the German tourism as they used to drive in their small rv’s, fish and take enough back home for months.

We stayed in Reine in the south, in a much-updated rorbu and in Kabelvag in a brand-new, very modern cottage. In Kabelvag our view was towards the area where the first post-Viking settlement once was. All that remains is an early 19th century Manor House, and some old Rorbus.

Larry and I hiked Reinebringen (448 meters) last Sunday on the warmest and sunniest day of our vacation. There were some very steep portions but the view was worth the effort – I think. At 11:00 p.m. Wednesday evening (do you know where your parents are?) we drove to the North Sea side, walked a mile or so and watched the sun never dip to the horizon.

Fishing is still the major industry on the Lofoten Islands so it isn’t too touristy –yet.

That small blue spot on the 1st photo is my leg and I hope you can tell - or imagine - how high we were. And the second is the view from our Kabelvag Rorbu.

Hiking and Walking

Returned our little red car today and I’ll miss its maneuverability and amazing fuel economy (55 mpg.)

We’ve been hiking weekends – to the desolate gorges near Sandvatnet and Manafossen’s waterfall, Skomakarnibba high above the Josenfjord and even an idyllic small beach just down the way from the airport. The weather has been sunnier and warmer with just occasional showers and thunderstorms. Many folks are leaving Stavanger either for good or for much of the summer so it’s been a time of good-byes and fare-thee-wells. It’s difficult to realize that our sabbatic is nearing an end, though I will be glad to be living above ground soon.

Skomakarnibba is named from an old tale about a traveling shoemaker who has been sentenced to death. Some locals managed to get his death sentence annulled if he could sit on the outermost edge of the mountain precipice and sew a pair of shoes. The shoemaker was about to finish his work when he caught sight of a bridal procession rowing across the fjord, became dizzy, lost his balanc and fell down into the fjord.

Norway is rife with stories like this.