Norway Day Five: Honningsvag. A Short Walk Under The Elusive Arctic Sun.

After leaving the bird safari on Monday afternoon I retrieved my luggage from the ship and walked to my next hotel,  the Scandic Bryggen in Honningsvag. It was raining again.  I was told the hotel  was just around the corner. Well, I guess four blocks would be “around the corner” but it still wasn’t a pleasant walk in the rain. 

I  quickly checked into the comfortable little hotel which is located on the docks in central Honningsvag. I was going to  get some sleep and decide later if I would  make the trip to North Cape to try to see the midnight sun. However, a strange thing happened. The sun appeared. 

I  had to take advantage of this seemingly rare event, on my trip anyway, and I was again soon walking along the streets of Honningsvag. 

I walked to the tourist visitor  center to inquiry about a trip to the North Cape, but a large cruise shipped just entered the harbor and the visitor center was packed with tourists.

I didn’t stay and I continued ny walks through the city. I love exploring these tiny port cities in the remote area of our planet. It is a gathering place for many adventurers and folks who just want to get lost. 

There were also a lot of tourists from the cruise ship roaming the streets in town.  So I headed for the outskirts of town. 

I soon came to a beautiful church. I learned it was the only building remaining after the city was burned by the NAZIS during World  War II.

I entered the church and roamed the small cemetery located outside.

As I usually do I found a few unusual gravestones. Here is a link to some more photographs of the church and cemetery. Norway Day Five. Honningsvag church June 4 2018. 

I continued my walk to the outskirts of town.

I saw a small building with the sign “Joker” on it. I had seen a few in Tromso.

I ventured inside and found it was a Norwegian  chain of small grocery stores. I walked the aisle, looking at the local groceries for sale, and noticed they sell Philadelphia cream cheese in Norway. 

I enjoy observing everything and anything on my walks through a new town or city, from small plants and flowers to

strange items like these large shoes I found on a porch.

The sun continued to shine as I walked along the highway outside of town.

I wanted to continue my walk but it was getting late and I was getting tired and hungry. So I walked down into a newer residential area along the shore. 

I saw a few wild flowers, 

and one sparrow like bird singing in the late afternoon sunshine. 

I continued my walk through the residential neighborhood and,

made my way back to the hotel just as it began to cloud up again. It started to rain  and I decided to have dinner at the hotel restaurant. It was a good decision. I enjoyed some local salmon and dessert. Here is a link to some more photographs from my hike through Honningsvag. Norway Day Five: Afternoon walk June 4 2018.

I  tried to sleep and may have dozed off for a couple of hours. I set my alarm and awoke at 11:00 p.m. If it were clear I was going to take a bus to North Cape to see the midnight sun. It wasn’t. Once again I found clouds and no sun. I left my hotel for a midnight walk. 

Even though the sun wasn’t shining it was still an interesting walk through the quiet streets of Honningsvag. I found the Crab House Restaurant open and had a pleasant talk with the Finnish girl tending bar and a Lithuanian fisherman.

I greeted the midnight sun hidden behind the clouds with a local beer. 

I returned to my hotel  once again without seeing the famous midnight sun. But it was still a good day of many new experiences including seeing my first reindeer and puffin. I was looking forward to another adventure in the morning and hoping I could get some sleep. Here is a link to some more photographs from my midnight walk. Norway Day 5: Honningsvag midnight walk  June 4 2018. 

“As for me, I am tormented with an everlasting itch for things remote. I love to sail forbidden seas, and land on barbarous coasts.” 
― Herman Melville