Kingdom of the Northern Lights – Tromsø, Norway
Norway, kingdom of fjords and Northern Lights, ancient territory of Vikings, first producer of salmon in the world, and one of the most expensive countries in Europe. It is indeed all this, and so much more. The northern city of Tromsø is also nicknamed “Petit Paris” or “Little Paris”.
I discovered a charming city, full of little secrets. Besides trying reindeer dishes, I found myself attending a Yin Yoga course for the first time in 10 years. On my last night, the sky turned green and started its celestial dance. A 2 hour show I shall never forget!
/ Culture and gastronomy in “Little Paris” North of the Arctic Circle
/ And… Action!
/ Yin Yoga in freezing cold Tromsø
/ When the sky turns wild green and dances
/Related: Northern Lights, Norway, Tromsø, Arctic Circle, Yoga, Cinema, Aurora Borealis, Polar Night
/ Inspiration: Njàl’s saga (13th century Icelandic Saga)
Vikings (series by Michael Hirst, 2013)
The 13th Warrior (film by John McTiernan, 1999)
My grandmother! Who told me with passion about her sailing trip in the Norwegian fjords long ago.
Culture and gastronomy in “Little Paris” North of the Arctic Circle
350 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle in Norway lies Tromsø, dynamic city of seventy thousands inhabitants and worldwide renowned spot for observing the Northern Lights in winter. I took the SAS direct flight from Oslo. Weather was clear and the shy red sun showing up behind the snowy mountains. The impressive and beautiful Norwegian fjords offer us a wonderful show.
Tromsø was officially founded in 1794, but the area has been occupied for about 11.000 years. Among the ethnic groups that succeeded to one another were the Sami people. Tromsø had several nicknames. “Gateway to the Arctic” in 1900 as the city was the departure point of multiple polar expeditions. “Capital of Norway” during 3 weeks in 1940. The one I affectionate particularly is “Little Paris of the North” which dates back to its early days. Surprisingly, the northern city was already quite trendy and a cultural centre. Even today, it is not unusual to hear Norwegians speaking a few words of French in this part of the country!
I am also having the opportunity to taste some of the local dishes. With its 63.000 miles of coastline, Norway’s culinary tradition obviously turns around seafood. One of the specialities is the Norwegian fish cake or “fiskekaker”, ideal for a quick snack. Another dish consists in cooking cod fish and fish eggs with steam and serve them with potatoes. I gave it a try and cooked it myself during my stay in Tromsø, it was delicious! Last but not least, reindeer meat is both delicate and tasty. Norwegians cook it on the grill for the reindeer burger or in a long cooking pot for the reindeer and vegetable soup. Perfect to warm you up in winter time.
And… Action!
I am surprised to discover how much Tromsø is linked to the cinema industry. The first cinema opened in 1916 and was called Verdensteatret Kino. Even before that, in 1904, a building with wide windows located in old town displayed mute shows, the ancestor of modern cinema! In 1969, architect Gunnar Bøgeberg Haugen built the Fokus cinema. Its characteristic roof was inspired by Mexican architect artwork Felix Candelas. A fire destroyed the building and a second life was granted with the creation of the beautiful and stylish Tromsø Bibliotek. It was completed in 2005. A new Fokus modern cinema was built next door.
Central location and cosy atmosphere make the Bibliotek a perfect place to meet people and relax. From the last floor, people can enjoy the view on the harbour. The city also host the Tromsø International Film Festival since 1991. Norwegian and international film productions are presented during the festival. The projections are spread among the different cinemas in town and on the main square transformed into an outdoor cinema for the occasion.
I leave Tromsø city centre and head back to the cosy apartment. Nothing best as a hot sauna after a day spent outside in the snow and ice. Although sauna is actually a Finnish invention dating back 2.000 years ago, Norwegians adopted it. I am so glad the owner of the apartment I am renting had one put directly in the bathroom. A perfect way to end a wonderful day.
Yin Yoga in freezing cold Tromsø
The average temperature during my stay is around minus 8°C. It gets colder at night, which is the major part of the 24 hours due to the polar night. Heavy snowfalls occurred just before my arrival. Most of the roads and paths are icy and slippery. Despite this harsh environment, I am under the charm of the surrounding’s beauty. The sun never actually rises during this period of the year. You spend your 5 hours daylight (10AM to 3PM) in this surreal sunset-sunrise atmosphere. The high mountains above Tromsø reach for the blue sky under their snow blanket.
While exploring the Whale island and Tromsø island, I met Silje. She lives in Tromsø, speaks a few words of French and is a Yoga teacher at YogaBorealis. This is how I got invited to a Norwegian/English speaking Yin Yoga course on the next day to inaugurate the new Yoga class room. How happy I am I went for it! Honestly, it had been 10 years since my last yoga lesson. Time flies! And I really doubted I could manage any of the Yin Yoga position. But I did, and for all of them! Silje is a skilled and passionate teacher, and a wonderful human being too.
After the 2 hour evening session, I was both relaxed and reenergized. I had a pretty full day already but it was far from over. I headed to the cable car with Silje. It was built in 1961 and is still managed by the same family today. The five minutes drive gets you to Storsteinen mountain ledge, 421 meters above sea level. From up there, the view on the fjord and city is breathtaking.
When the sky turns wild green and dances
This is actually my last evening in Tromsø. Thus, it is my last chance to see the Northern Lights, also known as Aurora Borealis. This natural phenomena is unpredictable. At best, you will get a trend forecast for the area you are in. I had to refresh my memory about the scientific root cause of the auroras.
Northern Lights are the result of collisions between particles from the sun’s atmosphere and gas particles of Earth’s atmosphere. The perceived colour of the auroras varies following the gas type and altitude at which the particles collisions take place. The most common colour of Northern Lights is a pale green.
While seated on the platform’s restaurant and waiting for dinner to come, someone suddenly bumped into the room. “High activity right now outside, come on see it!”. I rush outside in the freezing cold. The pale greenish lights I had spotted on our arrival have turned into a fantastic bright green painting all over the sky. Down there, Tromsø’s lights look like golden jewels in a mountain’s chest.
The sky is clear and a few stars are visible. The green sky reflects into the fjord’s waters. The show goes on for long unforgettable minutes. My eyes are wide open and in face of such beauty, I do not feel the cold any more. The wide ribbons of green light evolve slowly in the atmosphere.
All of a sudden, the quiet Northern Lights transform into a frenetic waving flag. Purple and white undulations appear in the sky. The choreography lasts just a few seconds and the slow pace green ribbons takes over again. I contemplate one last time the dancing painting and catch the last cable car to get down to the city. Silje told me later that Northern Lights happened every time she had a new foreigner guest at her yoga class during the polar nights. Well, it proved to be true this one more time!
The Sami people believe that Northern Lights are the spirits of their ancestors. Now that I have seen them with my own eyes, I have to say there is something magical, almost mystical, about Northern Lights. This stay in Tromsø has been full of nice and unexpected discoveries. Northern Norway certainly has more secrets to be unveiled. But it also kept its promises as a beautiful, mysterious and welcoming region of the world.
Want to learn more about Norway and Tromsø? Here are a few links:
http://www.unesco.org/archives/multimedia/?pg=33&s=films_details&id=1762
http://www.norway-hei.com/fish-patties.html
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/11/coastal-norway/klinkenborg-text
https://librarybuildings.info/norway/public-library-and-archive-city-Tromsø
http://www.fipresci.org/festival-reports/2015/Tromsø/verdensteatret-cinema
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