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Tromsø and Lofoten Islands 22. 1. - 7. 2. 2016

When going to Tromsø I hoped to see some northern lights. First opportunity was already on the flight there.

Dawn at Eidkjosen after rainy evening.

Catching the morning light, which lasts here in this time of year for the whole day.

"Early morning" at 10:00.

View towards Ersfjorden that was lit by twilight wedge light.

First sun rays dyed mountains around Kaldifjorden.

Andrea and Katarzyna.

In the famous Ersfjorden.

Tourists, as we :)

Drying a stockfish.

Back in Eidikjosen.

On the top of Eidhaugen.

Sun is very close to peep from behind the mountain.

Many people have gathered to see sun for just few minutes.

And queuing barbies.

And here it is.

Some have seen it for the first time this year.

I wish that SAS would not forget my skis in Oslo.

Surrealistic scene on a way back.

In the south of Kvaløya island; Straumsfjorden and Sørtinden mountain.

Avalanche gullies.

View to the east.

A house in Storelv.

Fisherman cabins called rorbu.

Full moon rising above Vasstrand.

Here in the west, closer to the Atlantic ocean, there is much less snow and more ice from the last rain.

Island of Sommarøy.

And a hotel with a same name.

Waiting for northern lights with a help of hot chocolate.

Which started pretty soon.

Cacthing reflections.

Unfortunately the aurora soon faded away. It was barely visible in the Nordfjorden.

Finndale aesthetically shaped by a glacier.

Moonlit landscape.

Pointed Skittentinden (1042 m ) and another unnamed peak.

Group photo with Katarzyna, Emilia and Andrea in Kaldfjord with a slight gleam of northern light.

Next day in Kvaløysletta.

Cross country ski track.

Trying a luck without skis in Svarthammardalen.

Hopeless trudging in one metre of snow.

Somewhere less. But still enough to turn back.

Northern part of Tromsø Island.

He should have an easier task.

Back on cross country ski track, where many families are skiing together.

Bridge connecting Kval Island to Tromsø Island.

Interesting cloud waves.

To be de-snowed.

Opening ceremony of Arctic Frontiers conference.

Interesting presentation on sea ice research with a hovercraft.

Dinner at Polaria.

They also have an aquarium.

And underwater tunnel.

Anna and Neelu seeing a non-cooked shrimp for the first time.

A sort of dumplings.

The conference at the University of Tromsø.

Norwegian minister for Petroleum and Energy Tord Lien about expanding the oil drilling activities in the Barents sea.

Ellen Stofan from NASA.

Beginning of the science part. Alexey in action.

And Yuri. All the politicians ran away after the policy part was over.

Polona, another Slovenian working in the Arctic, about sea ice north of Svalbard.

The university campus during a heavy snowfall.

And with first sun rays.

Tromsø planetarium close the university.

In the late afternoon somewhere in the northern part of the island.

A cemetery on the top of the Island.

View from higher part of Tromsø.

Traditional meets contemporary.

Tromsø cathedral.

Main city street Storgata.

Clarion Hotel the Edge.

Roald Amundsen Sqare.

Polaria. Architecture resembles Arctic ice floes pressed up on land.

Dinner at the cultural house.

And a concert ...

... of the band called "The Band Called Oh!".

And Arctic Cathedral visit for another concert.

This time traditional and classical Norwegian music.

Organ and a gallery.

Mikhail, Nastya and Anna.

Arctic Cathedral is already on the mainland.

Mack brewery. they say that this is the nothernmost brewery, but Russians from "Krasniy Medved" brewery in Barentsburg would not agree.

Kongsbakken secondary school.

Two real boats and one imitation.

The Market Square called "Torget" and Arctic Hunter statue.

Unusually turned bus stops.

Weak northern lights above bright city lights of Tromso.

Trying to find a better spot with less light pollution on the top of the hill, before boarding a Hurtigruten to Lofoten.

On board of MS Finnmarken next morning in Toppsundet after a snowy night.

Swimming pool and jacuzzis.

Alexey enjoying warm water before the breakfast.

And Aun Village during dawn.

Observing mountains of Grytoya.

Mountains of Durmalstinden.

The beginning of the Arctic Frontiers PhD workshop on board. Not easy to stay concentrated :)

Approaching the Sortland Town.

And first pointed mountains of Lofoten Islands.

Hallartinden Mountain.

Mountains of Hinnøya.

Sun is hiding behind more and more thick clouds on the south.

A stop in Stokmarknes ...

Hurtigruten museum.

Hurtigruten or Norwegian Coastal Express is a ship route between Bergen and Kirkenes established in 1983. Many ships have been changed during that time.

On-board pianos.

A bridge of the old MS Finnmarken.

Ship from the outside.

Main street of Stockmarket.

Evening colours.

Back on board of the current MS Finnmarken.

Where the workshop band "KAA trio" had a concert.

Which was interrupted by the visit of Trollfjorden.

Here the famous Battle of Trollfjorden happened in 1890.

Next morning in Svolvær. Lofoten Suite Hotel from inside.

Gathering in front of the hotel for the excursion between morning and afternoon lectures.

Elena seems to be excited.

Asle is guiding us through Svolvær as a native inhabitant of Lofoten.

The fishing boat from around 100 years ago.

And a modern one.

Fishing infrastructure.

On Svinøya (Pig Island) in front of Art Gallery.

Slightly tempestuous sea.

Enjoing the peace before loud tourists came.

and started to jump :)

Fish farm anchors at fish factory. Mikhail for a scale.

Modern way of fishing ..., erm, cleaning fishing equipment.

Fish drying rack. Each year, from February to April, a large number of cod fish migrate to Lofoten to spawn, where they are caught.

Drying is the most efficient ways o preserve the fish for several years.

Whom is Ann talking to?

Fish heads are also dried and exported to Nigeria.

Adriano and Vesa.

Hanging the fish.

Yuri, Nastya and Anna at a pier.

Fisherman’s Wife, a statue and a lighthouse, is welcoming fishermen on the entrance to harbour.

Yoga class in the evening.

A bit of sun in the harbour next day.

Scandic hotel on Lamholmen.

The fish factory visited previous day.

Traditional Norwegian food :)

Viva la beautiful traditional Norwegian architecture :)

Pizza e hamburger Milano.

Working on stamina.

One of the supermarket with a less disturbing architecture.

Again, an afternoon walk around Svolvær.

Trees should not get cold :)

Refugee buildings.

Serina, Neelu, Asle, Helena, Alexey, Ashely, Lukas and Yuri.

Jumps of happiness :)

It is only 14:00 and sun is still high.

At the hydro power plant dam.

Fozen Litl-Kongs lake.

Dry docks on a way back to the town.

Slight increase in geomagnetic activity made it worth to go to Svinøya, a bit away from terribly, with light, polluted city.

Scene with Fløya.

It looks more intense on photo than it was in reality.

Next day, neyt excursion.

Another uncommon building in Svolvær.

? Old house imprint?

Lofoten museum in Storvågan near Kabelvåg.

Residence of the first city owner.

The owner Mr. Lorch on the photo imitated by Helena :)

Quite a luxurious apartment.

Somebody's bedroom.

Weaver's place and a loom.

Blacksmith's workshop.

Serpentinškova delavnica.

Boats stored inside.

Typical intrusive-rock landscape.

Panorama towards north.

And towards south.

Mountains in the south.

Tamara, Yuru and Anna in distance.

Høgtinden - Summit of Høg

Distant lighthouse.

Varden Mountain.

Back to the Lofoten aquarium.

Beautiful wolffish couple.

Cod fish this time from outside.

"Curiousfish" also known as lumpsucker.

A "stickfish" with an offspring.

"Grumpyfish" also known as plaice.

Lunch at the aquarium.

Harpoon cannon.

Afternoon atmosphere and enchanting landscape.

Non-fish aquarium animals.

On the viewpoint.

Høgtinden once again.

Mikhail and Alexey as nature guards :)

Back in Svolvær by the hotel.

I went up towards Fløya in a seek for less light polluted place. Svolvær in the night.

The forecast promised that the sky will clear up.

They were right and soon after that the mountain background turned green.

One metre of soft virgin snow and mountains lit with city light and aurora.

Fløya (590 m) and a pinnacle Svolvær goat on the on the right side.

On a way back through soft snow ...

Aurora became stronger.

Blatinden (612 m)

The steep lower part of the trail to Fløya.

Visit of coastal administration in Kabelvåg next day.

Before a presentation. It looks like only Elena and Lukas are hungry. Others are checking their smartphones.

Outside after the presentation.

Children playing.

Vågan kirke a.k.a. Lofoten Cathedral.

A convection that brought some snow showers in the evening.

Svolvær church.

Back on Hurtigruten, this time on MS Nordlys (Northern light). According to that we have seen a plenty of aurora.

Back in Stokmarknes.

This time the geomagnetic activity was quite decent and consequently the auroras were all around.

Ship was tourning and swaying.

And going straight.

Many people gathering despite the late hour.

Adri the keyboard player, Antonio the drummer and Nastya the PhD student.

Next morning on board.

Gathering memories about the wonderful time we had during the workshop before saying goodbye.

A metre of new snow back in Tromsø.

Parking lot and snowed in cars in Tunvegen.

Waiting for a bus that will take us to Tønsvik.

Start of two-day ski tour.

On a cross country ski track.

With Laura and Trine.

Trine was the first time on fjellski :)

Magical landscape and light.

It doesn't happen often that wind would not blow snow from trees immediately.

Too much weight for this tree.

Too steep for fjellski, especially if they don't have skins.

Lifting a tree just by poking it with a ski pole :)

Yes, we found again the red marks.

Quite a big slab avalanche.

More than a metre of snow on a bridge.

And the riverbed.

Following red marks.

Above the treeline.

The last evening light.

It goes much easier with touring skis.

Reaching Skitten Valley where the Nonsbu hut is.

Northern lights paid a visit also this eveing.

Next morning. Patrick joined in the evening.

Snow cave from previous week.

The avalanche danger was quite high so only a flat tour.

Patrick likes it.

Slightly steeper terrain.

Today's destination in the background.

Tønsvik valley in the distance.

Reaching the flat top.

Group photo with Blånova in the background.

View to the south.

Finnheimfjellet in the distance.

Warming-up dance while waiting for a bus.

Another evening and another aurora against city lights.

People in traditional Sami clothes on Sami National Day, the last day in Tromsø.

Reindeer lassoing competition.

And a view of Mountainsduring a returning flight.

Geologic structures.