Mortensnes
There are a number of ways to tell that we have left the icy lands of Svalbard. We see a lot fewer mittens these days, polar bear sightings don't interrupt our sleep, and the sun is now setting for the first time in the voyage. But even more obvious is the presence of people. Unlike Svalbard, which has no indigenous people, Finmark (the northern cap of Norway) has been inhabited for over 3000 years by the Saami and their ancestors. Sod houses (pictured) were the traditional summer dwelling of these nomadic people, and reindeer herding is still a major occupation. As you can see, our hosts enjoyed our visit as much as we did.
There are a number of ways to tell that we have left the icy lands of Svalbard. We see a lot fewer mittens these days, polar bear sightings don't interrupt our sleep, and the sun is now setting for the first time in the voyage. But even more obvious is the presence of people. Unlike Svalbard, which has no indigenous people, Finmark (the northern cap of Norway) has been inhabited for over 3000 years by the Saami and their ancestors. Sod houses (pictured) were the traditional summer dwelling of these nomadic people, and reindeer herding is still a major occupation. As you can see, our hosts enjoyed our visit as much as we did.
