Northern Lights

We have been blessed with two sunny though cold days in Kirkenes. We've also had clear nights, and last night, right outside our front door, we were treated to a lovely show of Northern Lights. We just go nuts for Northern Lights - it was hard to go to bed.

We don't have a car, so today was another day to walk around town. I went up every hill I could find. It's wild to walk up and up and up neighborhood roads, emerging to bedrock hilltops and a high mountain lake that was obviously set up for summer swimming. There were also power poles all over - in the winter (remember those 50 days of full dark), it's a lighted walking/ski trail. Photos never do justice to the views from high places - but I'll tell you that it's amazing to see the whole landscape, then hike higher and see even more!

Mountain lake

View of Kirkenes

Andersgrotta

Kirkenes is a mining town, with deposits of iron ore. During WWII, the Germans invaded Norway in 1940, and were quite interested in Kirkenes despite its remote location. The Russians (the Russian border is a mere 8 miles away) also wanted it, and Kirkenes was one of the most heavily bombed towns in Europe. 

When they got word that bombers were on the way, the town folk headed down into the bomb shelter that their miners dug for them. As many as 2,500 people ducked down into these freezing cold, unventilated caves for 20 minutes at a time. By the end of the war, almost the entire town had to be rebuilt. 

The entrance is a very modest opening near downtown. The tour took us inside to watch a movie and hear more stories about that time.

Havila

There are actually two companies that run these "mail boats" along the Norwegian coast. Yesterday there was a Hurtigruten ship in town - today there was a Havila. I love watching boats come and go!

Tonight we're hoping (fingers crossed) for more northern lights - and tomorrow we board our ship!