At 350 kilometres (217 miles) above the Arctic Circle, Tromsø is often called the “Gateway to the Arctic” and the “Capital of Northern Norway …We visited the Arctic Cathedral, Polaria Arctic Center, we drove around town while enjoying beautiful scenery. Our tour guide, Charlotte, was a young biologist and was certainly adorable and full of cute little tidbits about Tromsø and Norway as a whole.
We learned that electricity and water are very cheap in Norway as they produce an abundance of both. In addition, diapers are cheap in Norway because the child birth rate apparently decreased dramatically in the 60’s so the government offered the cheap diapers and birth rate apparently increased slightly. I also read that it was a way to lure families in to grocery stores…I actually found a 67 page thesis written by Heidi Buø Åmot in regards to The Economics of Diaper Smuggling in Norway; NO, I did not read it!
We learned that male reindeer’s shed their antlers in fall therefore all of Santa’s reindeer’s have to be females as they all have antlers. Females shed their antlers in spring after their calves are born.
Scientists have decoded the secrets behind the goldfish and carp’s ability to survive in ice-covered lakes. These fish turn lactic acid in their bodies into alcohol, as a means of staying alive. Some goldfish have apparently been found with alcohol levels above legal driving limits in some countries.
Chef’s Table
As the evening began, we were given a tour of the galley. We started by washing our hands before donning white lab coats. I must admit that it made me think of work and I had a brief moment of panic…definitely the last place I want to be! We observed the incredibly hard working staff preparing meals and the servers rushing in and out to deliver everything that was ordered perfectly.
The Chef’s Table is a gastronomic journey and the pinnacle of cruise cuisine. It’s a multi-course tasting menu with wine pairing. This dinner is only offered a few nights during the cruise and is by reservation only for a small group of diners — averaging between 12 and 16 guests, we were lucky to get a spot.
The seven course dinner was presented by the Chef de Cuisine and Head Sommelier, the most knowledgeable people onboard the ship when it comes to food and wine. My meal was just as good less the wine 😉
To remember the occasion, we were presented a photo with the executive chef and the director of restaurant operations and a copy of the special menu.
We received a gorgeous slice of chocolate cake as the meal was coming to an end in honor of our impending anniversary, November 4th, which we’ve decided to start celebrating now. I used an empty water bottle as a vase for my rose and it looks perfect in our cabin. At breakfast the next morning, Fabian would play his “Bluetooth” guitar as he calls it and wish us a Happy Anniversary!
World Blog 