Tuesday June 25

We are not sure what Narvik has to recommend it.  It is not the Top of the World nor associated with Edvard Grieg or Henrik Ibsen.  What it does have is a shuttle to the center of town although we did not take it. [In his blog entry, Capt. Albert gave the impression that the shopping mall near the shuttle stop was the highlight of Narvik; its intricate escalators were the subject of his only photo.]

MA was a bit “off her feed,” as Grandma Jane would have said, and felt more secure staying on board.  D ventured as far as the pier for what we call Walmart on the Wharf, local vendors trying to sell local goods to the tourists.  There were only three lonely card tables set up.  One had knitted creations like hats and doilies; one had very modern jewelry; and the third had magnets made from painted rocks.

D spoke for a bit with the rock and jewelry sellers and discovered that there are more cruise ships in Narvik in the winter than in the summer.  Apparently, tourists want to experience “the real” arctic and see polar bears.  And freeze.  Narvik depends on iron to drive its economy, not tourism.

We spent most of the day in the cabin again.  Soup in the Lido sufficed for lunch and MA was still not 100 per cent, so we ate a room-service dinner on our balcony.  Of course, it was 45 degrees outside, the wind was blowing at Force 5 and we have no balcony.  As you may remember, we don’t even have a window sill.  We did eat in the room, though, after telling the cabin stewards not to bother cleaning this evening.  They were concerned for our health but pleased to have less work.

Tomorrow is a sea-day at sea, but we will actually do things for a change.