Fjellheisen and the MS Vesterålen

For our last night in Tromsø, Lars had booked a table at Fjellheisen (the Mountain Lift). This is a viewpoint high above the fjord, reachable mainly by gondola. One not only needs to reserve a table, you have to let them know in advance what you wish to eat, so they have the supplies on hand.

There is an extensive viewing-platform, with grand views over Tromsø and the surrounding area. The downside is…it is often very windy.  And cold. People would dash out, take a few pictures, and dash back in.

The café was separated from the viewing area, which is good, as the room right inside the large, heavy sliding doors was fairly chilly. Wear-your-outdoor-clothes chilly.

Here’s what we had to eat—Mack is the northernmost brewery in the world, and they make a very tasty product. The salmon could have been more nicely presented, but it could not have tasted better, and the veggies underneath were perfectly al dente. Finish with cheesecake and bjørnbär sauce, well…

We took a cab back to our hotel—the local drivers really know how to handle icy streets and hills! We had a long wait for our after-midnight boarding of the Vesterålen, but we arrived at quayside with good timing and only had to wait for one other party to check in ahead of us. We did a bit of exploring of ship-board spaces, and went to bed. This cabin isn’t QUITE the luxurious space we had on the Finnmarken!

In fact, the whole ship is much more of a working ship…she was built in 1983, when the focus was still more on cargo and commuters than on tourists. We’re spending more time in the common areas than on the other ship, where we would usually retreat to our cabin when the sun went down.

The artwork is largely textiles:

We notice something of a difference in the passengers…Vesterålen has many more “commuters” only going one or two ports away, or only on overnight. If you’re out and about fairly late, you might find people sleeping on the sofas. Finnmarken had mostly tourists, and there was more of a festive atmosphere. The “panoramic” windows on Vesterålen aren’t as all-encompassing, but the ship feels cosier.