The rail line to Kiruna terminates at a Norwegian port Narvik in the Ofoten Fjord. This is where the Swedes ship all their iron ore to.
A surprisingly nice town, surprising because the guidebook introduced it with "welcome to the town that most Norwegians describe as their ugliest town", it would put many in NZ to shame.
In the harbour there are about 35 ship wrecks from WWII, the Germans tried to take the port (and iron) all for themselves, the allies bombed the hell out off them and destroyed the German fleet, which now lies on the seabed, as do a number of allied ships. I learnt all this (and more) at the first museum I'd been to without being dragged there by the parents.
I originally had high hopes of spending some time in the Lofoton Islands which border the fjord, they are by all accounts amazing. But due to being told it was too early in the season and the timing of accommodation further down the country I ended up high-tailing it south straight away.
No comments:
Post a Comment