Leaving the Hurtigruten and our day in Kirkenes.
We hugged our friends goodbye and spent the day in Kirkenes, the most northern town in Norway. Our tour guide who drove us to two border points explained that the Russians came in and drove out the Germans, thus saving Kirkenes from complete destruction (WWII, obviously).
The town has a noticeable Russian/Norwegian feel; stark and lonely. The Germans had a city plan ready to go and the Norwegians used that plan. From above, the guide showed us the contrast between the German planned streets and the subsequent Norwegian additions. German – straight and regimented; Norwegian more curves. The border is easy for residents of towns on both sides of the border to cross once clearance is gained. It is eerie to get so close to Russia. The street signs are in both alphabets (languages). It snowed and was bitterly cold for our day in this little “Twilight Zone” town. We kept running into the same four couples waiting out the day until evening flights; we ended up on the same tour, waiting at the same hotel for the airport bus and even ate the same restaurant. We finally flew to Oslo where early AM we’ll fly out to Alesund for family dinners and sightseeing.
