The turnaround at Kirkenes and a Witches Memorial on Day Seven on the Polarlys

 On Day Seven or should I say Night Six of my twelve-day journey on the Polarlys it was a rock and roll kind of night.  And I don't mean the music kind.  The winds and rough seas began in the evening and carried on through most of the night.  It put us an hour behind docking at Kirkenes. 

Kirkenes on a Sunday morning...what can I say?  It was pretty dead.   I don't like to judge a place as it could be a really happening place on a Saturday morning or night but on Sunday morning there sure wasn't much going on.  Let's just say I won't be in any kind of hurry to ever go back.  Kirkenes is eight kilometres from the Russian border - a little too close for my comfort. 

This was a bunker from the Second World War which held up to 2500 people.  Being so close to Russia Kirkenes was heavily bombed by the Germans AND the Russians.  It was open for the walking tour but I didn't go and try and have a (free) snoop which is so unlike me.  

This is just one of the ordinary streets I walked along from the ship to the main square.  

I'm not sure of the significance of this little bear sculpture but I thought it was rather whimsical and cute.  

The original Kirkenes church was completed in 1862 however due to the heavy bombing of Kirkenes during the war it was almost completely destroyed.  The spire survived and was incorporated into the current replacement which was completed in 1959. 

Kirkenes and area is known for its king crab. 

As in most places that had the sh*t bombed out of them in World War II the 50's/60's architecture wasn't the greatest.  Being so close to the Russian border the Germans (who had occupied Norway since 1939) staged their assault on Soviet forces from Kirkenes.  It became one of the most heavily bombed places in mainland Europe.  The town was bombed over 300 times by Soviet forces the worst being in 1944 when over 140 homes were destroyed by fire.  As the Red Army advanced on Kirkenes in the fall of 1944 German troops hastily retreated but not before setting fire to most of the buildings left standing in the town.  

This is the Mothers' War Memorial created by Norwegian sculptor Per Ung.  It is a tribute to the mothers of Kirkenes who cared for and protected their children during the grim time between 1941 and 1944 when they were bombed constantly.  

Even the play structures are crabs in Kirkenes. 

I wandered into a really strange store - the only place that was open.  It was one of those places that had everything and more.  If I bought something I can't remember what it was!!! 

I'm not sure what this is.  

Riveting stuff I know...and of course not open on a Sunday morning. 

And then there was this lake... Sorry Kirkenes, I'm sure you have charms that I didn't see on a Sunday morning.  

Kirkenes is a popular place to go dogsledding in the winter.  

So it was back to the ship.  Originally I thought maybe I would go as far as Kirkenes and fly back to Bergen but decided it was cheaper to stay on board and come back.  Because yes, this was the ship's turning around point. 

However, the day wasn't a total write-off because as we headed back south we stopped at Vardo for 55 minutes.  We had stopped there on our way to Kirkenes to unload goods in the middle of the night but needless to say, I didn't see a thing.  

Vardo has a population of about 2,000 and lies on the small island of Vardoya. 

Vardo, being so close to Russia had an early warning system during the Cold War and are probably still used to this day.  (just guessing) 

I snapped these photos on the run..literally.  The Expedition leader led the way (though this was a free event) and we followed but when you are a slow walker and like to take pictures you get left behind. (story of my life) If you ever saw the original "Jumanji" movie with the animals running and the huffing-puffing rhino at the end - that was me!!  This is the Vardohus fortress - the most northern fortress in the world and the most easterly one in Norway.  

However, we were here to see the Steilneset memorial.  

This memorial is a tribute to the 91 people (mostly women) who were tried and convicted to death by burning for witchcraft in 1621.  

The records they have are amazing and each person has their story in this exhibit.  I just wish we had had more time to visit - it was a rush to get through but luckily they had free guidebooks about each person at the exit that we could take with us.  

There was also this memorial in another part of the complex.  

Here are a few of the stories taken from the (very small) guidebook...

Time to head back to the ship...huffing and puffing as I scurried past the fortress once again.

Marlon Brando with a fish???

Back on the ship, I was disappointed to hear that because so many people were on tours there would be no fixed menu that evening but a buffet.  

Oh well, I made the most of it. (don't worry that was plate one) I do have to say that the food onboard was excellent.  Well except for that dreadful pizza from the other day.  

And that was Day Seven on the Polarlys!!!