So this post is about Tromso's two most iconic buildings. The first is an Arctic aquarium- Polaria while the other is the Arctic Cathedral.
So we woke up to a perfectly clear day. Everything seemed to be gleaming on the streets as sunlight reflected off the snow. Having filled our tummies with enough sausage, bacon and ham for the day😝 we set out on city tour. Today was 'the most important day' of our trip. We had our Northern Lights activity scheduled for tonight. But that's the story for another post. We had to return to our hotel before 4 so that we could report for the activity at 6.
So first on our list was MS Polstjerna- a ship turned museum inside a glass enclosure. And here was our first let-down of the day... It was closed for the winter. But we managed to grab some pix from outside anyway.
Right next to it was Polaria- Tromso's iconic polar aquarium. It's structure is its biggest USP. The entry fee is 145NOK per adult, but the experience was well worth it. The receptionist gave us the timings of 3 of the major attractions- movies on Svalbard, Aurora Borealis and a seal feeding session.
The panoramic theatre inside hosts the shows while there is a massive pool for the seals. Since I had seen almost a gazillion videos on Aurora, the show on Aurora seemed kinda average. But the video on Svalbard was out of this world!! 😍 So much that I've added Svalbard to my bucket list!!
Slide after slide went by on different locations of Svalbard and we dared not blink an eye for the entire 15minutes. Svalbard is one magical snowy paradise that still showcases the pristinely forms of nature.
After this we had a look at several exhibits that highlighted how climate change is affecting Arctic Flora and fauna. Then it was the turn for the crown jewel- the Seal Feeding Show. I had never seen a seal in my life. They were adorable, massive and so chubby that you would wanna caress and cuddle. They played all around the pool, ate fishes from the hands of the trainers and each one had its own favorite pastime. I had so many questions in my mind about them and didn't hold any back till the end of the session. Do check out the photos.
Next we were traveling to the Arctic Cathedral!! This cathedral, as I heard from my Northern Lights guide, was deeply inspired from a Cathedral in a nearby village. But ever since it was built in 1965, it has garnered worldwide popularity and has nearly become the face of Tromso. The stained glass windows inside the church along simply adds to the serene ambience inside. While we were inside, the church pianist played some amazing music.
Quite rightfully the church has become the most photographed building in Tromso.
Having ticked off the Arctic Cathedral from our list, now it was Aurora time!! ❤️❤️
Check out my next post...
