Rewind to fall 2018. A friend is planning to take Hurtigruten from Bodø to Tromsø, and wonders what there is to do in Bodø, while they wait for their departure. Me: Nothing! Why are you spending time there at all?? Fast forward 2 years. I am doing the same thing, almost, only getting off at Finnsnes instead. I’m encountering the same predicament. After doing a little research beforehand, I arrived with a more positive attitude, but still not convinced this was the best idea I had come up with. Now, after visiting, I am a wholeheartedly supporter of setting aside time to explore this small town. Why? From the look of it, no shopping destination, nor a culinary hotspot, but instead boasts an appealing cityscape. In other words, pack good footwear! Hunt for street art, and walk to the pier bay area, and out on the pier. It also appears the town is getting a facelift architectural wise. Some very smart looking buildings have popped up. I fancy the church and town hall of an earlier date too. You’ll also spot Glasshuset (the Glass House), which covers part of the pedestrian street, made to shield shoppers from the harsh Arctic weather. Bodø is actually bigger than I imagined it to be, but still not awfully time-consuming 🙂
PS! I was planning on taking the bus on a return trip to visit Saltstraumen, one of the strongest tidal currents in the world. What I had forgotten though, was the lack of daylight we have during winter. Crazy how I could forget, considering I grew up here 😀 Check the Saltstraum table for the best swirls, and plan accordingly. Turned out I had one opportunity only. And with buses not running frequently, and hotel staff member informing me her bus never showed up the morning in question, I decided to opt out, as a late returning bus would mean I would risk missing my Hurtigruten departure. Next time, during spring/summer 😀
