Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Today was the last full day of our cruise and we have spent it in Kristiansand. Norway’s fifth largest city is located on the southern tip of the country but not quite the southernmost point, Lindesnes, which we sailed past before dawn this morning. The ship offers a tour to the South Coast & South Cape but it was very expensive. More expensive than the excursion to the North Cape and it didn’t even include crab!! We decided to forego the six and a half hour excursion to the South Cape and explore the city on foot instead.
Shortly after 10.00am we disembarked and walked over to Odderøyamuseet. The small harbour there has lots of lovely interpretative boards that describe the small traditional Norwegian boats in their collection but … all the slips were bare. Obviously their boats are stored somewhere else over the winter while the harbour is frozen!!
We made our way around the harbour to the playground and small beach on the other side. The sun was shining and the sky was blue so I guess it sort of looked like beach weather BUT the water was frozen so maybe a bit too cold for a dip?!
Having killed an hour we made our way back to Kunstsilo an award-winning, former grain silo (built in 1935) on the island of Odderøya that has been transformed into one of Northern Europe’s newest art and cultural experiences. Entering on the 1st floor (actually the ground floor to us) we entered the Silo Hall where it is possible to look up through the full height of the old silos.
We purchased our tickets and made our way to the 2nd floor which has a heart rate monitor (clips on ear lobe or finger) that then interacts with a huge videographic art piece on the wall of the Silo Hall. Your heart rate is superimposed on the video which contains imagery depicting ocean pollution and other esoteric things that I can’t recall. The remainder of the 2nd floor was dedicated to a photographic exhibition titled ‘Time’ by renowned Norwegian photographer, Mette Tronvoll. This was more to our taste with some beautiful photographs of Norwegian scenery taken during different seasons.
Continuing up the impressive spiral staircase nestled inside one of the old silo cylinders we reached the 3rd floor featuring a ceramic exhibition titled ‘Playing with Fire’. The exhibition consisted of historic works by Axel Salto and new works by Edmund de Waal. The 4th floor features a permanent installation titled ‘The Project Gjerdeløa’ by Marianne Heske. Central to the project is the relocation of a timbered hay barn from the 17th century. Although the project has sparked a variety of opinions and interpretations apparently is has gained iconic status within the conceptual art scene??!! We also viewed pieces from Nicolai Tangen’s Tangen Collection of Nordic modernist art.
The spiral staircase ends at the 4th floor so we caught the lift to the 5th floor to visit the Art Terrace. Brrr, the terrace is outside so, despite the sunshine, it was chilly. We were surprised that only two sculptures were exhibited on the terrace and bemused that one could be interpreted as Kristiansand’s answer to Melbourne’s ‘Vault’ aka The Yellow Peril. We then rode to the 9th floor to the Panorama Bar at the top of Kunstsilo for a quick look at the view over the city, the fjord and the archipelago.
Since we were very close to the ship we returned to have our lunch on board. Why pay for lunch at a café in town when we have paid for all of our food on board the Hurtigruten? After our lunch break we ventured out again to complete the recommended walk around the city.
We headed back through the Fiskerbrygga, Norway’s biggest fish pier before walking past the small beach and playground from this morning. We saw the Nupen Fountain but the water wasn’t flowing during winter so it was just a granite frame. All the fountains are currently dry so they are not damaged by the water freezing in the winter.
We continued past the Christiansholm Fortress finished in 1672 as part of King Christian IV’s plan for the defense of Kristiansand when it was founded in 1641. We reached the main ‘City Beach’ a larger patch of sand than the two previous beaches we had passed. This one too, too frozen for swimming. The randomly shaped sheets of ice did make for an interesting floating mosaic though.
We continued around the nub of the Tangen district and then back toward Posebyen the historic district famous for its well-preserved wooden houses and 19th century architecture. The area is part of the central city, Kvadraturen, and is notable for one of Northern Europe’s largest wooden house collections with unique and beautiful old white buildings and houses along every street.
In the central square we found an ice-skating rink in front of the Radhus (Town Hall) and the Kristiansand Cathedral built in 1884 in the Neo-Gothic style. With an impressively tall spire it was a bit difficult to find a vantage point from which we could fit it all in. after the cathedral we decided it was time to wander back to the ship to it our feet up for a bit before dinnertime. Exploring Kristiansand has certainly resulted in one of our biggest step counts on this holiday!
We had a farewell dinner this evening which was spread across just two sittings rather than the five or six sittings that have been taking place throughout the voyage. They have had the English and the Aussies eating at 6.00 and 6.30pm. I think the Norwegians and the Germans have been in the middle with the French happy to eat during the latest sitting at 8.00pm or it may have even been at 8.30pm?
Our Melbourne group of six has been fantastic as we have all hit it off really well. We were all sharing our contact details during dinner and have plans to catch up back in Melbourne. After dinner we were invited up to the bar on the 8th deck to farewell the officers who have been in charge of this voyage. Our Captain, Maryann, gave a short speech and we all showed our appreciation to her, the Hotel Manager, the Chief Engineer, etc, etc and, most importantly, the Head Chef who has made sure that we have been fed very well!
Back in our cabin it was, unfortunately, time to re-pack our cases. We had to have our cases out beside the lift by 10.00pm so that they can be moved to the cargo area from where they will be deposited quayside in the morning for us to collect. All we have left in our cabin are our clothes for tomorrow, hats, coats, toilet bags and carryon bags. We have to leave our cabin by 8.00am tomorrow but will be able to go to the dining room after that for a quick breakfast before the Trip a Deal transfer to the hotel which will be meeting us quayside at 8.45am in the morning.
We’ll probably have to leave our cases in the luggage room at the hotel before fitting in one more day of sightseeing before the long journey home on Friday. At least we will be freshly showered in the morning rather than coming off a long haul flight as we were upon our arrival in Bergen!!
Steps: 20,038 (13.2km)
