June 16: We woke up to find our ship had docked in the small town of Honningsvåg, the northernmost town on the Norwegian mainland. Although the town is small, it is a popular stop for many ships touring the Arctic Circle due to its proximity to the renowned North Cape. Honningsvåg also offered a unique treat – the chance to savor fresh Arctic king crab.

After breakfast, we got off the ship and headed to the tourist information center in the town to gather some insights before exploring. We purchased tickets for a local tour bus to take us to the North Cape at 11:15 am. It seemed that most visitors to this town had the same destination in mind.

Still having a few hours to spare, we explored the city, strolled along the seaside, and visited the city park. The quaint streets showcased typical Northern European charm with a church, a lighthouse, colorful fishing boats, and more, creating a picturesque Nordic fishing village setting.

The journey to North Cape wasn't too far, about forty minutes driving distance, revealing the distinct Arctic Circle landscape features along the way – vast and barren, occasionally spotting a few reindeer. Upon arriving at North Cape, we were surprised that the area was bustling with tourists. The parking lot was brimming with big tour buses, RVs, and private cars. The visitor center offered amenities like a restaurant, souvenir shops, and a cinema that continuously screens short films about the Arctic. Although an entrance fee was required to access the center, which our excursion tickets did include, no one checked at the entrance, relying solely on the visitors' honesty. We watched the short film and then proceeded to the park to capture memorable moments at several viewpoints, marking our visit to this iconic destination.

Returning to the town in the afternoon, we rushed to the restaurant for the king crab, which the staff at the tourist information center recommended. To our disappointment, the restaurant was closed. Back at the information center, the staff suggested another option, a Thai restaurant instead. On the way there, we ran into a helpful local who called a restaurant upon learning about our quest for king crab but found out they had run out of crab due to rough weather conditions at sea over the past few days. She then recommended the restaurant where she planned to have dinner that night, the one we visited earlier. We informed her that the restaurant was closed, but she didn't believe it and insisted on taking us there directly. It turned out that the restaurant just opened for business when we arrived, and we were so happy. Unfortunately, the restaurant informed us they had not received any king crab delivery from the Fishman for the last couple of days due to the bad weather. It was a stroke of bad luck, and we figured all the restaurants in town would run into the same problem, so we had to abandon the idea of having a king crab. We thanked the hospitality local for her help and returned to the ship for dinner.

After a satisfying dinner, we decided to explore a location known for its abundance of birds perched on the rocky shores, hoping to capture some beautiful bird pictures. On our way to the bird-watching spot, we passed by the Thai restaurant the tourist office had recommended. Curious, we peered through the window and saw the patrons inside happily relishing the king crab. The sight filled us with excitement, and we couldn't resist entering the restaurant to inquire about a table. The happiness was short-lived. Sadly, the restaurant had just sold out the last delectable crab dish. It seemed luck was not on our side today, and once again, we missed the opportunity to savor the king crab.

On the way back to the port by bus from the North Cape, we spotted fish-drying sheds on the roadside, capturing a quintessential scene of a Norwegian fishing village - drying fish bodies and fish heads. We were curious about them. Since it was near the cruise port, we decided to walk over there and closely examine them. The sheds were massive, a lot bigger than we expected. The fish bodies and heads were separated and dried by cold air and wind on wooden racks. We later learned that since the Viking age, Norwegians have dried fish outdoors in the fresh ocean wind to make stockfish. Now, this kind of dried fish is exported to all over the world.

As the white nights approached, the reindeer herds on the slopes by the bay slowly drifted off to sleep after satisfying their appetites. Our ship left the Norwegian mainland, continuing its journey deeper into the Arctic region.

June 17: The next destination, Longyearbyen, Svalbard, was a bit far, and we wouldn't arrive there until tomorrow. Since we boarded the ship, every day brought us to a new port, keeping us busy from morning till night. Finally, we had a full day at sea, a chance to sleep in, relax, enjoy food and drinks, and catch up on writing our travelogue for the past few days.

Before embarking on our Arctic journey, we assumed this cruise might be less crowded, given the remote location of the embarkation point in northern Norway. However, to our surprise, our assumptions were completely off the mark. Never before had we seen such a bustling cruise ship; finding a seat for breakfast turned into a delightful challenge. One noticeable presence was the significant number of passengers with Chinese heritage, just like us. Around 30% of the cruisers shared our ancestry, and most were in the same age group. It felt like we had stumbled upon a vibrant community of Shanghainese travelers, and the familiar sounds of the Shanghai dialect surrounded us. Over a few days cruising, we conversed with fellow Chinese descent passengers and exchanged stories of our travel experiences. It was fascinating to learn that everyone on board came from different parts of the world, each with compelling tales of adventure and exploration.

In the evening, we dined at another specialty restaurant - the French restaurant. The ambiance was delightful, and the dishes' presentation and taste were a step up from the main dining area. Since we liked the white wine Shades of Blue Riesling very much from our earlier onboard dining experience, we ordered another bottle tonight, intending to savor it over two occasions. After the sumptuous dinner, we watched a magic show.

Due to the chilly weather, we spent little time walking around the ship after boarding. Occasionally, we would step onto the balcony of our room to gaze at the sea, which was calm with occasional fog, and sometimes spot whales gracefully gliding through the waters and seabirds soaring through the skies as our travel companions, adding a touch of wonder and excitement to our Arctic voyage.

6/16: - 北纬71.15度（North Cape)。

早晨醒来船已停靠在挪威大陆最北的小镇Honningsvaag。镇很小，但许多走北极圈线路的船都会到此停留，因为从这个小镇可以去到著名的北角（North Cape）。小镇还有个特色是可以品尝到新鲜的北极帝王蟹。

早餐后我们先下船去镇上旅游信息中心了解一下情况，然后就在小镇上逛了一圈。教堂，灯塔，色彩鲜艳的捕鱼船等等，非常典型的一个北欧小渔村。

我们订了票随当地旅游大巴去North Cape. 来到这个小镇的游客估计绝大部分都会去North Cape。不是太远，开车四十几分钟就到了。沿途是北极圈特有的地貌特征，一片荒凉，偶尔能看到几只驯鹿。没想到的是North Cape 已经完全被游客占领了，停车场停满了大巴，RV和私车。游客中心有饭店，卖纪念品的小商店，还有一个影院不停地放映一个十几分钟关于北极的短片。进游客中心需要买门票，但并没人查票，完全靠自觉。我们先看短片，然后就是在几个景点拍照留念算是到此一游。

再坐大巴回到小镇时已是下午，我们直奔早上旅游信息中心工作人员推荐的吃帝王蟹的饭店而去，饭店没开，非常失望。又回到信息中心，工作人员又推荐了一家泰国店。在去泰国店的路上碰巧遇到一位热心的当地人，听说我们想吃帝王蟹，就打电话问一家店，回答说今天没有蟹。她又推荐一家她今晚在那里聚餐的饭店，我们说没开门，她不信，就直接把我们带到饭店去了。就二，三十分钟的样子，饭店倒的确是刚刚开始营业了，但老板说今天没有帝王蟹，因为前二天的风浪太大，渔民们没办法出海，也就没货送给饭店。那泰国店也不用去了，断了帝王蟹的念头，改去海边拍鸟。拍完照回船的路上走过这家泰国饭店，看见里面有人在吃蟹，赶紧进去却又被告知刚卖完了。真是阴错阳差，我们就是与北极帝王蟹没缘，乖乖回船吃饭去，但还是要感谢那位热心当地人的相助。

在回码头的大巴上，看到路边的晒鱼棚，饭后特意找到晒鱼棚，留下挪威小渔村一景：干晒鱼体，鱼头。

随着白夜来临，在海湾边山坡上的驯鹿群在＂酒足饭饱＂后渐渐入睡。我们的船也离开挪威大陆，继续深入北极。

6/17: 海上行

下一站有点远，明天才能到达。自上船以来，每天一个新港口，从早到晚都在忙，总算有一整天在海上航行，可以睡个懒觉，吃吃喝喝放松一下。同时也有时间补写一下几天的游记。

这次北极游开始之前，还以为我们的游轮可能会比较空，因为上船的地点是在挪威北部一个小地方。实在是太偏远，而且是去北极，一个不太寻常的地方。结果我们是大错特错了。从来没见过游轮上有这么多游客，吃早餐常常连位子都找不到。并且这次游轮上有很多我们的同胞，大概估计一下可能占30%，基本上以我们这个年龄段为主，而其中上海同乡非常之多，有时吃个饭前后左右听到的都是乡音。在船上待了几天，慢慢地开始与一些同胞同乡们聊上几句，大家来自世界各地，旅行经历一个比一个丰富。

今天晚上去了另一家特色餐厅-法国餐厅。环境不错，菜的摆盘和口感的确比大堂餐厅稍好一些。这次又要了一瓶白葡萄酒，还是和上次一样准备分二次享用。美酒佳肴之后再看一场魔术表演。

因为天比较冷，上船后我们几乎没怎么在船上绕船走。有时候会在房间的阳台上看看海，浪虽不大，但常有雾，偶尔有鲸鱼，小鸟伴陪。