late in the evening we sail by the North Cape
the globe monument
The
North Cape falls almost 1.5 km short of being mainland Europe's closest point to the North Pole.
This minor
detail does not stop the droves of tourists that visit this famous place in summer, despite the hefty admission fee.
European road E69 ends at the tourist center which sits on a large plateau that abruptly ends in a steep 300
meters high cliif dropping towards the Arctic Ocean..
The signature word globe is an excellent photo opportunity and the
small monument erected by king Oskar II in 1873 affirms that the long arm of the Kingdom of Norway reaches all the way up here.
The
basement of the tourist center houses a small museum that commemorates the naval
battle of the North Cape, fought nearby
in 1943.
On the road from and to Honningsvag you can encounter reindeer, enjoy the arctic scenery and stop at a small shop that
sells Sami souvenirs.
In June 2013 we visited the North Cape by bus from Honningsvag, and later that day we sailed past the Cape
aboard the Celebrity Constellation.
Honningsvåg is not a global city yet
The E69 from Honningsvåg to the North Cape passes through a typical arctic landscape
reindeer roam free
The bus stops at the Matkemuittut souvenirshop
is he showing off the reindeer or his hat?
the visitor center at the North Cape
the headlands to the west of the North Cape
posing for the inevitable picture
an impressive scenery unfolds on the way back to Honningsvåg
a small hamlet sits at one of the many small lakes
end
