Today is the day that the sun returns to Tromsø… or so they say. It’s been gone since mid-November and is dearly missed. The dark season is a special time in Northern Norway. It’s a sacred season for family, food, candles, cozy wood fires and Christmas traditions. When the sun returns it brings a change, there is more snow, things are bright and people are more active. The day the sun returns is a day for celebration! At work people celebrated by having Solboller, a tasty pastry that is often filled with jam or cream.
On the 19th of January the sun is above the horizon, however it is not until the 21st that the sun is visible in Tromsø because of the mountains around the city. I still have yet to see the sun… but you can already tell that the days are getting longer and there is more and more light every day.
This year there were fireworks to add to the celebrations. There was too much snow on New Year’s eve to set off the big fireworks display, apparently pyrotechnics set off 1-2 test shots, but they couldn’t see the explosion through the dense falling snow. Instead they chose to save them and enjoy them for a different occasion. I went out on a pier near Polaria (the Polar museum). It was just me and 3 others with tripods… so I knew I was in good company. The views looking across the water at the Arctic Cathedral, the Tromsø Bridge and the fireworks were spectacular! God Soldagen! Let it shine 🙂
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A Lost Microbiologist 