Saturday 3rd July 2010
Just a couple of activities today. Two that is without counting blog writing.
The first activity was to go on a train ride from Narvik to Riksgransen, a tiny settlement just on the Swedish side of the Norway and Sweden boarder. It is a ride of around 40 km if I recall the details correctly and the ride takes about 50 minutes. I had thought of going further into Sweden and catching a later train back but in the end decided to stay with my original plan.
Although I got to the train around 25 minutes early it was already filling up. I got into the last carriage in the assumption that there would be lots of seats. Wrong. Already it was nearly full and I was lucky to get a single seat on the left side. The carriage was divided half way into two compartments and the single seat was by the door. But the key thing was that I had a left hand seat which had the best views as we travelled up the mountain.
The carriage was full of women. Happy chatting, laughing, friendly middle aged women. They seemed to know each other. Then I realised that they would be going up to one of the stations where there were trails down the bush covered mountain side to a point where a boat would pick you up. The women were so chatty and excited that I expected them to burst into song; perhaps 'The Happy Wanderer' or even 'Climb Every Mountain'; but they didn't. The carriage was certainly quieter when they disembarked with their dogs at Katterat Station. Yes there were about three in the carriage. A bulldog, a Dalmatian and a puddle. None what I would call a mountain dog.
I had watched a film at the Tourist Office on Katterat Station yesterday. I had been quite a lively railway workers' settlement. As a base for workers building the line, later improving the line and it was one of the power sub stations supplying DV current for the electric locomotives. During the War, the Germans largely destroyed the station. After the War the settlement regrouped but in following years the numbers living there reduced as improvements were made to the railway. Finally it was closed down and forgotten. But some keen folk got together and formed a preservation society to try and get the station saved. Well now there is a new station there and the older one is a 100 metres away. This is because the line now changes its original layout and goes into a tunnel. There are nice lawns and flowers around the present station, just as there was in the old days. Then there were two lawns. One for the workers and their families and the other only for the station master and his family. You had to preserve status I suppose.
Once we departed Katterat, the climb started pretty well right away. Steeper now I thought.
The mountain was covered with trees. Lots of silver birch and other broad leafs and some conifers. All thin trunks and about four metres high. In a way the way the trees are growing often close together with narrow trunks makes me think of New Zealand manuka areas. But only I guess for the size if the trunks. Through gaps in the trees I got glimpses of the fjord, or more correctly 'fjords' – there was more than just one. These views got better and wider as we climbed higher.
I could see small settlements below and across the fjord. I finally realised that the settlements were where the road was. On the far side was the road I had come in on from Svolvaer then the large suspension bridge we had crossed and then the road snaked along below the railway line. Things sort of fall into place the longer you are in a particular location don't they. The bridge didn't look so imposing from away up here but a couple of days ago it certainly impressed me and a few others in the bus who tried to take photos just as I did.
There were several small stations on the way up. The trained stopped at all except one. Always some people got off with their day packs and hiking gear. Obviously Saturday is a popular day to go into the mountains. There are either one, or several National Parks of Forest Parks in the area.
Once we past the suspension bridge the settlements along the fjord stopped, partly because there was little space with the tall rock walls going right down into the water. Finally I could look down on the head of the fjord and saw a river flowing into it. From that point it was a normal glacier valley with a mixture of grass and trees on the floor and bush on the sides whenever there was other than just rock.
We went through lots of tunnels. Mostly short. Some were through solid rock but in other places the tunnels were constructed metal or timber covers over the railway track. I assumed they were to help keep the track snow free in the winter time. But I could easily be wrong.
We came round a bend and into the summit area of exposed bare rounded solid rock. Lots of small lakes were scattered around in the depressions. Lots of small cabins where scattered all around. Some were flying Norwegian flags so I knew that we were not yet across the boarder. But soon we were and the guard gave a welcome to Sweden message and my cell phone rang to do the same from the phone company.
The Riksgransen station was in a section of covered track and right in the middle of what was a winter snow field and ski area. There was one hotel, a youth hostel and various other accommodation provides. A ski shop and coffee counter and perhaps another small shop. Nothing much to look at but that didn't really matter as my turn around time till the homeward train was only 20 minutes. Well that was the expectation until the PA system announced that the train from Stockholm was delayed by a bit over one hour. So I did have time for coffee down at the hotel.
Looking around the area I could just imagine it covered in deep snow and skiers everywhere. Actually there was still snow around in patches but none skiable. If I had bothered to walk along one of the roads for say 200 metres, I could have walked in a snow patch which was right on the edge of the unsealed road.
In time the return train arrived. Where as coming up the train had about six carriages, this one was much much longer. Now I could see why this station and Narvik station had such long platforms. They needed them. Many of the carriages were compartment style with couchettes in them for sleeping on. It must have come overnight from the south. There was also a dinning carriage and some normal seating carriages. In these carriages about had the seats face one way and half the other way. So you could be travelling facing the direction being travelled or watching in reverse.
Down the mountain was just as interesting as going up. The guards had closed some of the carriages down and moved passengers into the centre of the train. As a result there was a shortage of seating in normal carriages. As did others, I went and stood in the corridor of a couchette carriage. Standing and I was able to lower a window to avoid taking photos through the glass as I had coming up.
At Katterat we did pick up two or three young hikers. I assume they had climbed up the hill rather than the reverse. But they were young and fit I guess. Never-the-less, given the choice I would have picked starting at the top.
At Narvik the crowds of passengers disembarked many with big back packs. Several posed in front of the station name board for their photos to be taken by friends.
I wandered along the main street looking for a ATM. They were not common and the ones I did find seemed to be unhappy with Visa Cirrus and the instructions only mentioned Visa Plus. So my card was rejected several times by three machines – all I could find. I even asked a policeman. His suggestion was to mug someone – but I am pretty sure he was joking. Well he would be wouldn't he? Finally a hotel receptionist told me were to find the Nordbank ATM and this worked. Without cash I may not have been able to get a bust ticket south tomorrow.
During the day I had seen several posters for a Sacred Music concert to be held at 1800 hours in the main Narvik Kirk, which was appropriately located on Kirkgate as I later noticed. It cost 100 kr admission and the 'crowds' were already arriving at 1745. The Lutheran Church was plain inside without much in the way of adornment. A painting of Christ above the altar and dark stained wooden panels around the altar area. Luther would have been happy I suspect.
Well the concert consisted of a girls choir (about 8, 11 to 15 year olds), a junior choir consisting of very young girls and some older boys. Then there was a mixed adult choir and an orchestra of perhaps eight players plus the church organ from time to time. I was too sure of what I had let myself in for. In the end the 90 minutes wasn't too bad at all. I suspect that much of the audience where parents and family members come in a supportive role.
In the junior choir there were a number of girls who had trouble leaving their long hair alone. One girl in particular not only played with her hair but rarely looked at the conductor, preferring to look around at the audience and wave to people she knew. I think she was annoying some of the other girls as well. Still I am sure that some proud parent was there for her.
Back to the guesthouse and the passing wagons of iron ore or empty ones going back to the mines. A microwave Sweet and Sour Chicken (I think – that's my guess at the Norwegian) and time to pack and set the alarm for 5:30 am.
Narvik is an interesting town. Looking down the main street with the snow topped peak at the end, I was reminded of some Colorado town view. Buildings were mostly low. In fact going up on the gondola yesterday a man was speaking proudly of Narvik three tall buildings. They are not easy to find either. The main street seems permanently empty but with two enclosed multi level shopping centres that is the destination of most local shoppers.
I got the idea that there was a steady flow of tourists passing through, judging by the camper vans and folk walking along the street either with cameras, trolley backs or backpacks. The guesthouse manager said that few people stay long. Overnight was the most common and she was pleased even excited to have a Swedish family staying ten days. No she did not know why.
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