Alta, Norway: February 4, 2025

Today, we visited a beautiful hotel that I will never/would never check into. We went to the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel. The hotel representative told us that normally it takes about six weeks to build the igloo hotel but this year, winter temperatures were warm. Once temperatures came down there were only about two weeks remaining to build the hotel before the ice igloo season began. Every year the designers have a different theme. This year it was Greek Gods.

The construction begins with packing and shaping snow over bent wood supports which are removed once the ceilings and hallways are sufficiently frozen. The columns and sculptures are made for blocks of ice mined from a nearby frozen lake. At the end of the winter season, the ice hotel melts leaving only a pile of LED lights and wires on the ground.

The Igloo Hotel has several no frills rooms that reminded me of a monk's small cell except these are sub-zero cells. The bed, single or double, is a a slab of frozen snow covered with reindeer hides and a curtain covered entryway.

There is a Greek Revival style two-room suite with furniture and a LED lighted ice block fireplace and also colorful theme rooms with elaborately carved walls.

After wandering around and checking out the rooms and suites, we headed to the bar for a refreshing blue drink made of vodka and curaçao served in an ice glass.

Temperature inside the Igloo Hotel is a steady -4 to -7℃ (24.8°F to 19.4°F). Guests are given an Arctic sleeping bag suitable for -40℃ (-40°F) which should then be placed on top the reindeer furs. Don't take a shower before bed because your hair and skin, if wet at all, will freeze. Take the sleeping bag into the igloo hotel once you are ready to sleep. Limit your belongings as you must put everything into the sleeping bag with you or it will freeze. To sleep, wear your long woolen thermal underwear, a hat, a scarf, and wool socks. You might also consider mittens and a fleece. Boots should be left near the bed so you can find them if you must get up in the night.

Where are the bathrooms, you ask? They are located across the snow in the normal hotel. Follow the ice block pillars and the rope to warmth and toilets.

On the way back to the ship, we had the driver drop us in Alta near the Northern Lights Cathedral. The Cathedral, Alta Church, was consecrated in February 2013. The exterior shape mimics the Aurora as it coils and curls through the sky. Just inside the sanctuary entrance is the tower room with Jacob's Ladder. The Christ figure at the front of the church shares space with the baptismal font. "Christ appears crucified but also giving his blessing with embracing arms." The basement has an interesting display of astronomy and an Aurora Borealis film.

This morning temperatures in Alta were -19℃ (-3°F) and my phone said "feels like -30℃" (-22°F) due to the wind. The ocean had sea smoke rising because the water was warmer than the air. Departing the church, we found that the weather had deterioated and now there was blowing snow. We walked as quickly as possible in our shoe spikes hoping the shuttle bus driver would see us and not leave. We made it and were soon back at the ship.

Next stop: Lodingen at 12:00 noon.