The Northern Lights

[lion]

Thinking of potential upcoming trips and wondered if anyone has seen the Northern Lights in a setting where there is a unique culinary experience. It doesn't have to be the 'best' meal but rather an experience which would match with the light show. 

Thanks!

[Ericandblueboy]

I imagine Iceland would have something along those lines (lots of dinner cruises in the Reykjavik harbor).  The problem is that Northern Lights aren't predictable so you may not see anything while you're dining.  You have to do it every night for days unless you get lucky on the first day.

[washingtony]

the first time I saw the northern lights was in Tromsø, Norway.  It was quite the unique culinary experience in that it was uniquely impossible to have a meal that cost less than $25 a person--and this feat was only accomplished at a fast-food joint.  As for the lights though, our guide drove us all over the countryside hunting for the best spot.  When he found it, he built a small fire, made a couch out of snow, and passed around local beer and homemade sandwiches.  Soon after the lights came out and everything was just about perfect.  (We saw the lights two out of four nights that trip.  In Iceland we've been a bit less successful.)

[lovehockey]

10 hours ago, Ericandblueboy said:

I imagine Iceland would have something along those lines (lots of dinner cruises in the Reykjavik harbor).  The problem is that Northern Lights aren't predictable so you may not see anything while you're dining.  You have to do it every night for days unless you get lucky on the first day.

Yeah, the Northern Lights are unpredictable.  Wherever you go, whether it's Scandinavia, Alaska, or Canada's northern territories, you need to plan for a visit of a least a week.

Best show I ever saw was at Lake Louise, Alberta, in May around 20 years ago. I also recall walking back to the dorm from a late class and seeing green in the sky.

[porcupine]

On 5/17/2018 at 4:49 PM, washingtony said:

the first time I saw the northern lights was in Tromsø, Norway.  It was quite the unique culinary experience in that it was uniquely impossible to have a meal that cost less than $25 a person--and this feat was only accomplished at a fast-food joint.  As for the lights though, our guide drove us all over the countryside hunting for the best spot.  When he found it, he built a small fire, made a couch out of snow, and passed around local beer and homemade sandwiches.  Soon after the lights came out and everything was just about perfect.  (We saw the lights two out of four nights that trip.  In Iceland we've been a bit less successful.)

Washingtony, would you mind writing more about this trip? Norway (Tromsø in particular) is near the top of my go-to list and I'd love to read about your experiences.

[washingtony]

On 6/1/2018 at 7:45 AM, porcupine said:

Washingtony, would you mind writing more about this trip? Norway (Tromsø in particular) is near the top of my go-to list and I'd love to read about your experiences.

We went for Thanksgiving 2012 for the sole purpose of seeing the northern lights.  We had considered locations in Sweden and Finland but chose Tromsø because it seemed to offer the best mix of things to do during the day and we had never been to Norway.  The town is small, but it does at least offer a worthwhile museum (The Polaria), interesting architecture (not just the museum, but also a typically modern Nordic church), and Mack, the world's most northern brewery.  (Tromsø has a lot of "world's most northern" appellations, whether true or not.) We went dog sledding one day, which was a ton of fun, even if touristy.  I also liked being based out of a smaller city because I was able to rent a tripod so didn't need to lug one all the way there from DC.

As for the northern lights: two nights we weren't able to venture out because of the weather, but the other two nights we were able to go out.  The first night we went with Guide Gunnar.  It was a small operation--just Gunnar and his Sprinter van.  But he was fantastic--he'll drive all over and because it's a small van, he's able to go to places the large buses won't.  After a couple of hours of searching, he set us up (and built the aforementioned fire and snow couch) and we had some really great lights.  Gunnar is great, especially if you're a bit more serious because the small group offers lots of personal attention. 

The other night we went with Arctic Guide Service, which was a larger company with a bus.  They also did a great job and found a perfect spot for the lights.  (And we saw a moose!)  The larger group was more casual (people trying to take photos with their iPads, for example, and one person who bought a DSLR in town that day and opened it up on the bus, not realizing that the battery wasn't charged...) but the guide was great.  

Beyond the lights, we had a wonderful time in Oslo and had an unplanned Thanksgiving dinner at a cajun (!) restaurant.  I can't find it online, so I'm not sure if it still exists...we planned on going to a nice Italian place for dinner but walked by this place with a chalkboard sign promising turkey dinners and couldn't resist.   

We've also seen the lights a few times in Iceland, so if that's an option for you, I'm happy to share more about that.

[lion]

Thanks for all the replies, great ideas to consider. Washingtony, thanks for writing your travel experience out, Norway sounds like a good place to experience them.

[porcupine]

Thanks, washingtony.   I've seen the lights in Iceland. Norway is on my list for a bunch of reasons, not just lights. I will keep in mind about tripod rental. I hate lugging all my photo gear around.