August 17, 2025 (Honningsvag, Norway)
Welcome to Honningsvag, our second favorite stop in this Artic journey. We were here once before, in July 2022, and visited the North Cape, the farthest point north on the European continent. You can click on this link https://jodockworldtravel.com/2022/07/04/honningsvag-nordkapp-norway/ to learn more about that visit. This time we wanted to focus on the town, and we’re so glad we did!
Honningsvag began as a tiny little fishing village on the island of Mageroya in the extreme northern part of Norway. It is believed to be one of the oldest settlements on earth with roots dating as far back as 10,000 years and takes its proximity to the North Cape very seriously, claiming to be the Northernmost everything, including cost of living. It is Norway’s most expensive city. We don’t know about housing, but we’re told a dozen eggs can cost “north” of $10 – and that’s without an egg shortage! Our excursion today wasn’t scheduled until 2:00, so we took some to check the place out,
Our first encounter was with a troll, of course! And just past the troll was a memorial to Bamse, a beloved Norwegian St. Bernard who became a war hero.
Bamse was adopted by the Honningsvag harbormaster as a pup in 1937. He loved kids and was loved by them. During the summer Bamse would let the kids ride him like a horse and in the winter, he would pull them on their sleds. In 1939 the harbormaster was called to active duty and Bamse went with him. He quickly became a guardian of the crew and was even made an official member of the Royal Norwegian Navy. Pictures of him wearing a sailing collar and cap or special metal helmet were sent to Norwegians all around the world to lift their spirits during the war. Bamse is credited with saving at least two lives while on active duty. On one occasion the ship’s captain was the victim of an attempted robbery. The assailant pulled a knife on the captain; Bamse saw and came running. He pushed the guy into the harbor, saving the captain’s life. Another time a drunken sailor fell overboard when the men were in town for some R&R. Noone but Bamse saw it happen. Bamse jumped overboard and kept the man afloat, all the while barking like crazy until other men on the ship finally heard him and came to see what the fuss was about. They pulled the drunken sailor and Bamse to safety. Bamse died of a heart attack at the age of seven. He was wrapped in the nation’s flag and buried with full military honors. School was even canceled so the kids could attend the funeral.
Ken was looking for some high-speed internet (the internet on the ship is the best we’ve ever had, but, alas, it is not high-speed), and we found it at this great little bakery not far from the marina.
Honni Bakes is a wonderful one-man bakery/cafe. The owner/operator, Abdoulaye, said he is normally closed on Sundays, the day of the week we were here, but the port gives all of the shops the ship schedules and when there is a ship in town he opens. It is clear the locals are as happy about this as the tourists – the place was packed, and Abdoulaye never stopped moving. He was cashiering, preparing meals, cleaning up…he was doing it all! He also makes and sells his own specialty chocolate. We had cappuccinos and shared one of the freshest, most delicious cinnamon rolls we’ve had in a long time. Abdoulaye was very friendly and happy to share his internet. If you ever find yourself in Honningsvag we highly recommend you stop in here.
The main event of the day was a play put on by a group of high school kids. “Our Northernmost Life” tells the story of Honningsvag’s history, struggles, victories and way of life. We came in with low expectations and were blown away by how much fun it was.
The play is performed in the Perleporten Kulturhus, previously known as the Pearly Gates because of its history as a Christian meeting house. Originally built shortly after the second World War, the building fell into disrepair and in 2011 was bought by a couple of school teachers with plans to turn it into a music hall and pub. The couple moved their family in upstairs and went to work rebuilding the place.
They opened the pub in 2018 and quickly realized they could not do this and continue to teach, so they both quit their jobs and went all in. Somewhere along the line a fellow teacher approached them with a play he’d written and asked them to help him bring it to life. They began coordinating with the local high school and now produce the show every year with a cast of nine actors, who take turns playing four different characters throughout the season.
Before the show began, we were treated to Brigit’s homemade waffles, served with jam and Troll cream, coffee, tea and whatever we might want to purchase from the bar.
Torre was quite proud of the unique seaweed beer produced by their brewery and encouraged the group to try it. Ken did. One and done!
The performers are between 16- and 19-years-old. They did an absolutely fantastic job with the play, telling stories, singing, dancing, taking on characters…they were great! The show pays tribute to the island’s Sami heritage, and shares that the islanders call it Palm Island. There’s not a tree in sight, and it’s cold all the time, they admit, but they hold the island in the palm of their hand, hence the name.
At one point they use pictures to help audience members visualize the conditions described in a song.
In another they talked about how cold and windy it is here.
A main theme in the play is how warm and welcoming and community minded the residents of Honningsvag are. We saw more evidence of this on our way back to the ship when we passed a building with unique artwork. It was advertising an initiative that combines creativity with civic responsibility. Global Challenge is a collaboration between the Honningsvag School, an art gallery and a local artist. Students collect trash from local beaches, clean it and turn it into art that is then sold at a local gallery.
It was such a fun day! We loved our time here. Cheers, everyone!
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