Tromso (or Tromsø) is a small city located in the northernmost region of
Norway, about 350 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle. It has a population of
about 65,000 inhabitants and is one of the best places to view the amazing
Northern Lights.

What are Northern Lights and how are they formed ?
Northern Lights originate from the sun when explosions cause solar particles to
be thrown out in the form of large plasma clouds into the space. Some of these
plasma clouds reach close to earth after a few days. The magnetic field of earth
pulls these plasma clouds towards them. Northern lights are produced when solar
particles inside these plasma clouds collide with the atmospheric gases of earth
causing aurora (moving lights in the sky).

Although to see the Northern lights in Tromso, anytime between November to March is good,
but the end of December is usually the best. It is advised to check the
weather before your visit, as clouds can hamper your view. 

Tromso is located on a small island about 10km long and it’s main city center is
located in the south-eastern part and has biggest concentration of historic
wooden houses, north of Trondheim along with modern buildings. There are several
other popular tourist attractions besides the Northern Lights which are:

  1. Polaria, the Polar Museum.
  2. Contemporary Art Gallery.
  3. Tromso Museum.
  4. Arctic Cathedral.
  5. The Cable Car and Gondolas.
  6. Several Lutheran Churches.
  7. Mack Brewery.
  8. The University.
  9. Mount Storsteinen and Lake Prestvannet.
  10. Tromso Military Museum (only summers).
  11. Several gardens, ponds and birch forests.

FESTIVALS IN TROMSO:
The Bukta-Tromso Open Air music festival in summers.
The International Film Festival in winters.

Tromso also has a good nightlife, food, spectacular scenery and historical
attractions. It’s lively ambiance has earned it the nickname of “Paris of the
North”. The main road “Storgata” is 1 km long where you will find many locals
and tourists. Tromso island is connected to the mainland by a long tunnel and a
bridge. The average temperature in January is around -4 °C and snowfall can
happen any time till May. In summers the weather is nice and most days are mild
warm. The average temperature in July is +12°C. Between mid-May till mid-July
the the sun is always above horizon and similarly between mid-November till
mid-January the the Sun is always below horizon. A cable car goes up to mount
Storsteinen to a nice vista point from where you can see the panoramic view of
Tromso. There are several hiking trails also in the mountains.

Although this region has been inhabited since the end of the ice age, the Sami
culture is the first known culture of the region and you will find some of their
exhibits in the Tromso Museum or the University Museum. The Polar Museum
displays the past of Tromso when it was the center for Arctic hunting and polar
expeditions. Arctic Alpine Botanic Garden is the world’s northernmost botanic
garden. The Arctic Cathedral is only a few years old and has huge windows and
chandeliers.

7 must see places when visiting Bournemouth

Each year Bournemouth welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world. People come to Bournemouth for numerous reasons; to view the world record firework displays, to attend a show at the Bournemouth International Centre or to relax on the eight miles of golden beach – weather permitting of course. The Hermitage is one of the best hotels in Bournemouth and is located just next to the famous beach and has put together a comprehensive list of sites to see when coming to Bournemouth.

1. Bournemouth Gardens

Bournemouths glorious Gardens consist of the Upper, Central and Lower Gardens, which run from the seafront to the town centre. They have won three Britain in Bloom Awards and they have also received several Green Flag Awards. While walking around the gardens, you will also have the opportunity to test yourself on the ever popular crazy golf course and take a trip high in the sky on the Bournemouth balloon.

Image credit – World Heritage Coast

2. Bournemouth Oceanarium

Bournemouth’s Oceanarium is home to approximately 2000 fish. The Amazon, the Mediterranean Sea, the Ganges and Africa are only a few of the many themed displays in the aquarium. And, there are a lot of other things you can explore during your visit, such as the Marine Research Lab, the Interactive Dive Cage, or the Global Meltdown Experience.

3. Bournemouth Pier

From Bournemouth Pier, you have a fabulous view of the Bay and the adorable coastline. It also provides souvenir shops, a theatre and a bar and restaurant. The main pier is visible from points along the beach but if you walk East from the Hermitage, you’ll eventually get to the smaller Boscombe pier. Each year Charity walks and swims take place between these two piers in aid of charity, bringing many more thousands people into the area.

Image credit – BBC Dorset

4. Corfe Castle

The ruined castle dates back to the 11th century and has a connection to William the Conqueror. It was a royal stronghold for over 500 years, but, unfortunately, it was destroyed during the civil war by the Parliamentarians. For visitors, the ruins offer an impressive picture of the countryside and Purbeck Coast.

5. Old Harry Rocks

Old Harry Rocks, which are part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, are chalk stacks and located between Studland and Swanage. One legend says, that the rocks were named after Poole’s pirate, Harry Paye, who kept his contraband close-by. Few people who live in Bournemouth have visited Old Harry Rocks, so when visiting, make sure you don’t miss out!

image credit – Information Britain

6. Durdle Door

This rock formation, which is situated 0.6 miles westerly from Lulworth Cove, is the most famous and most photographed attraction along the Jurassic Coast. Getting to Durdle Door from the Hermitage Hotel in central Bournemouth will take you around 45 minutes but will allow you to see some of the most breath taking coastline in Dorset as well as seeing one of the most memorable naturally occuring sites in the UK.

7. Sandbanks

Sandbanks is the fourth most expensive place to live in the world and by many described as Britain’s Monte Carlo. Its main attraction is the beautiful beach, which is known as one of the best in the UK. Sandbanks is home to some of the most wealthy and famous people from all walks of life. Many millionaire business owners live in the area as well as celebrities from sport, film and television. Sandbanks can be reached by car within 30 minutes from of Bournemouth and offers visitors a chance to visit one of the most exclusive areas in the UK, if not the world.

Image credit – Guardian.co.uk

Five UNESCO Castles on One Small Island: Okinawa, Japan

Okinawa, Japan was once an independent group of islands known as the Ryukyu Kingdom and kings built castles just like Wal-Mart builds shopping centers today. There are around 300 castle ruins, remnants of the 12^th through 15^th Century castle boom, scattered throughout the Ryukyu chain.

The largest castles were severely damaged or destroyed during World War II and over the past thirty years tremendous efforts have been put forth in restoring them to their original condition. Designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the year 2000, they are well maintained and contain a wealth of information for anyone interested in architecture, history, artifacts, photography, culture or just plain, ordinary sightseeing.

The island is only about 65 miles long and the castles are probably within a 40 mile radius of each other, but if you’re really into spending a lot of time researching in one spot; plan on staying a week!

Katsuren-jo

Located on a peninsula jutting out on the Pacific side of Okinawa, this castle was built sometime between the 12^th and 13^th Centuries.

This is the view of Katsuren-jo (Castle) from across the highway.  If you wish to use restrooms or get something to eat, turn back; once you cross the street, you’ll be in a different Century.

The spacious parking lot has a small, air-conditioned museum, an attendant will give you an informative brochure (English) and, everything is free!

The castle offers a commanding view of the Pacific Ocean, as well as the area in all directions surrounding it. Excavation of artifacts demonstrates that trade was conducted between Japan, China, Korea and all of Southeast Asia.

The climb to the top, walking the entire circumference of the walls and grounds and snapping a few great photos takes less than an hour for most folks.

There’s a Mom and Pop refreshment stand that serves noodles, pastries and ice-cold drinks if you want to sit and rest awhile and work the kinks out of your legs before moving on to see the next monster.

Nakagusuku-jo

Centrally located, not far from today’s Okinawa City, this castle sits atop 160 meters of rugged cliffs overlooking the Pacific Coast.  From the top of its walls you can also see the East China Sea.

An entrance fee of 300 Yen gets you admission and an English language pamphlet with an excellent map and descriptions of the construction, history and cultural significance of what you’re about to encounter.

Inside the walls are several sacred sites where, even today, locals worship their ancestors.  Photography is permitted, but discretion is recommended where people are in praying.

It is said that when Commodore Perry visited in 1853, he was impressed with the mortar less construction technique used in building this immense castle.

Here is a view from above, facing the northern outer wall.  This castle has been kept preserved in its original state more so than any in the Ryukyu chain of islands.

While most of the other restored castle ruins have smooth stone walkways and stairs, this relic has some ankle-twisting, original walks and steps to negotiate. Sturdy footwear; not high heels would be the wise option.

There are six separate, stone-walled enclosures to this sprawling behemoth and you could easily spend two hours navigating the site.  The height of the structures, stone archways and trees provide shade from the blistering sun when it gets to be too much for you.

Nakajin-jo

Nakajin Castle is the northernmost of the World Heritage Castle Sites.  It is at an elevation of about 100 meters above sea level on a peninsula jutting out from Okinawa’s northwest coast.

A fee of 400 Yen gets you a handy travel guide and access to everything on the site.

It has some sacred prayer sites, a museum; plenty of refreshment stands and hosts a Cherry Blossom Festival during the months of January and February.

This view is of the wall below, facing the East China Sea.

The exact date of construction is unknown, but it is believed to have been built before the thirteenth Century.

Many of the paths and stairways appear to be the original stone material.  A good pair of walking shoes and caution when walking would be wise.

This treasure could easily eat up two hours of your time, especially if you visit the museum.

Shuri-jo

The throne of the Ryukyu Kingdom, Shuri Castle located in the hills above Naha was the center of the kingdom’s trade, culture and politics and in fact, Naha is still the capitol city of Okinawa, today.

Best guesses estimate the castle was originally built during the 12^th or 13^th Century and records indicate the it was burned-down and reconstructed several times over the years.

In 1945 during the battle of Okinawa, the castle was destroyed. Construction and restoration began in the early 1990’s and today it is the most visited tourist attraction on the island.

The port and Naha City are visible from the walls of Shuri Castle which overlooks the East China Sea.

This is the only castle on the island that provides some wheelchair accessibility and for those who favor sandals or high heels the Shuri Castle Park is foot and ankle friendly.

An 800 Yen entrance fee gets you in for the day; 1600 Yen will gain you a one year passport for access, so if you’re really an avid castle and culture explorer, you may consider coughing up the big bucks. Kind of like Disneyland, there’s more to this place than you can absorb in just one visit.

Zakimi-jo

An early 15^th Century Castle sits 120 meters above sea level along the Pacific coast and is located in the center portion of the island at Yomitan Village.

This is the only World Heritage castle in Okinawa that rests on red clay footings; all the others were constructed on limestone based mountains.

No entry fee is charged to tour the grounds, here.

In an hour you can tour the entire sprawling complex, capture some great photos, admire the arches and architecture then, go look for some shade; it’s scarce.

After a visit to the castle, it is well worth the 200 Yen fee charged to enter the museum. Besides being in a climate-controlled atmosphere, there are 400,000 items on exhibit to see, photograph or to study.

Pictured here are some of the items associated with the fishing culture of Okinawa. There’s much more to be seen; artifacts from the Ryukyu Dynasty, farm implements, textiles, art and a few items that’ll make the hair stand-up on the back of your neck!

More info: http://www.wonder-okinawa.jp/002/001/e_index.html

About the author:
Michael Lynch, known in some circles as Ryukyu Mike, is a photographer and writer living in Okinawa, Japan.  His writings and photos of Okinawa appear in several magazines.