A real Viking

When I lived in Stavanger and would bike to work, the IRIS secretary used to call me "a real Viking." I worked up a sweat biking to work, so I didn't wear as many layers as she thought I should. Plenty of times, even into the late autumn, I would show up at work in leggings and a T-shirt, flush in the face and breathing hard. I'd come into the front lobby holding my bike helmet, and she'd tell me, "Kirstin, you are a real Viking!" I'd smile, push the sweaty hair out of my face, and make my way downstairs to the locker room.

Classmates gather for dinner at the Viking round table at Kroa

Well, friends, last night, I again felt like a real Viking. For starters, the final exam for my course was Friday morning, so my classmates and I fought valiantly against each question with our pens. After a break in the afternoon, we met for dinner at a restaurant called Kroa, in the center of Longyearbyen. One of the classmates had reserved a round table for us, and I didn't understand the significance of this reservation until I arrived. The Kroa Round Table is a special place; it's a private room with an epic, hexagonal table and large windows. The ceiling is glass so you can see the stars and the northern lights. The table is wide enough that you feel a mile away from anyone across from you, and the centerpiece is a wire candelabra that resembles a knotty tree. I actually felt like I should have arrived with my sword, spread a primitive map on the table, and discussed how we were going to conquer the North Atlantic. 

We ordered drinks and appetizers, and friends, one of the appetizers on the menu was smoked minky whale. Whale. Yes, of course I ordered the whale, and then proceeded to pass my plate around the table so anyone who wanted could take a taste. The meat was very dark red, almost black, and the taste was something halfway between fish and roasted lamb. It paired very well with the tart berries and pickled red onion they gave me on the side.

We spent the rest of the night eating, drinking, chatting, and relaxing. It was the first time we've been able to spend time together without the pressure of time-sensitive lab work or a looming deadline, and it was the perfect way to celebrate the end of our course.