Stockholm, Sweden - Tuesday

06-30: Stockholm, Sweden. Stuart was up early because he had a 6a presentation in the Explorer’s Lounge. It was a commentary while passing through the archipelago as we headed into Stockholm. I did make it up before he was done so we went to breakfast in the dining room for the first time. Waffles for Stuart and French toast for me. Around 10:30a we headed out to meet Kurt and Camila. They live in Visby and came into Stockholm to meet us. It was a full day! First, we headed to the ABBA Museum. We spent a fun couple of hours there. They were such a great group. I was surprised how each of them had ongoing careers after the group broke up. This museum and others are on the island Djurgarden. On this same island we also drove to the Royal Gardens for lunch. Well, it was supposed to be lunch but it was really Fika. This refers to friends gathering for a beverage and sweet with conversation. After that we walked around the gardens for a time. Then back on the road on this same island with an ice cream stop. For dinner it was back on the mainland and heading to a restaurant that has been here since the 1600’s. We met their son Jesper and his girlfriend Cecila there. We had a marvelous dinner. It was Swedish Meatball, mashed potatoes, pickled cucumber, and a lingonberry sauce. It was just amazing! Next, we were scheduled for a ghost walk. We began the tour with steep stairs with no rail and a lot of them! I barely made it up there. Stuart opted us out of the rest of the tour and met them afterwards. I was sorry to sit it out, but I just couldn’t do it. After we met up with the group Kurt and Camilla took us back to the ship. It was a delightful day with a lot of wonderful memories made.

Tallin, Estonia - Monday

06-29: Tallin, Estonia. We have both been to Tallin in the past, and experienced the old town area. So, today it was taking the ship shuttle into the newer area of town and walking around a little bit. We saw a cute burger joint with locals, so we had lunch there. Stuart felt it was the best burger so far on this trip. It was juicy, hot, and delicious. We dropped into a thrift shop of sorts in search of old coins, but it was all clothing so we walked on. Time to head back to the ship as Stuart has a presentation. We had a quick dinner in the World Café because we want to go to the show. Tonight was a farewell toast with the captain as the beginning of the show with a toast and acknowledgment to some of the hard-working staff. Andre, the cruise director, took us on a musical journey through his life in the entertainment field. We ended the night in Torshavn.

Sea Day

06-28: Sea Day! We had a leisurely morning and took lunch in the Dining Room. Stuart worked on a few things this afternoon and I did some album work. His presentation was at 3:15p today. Upon entering I finally met Kathy, we have a mutual friend (Helen) and she is from Fresno. We chatted for a while. A few card games and going to Alan’s presentation took up the rest of the afternoon. We had a nice dinner with Resident Historian Erin Barr, her mother Sue, Alan Carlton, and the two of us. Erin and Sue will be getting off in Stockholm but Alan will continue on like we are until our Bergen disembarkation. It was really too late to go to the show since we had a late dinner. A few more card games tonight and off to bed. 

Gadansk, Poland - Saturday

06-27: Gdansk, Poland. This is the 99th country I have been to! A trip into town was the plan, the ship provides a free shuttle. They have heat warnings so we don’t plan to do too much. I was hoping to find perogies to taste. That is a sort of dumpling, small, and filled with various things. The charming outdoor café didn’t have them. We didn’t really want to walk further, so we opted for pizza. It was good and we had a couple of cold beverages to go with it. I had my first alcohol free sparkling wine, it wasn’t bad. We were thinking about taking the historical car tour in town, but no one was around to rent from. We will plan that next time since we make all the same ports stops on our way back. We were spent after waiting in the blistering sun for the shuttle, with very limited AC. The first stop was a big cold beverage on our return to the ship. We played one game of Phase 10 then it was to the cabin for a rest for me, and computer work for Stuart. A couple changes have been made to his presentations and he needs to adjust to that. After showers it was time for dinner. There was a Perogi station tonight on the Aquavit Terrace. There were 4 types of filling. One was a bit better than the others because the dough was not as thick. It was fun to try them. The Aquavit Terrace on Viking Ocean Cruises is a signature indoor/outdoor space located on Deck 7, directly aft of the World Café. It offers the most al fresco dining at sea, acting as an extension of the buffet where you can enjoy meals with panoramic ocean views. Tonight was a Beatles Tribute done by the cast. The music was great. Tonight we turn our clock forward an hour, making us 10 hours ahead of home time. Tomorrow is our 1st and only sea day on this 1st of 2 cruises. 

Bornholm, Ronne - Friday

06-26: Bornholm, Roenne (Ronne). Today we went on the included, scenic tour of Ronne. Bornholm is a lovely island belonging to Denmark. Our trip was mostly traveling country and forest roads. They grow a lot of crops here, though I am not sure what all of them are! There was corn crowing in various stages, the grain for canola oil, and many more grain-type crops growing. Our one stop on the tour was the Round Church, Østerlars Church. Four of Denmark’s seven medieval round churches are located on Bornholm. The round churches were built as a combination of a church and a defensive structure and each of them have their own characteristics. The one we visited was built in the 1200’s with frescos dating back to the 1300’s. It was a lovely, relaxing drive to see the island.  We drove on seeing remains of a fort and passing through the small town named Hasel. This small town has a plant that makes ALL the fish burgers for McDonalds in Europe for 50+ years! After our return we had a snack and played cards in the Explorers Lounge. There is a snack area there called Mamsen’s. They serve open faced sandwiches, cakes, cookies, and sometimes soup. We went to dinner in the dining room, so we didn’t want to eat much. After dinner was the show. It was a Whitney Houston Tribute show, which was fair. It would have been better if she picked more popular songs we would know. Again, visiting with a few people and then on to Torshavn to close the day out.

Warnemünde, Germany - Thursday

06-25: Warnemünde, Germany. We had a most delightful day. A good many people took the long trip into Berlin, which is a 12-hour tour. We have both been there before so for us it was a walk to the canal area. Stuart did remember being in this area before and it did not disappoint. We had a wonderful Bratwurst lunch. With it they served a very tasty sauerkraut. I usually don’t care for that but it was very good. We walked all around the canal area. I even did a little shopping. Later we had a cold drink and then headed back to the ship. It was a long walk for me! We freshened up and had dinner in the Dining Room for a change. It began with mushroom soup, followed by shrimp and scallops, and then an apple treat for dessert. It was a full day and I am exhausted. No show tonight as it is some video in the Star Theater, we skipped that, played cards, and went to bed early.

Copenhagen, Denmark - Wednesday

06-24: Copenhagen, Denmark. My back is hurting today, so we stayed onboard. We did plan to go to Tivoli Gardens but we will do that on our return trip. We didn’t do much all day but at 6p we had a Cooking Class that was a lot of fun. I wasn’t the only one who needed a chair for the time there. We all chopped something for the meal. I had chives and basil, Stuart had celery and lemon grass. I had to tear, not chop the basil. Stuart cooked the mushrooms for the risotto and added duck leg confit to that. It was so delicious, it could have been the main dish for sure. Along with that we had a small bowl of muscles. The meat portion was Saltimbocca with a side of Angel Hair pasta with a delicious tomato sauce. To me the Saltimbocca lacked flavor. A delicious Tiramisu was the dessert; we did not make the dessert. We do have the recipes for all of it. Of course, the wine flowed freely throughout. We also got to keep our apron! We are stuffed and played cards until bedtime.

Ålborg, Denmark - Tuesday

06-23: Ålborg, Denmark. We arrived at 10a. The port doesn’t look very walkable. Anyway, Stuart has some work to do today before his presentation at 6:30p. Latte for breakfast as usual. Lunch in the World Café with a little walk around and then back to the cabin. I worked on photos while Stuart put the finishing touches on his next presentation, which he did at 6:30p today. All about Copenhagen, quite interesting! It was a quiet day. We also watched ships and sail boats along the water as we played cards. Tonight was the BBQ party around the pool. That was a lot of fun. They had organized line dancing taught by the performing staff and a lot of people participated. At 8:30p the BBQ part was over and then it was dancing under the stars. Well, no stars because it is too light, but it was nice anyway. It was pretty late by the time we left there but we still fit in a few games of 5 Crowns. 

Oslo, Norway - Monday

06-22: Oslo Norway. We had a quiet morning and a nice lunch in the World Café. We took the included tour today after lunch. It was called Oslo Highlights and Vigeland Park. We have both been to Oslo before but not to the park, so that was fun with all the different statues. The statues are meant to show humankind at all ages and as we grow and age. Interesting exhibit. It was quite controversial when it opened because all the statues are nude. One reason for this is making it timeless. If they were clothed it would date the period in time. There are exactly 212 sculptures in Vigeland Park. All of these bronze, granite, and wrought-iron statues were created by the single Norwegian artist Gustav Vigeland. It was a lot of walking with a LOT of stairs but we made it! Well, glad I made it, no problems for Stuart. It is warm again today, but not as warm as yesterday. Our next stop was the ski jump, quite the amazing site! You have to imagine it with a lot of snow! We were back to the ship by 5p, sail away is 6p. Viking doesn’t really do anything special for sail away. After freshening up we headed to Alan’s presentation at 6:30p. It was interesting about the relationship of Denmark and Sweden in 1864, called the forgotten war. We had a really quick bite for dinner and rushed to Trivia. Jackie joined us again tonight. Next was the show followed by cards. So, we had a full and busy day. 

Oslo, Norway - Sunday

06-21: Today we are in Oslo, Norway. There is only 1 sea day on this cruise and one on the return trip. After lunch we took a nice walk. It is quite warm and sunny, with a breeze. Someone said it was going to be 79F, I’m not sure if it was or not. We were going to go to the Munch museum, but instead we stopped at the Opera House and enjoyed the views with a glass of wine. There is art work in the Harbor. One is a glass shape called “She Lies” and another is a metal bird installed on a metal platform. The harbor is very busy today being Sunday. Seems like a popular thing to do it rent a sauna. They even have some that look like a small house and you can set sail in them! Returning to the ship we rested a little bit and Stuart prepared for his presentation at 6:30p. That went very well, then we had a quick bite to eat, and rushed to trivia! That was fun, it was music trivia today. After trivia, we decided to just play cards, which we did listing to the String Duo for the rest of the evening.                  

Stavanger, Norway - Saturday

06-20: Today we are in Stavanger, Norway. I don’t know if I said there are excursions included in every port. There are also optional tours that you pay for. Today the included tour was a Stavanger Walking Tour & Oil Museum. Since it is raining, we opted out and we also slept in. At one point after leaving Stavanger the visibility was zero! The fog or whatever caused a complete white out from what we could see! That lasted about 10 minutes and then we could see a few yards. Anyway, back to the beginning of the day, it was laundry time. In the afternoon we relaxed and later we went to the Art History talk with Erin Barr, it was Munch, which I knew little about. It was a good presentation. Afterwards, we had dinner with Erin and her mother Sue. Both from Buffalo NY. The show was directly after dinner featuring Jenifer Rawolle. It was a great show; she has a great voice along with being the assistant Cruise Director. After listening to the guitar music presented by Alan in Torshavn, it was off to bed.

Eidfjord, Norway - Friday

06-19: Sunrise was 4:01a and sunset will be at 11:04p tonight. Lots of daylight hours! Today we are in Eidfjord. It's quite overcast, with clouds hanging next to the mountains with a lot of trickling waterfalls, it's really beautiful. We entered the fjord at 6a, which we did not see. However, we appreciated the views when we left tonight. Our colds are a little better, I think. We did sleep in and ate soup at lunch. We walked around the decks of the ship outside for some fresh air. It feels warm enough at 67F but it looks quite cold with the gray skies. After lunch we went to the pool area. It is enclosed and we played cards there for a little while. Stuart needed a nap so we came back to the cabin and I did a few things on my laptop. We had dinner in the World Café followed by the show. It was the Viking Sky Vocalists tonight; the show was Coast to Coast. It highlighted some tunes from the past. Following that we listened to Magic Melodies with Olena and Dima the stringed classical duo. Since they finished up for the night, we moved on to the Torshavn Lounge, but we only caught 2 songs there and they were also done for the night. It was fine as we are still sniffling quite a bit, so off to bed.

Bergen - Viking Sky Thursday

06-18: We are both a bit under-the-weather today. Hoping Stuart will feel better to give his first presentation tonight at 6:30p. I slept in, Stuart did some laundry and we went to lunch by 1p, choosing the World Café. The food so far has been very good. We took just a short walk around the ship as I think resting and fluids are the best idea for us right now. Stuart gave his 6:30p presentation with very high attendance. He gave an excellent talk about Norway, the sea, and the Kon Tiki voyage. After that, we went straight to dinner and came back in time to the theater for the Captain's Welcome, which included introduction of the speakers onboard. After the welcome, we also had a nice show. After that was over, we went to the Torshavn lounge where Alan on the guitar was just finishing up. We stayed on for some lively music with Arvin and Eza. It was enjoyable and after that it was off to bed with a dose of Nyquil!

Bergen - Boarding Viking Sky Wedneday

06-17: Today we will board the Viking Sky, our home for the next 4 weeks. Stuart got up early and walked quite a way to exchange some older 500 notes. The stores will not take them but certain banks will exchange. He was happy to have that done. He seems to have a little cold, and I am starting to feel it too. We took it easy, just walking to a very close restaurant to have lunch. We actually ate a delicious burger there and then played cards. The place was not busy and we were welcomed to do so. After that it was a quick walk back to the hotel to get our luggage, and call for an Uber to the ship. Again, it was a long wait, finally we canceled that, and Stuart secured a ride from his phone. Uber is not as good here as it is at home. It was a quick trip; we could have walked except for luggage on cobblestone streets! Total boarding time was maybe 5 minutes and we went directly to our cabin.

I have never been on Viking Ocean before. I have been on their river cruises. The ship décor is different than any other I have seen. It is very subtle with clean lines in furniture and architecture. It is comfortable and soothing to the eye. We first went to the Port Talk, as Stuart has a meeting directly after the talk. I went back to the cabin and finished unpacking. Our cabin seems very spacious in comparison to our recent tiny hotel room, and even more space that the Havila adventure. Next up was dinner in the World Café Buffet. It was very good with a lot of healthy choices. I had Hanger steak and snow peas, both were delicious. Stuart had a plate full of many sushi and sashimi options, which were also very good. From here we went to the show. This was a local violin artist, Tor Jaran Apold, he gave us an outstanding concert. Next was listening to Lidia on the piano. She is good but takes 3-4 minutes of silence between songs, that is just different than we are used to. We had a nice hot (Decaf) French coffee and it was off to bed.

Bergen, Norway

06-16: Today we took the hop-on hop-off bus for the complete ride. Which brought us back to the Fløibanen Funicular. We got tickets quite quickly and then took the short ride up. Of course, there are fabulous views from up here. Even though the day is a bit overcast. We decided to have lunch at the restaurant called Floirestauranten. Stuart had some fabulous Norwegian soup with lamb, ham hock, and root vegetables. We saw our ship in port. We will board tomorrow and still have another overnight in Bergen before departure. Back down the Funicular. We waited 35+ minutes for our bus to come. At last, we got to our stop and walked to the hotel. Stuart had some work to do and I worked on photos and this blog. We decided to go back to Scruffy McMurphy’s for another World Cup game. We did not realize the next game after that was going to be Norway vs Iraq. We could not resist staying and having a blast with all the Norwegians, especially since they won!!! What a memorable occasion. After that we walked back to the hotel and off to bed. We need to pack and check out by 12p, so no rushing in the morning this time! It will be good to check into the ship where we can settle in with a bit more room for everything. The hotel has very little space to put anything, we have mainly lived from our suitcase for the last 3 days. 

Bergen, Norway

06-15:  We slept in so late that we missed breakfast! We planned to do the HOHO (Hop On-Hop Off) bus today but we decided to save that for tomorrow. By the time we were up and out we searched for a nice lunch place. We asked at the desk for their “favorite” place for lunch. He sent us to a grocery store! We didn’t realize that was where we were going. We thought there might be a food court in the back or something. No, just groceries. So, on we went wandering streets. For some time, we were unsuccessful but finally we found a back street with a couple of cafes. We chose the one with the most people, Cherie. It was a lovely French Restaurant with quintessential French music playing all afternoon. We found the perfect table outside and had a delightful lunch with a bottle of wine followed by a silky Crème Brûlée! It was a long lunch and before you know it, it was too late for the HOHO bus. We did have a nice walk around! We wandered the lovely streets back to our hotel. After working on our laptops, it was time for another World Cup game so we took the brief walk back to Scruffy Murphy's. At half time we had a pizza, and headed back to the hotel after the game. We decided not to stay up too late but with it so bright it is hard to judge the time. It was midnight when we got back to the hotel. 

Cruising Day 12 & Bergen

06-14: After staying up so late last night, it was pretty hard to get up this morning for packing. However, we got it done and our luggage was out there by 9a as directed. We even had time for breakfast. We had to be out of the room by 10a, so we played cards in the cafe until lunchtime. We decided to skip the provided lunch. We are just very tired of their menu. So, we ordered a pizza that held us through. At the appointed time 2:45p we did arrive in Bergen. Disembarking did not take as long as getting an Uber. Finally, I canceled the one on my phone. Stuart called for a new one on his phone, and it came right away! Off to the Magic Hotel City Center. 

These Magic hotels are reasonably priced and decent for a few nights. For me, it was a brief nap while Stuart did some things on his computer. To watch the soccer game, we walked to Scruffy Murphy's. We had a couple beers and an appetizer. We chatted a lot with two local men, they were nice. Somehow, after the first game between Germany and Curacao we stayed on and watched the next between The Netherlands and Japan! So another late night and I plan to sleep in tomorrow!

Cruising Day 11!

06-13: Today, we had the typical day on board, having lunch and then playing cards. At 4:30p we went on our Atlantic Road excursion. Before we actually go to on the Atlantic Road, we had an interesting drive through the countryside. We stopped at a very old Stave church built in the 1600's. It is so interesting how they can make this whole building without using any nails or other items like that, just the wood. After that, we stopped at a local restaurant and had a delicious Norwegian dish of Klippfisk. The dish originates in Portugal, but is now a very popular and well-known dish in Norway. It was quite good with a red tomato sauce. I remember my mom doing over tomato over snapper in the oven. This, however, had small potatoes, cut up in it. Which really added a lot to the flavor. Bread was served with that and a little cracker type bread. For dessert, we had a flan with the little whipped cream on top. Next, it was to the Atlantic Road at last. It isn't quite like the pictures. The first part of the drive looked like the pictures with a road over boulders, long flat boulders and such. After that, it was more of a drive through the countryside. There were a lot of farmhouses with cattle, sheep, goats, and even a few horses. I even saw a deer at the edge of the forest. At this time, they are harvesting green silage. They cut it before it gets too tall, maybe two feet high and then bail it to ferment in plastic. This makes highly nutritious cattle feed for the harsh Nordic winter. We connected back with the ship in Molde. We watched part of a world cup game in our cabin. Then, we play cards and waited for the midnight game of Brazil vs Morocco on deck 9. By the time we got to bed, it was almost 2:30a. And the game was a tie!

Cruising Day 10!

06-12: We slept in late enough to miss breakfast! After getting ready for the day. We crossed the Arctic Circle on our way south about 9a. After that we played cards until lunch with Janine and Philipa. When we arrived to Brønnøysund we got off and walked around, we had 2 hours there so it was nice. The population of Brønnøysund is estimated at approximately 5,130. As the administrative center and largest settlement of Brønnøy municipality in Nordland County, it is home to the majority of the municipality's roughly 7,841 residents. We had a glass of wine at a cute little restaurant called Svang. Wow, the food smelled and looked amazing but we were full! Back to the ship for 5:15p departure followed by cards and dinner. After dinner we went to the Quiz for tonight. Topic was food and drink around the world. We did pretty good getting 42 out of 50 questions correct. By then World Cup was on and we watched Canada vs. Bosnia. It was a tie. Decent bedtime at 11p. It is still very light out. We heard the sun will go down for about 1.5 hours, but we didn’t notice it. I think it was supposed to be later, around 1a. 

Cruising Day 9!

06-11:  We slept in due to our late bedtime last night. By the time we went up, it was lunch. We had a really good lunch of lamb sausage, potatoes, mustard, and a bit of sauerkraut. It was served hot and that helps a lot. We played cards, sisters Janine and Philipa joined us this time. This afternoon weather did permit it so we went into the narrow Trolifjord. It is so narrow there is little water on each side and the side are straight up rock. It was quite the view! It was difficult to get any photos as people have rushed to the front of the ship and it was impossible to see pat them. The photos taken through the ship windows on the side leave something to be desired in quality. It was food stories on deck 8 so I went and got the daily taste. Today is was porridge. Not like we think of oatmeal or other grains. It is more like think cream of wheat with no texture at all. It tasted good enough with cinnamon and butter! The food stories offer a little taste of a local item. Yesterday was reindeer sausage according to others. Next stop was Sortland for a few minutes and off we go. Dinner and bedtime for me. Stuart has energy today and went to the hot tub before bed.  

Cruising Day 8!

06-10: We were so thankful the waters were calm last night. Today we have clear skies and sunshine! The sun is always up, but we don't always have sunshine. On this return trip, we will have some of the same ports, but also some new ports of call.

Our first stop is Hammerfest, with a population of 10K. It is the most northern city and the same latitude as Siberia. Stuart went out and got a few snacks at a nearby store. I've heard it's 67F and the sun is out, so it was nice in the city. We played Phase 10 for a little while after breakfast and then worked on our laptops till lunch. More cards in the form of 5 Crowns after lunch. Then back to the laptops. We are enjoying a scenery very much. But I think it's time we're ready to I had to a different place!

Tonight we go to a midnight concert in Tromso. It seems strange to do that when it looks like noon and not midnight! We walked a short distance to the church and enjoyed the concert, which was approx. 45 minutes long. The one woman singing had a great Soprano voice. There was another woman on the pipe organ and switched to the piano, she was good as well. The one man played 2 different types of saxophones. All of the were very talented. After the short walk back to the ship and getting ready, we dropped into bed at 2a! Another great day.

Cruising Day 7!

06-09: We had a pretty rough night last night on the Barents Sea. Both of us got physically ill, and the ship was really bouncing around. In the middle of the night, it calmed down. We are in Kirkenes today with an excursion to a snow hotel. Kirkenes means church on the peninsula. There is a population of approx. 3,550 in the city and a bit more than that in the outlying areas. It looks a lot larger than that. Many of the homes look so similar. That is because after WWII Sweden sent the necessary supplies to re-build the town. They call them “Ikea Houses”. Many of the signs here are in Russian because we are just 7.5 miles from the Russian border. There use to be a very open border where Russians and Norwegians could drive over freely with a simple visa. You got the visa just once and used it many times. That has stopped for the Russian side. The Norwegian people can still do this but not the Russians. It has hurt their economy and the guide said the town is dying. They hope the iron mine will open again and bring prosperity. The Finland border is approx. 28 miles away.

Everything is running at about thirty minutes late. That might be due to the rough waters yesterday. The drive was beautiful but the snow hotel was a bit of a disappointment. We thought it was a good-sized hotel with a bar where we would sit and have the hot drink and sausage, according to the description. Instead, we started out on a walk to go see sled dogs, and on to see reindeer. We changed shoes to boots provided and then onto the very small hotel with a temperature of 27-28F. There was a bar and we stood around having a tiny glass of elderberry juice. At the entrance there is a large carving of a King Crab and a few colored lights around. We perused the five or six snow hotel rooms. They have a block of ice for the bed with a mattress and a skin over them. There are different carvings in each room. You are given a sleeping bag but there is no restroom. If you need that, you must go outside and down a path in the middle of the night. A few people opted for that from our ship. Next, we were supposed to go to the restaurant and get a hot drink and sausage. With just 12 minutes remaining and quite a walk up a hill to get there and back, we just skipped it. Our guide brought us back a reindeer sausage, which was very good. After a lovely drive back to the ship, we had lunch in the Havly Café. We are a bit tired of the lunch menu. Stuart had a burger and I had Bolognese; both were hot and tasty, a pleasant change. We played a few cards then went back to the cabin and took a nap. We are hoping the water will not be as rough as yesterday. 

Cruising Day 6!

06-08: We were up early for our breakfast because we have a tour today to the North Cape. We were really looking forward to that! We stopped in Honningsvåg where we boarded busses for the 40-minute drive to the North Cape. In Honningsvåg there are approximately 2200 inhabitants in the town. The fishing industry is the livelihood for most who live here. We were told the population is decreasing some in the area, especially at the fishing villages. Where we docked there were dried fish heads hanging on massive wooden A-frame racks (hjell) near the harbor, Norwegians don’t typically eat these but it is a huge industry to ship then to places like Nigeria and Indonesia. They have already used the dried body portion of the fish as another food source.

The road to the North Cape was paved but very narrow in some places with cliffs on both sides in many areas. We did arrive safely and has some astounding views. Along the way we saw many white Reindeer herds. The Indigenous Sámi people bring them from other locations here to have their young. They feed and grow all summer and actually swim back to the home destination! This culture has been practiced for thousands of years across the Arctic regions of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. It is not merely an occupation, but a vital way of life that dictates a calendar of eight distinct seasons and deeply shapes Sámi language, traditions, and connection to the land.

The North Cape is the official most northern point in Europe. There is another point that is actually 0.9 miles farther but even discovering that, the Cape remains officially the spot! We walked all around and saw the various monuments, markers, and more. The circles at the North Cape (Nordkapp) plateau in Norway are known as the Children of the Earth monument. The iconic steel globe at the North Cape (Nordkapp) in Norway is simply called the Globe Monument. Erected in 1978, it sits perched on the edge of a 307-meter-high cliff and is a popular landmark marking the dramatic end of the European continent. We dressed warmly as we expected wind and more, but it was quite warm in the sun. It was an enjoyable trip.

When we got back, soup was served for us in the Havbillk Bar at 2:45p, which was our lunch. We were so warm we didn’t want hot soup so we went to the café and got cold drinks and ended up with some pizza too. We played a few hands of Phase 10 and then went back to the cabin. Today we have experienced the most motion on the ship. There are big swells that give quite the rolling motion to the ship. We had another 10-minute stop, of course we did not get off. Stuart is working on his laptop and I am writing this and sorting photos! We called it an early night since we had to get up early for our tour tomorrow. In addition, we have taken Dramamine and we are not feeling too great.

Cruising Day 5!

06-07: Rain today with breakfast and cooler a little bit cooler weather. No sunshine, (but the sun is out!) lots of huge peaks covered with snow. The lower rolling hills are very green and pretty. It was a full day of beautiful scenery. We learned a little more about the fish farming industry and how they feed the fish. It is quite interesting. We are surprised about the big cities like Tromso, with roughly 80K inhabitants (shown Below). I did not imagine big cities with large airports so far above the arctic circle. Right now, it is light all day long. I don't think that's as bad as being dark all day long in the winter.

We played geography quiz tonight in the Havbillk Bar, and that was fun. We also played five crowns with a new friend Janine, from New Zealand. This day we finally stayed up later than any other, so we are getting used to the time change! We enjoyed the scenery a lot today. It is so beautiful with bright sun and reflections of the majestic mountains in the water.

Cruising Day 4!

06-06: Early this morning we crossed the Arctic Circle, around 7a. We weren’t dressed and outside, but we had a good view of the marker from our window. From now on, for the trip north we will not see the sun set. We are truly living the Midnight Sun theme! Our first stop today was in Ornes. We were there less than 10 minutes. We were supposed to be there the full 10 minutes but the duty was done and we left. They unloaded a few items with a forklift and 2 or 3 people got onboard. It was a pretty town with a population of 1,650.

It is fairly nice weather in the 50s but on the outside decks there is wind and it is very cold. We went to deck 8 outside to listen to what we thought was a lecture. Actually, it wasn’t. There was a contest about who would guess the exact second we would cross the Arctic Circle and here they announced the winner. Some honor - but NO. They gave her a little Havila flag and then put a huge ladle of ice and water down her back. They offered anyone who followed suit a free drink – NO way! It was so cold with the wind I was surprised anyone would want to do this. However, most people were loosening their jackets and prepping for the cold ahead. We headed back to the cabin. Most of our day was following the maps and enjoying the scenery while playing cards!

Cruising Day 3!

06-05: We are in Trondheim today. None of the tours looked interesting so, we took a walk into town. Leiv Eiriksson greeted us in the form of a statue. We hoped we would find the town. We never did find the town! We were in a harbor area and it seemed to be mostly office buildings. After we got back, I talked to a couple other ladies and they walked on and never found town either. The one person who said they did find town didn't find much there, a cathedral and something else that I don't remember. Anyway, it was a nice walk. And we have enjoyed the scenery ever since then. Watching the change of the mountains from high peaks and shale-like places to rounded places like the Dolomites. There are a lot of wind machines, or windmills. We thought we would be out into the open sea by now. However, just when we think we are headed there, there is another set of mountains. We played cards most of the afternoon sitting by a huge window for fantastic views. We had an early dinner. We skipped lunch because we ate a big breakfast. My dinner was delicious, Stuart had the veal and it was not very good. It seems a lot of the food is not hot when served. Some is even room temperature. It must be the Norway style. The fish dishes I have had, have been very good. It was another early night for us. We seem exhausted right after dinner!

Cruising Day 2!

06-04: We got up early enough to have breakfast. Our day was spent mostly up the Geiranger Fjord. It was absolutely beautiful with many lovely sights and waterfalls. There are a lot of remote homes and you just wonder how they survive there. Is there electricity? Is there drinking water? Where do you get groceries? We have a meeting every night around six on deck 8 with information. I think I will try to find out some of the answers there. My favorite site of the day was the Seven Sisters Waterfall. We found a great seat to watch the scenery go by as we played 5 Crowns. Meals were fine. The beef they serve is not tender at all, and all is cooked to medium temperature, which doesn’t help. Food is not served very hot either. Fish soup and the fish were both tasty. It is 57-60F but comfortable with sunshine most of the day. A few clouds and a sprinkles, but not much. We are still tired from the time change – 9 hours ahead of “home” time – so bed early again tonight. 

Boarding Day 1 for Havila

06-03: I really didn’t want to get out of bed today! Stuart was up, showered, and ready before I even got up. We had a nice breakfast and then back to our room to ready our suitcase for the next lap of the journey. We will leave the suitcases at the hotel while we explore the area around the hotel and before we head to the Havila ship for our voyage up north. It is a fantastic view from our hotel room. This area is called Bryggen Historical area right near the harbor. 

We had more than a one hour wait standing in line to get on board, that was brutal. The cabins are not ready yet. We had a glass of wine and waited in the cafe until they were ready. We are very tired still adjusting to the time change. Dinner was nice and we chatted with a couple of sisters from Australia and New Zealand. After dinner, we unpacked only what we needed to go to bed. And I think it was only 8:30p. It was an exhausting day, but I saw a lot of new things. Stuart has been here before.

We had more than a one hour wait standing in line to get on board, that was brutal. The cabins are not ready yet. We had a glass of wine and waited in the cafe until they were ready. We are very tired still adjusting to the time change. Dinner was nice and we chatted with a couple of sisters from Australia and New Zealand. After dinner, we unpacked only what we needed to go to bed. And I think it was only 8:30p. It was an exhausting day, but I saw a lot of new things. Stuart has been here before.

On Our Way! Arrival!

06-01: All set to go! Off to the airport at 7:45a for our 9a flight to Denver. We will fly Fresno-Denver-Frankfurt-Bergen. Frankfurt is my least favorite airport in the world (so far) so I hope that goes well. No direct flights but Stuart splurged and bought us 1^st class seats. We went to the United lounge in Denver for our 2-hour layover there, which turned out to be 5-6 hours! There was a hail storm and they blamed it on that for one, but the original plane we had developed a fuel leak and they had to get another plane. Eventually, we left but of course arrived in Frankfurt too late for our connecting flight. Thankfully, United automatically booked us on a later flight and we didn’t need to do anything but show up. The flight itself was amazing in the Polaris are. So much food and attention. We had blankets, pillows, toiletry bag, and so much room! Thank you Stuart for the amazing seats. Of course, this was our dinner, which neither of us could finish! Dessert cart followed this meal as well. 

06-02: In the past my LEAST favorite airport in the world has been Frankfurt. Normally, when landing there you are bussed from the tarmac to the terminal. This time we had an actual gate in the terminal. Not knowing how far we had to go, I had a wheelchair. They were ready and waiting for us. We zoomed through passport control and then on to the Lufthansa lounge for our wait. It was a very nice lounge, I fell asleep at the table, just like school with my head laying down on the table. Yes, we are tired. Finally, it was time to go and they came to our table to let us know my ride was there waiting! We both rode in a cart this time and then I transferred to a wheelchair. We awaited our turn to board and then it was a short flight to Bergen. We got an Uber to take us to the Magic Kloverhuset Harbour Hotel. We arrived there just before midnight. It was a long 30-hour day since we left home, but it was as enjoyable as it could be considering the delays. It just took seconds to fall asleep! This isn't a great photo but it looked like a Christmas Village down there with all the lights.