Hurtigruten Postscript

So we have been home for a few weeks now and I wanted to let all of you know that we successfully negotiated a full refund from Hurtigruten since the trip that we purchased - the gourmet Gilde cruise was not available.

We both thank Hurtigruten and will plan another trip on the ship sometime in the future. Our quest for the northern lights continues

Kirkenes - end of the Viking Quest

We have docked in Kirkenes - the last port of our cruise. I am sad to report that Aurora did not visit us, no matter how long or loud or how many others we engaged in the conjuring. It was just too damned cloudy. We wandered the deck last night, bundled up and armed with cognac, and though the sky seemed clear and filled with stars and the night was beautiful, comme toujours, it remained quietly black. However, all in all we are quite pleased with our journey.
Last night the Actic buffet was a feast of crustaceans - king crab, blue crab, many types of mussels, langoustines, prawns, shrimp, stuffed crabs, really a fabulous spread that also included reindeer stew and roast reindeer. We have come to know most of the passengers, at least, by face, and it has been fun bidding them farewell and bon voyage as most of them return south from whence we came.
We will spend the day in Kirkenes and then take a late flight to Oslo, then our flights home. It has gone very fast and now that we have sea legs, the earth appears to toss and turn. Perhaps just onemore Viking will cross our path before we travel the seas by air.

Far North

It's Saturday and we have reached the north cape. We opted to stay aboard as the tours are a bit too planned out for us. Yesterday was a cable car ride up a VERY steep hill with a view of Tromso. The car was rickety but the operator looked confident. The trees are turning colors here and the locals consider it the winter season already. Ski season start October 1.

The Arctic Cathedral there is quite strange. The architect has build a simple but dramatic building. Let's see if I can find a link. Ah good

The towns and cities are getting sparse up here. There is order to Norway but of course a lot of the towns this far north were destroyed during world war II so they have been rebuild in the last 60 years.

There are many retirees on this trip - they travel all over the world. I'm surrounded by local children at the moment. I think the boat is the highlight of their winter existence. You all know how much I am enjoying that. But I've got Van blasting in my ears so all is well in Maryworld.

What a odd two weeks we have chosen to be away. The Brits are so amused by Sara Palin. I wish it was as funny as it sounds.

Nice the see the market close so high on Friday.

Glacier excursion by day, Northern Lights by night

Pics added

We had a great excursion today, transferring from the ship to a fast ferry we skitted through a fjord to a glacier. There we disembarked and wandered 'round the glacier lake. We then travelled further to a small fishing village with only 47 inhabitants on the island.
As I write this we are sailing through the most magical island peaks Lofoten - or close to that.
Meanwhile, excitement is building as Aurora Borealis is anticipated this evening 'round 10 pm. This is a fabulous scenic voyage - the light in clouds at sunset seems to decorate planes of mountains so that it seems the light raidates from within.

Home of the Viking King

Zowie - Alesund is a beautiful city, buildings painted with floral motifs cobblestone streets, hills climbing up from the water as quaint and charming as can be - renowned as an art nouveau city. We wander the streets, exploring the architectural surprises that present themselves.

Next day, Trondheim - the first capitol. Nidaros, the amazing cathedral and burial site of Saint Olav, the home of the viking king Olav Tryggvason - a major place in the trilogy Kristin Lavransdatter - It is an amazing cathedral. The city has a beautiful painted wharf in the old town, delightful bridges - Another fabulous Norwegian city and old viking stronghold.

Weather is fabulous. Aurora Borealis was spotted on previous cruise - we are hopeful! keeping our announcement radio on all night. Just passing a wind farm in the middle of the sea.

Is this our Cruise???

Happy to report that the wristband is working great and I have no need for seasickness meds. We approached our first meal on our gourmet cruise with excitement only to find picked beets and bottled olives and a very bland meat dish. Something was askew. After dining we proceeded to the purser to find out what the story is and sure enough, the cruise we booked had been cancelled and we not notified. No gourmet meals, no cooking classes, no Grieg, in fact, no orchestra on departing let alone throughout the cruise - just a duo playing cover tunes and normal fare for cruises re: dining.

No denying the natural beauty and we are thoroughly enjoying our voyage - but it is not the voyage we painstakingly planned, chose or committed to.

Are you a Viking?

Mary has taken to asking this question which amuses me no end. However, when we saw a man dressed in viking garb walking down the cobblestone streets in Bergen, she did not. Meanwhile, Bergen was a beautiful city, homes built into the steep hills above the city and home to a living viking city. There we had dinner and caught a jazz trio the night we arrived and walked the shopping streets the next day before boarding the Polaryis, our ship. The local fish soup is a sort of cream based bouillabase with a hint of nutmeg and no shells. Very tasty, perhaps more like a bisque.

A visit to Hakons hall was rich in viking vibe. We boarded the ship 'round about 6:30 for an early dinner and departure.

Postscript: If we cannot find vikings, we will become them...We have taken to wearing viking hats.

The train to the fjords - komfort car - Found Viking

No mutiny on board tho there was no stop to breathe deep beauty and no lack of beauty to be inhaled. Sparsely populated, the mountains are thick with evergreens, Christmas trees, Norwegian wood - steeply stacked to drop in the bluest water - blue enough to taste the cold. Tunnels create split scenes - like frames of film - teasing with a glimpse, a glimpse - the light reveals another taste then in the tunnels we fly to emerge in a deeper gorge a higher mountain with a lone farm chartreuse with new grass, warm with a red house, sheep, a few horses.
Across from us sits Julestein - my spelling may be an atrocity - he says to call him "Joe" He guides us through the country, pointing out the blue ice glacier, telling us where to look for reindeer, what to see. Tells us of hunting deer with his daughter and the stories one shares on a 7 hour train ride. He is a very nice train companion and as we are looking closely at his face, Mary ventures the question, "Are you a Viking?" And, Yes!! he is - it is in his ancestry - the quest is fruitful! We will post a video so you can meet our viking too.
Postscript: No matter where you are in the world, train food gains nothing from the exterior beauty. It sucks.

The Viking Museum

Pics to start

It's starting to become a blur...hop on-hop of led us to 2 fabulous sites before the national theatre. Vigeland - an amazing sculpture park themed n the human condition in all its ages and stages which is breathtaking in scope and execution. There we wandered the gardens to the clasical guitar strumming of a street musician among the fabulous park.
Next stop - Viking Museum. Truly thrilling. The intricacy of the carvings on sleighs and wagons, boat masts and scabbards -One of the found objects in the largest unearthed ship, was a beautiful basket filled with wild apples. It has set us off on an apple eating craze and they are delicious and not Delicious.

Olso Observations CHECK OUT LINK FOR PICS

Mary Here

Link to Vigeland Pictures



Well we made it to Bergen and the train ride as very nice. We met a man from Voss who filled us in on a lot of Norwegian history. He lived in Voss and was returning from a weekend with friends from college - a 19 year reunion. His name is something we could not pronounce very well so he asked us to call him Joe. He is featured in the train videos.

I enjoyed Oslo more than Copenhagen. The Viking museum and the Vigeland Park with the huge statues were awesome.

There is very little news from the US here and the people of Norway are less comfortable with their English then the Danes are. The Danes switch into English without blinking.

I'm going to spend the rest of our online time trying to uploand the pictures now. Will post a link.

Cheers