Onward!

So last time we were just getting on the ship for our North Atlantic cruise.  Ever since I was a kid and read about navy ships in the North Atlantic during World War II I've wondered what it would be like.  I mean, the water isn't going to look different or anything but the weather was supposed to be pretty fierce.  At the start of September I thought we might start getting some bad weather but hopefully not too bad!  As I said earlier, the first two days of the cruise, Saturday and Sunday were spent tied to the pier in Bergen.

The cruise started out with a letter from the Captain stating that because of bad weather, consisting of up to 60 knot winds(70 mph or 110 kph), we wouldn't be making our scheduled first stop in Lerwick, Shetland Islands.  Hmmm, well, we did sign up for fall cruising up north.  So, instead of getting to check out the Shetland Islands we spent Monday 'at sea'.  I must admit that it did rain pretty much the entire day and it was windy even where we were.  Of course the ship has stabilizers but we were still rocking more than I've ever experienced before.

Viking has a number of ships all built to the same design.  All staterooms have a veranda that is usually quite a nice place to get some fresh air; maybe take your glass of wine out and try to get photos of birds or the sunset or whatever.  On this trip we used the veranda for a total of probably 15 minutes and those minutes were either in port or entering a port.  It was about 40F(4C) and raining for most of the trip.  Likewise these ships have two decks that are designed to give you a place to walk.  My wife and I like to walk and normally take a few laps even if we aren't the fastest people on the ship.  Not this time!  Most of the time the doors leading to the outside deck was marked as wet and dangerous and you were told not to go outside. 

So, what did we do?  Well, we did spend an unfortunate amount of time either eating or thinking about our next meal.  We usually had breakfast and lunch in a huge cafeteria on deck 7.  They have some fixed items and some that vary.  One of the favorite fixed items was the Gelato Bar; it was busy every lunchtime.  We had most of our evening meals in 'The Restaurant'.  Yeah, but it was really quite nice.  They would have 6 or 8 entrees and the same number of appetizers and deserts that changed every night and 3 or 4 that were always on the menu.  They have two 'specialty' restaurants on the ship and we ate one evening in each but the food is no better and the staff isn't as good.  During the day, the ship had various card games set up and a bean bag toss game that I guess is called a Cornhole Game.  (I don't know but that's what it's called on Amazon.)  Bridge lessons and knitting lessons were offered as well as the usual stage shows.  We found a game table that had a Mahjong game and we took that up on several mornings.  My wife found some historical tv series that she watched even knowing more about the history that the author's did.  There is an enclosed pool on board but it was downright cold in that area so I never saw anyone in it.

The 4th day, Tuesday, we made port in Torshavn, Faroe Islands.  The islands are owned by Denmark.  I don't know if you can read it but the gray building in the photo is "Bergen Fiskeindustri" which pretty much is how the islanders make their livings - fishing!

The ship offers an included (free) bus tour on most stops and has optional tours for the interested.  We stuck to the included tour since we had no idea what we would find.  The tour just wandered around the island a bit.  There was some rain and wind and some mild sunshine.  There were large groups of sheep wandering free everywhere (even at the Hyundai dealer). 

Our guide told us they were owned by the various families and shearing and butchering were done in kind of a community setting.  I still have trouble with who might own what sheep but I guess that since I don't live there I should stop worrying about it.  The islanders began having sod roofs and you still see some of those even in the city.

There are almost no trees on the island.

At any rate, we enjoyed our tour but we each have to wonder what keeps people living here. 

Our 5th day, Wednesday, was another 'at sea' day.  My wife and I were enjoying the cruise but I can see where some people might have been getting a little cabin fever.  On our 6th day, Thursday, we woke to find ourselves in Reykjavik, Iceland.  Another island, another bus tour!  This time we coughed up extra money to get to see more of the island and I can only vote it as 'ok'.  Iceland is an amazing place but we simply didn't have enough time to do it any justice.  Much like the Faroe Islands, fishing is important and, increasingly, tourism.  A couple we met onboard had taken advantage of a 'free stopover' offered by an airline and had spent a week there last year.  That seems like a great way to check it out.  Our tour guide was kind of funny.  We saw some wind turbines; there were three, she said there had been four but one was blown down.  We saw some radar domes; there had been more but one blew away.  We started worrying about ourselves blowing away!  There was a nice museum containing a boat, the Islendingur,  that was a replica of those sailed to Vinland (present-day Newfoundland) by the Vikings.  Let's just say those guys were crazy setting off in something so tiny and open.

There are supposed to be amazing waterfalls, fantastic lava fields and geysers.  It was cold and rainy and we almost all stayed on the bus! 

Our 7th day, Friday, was another 'at sea' day.  This time headed for Greenland.  I'll see if I can't get us on home next time.  Until then, thanks for stopping by!