Port of Call - Geiranger, Norway

Our cruise into the Geiranger Fjord was a lot more dramatic than the last visit we made. On our first trip to the Norwegian fjord, our cruise ship had already arrived at the town of Geiranger at the end of the fjord when we awoke. The Crystal Serenity timed its arrival so we could enjoy the breathtaking scenery as we journeyed to our destination port.

From Alesund we had traveled all night inland along the long fingers of several fjords that lead to Gerianger. By the time we were ready for breakfast, we were close to the position where the ship would stop before turning into the Geiranger Fjord. It was there that a group of people on a special excursion would be tendered into another little town called Hellesylt to explore the countryside. We would be venturing into Hellesylt by way of a ferry later. That was our plan for the day. We had done it before and enjoyed the leisure trip back and forth along the fjord.

Had we known that the Serenity would give us such a grand view of the fjord in the early morning we might have made plans to do something a little different (like ride the hop on/hop off bus that was advertised and traveled between a couple of towns). The cruise to the end of the fjord was slow and allowed for more pictures than we ever needed. As a matter of fact, I heard someone make the comment, "How many pictures can you take of this?" The wonderful problem was that at every little bend and as the sun rose, the landscape changed into something else even more interesting.

All of the Seven Sisters weren't awake

Unfortunately one of the famous areas the Seven Sisters waterfall only had three or four sisters awake. Many people were disappointed but there were actually many more spectacular waterfalls along the way than that. The Seven Sisters just has a neat legend that goes along with the name. It says that the Seven Sisters were all unmarried and the waterfall on the other side of the fjord is called the Suitor after several unsuccessful attempts to court the sisters.

Once we were settled in the basin in front of the little town of Geiranger, the tenders began to carry people ashore. We grabbed the first one we could and scurried over to the ferry dock a couple of hundred feet from where our tenders were landing. For a reasonable ticket price, we bought a round trip and boarded the ferry. The ferry carries lots of cars, trucks and huge tour buses, and of course lots of passengers. Passengers are accommodated in an inside lounge or up on the very top in plastic chairs where you can get a 360 view as the ferry makes its way up/down the fjord.

Hellesylt

We sat back and enjoyed the sun, the fresh air, and the views all over again as the ferry made its way back and forth. It's always fun to listen to all the commentary in a half dozen languages--gives me a chance to brush up on my German and realize how little I know of Japanese.

Hellesylt

At Hellesylt, we stayed on board the ferry and wandered into the snack area. There were some sandwiches that looked too good to pass up and it was going to be well past lunch by the time we would get back to the ship. Being good cruisers, we didn't want to miss a meal so as the ferry started up again to return to Geiranger, we indulged.

Back at Geiranger, we wandered the little shops and then returned to the ship. One of us went off to play tennis. The other to. . .well, someone had to edit all those pictures.

That evening, we ate on the Lido deck at the buffet so we could again enjoy the scenery as we exited the fjord. The weather was still holding, unbelievably sunny and cool with not even a hint of rain. Could this possibly continue?

Wordless Wednesday

Port of Call - Alesund, Norway

Much to our delight when we entered Alesund's harbor, the sun was shining brightly, a contrast to the misty rain we experienced on our first visit a few years ago. But did this mean we would brave the 418 steps up Askla to Fjellstua where we could enjoy the panoramic view of the city and surrounding countryside?  

Luckily the city train was waiting on the pier as we left the ship to begin our exploration. The choice was easy. Ride up to the top and walk down. At least this time the steps would be dry. The train looked newer that the one we rode on the last visit and we'd had to walk into town to find it. We appreciated it being there for us this time. Once it was full, it began its trek up Askla with the commentary running in several languages depending upon which one you dialed in with you earphones.

At Fjellstua, where there is a cafe and lots of lookout points, we were entranced by the gathering of wedding guests who were congratulating the couple dressed in traditional costume for the nuptials.  Once around the building, taking pictures from several vantage points and we were ready for the 418 steps--down. There is a handrail all the way but some of the steps are a bit uneven and some were being repaired. The steps ended in the town park, a nice quiet area prettily landscaped and inviting one to sit and relax a bit.

We wandered around the streets of Alesund the rest of the afternoon enjoying the sun, the cool breeze and the beauty of the architecture. In 1904, a fire destroyed many of the buildings in the city. The German Emperor Wilhelm II sent immediate help to the city and in a short time the city rose from the ashes again. There are lots of tributes to Kaiser Wilhelm all over the town center. The architecture is called Jugend style which, if I understand correctly, is a German name for Art Nouveau and obviously a result of the rebuilding assistance given by Germany.

Sunset was very late because we were so far north and after dinner, while Bob went off to find free WiFi at McDonald's, I wandered the Promenade Deck and watched it begin to turn the sky into lovely evening colors over the city. On the other side of the ship, in the distance were the Norwegian alps. The sun's rays played across the snow capped mountains. Once again Norway was proving to be a favorite destination--rain or sun.


There is much more to Alesund and the surrounding area and just a few hours stop does not do it justice--even when you've stopped there twice. Ah, another place to add to the return list.

Port of Call - Torshavn, Faroe Islands

The Faroe Islands? What are the Faroe Islands? A part of Denmark? But Denmark's way over there and the islands are between Iceland and Norway and north of Scotland. These were the thoughts that ran through my head as I investigated this destination when I saw it on our New World to Norway itinerary on the Crystal Serenity. Just as Iceland was a new experience, I was excited to add another new place to our been-there list.

There was quite a lot of history in this area with the Vikings who explored it on their way west from Norway. Originally the islands were a part of Norway but then when Norway found itself ruled by Denmark in 1380, they became Danish. When the union of Norway and Denmark was dissolved, Denmark retained possession of the islands. During WWII, the Faroes were occupied by the British when Denmark was invaded by Nazi Germany. In 1948, "Home Rule" was put into place which gave the islands extensive control over their own affairs although they are still represented in the Danish Parliament. They have their own language and their own money since they refused to join the European union when Denmark did.

As we pulled into port, we enjoyed the vistas of snow capped mountains, deep blue waters, and brightly painted homes and buildings in the town of Torshavn, "Thor's Harbor."

We would only be here for an afternoon. Our excursion was to leave shortly after noon so we ate an early lunch on the Lido deck and scurried down to our meeting point. It was another glorious weather day. We were thankful but wondered when the "other shoe would drop." It couldn't possibly hold out.

Our tour bus took us out of the city and along the fjord, Kollafjordur, that just about cuts in half the island of Streymoy, the largest of the eighteen inhabited islands. While the views were breathtaking it was impossible to get pictures through the windows of the bus. About a half hour into our ride, we stopped at the town of Hvalvik to visit a very old but very well preserved church.

Most of the islands' religion is Lutheran. This church dates back to 1837. The wood was so well preserved it made me skeptical that the date could possibly be right or that it was the original construction. As I ran my hand over the smooth polished wood of the pew, I came to a joint and examined it closer. Sure enough, while there were a couple of modern looking nails that had reinforced the joint, there was also embedded in the wood the old type of large flat headed nail that would have been used almost 200 years ago.

The rood screen, a screen in a church that separates the clergy from the parishioners, was intricately carved with all sorts of symbols I assume had to do with life in the Faroe Islands. The church is still used today although our guide told us that it is not well attended except for special occasions.

More picturesque views passed by my window as we made our way to Saksun and the little historic farm of Dúvu­garðar. The farm is still a working farm but many of the out buildings have been turned into a museum showing farming ways of the past--how far past I could not quite grasp and cannot find anything online to tell me. I would estimate at least the 1800s, possibly earlier. It was a picture perfect place with the stone facades and grass roofs and the bay area and cliffs as a backdrop. The sheep that were roaming were unusual. Not the short haired type we see back home. Their fleece hung almost as though they had dreadlocks.

Below the farm buildings was an old church. We weren't able to get inside but it looked like it was all wood inside. It had a small graveyard in back. What a beautiful resting place!

Rain chased us back to the bus in a hurry but by the time we were on our way again, the skies cleared and the sun shone again. Along the way back to Torshavn, we stopped on top of a mountainside to view the fjord below us. We were even high enough to find patches of snow although the temperature was not cold. The Faroe Islands sit in the Gulf Stream and temperatures are moderate most of the time.

As we neared Torshavn, we stopped one more time for a view of the city from above. Colors of the buildings and houses contrasted with the overall green of the land and the blue of the sea. Clouds painted the sky but they were the good kind. The kind that promises to let the sun shine through. It couldn't have been a more perfect day. As we snapped our last photos, sheep wandered past us again. In the Islands, if you hit a sheep, you have to pay the farmer. They are all tagged (as opposed to painted like in Ireland) but wander freely everywhere.

Back on the ship as we pulled out and headed for Norway, I wondered if the Faroe Islands would make our return list? Perhaps, when we want to take the time to just relax and soak up the beauty of God's earth.

Through My Lens - Heimaey, Iceland

Heimaey's Volcano Eruption of 1973

It was difficult to imagine as we strolled the streets of the quiet fishing town on Heimaey what it must have been like to suddenly be awakened  that January 23 morning of 1973 at 2 a.m. with a violent shaking of the earth and realize that hot lava was beginning to flow. A lot of good happened along with the bad in the days to follow.

The earthquake that startled the town awake caused a mile long fissure in the earth. With lava spewing into the air, the townspeople gathered in the harbor. Luckily all the fishing boats were there because of a storm that had them heading for the harbor the previous day. Evacuation began. Some planes were used as well to take out the elderly and infirm throughout the night. Even many of the sheep on the island were evacuated. In all about 5,000 islanders were safely removed and a small contingent of brave souls left behind to observe and address the situation that threatened to destroy their town and harbor.

Within a week, the town was buried under 12-15 feet of ash. When we think of ash, we think of soft bits of charred material that float in the air. Not so with volcanic ash. It is made of small cinders that rain down like hail as you can see in the pictures of the area we visited that is now being made into an outdoor museum. But the ash was only half the problem. Hot lava buried 70 homes and another 41 were set on fire by the lava.

It was apparent that as the volcano continued to flow the harbor would be eventually be destroyed unless there was something they could do to stop the lava. Having observed the new little mouse island, Surtsey, that was formed in the 1960's, geologists considered the effect of the cool salt water on the hot lava and concluded that there might be a chance of stopping the lava flow if they could pour enough water on it. Eventually 19 miles of pipes and 43 pumps sprayed over eight million cubic yards of cooling sea water onto the lava flow for over five months saving the harbor and much of the town.

Still, 360 homes were destroyed. Many homes were literally dug out of the tons of ash covering them. As I said, there was some good news. The best was that no one was killed. And while there was a great deal of work to dig out many of the homes that were buried, the ash was a great base upon which they rebuilt the airport's runways and paved many new streets. The island had increased in size a little over a square mile adding new vistas to an already spectacular view.

Most everyone returned to the island helping one another to dig out and rebuild. The process was long and hard but I had the sense that this was truly an example of community. People helping people. You find that often when disasters take place especially in communities that have learned the importance of dependence on each other.

For a greater look into this amazing event, click on the link to the USGS report  on the Heimaey eruption. Even if you don't read through it all, there are some amazing pictures to see.

Wordless Wednesday

Port of Call - Heimaey, Iceland

Off the coast of Iceland is what's known as the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago, a group of islands formed from volcanic action. The largest and only inhabited one is Heimaey. This was our next stop and, wonder of wonders, the weather was sunny and clear again. The Crystal Serenity anchored just outside the hook of land that reached around and protected the harbor of the town.

While the town is small, there was no lack of tourist transportation. At least a half dozen buses awaited our arrival and we boarded the one for our tour.  The morning was fresh, as our captain always liked to say. Our first sight as we exited the dock area was one of the local teens swinging from a rope secured into the top of a cliff area. He would swing across the face of the cliff from side to side. Our guide said it was one of the new sports their teens had invented.

Fantastic vistas passed by the windows of our bus. Like mainland Iceland, there were few trees outside of the small ones planted near homes as a part of the landscaping. This island especially showed off its volcanic origins--but more of that in another post. What everyone really wanted to see were those ever elusive puffins. As our ship's information said, "The Icelandic Puffin calls Heimaey home. That would be six to eight million of them." Since there had been no puffin sightings in our Reykjavik stop, it wasn't long before the question was out, "Will we see puffins today?"

In her most apologetic tone, our tour guide told us that it was highly unlikely. You see to have this wonderful weather meant we would have to abandon the hope of a puffin sighting. The puffins were known to go out into deep waters to feed when the weather was nice making the seas calm. You could feel the air of disappointment in the bus after that.

Still it was hard to be disappointed in the views we were about to see from Stórhöfði, said to be the windiest place in Iceland--except for the day we visited; which is why there were no puffins around. this was the spot where there should have been the largest colony. Instead we contented ourselves with the sheep and lambs and a few Icelandic horses we saw. The Icelandic horses are said to be unusual in that they have a special gait not found in any other breed. The gait allows for one hoof to always be on the ground giving the rider a smooth ride. The breed is fiercely protected.

Looking out toward a small island in the distance, we could see a single dwelling on the top of the cliffs that surrounded it. Our guide explained that there were several islands like that where a small house is built for the comfort of scientists studying the puffins. Or, as she suggested with a chuckle, for husbands who need to get away from home for a while.

In another direction, we could see Eyjafjallajokull, the volcano on Iceland's main island that erupted in 2010 and shut down air travel for weeks in Europe. The problem it seems was the ash. It wasn't like ash from a fire you might burn in your backyard. This ash was made up of cinders that could cause havoc with the planes as well as cut down on vision. Life goes on as normally as possible in Iceland even though they sit on several volcanoes. The most likely to erupt next is Katla which is overdue according to every Icelander who spoke with us. I believe it is also the largest and is said to be most dangerous. But then there is also Hekla which erupts about every 10 years. Snow capped Eyjafjallajokull and Katla could be seen in the distance from our vantage point high on the hill at Stórhöfði.

On our way back into town, our guide pointed to the mouse shaped island we could from the highway. It is Iceland's newest island and was formed in the 1960's by underwater volcanic action that eventually built up on the floor of the ocean to create the island. Geography is constantly changing in Iceland witnessed by our guide who as a child remembered visiting her grandmother on Heimaey before the eruption of Eldfell which added a square mile of land to the island. As we drove on the new section she said, "This land was not here when I was a child." Amazing to consider it.

The eruption on the island of Heimaey was also significant in many other ways. But more on that in my next post.

Through My Lens - Reykjavik, Iceland

Port of Call - Exploring Iceland

Our afternoon in the port of Reykjavik promised to be every bit as beautiful as the morning. Originally we thought we would go to the famous Blue Lagoon but the tour was expensive and only got us to the Lagoon and back and the rest of the time would be spent soaking in the steaming waters. We wanted to see more of the countryside so when the opportunity arose to join Vacation Vignettes for an afternoon tour, we snatched it up quickly.

On several other cruises, we have participated in a special tour sponsored by Vacation Vignettes, a part of Vacation.com, a network of over 6,000 travel agents. If your travel agent is a part of the organization and there is a host on board your ship, there will be an organized tour available at one of your ports and you will be invited to join. Our tour began shortly after lunch and once aboard our small bus, we headed out into the countryside.

Our drive took us through a small fishing village and up to the peaceful Kleifarvtn Lake. The view of the volcanic landscape was spectacular. Below our lookout point, we could see a smooth black sand beach much like the beaches in Hawaii. But I doubt there is a lot of swimming from this beach. My guess is the water, not being from a steam vent, was very cold.

In 2001, geologists found a crevice created by an earthquake in the summer of that year. It literally became a drain and about 1/3 of an inch of water drained each day from the lake. Eventually the crevice filled in again and the lake returned to its pre-earthquake levels. It was only one of many changes in the landscape that Icelanders have learned to live with. The volcanoes on this island nation are constantly creating changes in the landscape.

The next stop was the famed Krysuvik geothermal area with its amazing solfataras (volcanic vents emitting sulfur fumes), boiling mud pits, blowing steam vents and amazing colored mineral deposits. Once you got past the rotten egg smell, it was a fascinating area to explore. We followed the board walk and wound our way past the mud pits that spit every so often and past the steam pits that belched the rotten egg smell. Higher up was a much larger steam vent that we opted not to climb up to see.

The terrain was covered in Icelandic moss where it had the opportunity to grow undisturbed. There are few trees in Iceland. Most of them are in the populated areas and planted as landscaping. The moss reminded me of the tundra area of Alaska. It was that same carpeting but not as thick.

Our lungs full of whatever healing qualities the sulfur springs may have given, we left for our last stop in the fishing village of Eyrarbakki. We arrived at a large restaurant, Rauda Husid, that was obviously a favorite stop of tour buses. Our afternoon snack consisted of a wonderful lobster soup--almost like a bisque but not creamy white. To our delight, those around us didn't want to sample it. Their loss. It was delicious and had lots of chunks of lobster in the bottom. Great home baked bread and some olive and hummus spreads completed our snack. It would tide us over until we could get back to the ship.

The room that we ate in had a ledge built around it up by the ceiling and was full of stuffed birds found in the area. The puffin stood out among all of the others. We were anxious to see one but were no where near their nests on this tour.


 During our drive to Eyrarbakki, we had seen glimpses of Eyjafjallajokull (try saying that--just once). It was snow capped and beautiful and not looking at all like the problem child of the European airways as it was in 2010 when it erupted. I really wanted a good shot of it and asked the guide if there was a chance we could stop along the way back. No deal. He had a schedule to keep and besides, he told me, we would be on the archipelago the next day and have good views from there. Yes, but would the weather be as clear and sunny and perfect? I hoped so.