2022 - Cruise - Norway/Iceland

(Aboard the Sky Princess)

"The Love Boat"

June 24, 2022 - 3:21 p.m. Left MCI airport in Kansas City, MO via United via Chicago with destination Heathrow airport England then to Port of Southampton. Next time we fly overnight we should upgrade from tight spaced economy status!

British Airways from Chicago to Heathrow

Settled in for a long adventure

June 25, 2022 - (Temperatures: 64 - 53 and cloudy) Arrived at Heathrow at 9:00 a.m. UTC time. Collected our checked luggage and found the Princess Cruise Ship person who directed us to the bus. Then off to South Hampton ship terminal a 65 mile distance away. Well - we came when there was a train strike!! It commenced on 21 June after members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) walked out over wages and planned changes to working conditions. Needless to say roadways were crowded.

Then arriving at the cruise terminal we notice a crowd of people outside the terminal on sidewalks..... Ship was delayed two hours in docking due to a yacht race and then there was a fire called in the terminal. At least we waited in a comfortable bus. Finally in the terminal we waited again to board the ship. Jonah took a nap on the floor! We all cocooned while waiting. When cleared to get on ship we headed to the World Fresh Market on deck 16 to ease our hunger.

Sailing time was 8:00 p.m. Our room was deck 14 Riviera 518. Our daughter and family were next door in room 520. In the evening down to the International Cafe for some coffee and snacks.

On Board - Nice Day

Waiting to board plane
Fellow travelers

Ocean Time

June 26, 2022 - At Sea (Temperatures: 66 - 53 and cloudy) Formal night so we dress up to go to dinner. We chose "anytime dining" and usually go at 5:30 to Estrella Dining Room, Deck 6 Midship. Lecture about Olden with Debbie Shields.

Line Dancing

June 27, 2022 - At Sea (Temperatures: 61 - 56 Partly cloudy) Line Dancing, Ballroom Dance Class Salsa. Each afternoon at 3:00 is Tea Time - sandwiches, little desserts, scones, and orange spice herbal tea. Lecture by Debbie Shields on Akureyri. All the lectures could be found on room t.v.

Snack time

Enjoyed occasional beautiful sunset when the clouds permitted.

June 28, 2022 - Skjolden, Norway (Temperatures: 65 - 60 and cloudy) The world's longest passable fjord, the Sognefjord, lies in the heart of the Norwegian fjord country and extends more than 120 miles inland. At the head of the fjord you will find the small idyllic village of Skjolden. The Lusterfjord is the innermost arm of the Sognefjord, and this region, where the deep fjord meets the glaciers and Norway's highest mountains, is considered one of the world's most beautiful travel destinations. Along both shores of this very picturesque fjord arm there are villages and lush cultural landscapes where fruits and berries are grown on small farms. From the fjord you can see many mountain farms and some of the highest waterfalls in Norway. No tour for us today as we walked around the small town of about 300.

Left - A beautiful waterfall as taken from the ship

Right - Looking into the fjord for an amazing view of mountains, glaciers, clouds, and the greenish water from the melting glaciers.

Left: Town of Skjolden

Right: On of the many sheep on the hillside. This one wearing a bell that was constantly ringing. Called "Viking Sheep".

Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein's hut at Skjolden in Norway (constructed between 1914 and 1918) stood as a solitary architectural marker. 26 April 1889 – 29 April 1951) He was an Austrian-British philosopher who worked primarily in logic, the philosophy of mathematics, the philosophy of mind, and the philosophy of language.

Common Valerian

Bladder Campion

Wood Crane's-bill

White Wagtail

Lots of flowers!

And this interesting bird.

Ferry going to the town of Vangsnes

Many tunnels/roads go through the mountains.

Here a ferry is waiting to transport cars.

Greenhouses - typical greenhouse crops are

tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, and pot plants.

Town of Vangsnes. On the banks of the Sognefjord. Statue of Fridtjof the bold can be seen the background overlooking the fjord. For the saga of Fridtjof see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frithiof%27s_Saga

June 29, 2022 - Olden, Norway (Temperature 78 - 53) Olden is a beautiful little village nestled at the mouth of the River Oldeelva. It is situated at the end of the famous 66-mild Nordfjord.

Our four and a half hour tour was Easy Nordfjord. A very scenic drive with stops at various lookouts. Then a stop at the charming town of Nordfjordeid for refreshments at a local restaurant. Then a stop at Europe's deepest lake, the Hornindalsvannet, which is famed for its char and lake trout.

The tunnels are quite narrow

So many tunnels through the mountains.

Eid Church - inside

Eid Church

Stave Church - a church of medieval Nordic origin made of wooden staves and has gables, a cupola, and often a series of pitched roofs. Some 28 such churches remain. The Eid church at Nordfjordeid is a long wooden church built in 1849 to replace an older church from 1691.

The burial mound, which is locally known as 'Rundehåjen' on the farm Myklebust in Nordfjordeid, was excavated in 1874, and the Myklebust ship was found several years before Gokstad (1880) and Oseberg (1904). The Myklebust ship differs from the Oseberg and Gokstad ships in that it was burnt at the funeral.

‘Villa Wessel’ is situated in Trysil, Norways largest ski resort, only 2 hours drive from Oslo airport. The house was originally build for a man called Halvorsen and his family. Halvorsen was the shopkeeper in the village and compared to the farmers and the forestry workers he was a prominent figure.

This was an abandoned derelict house built in 1898. In 2017 new owners began the restoration project.

Main street of the Nordfjordeid town with retro white buildings curvy street with with old white nice houses in the historical center of town.

Ferry going from side to side.

So many beautiful sights!! Couldn't have asked for a better day. Sun shining and not that cold.

June 30, 2022 - Ålesund, Norway (Temperatures 60 - 56) Straddling the islands of Nørvøy and Aspøy, Ålesund is also the most important fishing harbor in Norway. Ålesund's architectural splendor is the result of a massive fire in 1904 that destroyed 800 of the town's old timber houses. Determined that it wouldn't happen again, town officials took measures to rebuild the city in stone, brick, and plaster, a task given to the country's top master builders and architects. This forward thinking led to the construction of more than 320 Art Nouveau buildings in a compact central area, in the process creating Europe's most complete Art Nouveau cityscape. Here we chose the 2 1/2 hour Easy Ålesund Tour - visiting the town that has been rebuilt, Ålesund Church, and Mt. Aksla.

Views from atop Mt. Aksla

Statue atop Mt. Aksla

Panorama view

Fjellstua means mountain lodge

Fjellstua, which is situated at the top of Mt. Aksla, has an outdoor restaurant, café serving cake, coffee or a three-course dinner. There is a platform around the building to enjoy the view.

418 steps lead to the top. We took the bus!

Sights about town:

Buildings in old town

Statue to honor Viking horse in front of a gym

Main Street

Much of the architecture in the town centre of Ålesund is a great example of the Art Nouveau or Jugendstil style which was all the rage at the beginning of the 20th century.

Aspoy School One Of The Most Historical Buildings Of Alesund Built In 1922 In Nordic Neobaroque Style Norway

View of Brosundet canal with yatchs and art nouveau styled houses

For more than 150 years, the lighthouse Molja has shown the way for boats entering the harbour of Ålesund. The lighthouse now contains a comfortable and brand new hotel room, accessible through the Hotel Brosundet.

? Fjørtoftneset Lighthouse seen when leaving Ålesund

July 1, 2020 - At Sea (Temperature 54° - 48°) Cloudy Tonight was formal night.

Reading the book I brought, Ballroom Dancing, Listening to lecture on t.v., Teatime, EFFY bracelet charm, International Cafe for coffee, and pizza lunch on Deck 16
. + listening to fog horn every two minutes when fog is dense either nighttime or daytime.

Fog Horn

International Cafe for chai tea, hot chocolate, and pastry

The Table

Serving the bread and wine

Ready for Dinner

Sister Time at Dinner

July 2, 2020 - Akureyri, Iceland (Temperatures: 58° - 48°) Cloudy

Akureyri is a city at the base of Eyjafjörður Fjord in northern Iceland. Iceland's second largest city with a population of around 19,000. Called the "Capitol of the North". Walked around the town.

Beginning our walk - first houses were build
here on Oddeyri Point

View from the ship

Akureyri Church side

The Akureyri church is the symbol of Akureyri. It is a Lutheran church and was designed by the famous architect Gudjon Samuelsson and consecrated in 1940.

The title is Heimur Vonar (2000)
which means Hope of the World

The Outlaw

Iceland's best-known sculptor, Einar Jónsson. 1901 A wild-looking outlaw dressed in skins carries his dead wife over his back, a spade in one hand and his little boy asleep on his other arm. He wants to bury her in consecrated ground, but would be put to death if captured, so he comes secretly at night. Located on the campus of the community college.

Across from college is the Road to Destruction

Akureyri Community College

White Wagtail

Eurasian Blackbird

Birds seen on the sidewalk while walking to the Botanical Gardens and public park - Free entrance to this large 10 acre garden. Beside the 430 native species a surprising number of 6600 alien taxa grow in the garden. See map of the area. This is just 31 miles below the Arctic Circle.

Winding paths

Statues

Baby Blue Eyes

Asiatic Poppy

Shooting Star

Café Laut in the middle of the garden

We had some yummy cookies

The menu

Inside church

St. Peter's Catholic Church

Black-headed Gull

Common Eider with chick

July 3, 2022 - Isafjordur, Iceland (Temperatures 47° - 45°) cloudy

A town in the Westfjords region of northwest Iceland. It's known for its dramatic landscapes. The old town has wooden houses with corrugated tin roofs built by fishing merchants in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Population around 2,700 people.

Tour: Details for Bolungarvik Church, Osvör Museum & Maritime Museum.

This is why it feels cooler today. We still see beautiful flowers blooming.

Isafjordur as seen from ship

Tender boats take us ashore.

A bit of a challenge to get up and down

Bolungarvik Church nine miles from Isafjordur.
At one time a major fishing village.
The second largest in Westfjords about 950 people.

Inside the church with a man giving a concert.

Old man telling stories about life in past times. His outfit is made from 11 sheep skins

Ósvör maritime Museum is a replica of an old Icelandic fishing station from the19th century that stands on the east side of Bolungarvík down by the sea. Very small museum. Outside exhibits shown.

Turf houses are semi-underground abodes
with a grassy roof

Several turf houses with rooms to see.

Westfjords Heritage Museum

Fermented shark, cod fish and schnapps
(Iceland Liquor - Black Death)

In memory of sailors of the P13 Arctic convoy, who

perished off the coast of Iceland July 6, 1942.

Waterfalls and mountainside full of lupins and other wild flowers. Our guide gave us a drink from this waterfall that was excellent.

Refreshing water

Lupines and Sweet Cicely

Fish Traps - nets in water bay fjord farm.

Fishing has been the mainstay of the economy - mainly cod, halibut, haddock, and herring. With the sea warming it is becoming a problem.

July 4, 2022 - Grundarfjordur, Iceland (temperatures 46º - 51º) Cloudy

Grundarfjörður is a small town found on the north coast of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in the west of Iceland. It has an approximate population of 872 people. Again tender boats take us ashore.

We chose to walk around this town.

The town as seen from ship

Too many waterfalls to count

Inside the Grundarfjordur Church
with beautiful glass windows

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland
has remained the State-sponsored
religion, with the episcopal seat
in Reykjavík since 1801

The name Kirkjufell means Church Mountain as it is considered to resemble a church. This morning it is partially covered with clouds.

The statue “Sýn" stands next to the church in Grundarfjörður. The key element of this sculpture is a sailor woman looking out at sea. She stands on a high basalt column, a rock that characterizes Snæfellsnes. The shape of Kirkjufell is the second key element. It is made out of steel and represents the sea.

View of our ship Sky Princess

Eurasian Blackbird - nice pose

Red-breasted Merganser - fishing time

Common Eider

Oystercatcher

Oystercatcher in flight

Redwing (in the Thrush family)

Arctic Tern

Beautiful but unnamed flowers

Icelandic Horses
The Icelandic horse is capable
of all the usual gaits of any other horse
– the walk, trot, and canter.
However, they possess two unique gaits
the tölt and the skeið,
that are thought to have developed
in response to a gene mutation.

Drying clothes the old fashioned way

July 5, 2022 - Reykjavik, Iceland (Temperatures 48º - 55º) Cloudy

Reykjavik, on the coast of Iceland, is the country's capital and largest city. It's home to the National and Saga museums, tracing Iceland’s Viking history. The striking concrete Hallgrimskirkja church and rotating Perlan glass dome offer sweeping views of the sea and nearby hills. Enjoyed a tour.

Art as we board the bus for a tour

View from the ship of Reykjavik

View from the top of the dome
Church of Hallgrimur

One of the must-see attractions in Reykjavik is the Perlan (The Pearl). Huge water tanks dominate Öskjuhlíð Hill- above the city. A dome between the tanks contains the Saga Museum, a rotating glass dome, shops and a fine restaurant.

View from another side

Left - Háteigskirkja is a 4-towered church in central Reykjavík. It has stunning dark peaked towers.

Right - Sjomannaskolinn surrounded by office and apartment buildings, Reykjavik, Iceland Sjomannaskolinn translated means Seaman's School and was a teaching institution for fisherman. Presently it's used for a technical school.

Outside, near the parking area you will find this most unusual figurative sculptures. This a grouping of four dancing musicians was created by Torbjorg Palsdottir. She created these alien-like figures in 1970.

Viking Compass Jewelry

The Vegvisir, also known as the runic compass
or the Icelandic runes/Nordic compass made of
eight rune staves, is a symbol of protection and
guidance believed to be used as a compass by Vikings.
The word vegvisir means 'wayfinder' and 'sign post'
in Icelandic language.

Open Air Museum - Árbær was an established farm well into the 20th century, and the museum opened there in 1957. Árbær is now an open air museum with more than 20 buildings which form a town square, a village and a farm. Most of the buildings have been relocated from central Reykjavik.

Árbær Open Air Museum tries to give a sense of the architecture and way of life and lifestyles of the past in Reykjavík.

Sod house

Bedroom

Kitchen

Church

Inside church

Old Pump Organ

School children visiting and having fun

More old fashioned fun

Hallgrimskirkja (the church of Hallgrimur), is a Lutheran Church located in the city of Reykjavík. The towering structure stands 74 meters tall, making it Iceland's tallest church, and the country's sixth-tallest building overall.

The statue of Leifur Eiríksson (who is
known in English as Leif Eriksson)
was a gift from the United States
to Iceland to commemorate
the 1000 year anniversary
of Alþingi, the parliament of Iceland.

Inside church - front

These candles are lit and the light burns as a prayer in memory,
in supplication, and in anticipation.

While we were there the organist was practicing.

The concert organ in back of the Hallgrimskirkja, built in

Johannes'Klais world-renowned Orelbau in Bonn in Germany,

is the largest musical instrument in Iceland. It was inaugurated on December 13, 1992.

Icelandic Poet Tomas Gudmundsson

More statues outside the church

Overlooking Harpa a premier concert hall and
conference center

Ingolfur Arnarson
1st permanent norse settler in 874

Höfõi Lighthouse built in 2019.
The cheery yellow lighthouse
overlooks Faxaflói Bay and Mt. Esja.

in 1986 the presidents of Russia and the US,
Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan, met to end the Cold War

July 6 - 9 2022 - At Sea (Temperatures 54º - 48º) Sky overcast

A day to relax. Love sea days for reading, catch some past lectures on TV, walk on the exercise deck, eat, watch a movie, go for teatime, dance, shop......