Category: Voyage of the Vikings Cruise

All posts related to our 35-day round trip cruise to and from Boston: visiting Canada, Iceland, Greenland, Norway, Netherlands, Ireland, and Scotland.

VOV: Isafjordur, Iceland

Wednesday, August 3, 2022

Sail-away was very pretty. Clouds on the mountains and snow with waterfalls. A number of gulls flying by. Spent most of the time on the balcony and then for a while in the Ocean Bar.

We decided to eat in the Lido tonight as they were featuring Mongolian night. I had the seafood bowl – shrimp, calamari, fish, and scallops served over noodles in broth. Chuck had the Mongolian beef and rice combination.

After dinner we listened to the Ocean Bar band. The lead singer was performing at the main stage. They were repeating the show “In Tandem.” The band was playing jazz numbers – okay to listen to but not great to dance. We played some slots and then called it a night.

Got up at 5:30. We were supposed to be anchored but we were at a dock. So much better than having to ride a tender to the port. I went for coffee at 7:00 and then we went to the Lido for breakfast at 8:00. We watched the gulls and ducks swarming near the ship. Ship must have stirred up a lot of fish.

We had a HAL tour at 9:00 entitled “Off the Beaten Track: Cruise to Vigur Bird Island.” The tour description:

Leave Ísafjördur harbor by boat to criuise Djupfjord and reach the island of Vigur. This island offers a wealth of magnificent bird life including puffins, eider ducks and arctic terns. The only windmill of the country, almost 160 years old, is still maintained on the island. Here, the farmers live off the land and by harvesting the down of eider ducks.

Vigur village is like a time warp. Its ten friendly inhabitants welcome you with their relaxed, easy manner. A leisurely walk around the island gives you an opportunity to see an abundance of birds in their natural habitat during high season.

Enjoy some refreshments at the old Cow House before returning to the boat.

A farmer’s family will serve refreshments in the mid-19th-century house — the perfect way to complete your visit before returning to Ísafjördur.

Notes: It is essential that you wear warm, layered clothing in order to fully enjoy and participate in this excursion. Wear sturdy non-skid walking shoes. Bring a wind- and waterproof outer layer and a hat. About an hour of walking is required for this tour on gravel paths and uneven surfaces. There is also a 200-yard walk from the ship to where the tour boat is docked. The boat is not wheelchair accessible. Not advisable for guests using a wheelchair or for those with mobility limitations. Participants must be able to step onto the boat and up to the island from the dock. Most of the bird species start migrating away from Vigur around the 10th of August. Wildlife sightings are likely but are not guaranteed. The boat ride is unguided. There is no restroom on the boat.

We walked a short way from the pier to an excursion boat. We opted to sit outside at the back of the boat. It was chilly but we were dressed in layers and they gave us a lap blanket. We were in the middle of the back so we did not get any spray. However, the couple sitting at the back in the corner got a lot of spray.

It was a short ride. Once it let us off at the island, it picked up the group waiting and went back for the next tour group.

We walked up the path making sure we didn’t step on the Eider ducks or the Black Guillemots that were all around.

We were met by our guide – a young woman from Canada who was working there as part of a summer college course. The only other inhabitants were the owner of the island, his wife, and 5-year-old son.

The tour guide explained the Eider down collecting and prepping process. They also had a room dedicated to things that have washed up on their beach.

She talked about the oldest boat in Iceland. Over 200 years old. They keep it painted and it is still sea-worthy if necessary.

We walked up to the windmill.

Next to it, was a colony of Puffins. She talked about how they are always scanning the sea for fish. Several would just take off and dive. More were bobbing in the water. When they brought back fish, they would preen. If one of the Puffins didn’t have as many as the others, he would fly away. The Puffins would soon take the fish to their burrows to feed their Pufflings (yes, Pufflings – so cute). Eventually, the Pufflings are so big, they can’t get out of the burrow. At this time, it is time for the Puffin parents to fly away. When the Pufflings lose weight in their burrow, they emerge and are ready to fly away also.

Afterwards, we walked down the mowed path holding our sticks with flags because we were entering the arctic tern territory. There were hundreds flying around. Their young were on the ground in the weeds. The parents would dive bomb the highest point of any perceived threat. We were that threat. We were told not to swat at them – just hold the flag higher than your head. You could hear the terms popping the flags.

Once we walked the path and looked at the garden the family has, we were free to wander on our own as long as we stayed on the mowed or gravel paths. We could also use the restroom and have some coffee with homemade rhubarb cake with whipped cream. I took a piece of cake with me as I headed back to the Puffins.

I also got some pictures of the Black Guillemots. I loved their red feet. I never could get a picture of them opening their mouths so I could see their red throat. They are a relative to the Puffins.

As it was getting close to the time for the boat to come back, I wandered near the fjord to look at the scenery and watched some arctic terns harass a seal. I wondered if seals got up on the island and tried to get eggs.

Arctic tern after seal
Seal pops his head out to see if it is safe

Soon, the boat was back bringing another group to the island. I hope they had as good as time as we did.

Got back in time for a Lido lunch. Our laundry had been delivered so I got that put away.

We set sail at 4:30. It was so narrow, the Captain had to back out until he reached deeper water to turn. Interesting maneuver.

FLOWERS OF ISAFJORDUR

Travel Trivia

Isafjordur, Iceland

Pronunciation: I-sah-fear-dur

According to Iceland’s Book of Settlement, the fjord Skutulsfjörður was first settled in the 9th century by a man called Helgi Magri Hrólfsson. Around the 16th century, Ísafjörður grew rapidly due to it becoming a merchant trading post. The town was granted municipal status in 1786.

Witch trials were common in the Westfjords in the 16th century and the people banished from Isafjordur were sent to a nearby mountainous region.

The first woman to use her right to vote voted at Isafjordur in 1884.

The oldest house still standing in Iceland, built in 1734, is located in Ísafjörður as part of the local folk museum. The area also includes the most extensive body of old timber frame houses in the country, constructed in the 18th century by foreign traders.

Throughout its history, Ísafjörður has been one of the largest fisheries in Iceland. Several factors— a fishing restriction in the 1980s, drops in the fish population and monopolization from bigger fisheries in Reykjavík—have led to a sizeable decline in the town’s population.

*Trivia provided by Wikipedia and Holland America documents

VOV: Akureyri, Iceland

Tuesday, August 2, 2022

The Captain soon came on the sound system and made his evening announcements. He reported that there were two passengers, not one, who needed to go by ambulance this morning. He, of course, did not say what their conditions were but he did say they did both make it to the hospital.

His next announcement was that we would cross the Arctic Circle tonight as we sailed to our next port. I hope we get a certificate of crossing.

And his third announcement was that the COVID numbers are trending downward. He’ll be having a conversation with the corporate medical team about our mask protocols – going back to masks recommended rather than masks required.

The sail-away took place at 5:45. We passed a marker in the Fjord where an English oil tanker was sunk by the Germans in WWII. They still keep it contained because every now and then some oil will leak out.

From our balcony, we could see some really large jellyfish. I just didn’t know jellyfish were prevalent in cold water.

We went to dinner in the main dining room. We both had the turkey and dressing. I guess I was hungrier than I thought because I forgot to take a photo. We also made the mistake of ordering dessert because it was carrot cake. We ended up bringing it back to the room to eat later.

The Ocean Bar band had the night off and I didn’t really care to see the comedian again. Chuck went to the Casino. I decided to download my photos from today – over 600 (I really went overboard on the Puffins 😍).

Breakfast was delivered at 6:30. We were on a private excursion today so we walked off the ship before the all-clear announcement because we did not want to be the last ones on the van this time.

The name of the tour company was No17. They describe themselves as a small, family-owned travel agency. They provided a 20-seat passenger van and there were 18 of us. I thought the seats were a little more comfortable than the van we had in Reykjavik. The name of the tour was Three Waterfalls and Horses. The tour description:

This 6-hour tour takes you to the three most beautiful waterfalls in the river Skjálfandafljóti and visits Icelandic horses. The three waterfalls are

Goðafoss and its history,

Aldeyjarfoss with all the beauty of columnar basalt and amazing view.

Hrafnarbjargarfoss in the highland east of Akureyri.

We had an English-speaking guide who we could hear very well until his mic went out. Luckily, during our first stop, he was able to get it fixed.

Our first stop was Godafoss. There was a nice path toward the waterfall. It was a popular place with tour groups as the area was very crowded. There was even a group of Auburn Tiger fans that were having their picture made in front of the waterfall with an Auburn banner. Chuck could not help himself. He had to yell “Go Dawgs” as they were getting the picture. One of them said “there is always one.” Really, what are the odds that SEC rivals find each other in Iceland? This stop was also our restroom stop.

I thought the next stop was the most unusual waterfall with its balsalt columns – Aldeyjarfoss. I didn’t go as close as some of the people because the path down to the best viewing area was very steep and rocky and had no railing to hold on.

I was very worried about the drive over to the last waterfall – Hrafnarbjargarfoss -because we were going over a very rocky road and you could hear the rocks hitting under the van. I worried that we’d get a hole or a tire would blow. It was a very rocky and slick edge to see the waterfall too. The guide pointed out all the volcanic ash mounds all around.

Our last stop was a horse farm. We were allowed to walk into the field with the horses. They paid little attention to us as they were busy eating. We had to pay attention where we were stepping because where there are horses, there is **.

This farm specialized in multi-day horse rides/camping. One group came in while we were there. When the horses were allowed into the field, they rolled around in the dirt and grass, so glad to get the saddles and riders off of them.

This was also a restroom stop and we were given some coffee and cookies at this stop. I was glad for the cookies since there was no lunch stop. We also got to pet the other farm animals.

I’m not giving you my chair
Nope – Keep moving
The cats are mean to me.

I would recommend this company and tour, but you definitely want to wear sturdy shoes and have good balance walking over rocky and slick paths. You may want to bring snacks also.

Once we got back to the ship, we headed for the Lido for a salad. Afterwards, I got a bag of laundry together to send out.

Then I completed another ArriveCanada application in anticipation of our arrival to St. Anthony’s in a few days. Once I received our code, I completed the paperwork and took it all to Guest Services. I was glad to get that chore done.

Time for the sail-away.

FLOWERS of AKUREYRI

Travel Trivia

Akureyri, Iceland

Pronunciation: AH-ku-ray-ree

The first mention of Akureyri is in court records from 1562 when a woman was sentenced there for adultery.

Lake Mývatn (pronounced: My-vah-tin) is the filming location of the Game of Thrones’ ‘beyond the Wall’ scenes.

Location of the northernmost botanical gardens in the world.

Home of the most ski slopes in Iceland.

Has one of the largest libraries in the country.

The landmark here is the town church where most of the beautiful windows are in fact from the cathedral of Coventry in England and moved here before World War II to save them from damage. But then somebody forgot to return them.

VOV: Seydisfjordur, Iceland

Monday, August 1, 2022

The wave action kept up through the evening. Glad my Bonine was working. Wobbled from side to side walking down the hallways.

We listened to the Ocean Bar piano player and played some slots prior to dinner. The Lido was featuring Thai food so we decided to eat there tonight. It was very good.

We listened to the last two sets of the Ocean Bar band instead of going to see Iris Kroes’s second show. I heard it was just as good as the first one.

Even though our tour today was not going to leave until 1:00, I deliberately got up at 6:00 to see the scenic cruising down the fjord to the port. I was glad to feel that the wave action had stopped and felt we must have entered the fjord. When I drew back the curtain, I realized we weren’t moving at all and were, if fact, already docked. I knew this situation couldn’t be good.

While I was waiting for our coffee at the Coffee bar, I heard the Captain over the intercom say there was a medical emergency that required an ambulance to meet us as soon as possible. I heard from other guests that there was a helicopter evacuation rescue during the night about two weeks ago. I never heard the helicopter. One guest had a photo of it as it woke him up in the middle of the night.

After finishing breakfast, since we had so much time before the tour, we decided to stroll around the town for a while.

We saw some interesting artwork.

There was a beautiful waterfall just across the street.

We asked someone who was pumping gas about the gas prices. After Chuck did the conversion, we realized they were paying about $12 per gallon for gas here.

After a quick Lido lunch, we were ready for our HAL tour titled “Skalanes Nature Reserve.” The description:

Enjoy this outstanding opportunity to visit one of Iceland’s most remote places — few Icelanders have had this same pleasure.

From the pier, you will begin your journey on a regular motorcoach, until you reach the starting point for the off-road driving. Here, you will switch vehicles and step aboard a 4×4 adapted truck for ‘F-road’ driving.

Your journey begins with a drive to Þórarinsstaðir for a look at an important archeological site complete with artifacts from the earliest years of Iceland’s settlement.

Continue your panoramic drive through a green valley surrounded by tall mountains. The valley is dotted with lonely farms abandoned long ago, reminding the traveler that this peaceful landscape was once home to a number of families.

Your destination is the Skálanes Heritage Center. The Skálanes Nature Reserve covers 3,000 acres, and the goal here has been to create a site where the Iceland’s environment and cultural history can be researched and interpreted while maintaining a model for sustainable tourism. The area is home to about 47 different species of birds during the summertime. Eider ducks nest in great numbers around the pond.

From the house at Skalanes, set out with your guide on a walk to the coastal cliffs at Skalanes. They are almost 2,000 feet tall and offer a chance to come in very close proximity to nesting seabirds. This is a windswept and wild place — a very real glimpse of rugged Iceland.

Enjoy refreshments before heading back to Eskifjördur and the ship.

We boarded a bus that had large tires. Turns out it was the 4 x 4 vehicle that we would be using to get to the Nature Reserve. As we drove out of town, our tour guide gave us some interesting information:

There were 650 inhabitants and 100 of them were in the fishing industry. They bring in about 150 tons of Cod a week. They freeze it and send the majority to Germany and Norway.

The town is also a thriving art community and has an art school that attracts students from all of the world.

In 2014, the town welcomed 6 cruise ships. In 2022, they expected 105 cruise ships.

Soon, we stopped at a Viking church archeological site.

Once we left there, we drove over a very rocky road to the Nature Reserve research center.

After she told us about the research center and how many students came from all over the world to study there – biology, ecology, zoology, etc., she talked to us about the Eider ducks and how the research center raises money by collecting and selling Eider down, all without harming the ducks. We got to feel the down and it really did give off heat.

She also talked about the lupine that grows so aggressively in the area. It was planted to help with the erosion of the soil and it put a lot of nitrogen in the soil so much-needed trees could grow.

However, it was spreading rapidly, choking out native plants, and the ground-nesting birds who liked rocks and dirt for their nests, did not like the lupine. They are doing research on how they can keep the lupine but control its growth. Good luck with that – ask any Southerner about kudzu.

We walked the path up to the Bird Cliffs. She said that the Arctic terns had already migrated away, but we should see a small colony of Puffins. Soon, Chuck spotted a Puffin. I was so excited. I had been hoping all trip to see a Puffin. I took so many photos of this Puffin.

Then we walked to the end of the walkway to the viewing platform and there were so many more Puffins, even the guide was surprised at the number.

There were also many gulls nesting in the walls and swooping around.

I took so many Puffin pictures that I lost count. I did take a few minutes and also get a picture of a minke whale (at least that is what others said it was). I only saw his back. I never saw him fully surface.

Too soon, it was time to leave. We got back to the ship about 5:00 just as the rain and fog was settling in. It was a good time for a Bailey’s and hot chocolate on the covered balcony. It was a good day (even if we didn’t get any refreshments like advertised).

FLOWERS of SEYDISFJORDUR

Travel Trivia

Seydisfjordur, Iceland

Pronunciation: See-dis-fear-der

The town settlement in the Seydisfjordur area started in 1848. The town was settled by Norwegian fishermen and some of the wooden buildings of the settlement still exist.

Seydisfjordur was used as a base for British/American forces during World War II and remnants of this activity are visible throughout the fjord, including a landing strip no longer in use and an oil tanker SS El Grillo that was bombed and sunk. It remains a divers’ wreck at the bottom of the fjord.

The town is recognized widely for its beautiful light blue church and the rainbow painted path leading up to it.

In the movie, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013), the famous skateboarding scene when Ben Stiller goes down mountain hills is filmed right above Seydisfjordur.

VOV: Sea Day #9

Sunday, July 31, 2022

We had heard that a bagpiper and some local dancers would be performing at the pier before our sail-away, so we made sure we were on our balcony. The piper and the dancers were very good. It appeared that the dancers ranged in age from elementary school to teenagers. I know they had to be cold, but they performed about 30 minutes.

When our ship horn sounded, the dancers followed the piper all the way to the end of the pier waving to us as we pulled away from the dock. We all waved, clapped, and cheered back at them. It was a very kind send-off to us.

Once we set sail, we went to the Ocean Bar and then on to dinner in the main dining room. Tonight, I had the lamb chops for my main course and Chuck had the beef tenderloin.

Once the Ocean Bar band finished their first set, we went to the main stage show – another comedian. His name was Kelly McDonald and I recognized him as a performer on our South Pacific cruise. I thought he had funnier jokes on that cruise. To round out the evening, we listened to the last set of the Ocean Bar band and played some slots.

We set our clocks back another hour so my getting up at 6:45 was not really an accomplishment. We decided to have breakfast in the dining room for a change of pace. We had a pleasant conversation with four other passengers.

I perused the shops again as we still have some onboard credit to use or lose. Nothing caught my eye. I then worked on typing up some of my notes while Chuck played some cards.

At 1:00, I went to a talk by a new presenter – Dr. Helena Aves. Her talk was on glaciers, fjords, ice, and snow. She is a geologist and a cultural historian so the talk was very technical and much of it was over my head. She discussed the many ice ages we have had, the change in the patterns of the Gulf stream, and had a number of charts on ice core data. I just thought I was going to see pretty photos of glaciers, fjords, ice, and snow. Oh, well. Like for all the talks, the main stage area was packed, and she had a lively Q/A session.

The main stage is all the way forward on the ship. During the talk, I could feel the ship having a lot of movement. I knew the seas must be getting rougher which is to be expected in the North Sea. However, it was a little disconcerting to come back to the room and realize that your balcony is wet, not because of rain, but because of the spray from the waves hitting the ship – especially because our room is on the 6th floor.

I hoped the wave action wouldn’t get any worse during the night.

VOV: Scrabster, Scotland

Saturday, July 30, 2022

The menu tonight was okay. We both had the beef with black olives. I do not usually choose the beef option, but I was glad I did tonight. It was very tender.

We listened to the first set of the Ocean Bar band and then went to the main stage for tonight’s show – “Silent Magician”. He did his whole magic act with only mime and sound effects. I thought it was a cute show. Chuck was not impressed and left early.

One last set of the Ocean Bar band and the evening was done.

In 2019, when we visited this port, we took a HAL tour to a distillery and to John O’Groats, the northern-most part of Scotland. Today we had no specific plans.

There is very little around the port to see. We took the free shuttle to the nearby town of Thurso. We could have walked the 2 to 3 miles, but the weather was ever-changing, so I was not ready to be caught in pouring rain.

Thurso was a lovely little town. We strolled around the town and over to the shore. Kids were playing in the surf. Brrr.

We admired the cute houses and talked to a resident planting her flowers.

We went to the museum. Quite a collection of Viking artifacts.

We walked the path along the river. People were friendly and one guy let us play with his cute dog.

We spent a couple of hours there and then got back in line for the return shuttle. There had been two shuttles running but one of them must have gone on a lunch break because it took a long time for the shuttle to get back from the ship. We should have walked. However, it was a nice day in town.

Once we got back to the ship, it was low tide, so the gangplank was very steep. They had to let people off the ship one at a time so they could go slowly down the ramp. Then we were allowed to go up and it was like climbing a hill.

We got back for a late lunch and then a lazy afternoon watching the scenery from the balcony. Had to be cold out there paddle boarding. I have to keep reminding myself that it is Summer here.

FLOWERS from THURSO

Travel Trivia

Scrabster/Thurso, Scotland

Situated within walking distance from the port of Scrabster, Thurso is the northernmost town on the British mainland, and the second largest town in the Scottish Highlands.

Scotland Scrabster’s/Thurso’s history stretches back to at least the era of Norse Orcadian rule in Caithness, which ended in 1266.

In 1649, the Irish, led by Donald Macalister Mullach, attacked Thurso and were chased off by the residents, headed by Sir James Sinclair. One of the locals, a servant of Sinclair was said to have killed Mullach by “cutting a button from his master’s coat and firing it from a musket”.

Such is the character of the waves here in Scrabster that surfing is a popular pastime among the locals. Competitions held at Thurso East, one of the beaches in the region, have attracted some of the best surfers in the world.

VOV: Sea Day #8

Friday, July 29, 2022

Since we were not scheduled to leave until 8:00, there was no pre-dinner slot play tonight. We spent time on the Sea View deck watching all the sailboats.

Decided to eat in the Lido. I had some of the chicken pot pie. Chuck was right – it was very good.

After dinner, we listened to a set of the Ocean Bar band and then went to the main stage for tonight’s show – Iris Kroes. We had spent some time debating on whether or not to go because she was advertised as a harpist. We decided that we would go but sit toward the back in case we didn’t like it.

Very glad we went. She was the winner of “The Voice of Holland” – similar to the “The Voice” show here. She had a beautiful voice, much like Adele, and her harp playing was very impressive. She received a standing ovation.

We finished the night listening to the last set of the Ocean Bar band.

Woke up at 6:00 with sunlight pouring into the room. Someone forgot to close and pin the curtains together. Won’t mention any names (Chuck).

I decided to go ahead and get up and check on my laptop. I had left it on all night to see if I could get more of my photos to upload to the Cloud. I still had 340 left to upload. Ugh! The Internet is so slow.

For most of the day, I worked on processing the photos that had uploaded. Chuck was getting in some pool time. I took a break for lunch because the Lido was featuring Irish dishes. I tried the beef and Guinness stew. I had liked it in Dublin when I had some in 2019. The crew tried to recreate it, but the beef tips were tough, and the gravy was thin. I had a piece of Irish bread that tasted more like one their rubbery pancakes. I usually like all the Lido food but today was a culinary fail in my opinion.

At 2:30, I had an appointment with the Future Cruise Consultant (FCC) on board. Each cruise has one and he/she normally has access to see more cruises than you can see on the HAL website. The FCC can help you select one – you get some onboard credit for booking it and then the reservation can get sent to your normal travel agent (if you have one) to complete the reservation closer to the time you sail.

I wanted to ask her about our Fall 2023 planned cruise to northern Europe. The trip I had booked included an overnight stop in St. Petersburg. I knew that port would be cancelled but I was interested in knowing if other ports would be cancelled also.

She said it just so happened that she got an email that morning about the revised itinerary. Yes, St. Petersburg was out. All the other ports were staying but some of the port days had been rearranged. She also said that a new port would be added – Riga, Latvia. She said she believed I would be receiving the new itinerary in a few weeks. We still have a lot of time before we have to decide whether to keep the cruise or not.

Wasn’t long before it was time for Gala night or as it is now known – “Dressy” night. I noticed in today’s planner that tonight is Pinnacle Gala night. We participated in that night on the South Pacific cruise because the date fell on our anniversary, and we (okay, I) wanted to do something special.

The meal is an upcharge, above even the regular price of a Pinnacle meal, with a special set menu coupled with wine pairings for each course. We enjoyed that night but don’t feel the need to repeat it. I understand some people never miss it if it is offered on their cruise.

VOV: Dublin, Ireland

Thursday, July 28, 2022

We decided to have an early dinner in the Lido and go to the early show in the main stage. The Lido was featuring a Dutch corner. I got a plate of bitterballen and some cheese. And, in the fruit section, I found a huge container of cherries. Both the Dutch food and the cherries were a great surprise.

Tonight’s performer was a comedian named Chris Pendleton. We typically go to the late show because it is not as crowded as the earlier show, but our tour in Dublin was starting early. The comedian was a woman from South Carolina. We thought she was very funny. I’m glad we went as she said she was leaving the ship in Dublin, and this was her only performance evening.

We went to a set of the Ocean Bar band. We recognized a couple on the dance floor from our South Pacific cruise. We had not seen them before now, so we assumed they had embarked in Rotterdam. When Chuck spoke with them, they said “yes” they had been that cruise and they had embarked in Rotterdam. Turns out that they had been on a river cruise and were taking this ship back to Boston to come home. Beats another transatlantic flight.

They make the fourth couple we know from the South Pacific cruise and there is one couple from the December Caribbean cruise. Cruising can be a small world.

Got up at 5:00. Breakfast was delivered at 6:00. Today is a tender port and we had to meet at the main stage at 7:00. In 2019, we were able to dock in an industrial port.

We were on another HAL tour today – “Dublin Highlights.” The last time we were here we took a HOHO bus around Dublin so I knew we would be seeing most, if not all, of the same sites. However, this tour featured a visit to the Book of Kells in Trinity College. You can see the Book on your own, but you have to get an appointment. This tour guaranteed we would get to see it. The description:

Head into the heart of bustling Dublin — Ireland’s capital city — rich in history and surprisingly energetic.

A panoramic drive through the wide streets brings you to the Customs House on the north bank of the River Liffey. Many mid-18th-century public buildings grace this area and Dublin’s south side.

At Trinity College, you’ll visit the library that holds the famous Book of Kells — a hand-illuminated manuscript of the gospels. Your sightseeing tour of the city continues past Merrion and Fitzwilliam Squares, the National Gallery and the wonderful St Stephen’s Green. You will see Dublin Castle, City Hall, Christ Church Cathedral and St Patrick’s Cathedral.

At Phoenix Park, Europe’s largest enclosed public park, view the homes of Ireland’s president and the US Ambassador.

Along the River Liffey, you’ll see the Four Courts (Ireland’s courts of justice) and the International Financial Services Centre before returning to the ship.

Guests who wish to stay in town to shop or explore independently are welcome to do so but must make their own way back to the ship.

Was kind of rough waters in the tender but not as bad as the day in Djupivogur, Iceland. We were escorted to the bus and we were quickly on our way. We were all surprised that there was very little traffic. The guide said she thought it was because schools were out for the summer, and many people were still working from home.

She told us that a lot of new jobs in technology, pharmaceuticals, and finance were being created in Ireland, especially Dublin, because of the excellent Internet coverage and tax advantages. However, it had caused a housing shortage in Dublin. Companies, such as Google, were buying up houses and building apartments just for their current and future employees.

As we drove past important places of Dublin including, but not limited to, Ambassador Row, the statue of Oscar Wilde, the National Gallery of Ireland, and the Irish Flame – a monument to the Irish lost in the peace-keeping efforts by the United Nations, the guide kept up a non-stop commentary about the sites we were seeing.

We had a photo stop in front of some original Georgian homes. The guide said that wrought iron was invented in Dublin. The houses all looked alike but the doors were different so if the man of the house came home drunk, he could recognize his house.

We stopped for a photo and restroom break at Phoenix Park / Botanical Gardens. The park was created for the King to hunt deer but was soon turned into protected land. There are approximately 500 deer who reside in the park. We had time to walk through the kitchen garden. Growing all sorts of fruits and vegetables, along with flowers.

We saw the cross that in 1979 Pope John Paul officiated a mass. We passed by the Guiness Factory, once the largest employer but now have more robots than workers. We passed over the River Liffey and saw the home of the President of Ireland.

Our last stop was Trinity College. The bus dropped us off and the guide showed us where it would pick us up. We lined up at our designated waiting area until it was time to go in. I noticed a sign notifying people that all tickets had sold out for that day. If you hadn’t pre-ordered a ticket, you were out of luck.

The guide said we had an hour and a half to see the Book exhibit and the Old Library. If we finished early, there were gift shops, etc. near the bus.

We first went inside a large room that had information and paintings on the wall about the Book. It was crowded but not overwhelming.

Facts about the Book of Kells (provided by Trinity College brochure and information from the guide):

Created by Early Christian monks around 800 AD.

It is an illuminated manuscript written in Latin containing the four gospels of the New Testament.

Regarded as Ireland’s finest national treasure.

Pages are made from vellum (calf-skin prepared for writing). Writing instruments were peacock feathers.

Arsenic sulphide was used to produce a vibrant yellow-gold pigment. Other colors were made from vegetables and fruit.

A three-dimensional effect was created in parts of the Book by layering pigments on top of a ground layer.

They change the pages on exhibit every three months.

We were eventually allowed to enter the room with the Book. It, of course, was under glass and there was a guard in the room. Nobody was allowed to take any photos. I thought the crowd was polite, letting everyone get a turn at admiring the Book. Outside of the room, there was a copy of the book so people could take a photo to show the dimensions of it.

I thought this gorgeous piece of history was fascinating.

Our next stop was The Long Room which is the main chamber of the Old Library. It is approximately 213 feet in length and is filled with over 200,000 of the Library’s oldest books and are still in use for students and scholars. It was also the model for the Great Room in Hogwarts (if you don’t know what Hogwarts is, please read all the Harry Potter books – you won’t be disappointed).

Facts about the Long Room (provided by Trinity College brochure and the guide):

The barrel-vaulted ceiling was added to allow space for more books when existing shelves became full.

Lining the central walkway of the Long Room are marble busts of famous philosophers and writers. The first bust was commissioned in 1743.

Included in the collections on permanent display is a copy of the 1916 Proclamation of the Irish Republic and the 15th Century ‘Brian Boru’ harp – Ireland’s national symbol.

Famous readers have included Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett, and Bram Stoker.

As a lover of books, I was very impressed with this Library.

It seemed too soon that our time was up, and we had to make our way back to the bus. I would have liked to have found a Book of Kells ornament, but none were to be found.

We arrived back to the port area at 1:00. We were the last ones on the waiting tender so that was nice. We didn’t have to sit on a bobbing tender waiting for it to fill up. The water was still rough and we hit one wave that it splashed through one of the open windows. Got some unfortunate people wet but not me.

We dropped our backpacks off in the room and headed for lunch in the Lido. Then Chuck, who had been yawning all morning, laid down for a nap. I got our dirty laundry ready to send out and worked on more photos. The afternoon flew by.

FLOWERS of DUBLIN

Travel Trivia

Dublin, Ireland

Dublin was established as a Viking settlement in the 10th century and, despite a number of attacks by the native Irish, it remained largely under Viking control until the Norman invasion of Ireland was launched from Wales in 1169.

Dublin’s sheltered location on the east coast makes it the driest place in Ireland.

The Dublin City Council manages over 3,700 acres of parks. The Phoenix Park is about 2 miles west of the city center, north of the River Liffey. Its 10-mile perimeter wall encloses 1,750 acres, making it one of the largest walled city parks in Europe. It includes large areas of grassland and tree-lined avenues, and since the 17th century has been home to a herd of wild fallow deer.

Dublin is the largest center of education in Ireland and is home to four universities and several other higher education institutions. Its University of Dublin is the oldest university in Ireland, dating from the 16th century, and is in the city center.

Dublin has a significant literary history, and produced many literary figures, including Nobel laureates William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw and Samuel Beckett. Other influential writers and playwrights include Oscar Wilde, Jonathan Swift and Bram Stoker.

Handel’s classic “Messiah” was premiered for the first time on 13 April 1742 in Dublin at the New Music Hall in Fishamble Street. It received its London premiere almost a year later.

Dublin’s Oldest Traffic Light is situated beside the Renault garage in Clontarf. The light, which is still in full working order, was installed in 1893 outside the home of Fergus Mitchell who was the owner of the first car in Ireland.

Dublin has the youngest population in all of Europe. Approximately 50-percent of the population is less than 25-years of age. The legal drinking age is 18 and Dubliners drink a total of 9800 pints an hour between the hours of 5.30 pm on a Friday and 3.00 am the following Monday.

VOV: Sea Day #7

Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Had a great time at the sail-away party from Rotterdam. Lots of music, dancing, and laughing. I heard that 100 people disembarked and 120 people embarked today. I also found out that it was easy to take the train to/from Amsterdam. If we ever pass this way again, we will attempt the train.

Hard to believe we are half-way through our voyage and heading back to Boston. I hope the next half is just amazing as the first half.

Former HAL Headquarters

We went to the Lido for dinner. Time for a salad.

After we listened to the first set of the Ocean Bar band, we decided to go to the show: The Step One Dance Company presented Off the Charts. In the past, it has not been one of my favorites as the featured singers have been hit or miss. However, tonight was a hit. The piano player from the Ocean Bar and the Piano Bar player were the singers/piano players – singing a very nice variety of hits. The dancers were excellent.

The Ocean Bar lead singer came out to do the Whitney Houston song. She was good but the most outstanding person I ever heard do that part was the lead singer from the BB King Blues Club on the Rotterdam last December. She put goosebumps on my arms when she sang.

After the show, we played some slots. When we got back to the room, there was a card on the bed. I couldn’t help but cringe before I looked at it. But, the clocks were going BACK one hour tonight. WooHoo!

Having gotten that extra hour, I was up at 6:00 and ready for coffee. Breakfast in the Lido started this day at sea.

We were informed by a letter from Guest Services that every guest would have to have a face-to-face meeting with Ireland Customs officials this morning. At least this year, we are meeting with them the day before we arrive. In 2019, we had to meet with them the morning we arrived. Took so long to get everyone processed that some people missed or had their private tours delayed.

The letter said our deck number would be called between 9:15 and 9:45. At 9:45, we still hadn’t heard any announcement. We took our passports and walked to the 5th floor. There was a line of people and the Guest Services just let us get in line. I really hate when you’re give instructions and then they don’t follow them. Just causes inefficiency and frustration.

We finally made it to the Customs table. They stamped our passports and said have a nice day. Same as last time. Hope everyone had a hassle-free meeting. (Oh, they started calling deck numbers at 10:00.)

Spent most of the time on the balcony. The water was calm as a lake. We saw two pods of dolphins and a seal. Lots of different fishing boats and cargo ships. Later on, Chuck played some cards, and I worked on some photos.

All of a sudden, it was time for the evening activities.

VOV: Rotterdam, Netherlands – Day #2

Tuesday, July 26, 2022

I guess because people were still out in Rotterdam or possibly Amsterdam, they consolidated the dining rooms again and we were served on the 5th floor. Even still, it was nearly empty. We had very fast service. I chose the sea bass and Chuck had the chicken Kiev.

Being in port, the shops and casino were closed. The Ocean Bar band had the night off. The main stage was showing the movie – West Side Story. We opted to sit on the balcony and watch the boat action – cargo ships, yachts, water taxis, sailboats, and jet skis all vying for space on the water. It was a pleasant way to end the day.

I was up at 5:30 again. Since today’s tour left later than yesterday’s tour, I was able to get us some coffee from the Coffee Bar. We were also able to eat breakfast in the Lido.

I knew today would be hectic for the crew because some people on this voyage only took the first half of the trip and they would be disembarking. New passengers would be taking the second part of the trip back to Boston and they would be embarking later today. The rest of us would be taking tours or relaxing on the ship.

Our HAL tour today was titled “The Windmills of Kinderdijk.” The tour description:

The windmills of Kinderdijk, built in the 1700s, are collectively a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 19 windmills that remain intact today are lined up along the riverfront, and were used to pump rising water to the canal and thus keep the village dry. Incidentally, the name of this charming village comes from the time of the St Elisabeth flood in 1421, when the villagers found a baby (kind) on the dike (dijk).

Walk along past the windmills and take look inside one of them for an up-close appreciation of how these simple machines harness the power of the wind in order to work — it is really quite ingenious.

You’ll have time for plenty of photos of the windmills and the countryside before returning to the ship.

Notes: This tour is available only to guests whose cruise does not begin or end in Rotterdam. Tour does not operate on holidays.

It was the same bus tour company today as it was yesterday, but I guessed they learned their lesson and we did not go over the bridge today but used a different route to leave the city. Our guide gave some of the same information as yesterday mostly focusing on the complete destruction of Rotterdam during WWII and its subsequent rebuilding. There are very few old buildings left.

Few left like this one
More that look like this one

It wasn’t long before we were out in the rural area. She talked about the great flood and how that disaster brought about the water management / canal system still in place today. Of course, electrical pumps have replaced windmills used to pump the overflow to the North Sea. However, she did say that if it was truly necessary, the government has said the windmills could be brought back into service. She was skeptical.

We passed a ship building factory and could see a portion of a huge yacht being constructed. She said the factory workers were under orders never to reveal their clients; however, “rumor” had it that this yacht belongs to Stephen Spielberg.

When asked about the Jeff Bezos yacht fiasco, she said that the government and Bezos had reached an agreement. The government acknowledged that the current bridges in question needed repairs and expensive maintenance. Bezos has agreed to pay for all new construction of bridges in order to get his “too tall” yacht out to sea when it is ready. Yay! Problem solved. 🙄

Once we arrived at the windmill area, we first watched a movie about the different theories on how the town got its name, how the canals were developed, and how the windmills worked. The movie was shown on multiple screens around the room like they do at Disney or Universal when you are standing in line waiting for the ride to start. Each screen would feature a character and they would speak to each other and to the audience about the topic at hand from their point of view. The main screen in the front would show the movie that they commented on.

We had to sit on backless chairs that I said were basically buckets turned upside down. The guide said it was so you could easily turn from screen to screen. “Easily” is a relative term.

After the movie, and a restroom break, the guide walked us up the path to the visitor center.

Sculpture depicting the baby and cat found floating in the flood

She told us the time to meet back at the restrooms. She said the visitor center had a cafe and gift shop. Then we walked to the 300-year-old windmills.

We were allowed to go inside one of them to see how a windmill keeper and his family lived and how the windmill worked. To go to each level of the dwelling, you had to climb up and down very narrow ladders. I had to stay stooped over most of the time while inside. I don’t know how they did it day after day.

But what really surprised me was the fact that most of the windmills in the area were private residences now. I would have liked to have seen inside one their homes to see how they were renovated and livable.

The private windmill residences had signs at their driveway entrance saying “private – do not enter”. Of course, we had some who were oblivious and started to walk down their driveways. The guide had to blow the whistle at them to get them to turn around.

It started to drizzle, and I was glad we had on our rain gear. We walked back to the visitor center. We had our picture taken in the wooden shoes. The guide said that some farmers still wear wooden shoes while farming. The shoes withstand the wet spongy ground, they are cool in the summer, and warm in the winter.

Chuck had an espresso while I shopped for a Christmas ornament.

I saw our guide making her way to the restroom area, so we knew it was time to get back to the bus. Chuck decided to go to the restroom. I said I would take his backpack and go on down the path to the bus since it had started to rain harder. Unfortunately, all Chuck heard was that I would take his backpack.

I’m sitting on the bus. More people are getting on the bus. I begin to wonder what is taking Chuck so long. Just before I am going to get off to go look for him, he gets on the bus. First, he had been looking for me around the restroom area. Then, he asked the guide the name of the bus to look for at the drop-off point. However, she told him the name of the company which was not the same as the name on the side of the bus. When he got to our bus and didn’t see the right name, he went back up the path (it was a long path) – all in the pouring rain. When he got the right name, he came back to our bus. He was not a happy camper. (I wanted to remind him that HAL tour busses always have the tour name in a sign on the front window, but that particular moment was not the time to do so.)

After we left the windmill area, we drove through the town of Kinderdijk. It has 25,000 people and considers itself a suburb of Rotterdam. To get to Rotterdam to work, most people take the water bus or a regular bus. If they take their own car, they try to park outside the city. If they park within Rotterdam city limits, it is $4.50 per hour per day. The guide said to park within the city limits of Amsterdam, it is $7.50 per hour per day and the government is thinking about raising that rate. No wonder so many people ride bikes.

We stopped in Delft.

Delft ceramic statue in the town

We walked to old harbor area. We saw the church that the Pilgrims left in order to find religious freedom in the New World.

We also saw old boats that are now used as permanent residences.

I just found this building humorous.

Once we got back to Rotterdam, we passed the Cube Houses. The guide said They were designed by Dutch architect Piet Blom in the late-’70s intended for lower to mid income families. They were built on concrete pillars with wooden framing, over a busy street, and designed asymmetrically to resemble an abstract forest, each triangular roof representing a treetop. She said the people for whom they were intended refused to live there – the 45-degree angle houses “were weird.”

Today, they sell for around $350,000+ euros each and, if ever one is for sale, never stays empty for long.

We had a short photo stop to be able to take a picture of the old HAL Rotterdam which now functions as a hotel.

As we were making our way back to the ship, the bus had to make a very tight right-hand turn on a sharp corner. It didn’t. The bus scraped hard down the side of a light pole and knocked off a hubcap. I’m glad it didn’t knock over the post as I assume we would have had to wait for the police. Instead, the driver retrieved the hubcap and we continued to the ship.

I have to believe he got into quite a bit of trouble from the company as the bus was dented and the paint all scratched up on one side. Our guide was already mad at him for his taking too long at our harbor stop for a restroom break so I feel sure she gave him no support on the accident.

Once we got back on the ship and out of our rain gear, we headed to the Dive In burger restaurant near the Lido pool for a late lunch. It has very good grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, and grilled chicken sandwiches. I’ve never had their meatless vegetarian burger, but I heard it was good also. Their fries are always hot and crispy too. You can order a milkshake and pick it up at the Lido bar which we have done in the past but not today.

It wouldn’t be long before the sail-away party. At least the weather was clearing up.

FLOWERS (and a duck) from KINDERDIJK

VOV: Rotterdam, Netherlands – Day 1

Monday, July 25, 2022

Regular pre-dinner activities. Played a couple of slots and listened to the pianist in the Ocean Bar. We ate in the main dining room tonight. I had lamb chops and Chuck had roast beef. Another great meal.

HAL was showing the BBC Movie: Planet Earth II with the Ocean Bar band doing the background music. I’ve seen it on previous cruises and while I like it overall, I don’t like the scene where the snakes are trying to get the baby lizards as the lizards run for the safety of the rocks. Too much Mother Nature.

The piano bar singer had the night off, so we listened to the Ocean Bar pianist and then made it an early night in anticipation of our early tour to Amsterdam.

I got up at 5:30 and watched some of the scenic cruising down the canal as we headed to our port of Rotterdam. The ship’s bow was open to passengers, but I did not go up there. The canal was busy even this early in the morning.

We passed the Holland America Volendam ship which has been temporarily taken out of service in order to shelter Ukranian refugees. It is the sister ship of the Zaandam. They are the only two left of this size in the fleet.

We docked right next to the Erasmus Bridge aka Swan Bridge.

Our breakfast was delivered at 6:45. I’ve been impressed that the delivery has always been on time. Everything that is supposed to be hot is hot and everything cold is cold. I just wish there was a little more variety to the menu. However, it is wonderful not to have to stand in line for breakfast when you have an early tour.

Our HAL tour today was titled “Full day Amsterdam on Your Own.” The tour description was

This transfer may suit you if you would like to explore on your own. It consists of a motor coach ride from the ship in Rotterdam to central Amsterdam.

You will be dropped off at Museum Square, where the Van Gogh Museum, the Rijksmuseum and the most famous shopping street are all located. The coach escort will provide you with city maps and information and will advise you of the pick-up time for the return journey. You will have approximately five hours to shop and explore on your own.

Notes: This tour is available only to guests whose cruise does not begin or end in Rotterdam. Guide service, taxi transfers, entrance fees and lunch are not included in the transfer price. It will be your responsibility to be at the pick-up point at the given return time. An English-speaking escort will be aboard the transfer motor coach to answer questions en route. Travel time to Amsterdam is approximately 1½ hours each way. Traffic can be unpredictable. The driver will do his/her best to keep moving safely. Your patience is greatly appreciated. Delays occasionally extend tour duration.

We enjoyed Amsterdam so much when we visited in 2019 that we wanted to see it again. We figured taking the HAL bus would be easier than trying to find and figure out the train station location and schedule in Rotterdam.

Our first clue that we had chosen unwisely was the stop and go traffic trying to get over the Swan Bridge. What should have been no more than a 5-minute drive took 20 minutes. Bicyclists were flying by us in their lane, not to mention the joggers that waved at us as they ran by us in their lane.

The escort tried to keep up a running commentary as we slowly made our way through the snarled traffic of Rotterdam. Once we finally made it out of Rotterdam, we were able to pick up some speed.

We passed by several towns – Delft – famous for its ceramics; the city of Hague where government including ambassadors and the Royal family reside, and Leiden – home of the oldest Netherlands university and the birthplace of Rembrandt. In the countryside, you could see the canals were higher than the farmland reminding you that a lot of the Netherlands is below sea level.

We briefly stopped for a photo of an old windmill. I was more interested in the nearby stork and the two tiny horses. We are going to see several windmills tomorrow.

As we got close to Amsterdam, the escort said we would be parking near the Amsterdam train station. Since the description said we would be parking in the museum district, people started complaining because they had tickets to museums and the museums were still under a time system. If you missed your time window, you didn’t get to tour.

He said he was sorry but there was no bus parking in that area and busses had to park at the train station area. He said it would be easy to catch a cab to the museums. As people didn’t count on that expense, they were not mollified. Poor communication between HAL and the people that run these bus shuttles.

We didn’t care where the bus parked because our plans didn’t include any tours. We were just going to wander back to the area of the Banks Mansion. It was the hotel where we stayed in 2019. But this time, we would take streets we hadn’t walked last time.

We assumed that the bus would leave Amsterdam later than published since we were so delayed getting out of Rotterdam. Wrong again. The bus was still going to leave at 3:00 which cut down the time spent in Amsterdam by an hour. More grumbling from the passengers. I just know some people headed directly to the Shore Excursions desk to register their feelings as soon as we got back.

Since the ship wasn’t leaving until tomorrow, there was no danger of missing it, but they were sticking to the departure schedule. Some people talked about just staying and catching a train back to Rotterdam. Since we had no idea what the train schedule was like, we opted to still take the bus back.

There was a lot of construction near the Amsterdam train station and the workers did not want the bus to stop there to let us off. The escort had some heated words with the workers until they relented. I am sure the escort did not want to hear any more grumbling from us if we had to go to a different spot.

Once we got off, the escort pointed out the cab area to those who needed it, and then walked the rest of us to the designated pick-up point at the Victoria Hotel. It was so crowded in this area because people were swarming in and out of the near-by train station – many dragging luggage with them. It was chaotic and claustrophobic. We were glad to start walking away from it.

With the help of Google maps, we meandered down different streets and along the canals. Periodically, we would stop at an outdoor cafe for a refreshment and to people watch.

Unfortunately, at one of these stops, Chuck left his backpack that contained all of his and some of my rain gear. When we realized he didn’t have it, we rushed back to the cafe to where we were sitting but it was gone. I assumed gone forever and had already started thinking about where we could replace the items.

However, fortune smiled upon us and the waitress who had waited on us came out of the restaurant, spotted us, and said that she found the backpack and it was behind the counter inside. Though she said she didn’t want any compensation, I pressed it upon her and thanked her profusely. While the stuff inside the backpack wasn’t valuable, replacing it would have been a very big hassle.

Soon it was close to 3:00 so we started back to the Victoria Hotel. I needed to use the restroom and didn’t want to use the one on the bus, so I went inside the hotel hoping for a lobby restroom. Of course, you couldn’t access it without a key. I went to the desk and told him we were meeting our tour group here and could I please use their restroom? Sometimes it pays to resemble people’s grandmothers because he said he was supposed to stay “no” but he would make an exception for me.

I assumed the ride back to the ship would be much smoother because the escort said they would take a slightly different route when we reached Rotterdam, avoiding the bridge area. I have got to quit assuming. We hadn’t made it that far down the highway when we came upon a 5-car accident that blocked both lanes of traffic. The cars were a mess, but we saw people walking around and there were no ambulances, so I hoped there were no injuries.

We were an hour late getting back to the ship but at least we got back safely.

This morning we had been let out off the ship directly into the bus parking lot from the gangway on level 2. However, to enter the ship this evening, we had to go around to the front of the building and enter like we were embarking – through security screening and up the ramp to the ship on level 3. There were a number of crew members and guests using the free WIFI in the port lobby area. I didn’t blame them. The ship’s Internet has been abysmal.

As it was now nearing 6:00 and we hadn’t eaten much since breakfast, we were definitely ready for dinner.

FLOWER from AMSTERDAM

Travel Trivia

Rotterdam, The Netherlands

The extensive distribution system including rail, roads, and waterways have earned Rotterdam the nicknames “Gateway to Europe” and “Gateway to the World.”

During World War I, the city was the world’s largest spy center because of Dutch neutrality and its strategic location in between Britain, Germany and German-occupied Belgium.

During World War II, the German army invaded the Netherlands on 10 May 1940. Adolf Hitler had hoped to conquer the country in just one day, but his forces met unexpectedly fierce resistance. The Dutch army was forced to capitulate on 15 May 1940, following the bombing of Rotterdam on 14 May. The city was almost completely destroyed by the Luftwaffe.

Rotterdam has the tallest residential building and tallest office building in the Netherlands.

Snert is the Rotterdam term for pea soup.

Rotterdam is also known as the “City of Architecture”. It has the highest number of architectural firms in the Netherlands.

*Trivia provided by Wikipedia and Holland America documents.