I just thought there had to be a mistake on tonight’s menu. It was a Gala menu, but the dress code was casual. Chuck went to the dining room to check, and they told him it was correct. We sat at a table for 4 with a couple from Ohio. They also moved us to the 5th floor dining room. There were so few people I think they were just trying to combine all the diners into one dining room.
I had the shrimp cocktail, tomato soup, and we both had the filet mignon with crab meat sauce.
Because the ship was in port overnight, all the shops and the casino were closed. The main stage was showing the movie Death on the Nile. I had already seen it and Chuck did not care to see it. Luckily, the Ocean Bar band was playing all 3 sets tonight. We danced and laughed until 11:00 pm.
Woke up with room service knocking on our door with our coffee. Problem was that we did not order room service this morning. They had the wrong room – Oh, so very sorry. Well, it was 9:30 and past time to get up anyway. I went to the Cafe’ and got us some coffee.
We had no plans for today and debated on whether to go look around the city or not. The weather was drizzly, and we would have to take a cab or shuttle to the downtown area. We decided to stay on the ship.
Another crew drill began at 10:00 with the shrill alarms. We had missed breakfast, so I went to the Café to get us another cup of coffee. They had just brought out their pastries, and I saw slices of carrot cake. Yay! It is my favorite cake, and the ship doesn’t offer it very much. I brought back a slice to share. So good!
I gave myself a manicure and watched the Future Cruise presentation and the Shore Excursion presentation on the television.
Chuck went to the Sea View area and talked with Glen-Michael, the Cruise and Travel Director. Turns out he is actually the Cruise Line’s Head of Travel Experience and is only subbing on this trip as the Cruise Director to give the previous Cruise Director a vacation. Apparently, he does that for other cruise directors on other HAL ships too.
All aboard was 2:30 today. At 2:30, there was an announcement asking for two guests to call Guest Services. That usually means that the ship has a record of them leaving the ship but no record of them coming back to the ship.
Sometimes, the scanner fails and doesn’t read your ship card when you return – thus the call to Guest Services to verify that you are back. Or it may mean that you are late coming back to the ship – that is bad.
At 2:45, the ship blew the horn. If you are in the vicinity of the ship and are not back on it, this horn blast is the Captain giving you one last chance to run for the ship. I’ve seen a number of pier runners in Cozumel. At 3:00, the Captain set sail. I hope the guests were on the ship.
It was nice scenery of the Reykjavik skyline and the pilot boat heading back as we sailed away.
All of a sudden, it was to time to get ready for our dinner at the Pinnacle Grill.
Typical evening of some slot play, listening to the piano player at the Ocean Bar, and then going to the dining room about 6:30. We had a table for two. I made a comment to Chuck that the dining room was practically empty. I guess one of the dining room managers heard me as he came over and said that at 5:00 people were lined up at the door ready to come in, but they were all cleared out at about 6:00. I guess they all go to the 7:00 show and then to bed.
Also, we heard someone say “Zuiderdam” twice. We looked around and a couple from a few tables over said, “We recognize you from the Zuiderdam on the French Polynesia cruise.” We waved back acknowledged that yes, we were on that cruise. I confess that I did not recognize them.
I had the curried cauliflower soup which was spicier than I was ready for, so I almost started coughing. You really don’t want to cough, especially in the dining room, because everyone whirls around and gives you the stink eye. I drank some water to stifle the throat tickle. I also had the Boston lettuce leaf salad. For my main course I had the lamb shank.
Chuck had the seafood cake with salmon on the side as an appetizer. The salmon was raw. He ate some of it and got a funny look on his face. It wasn’t long before he had to leave the table. He did come back and eat his beef short ribs, but I knew he wasn’t feeling well.
We came back to the room, and he immediately went to bed. He told me to go ahead and attend the comedian’s show, but I stayed in the room and finished processing some photos.
Woke up before the alarm. I had slept fitfully. Weather was cloudy. Since we had an early tour, we had breakfast delivered to the room at 7:00. Chuck was feeling much better than the night before.
Today was not a tender port. We were docked in an industrial area and would be here overnight. The city was offering free shuttles to the port entrance or shuttles to the downtown area for $11 one way. I was not sure if our private tour group was going to be at the gate or if we would have to take the shuttle to the port entrance. I contacted the coordinator of this private tour, and she wasn’t sure either.
The beginning of our tour started out inauspiciously. We headed to the gangway at 8:00 as we were told by the coordinator to be at the bus between 8:00 and 8:15. However, before we could get to Deck A and the gangway, a HAL employee told us to wait for the “all clear” announcement. Then, the “all clear” announcement came about 8:15 with the direction that the Icelandic government wanted everyone to have their vaccine card so you could enter businesses and restaurants. Had to go back to the room to get those cards.
We ended up being the last two people on our shuttle at 8:30. Everyone else on the shuttle had just walked off the gangway prior to 8:00. I guess they didn’t run into the same HAL employee that we did. We explained what happened and having to retrieve our cards. Since they got off before the announcement, most didn’t have their vaccine cards although some said they had them on their phones. I am surprised the tour shuttle waited for us. They all looked at us disapprovingly like “there is always someone who can’t be on time.”
The tour today was provided by Your Day Tours and the description of the tour was
THINGVELLIR – The first stop of the day is the national park Thingvellir, which is full of history and natural beauty. It has a special place in the hearts of all Icelanders, all the way back to the Viking time when they founded here the first parliament in the world.
We will have enough time to walk around and explore this wonderful place. We will have the opportunity to walk in the rift valley, where the tectonic plates are pulling apart. This is the closest you can get to being in two continents at the same time, since under the national park the Eurasian plate and the American plate are separating by almost an inch every year.
Thingvellir was designated as a World Heritage of UNESCO in 2004.
In the area there are restrooms and coffee shops for visitors.
GULLFOSS – The wonderful Gullfoss is in our opinion one of the most beautiful waterfalls on earth. It is one of the biggest waterfalls in Iceland and there is a beautiful story about the waterfall which your guide will tell you.
When Canadians and Americans go there, they call it “the mini-version of Niagara falls”, we don’t know if we agree on that though, if you ask us, it’s even prettier. The waterfall is located close to the second biggest glacier in Iceland, Langjökull, and you will see the fresh glacier water falling down 105 feet total into the canyon.
Gullfoss is beautiful from all angles, from above it looks perfect with the Icelandic nature around. In the summertime it is possible to walk all the way down to Gullfoss and feel its power and spraying water in the air.
GEYSIR – Geysir is the most famous hot spring in the world, no doubt. It’s that famous that people from other countries talk about “Geyser” when talking about erupting hot springs. Geysir is located only an 8-minute drive from Gullfoss and is our third big attraction of the day.
Geysir is the father of all the hot springs in the area, and first erupted hundreds of years ago. The “golden age” for Geysir was in the beginning of last century when it erupted up to 200 feet every half an hour. Geysir fell asleep late last century but woke up again after the earthquakes in Haukadalur area in the year 2000. It was erupting for 4 months, with a little help from the locals who put soap in it to make it erupt. They stopped doing that due to environmental reasons, of course. Geysir has been sleeping since the fall of the year 2000.
The only active erupting hot spring in the area is “the son of Geysir”, called Strokkur. Strokkur erupts every 3 to 8 minutes and goes as high as 115 feet. Strokkur is a spectacular hot spring, seeing this active hot spring erupt just a few miles from the glacier is a once in a lifetime experience.
This is our lunch stop. There are restaurants at the Geysir area where you can have burgers, salads, traditional Icelandic meat soup (our favorite) and much more. If you want to bring your own lunch with you, we let our customers eat in the bus, especially if the weather is bad.
We will have time to check out the hot springs (no bathing allowed!) and also time to have lunch.
SECRET LAGOON – The last stop of the day is the Secret Lagoon known in Iceland as the “Old pool” since it is the oldest geothermal pool on the island, founded in 1891.
It is nothing more relaxing after a day out in the Icelandic nature then end the day in a geothermal pool. In Iceland we do have more than 100 geothermal pools all over the country and it is a big part of the Icelandic culture to go there to relax. The Secret Lagoon is different from the pools in Reykjavik for example, the area is all covered in mossy lava fields and many hot springs all around. There is a little hot spring there which erupts every 4-6 minutes.
If you feel too hot it is nice to stand up and walk around the area on the walking paths around the pool.
The water is about 100 – 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
Before you enter the pool, the staff will tell you the rules and what should be kept in mind when visiting the pool.
Remember to bring towels and swimsuits with you, but they can be rented by extra cost at the lagoon.
We stop in the pool for about 90 minutes.
Our driver’s name was Ligo, and he was the father of the sons who run the tour company. The van was a 16-passenger van and there were 12 of us. However, the seats and the aisles were very narrow and there was not much leg room between you and the people in front of you. I think even less than what they give you on airplanes.
THINGVELLIR
We saw the largest lake in Iceland. It has brown trout measuring around 3 feet and researchers study their behavior in the winter when the fish all gather together in the bottom of the river leading to the lake and stay there. The lake also has three types/sizes of Char. The guide said that most lakes only have one type of Char. He said people come from all over the world, especially Europe, to fish the rivers and lakes of Iceland. He said a favorite snack of Icelanders is dried fish. Hmmm. Think I will stick with Cheetos as my go-to snack.
Next stop was the area of the Tectonic plate separation. We walked the path between the North American and the Euro Asian plates. The bugs from both sides were ready for us. We spent about 45 minutes walking along the path. Ligo brought the van around to the end of the path. Ligo said this area was considered a sacred place to Icelanders as it was an area where they first formed their government.
As we drove to our next stop, we saw all kinds of sheep just wandering around in the fields and along the road. They are not wild because when they are rounded up, the farmers know which ones belong to which farmer by a notch or a tag on the sheep’s ear.
We also passed a power plant and its pipeline that brings steam to houses, businesses, and green houses for heating. They have to import items such as corn and barley, but the green houses can produce vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. They do not use oil or coal to heat. Of course, the trade-off is that the hot water/steam is readily available because of all the volcanic activity that is rumbling underneath Iceland.
GULLFOSS WATERFALL
Our next stop was Gullfoss a 105-foot waterfall. Some people walked the path to get very close to it and came back damp. Chuck and I chose to watch from a distance. I was not yet ready to get wet.
Ligo told us the story of Sigríður Tómasdóttir who went on a hunger strike and walked 75 miles to bring attention to saving the area of the waterfall. Her memory is commemorated with a sculpture of her overlooking her beloved falls.
Yes, Ligo said some people have gone over the falls either accidentally or on purpose every year. Got to watch where you are stepping trying to get that perfect selfie. I watched a mother and two daughters leaning back over the rope barrier, and suddenly one of the daughters’ feet slid a little on the gravel while they were trying to get a selfie. I thought they were going to go over the rope. The mother pulled them forward. They moved farther away from the rope and closer to the walkway. Good decision.
HORSE FARM
Ligo said we had time for a short stop at a small horse farm to see some Icelandic horses. I knew one of our later tours was going to take us to a horse farm, but I was glad to see these horses too.
No, he’s not a horse but he was cute
GEYSER (GEYSIR)
Our next stop was to see the geyser area. It would also be our lunch stop if we chose to eat. We did. The place was very crowded. Found out there were two other ships in port today. All the different tour busses seemed to converge on this place at once.
I was able to muscle my way to the deli line and got a bowl of the recommended meat soup for me and a chicken sandwich for Chuck. I forgot to pick up a drink, but we had water in our backpack. Used our no-foreign-transaction-fee credit card to pay for the meal as the prices were in Icelandic Krona. Will be curious to see what the amount will be when I look at the statement later. Chuck thinks it will be around $30. I just know Iceland is expensive. The soup was delicious.
After a bathroom stop, we walked across the street to see the geyser named “Strokkur” – Little Brother. The large geyser – “Geysir” – Old Man has not erupted since 2000 but Ligo said you never know if it will go off again. Strokkur erupts every 5 to 7 minutes. It was right on time. We watched it erupt twice. It was fun but not as impressive as Old Faithful in my opinion.
Ligo warned us not to touch the water that runs by the walking path. There were also signs along the path that warned you. Some people (not in our tour group) ignored everything and walked off the marked path for a short-cut to the geyser. Oh well, can’t fix stupid. Ligo said several people get scalded badly each year.
176-212 degrees Fahrenheit
The sun came out while we were there, and it was very pleasant. Then, it suddenly clouded up, got colder, and started to drizzle. Ligo said “Welcome to Iceland.” The rain did not last long.
SECRET LAGOON
Our next stop was the one I was looking forward to the most – a swim in a natural hot spring. It is called the Secret Lagoon and is smaller than the famous Blue Lagoon but said to be just as warm.
Getting ready to get into the hot spring is not for the modest or shy. At the first room, everyone takes off their shoes and socks and leaves them on shelves. Next, there are changing/shower rooms separated by gender. The only space in this room for privacy is the bathroom. The requirement is that you put your street clothes in the locker and take the key. Next, you shower au naturel alongside others and the shower heads are just lined up on one long wall – no stalls separating them. Then, you put on your swimsuit, and you can enter the hot springs.
I figured I wouldn’t know anyone so who cares? I forgot that there would be other women on this same tour from the same ship that I would probably see later every day. Okay, just ignore them. With COVID face masks on in the ship, you don’t know who anyone is anyway. But who knew that women would want to chat with each other while completely naked? Geez. Really?
I just want to get showered and get my swimwear on. No, sorry, I don’t know the cost of a glass of wine here. Yes, I’m sure there is a menu somewhere. OMG.
Being wet from the shower, I struggled to get into my swimsuit. Seemed to take forever to get it past my thighs. I was pulling so hard on the material I am glad I didn’t rip it. I was so happy when I could finally walk out to the hot spring area.
The attendants warned you not to wear any jewelry as it would tarnish and that if you got your hair wet in the spring water, it might feel coarse for a day or two. They also warned you not to get close to the springs outside of the fenced pool area as they were too hot. Those springs fed the pool area and would start to cool as it dissipated. There were two lifeguards monitoring all the swimmers at all times.
I hung my towel up on the hooks provided and carefully walked to the pool as the concrete was very slick. The water was only waist deep for me, but the bottom was rocky and in some parts slick. They supplied noodles that you could use to float. The closer you got to the far wall, the hotter the water became. I thought it was heavenly.
I found Chuck and some of the other tour participants and we talked and bobbed around for about an hour. I was glad Chuck liked the water as I wasn’t sure he would. He doesn’t like water as hot as I like it as he has told me numerous times when I forget and leave our shower set to my heat preference.
I brought my iPhone into the pool with me as I had it in its waterproof case. I took pictures of some of us and shared it with others. And I let others take pictures with it. I always held it out of the water as I think of the waterproof case as a safeguard in case I do drop it. I’ve seen people take theirs in the water while snorkeling, but I don’t risk it.
Dried, dressed, and back on the bus it was time to go back to the ship. On the way back, Ligo pointed out all the evergreen trees we were seeing. He said that these trees are not native. There is so much lava in the soil it stunts the growth of the only kind of native tree – a type that I thought looked similar to aspens – sometimes didn’t grow higher than bushes. In fact, he said that if you ever find yourself lost in an Iceland natural forest, just stand up and you will find your way.
Native Icelandic trees
These evergreens are planted in order to try and get more trees in Iceland. The government is supporting farmers that want to transition to tree farming.
We arrived back at the ship at 5:00. The line was very long to get back into the ship. I finally noticed why. The tide was low, and the entrance ramp had a steep ramp going down to the doorway. You also had to duck low under the padded doorway to get in. They should have been playing music so we could all Limbo into the ship.
Even though the van was kind of cramped, we enjoyed the sites and all the commentary from Ligo. I would recommend Your Day Tours to anyone who wants to experience the Golden Circle of Reykjavik. (FYI – Nobody ever asked to see our vaccine cards – Sigh)
A FLOWER of REYKJAVIK
Travel Trivia
Reykjavik, Iceland
Pronounced: RAY-kah-vik
Reykjavik is believed to be the location of the first permanent settlement in Iceland and is the world’s northernmost capital of a sovereign state.
Steam from hot springs in the region is said to have inspired Reykjavík’s name, which loosely translates to Smoke Cove or Smokey Bay.
In 1972, Reykjavík hosted the world chess championship between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky.
From May 20 to July 24, daylight is essentially permanent as the sun never gets more than 5° below the horizon. Day length drops to less than five hours between December 2 and January 10.
Reykjavik is also known as the Puffin Capital of the World as it is the only capital with its own colony of Puffins. Iceland is home to 60% of the Puffin population in the world.
The most prominent landmark in Reykjavik is Hallgrímskirkja church in the city’s center. It is one of the largest and finest churches in Iceland. The church is 240 feet high and is visible from almost any point in the city.
*Trivia provided by Wikipedia and Holland America documents
As we got farther away from the Greenland coast, the water continued to get rougher. I heard several people say their traveling companion(s) had taken to their room already. My Bonine is working fine, thank goodness.
We did not see anything on the main dining room menu that we had to have so back to the Lido we went. I was not very hungry at all, so I just had a bowl of mushroom and wild rice chowder. Chuck had some spicy beef from the Asian station. They also had a special Indonesian station set up which had not been advertised. It should have been advertised because from past trips, I know this is a popular option among the guests.
After dinner, I went back to the room to catch up on some of my postings. Again, I found 2 surprises – one good and one bad. The good one was a gift of Pinnacle Grill chocolates for Chuck from the Casino.
The bad one was a note saying the clocks would move forward another hour. Between the time changes and the fact that it is still light outside even after 10:00, it’s a wonder I have any clue at all about what is going on.
I tried to upload our day in Qaqortok into WordPress but ended up losing everything I had written because the crappy Internet connection had timed out. So frustrating. I am going to write the narrative in Word from now on and save it to the hard drive. I will copy it to WordPress when I have stronger Internet access.
Chuck and I went to see the show by Karen Grainger, the song impressionist. We had skipped the earlier show in the week but then heard how good it was. She is leaving the ship in Reykjavik, so we wanted to catch this show. She was very good.
It is amazing how she can mimic the voices of so many singers for example Adele, Cher, Dolly, Reba, Celine, Brittney, and even Willie (Nelson). She ended the show by singing a song in her own voice which was beautiful in its own right.
After the show, Chuck went to play 3-card poker and I went to the room. I told him I was not going to set the alarm. If he woke up before I did, go ahead and go to breakfast. I might sleep all day.
I knew I would probably miss Jon’s last presentation and maybe even the Captain’s Q/A session, but I didn’t care. I was very tired and our tour in Reykjavik on Monday starts early and will last nine hours. It’s not like I have been working but the time changes have finally gotten to me. I admire the crew as they too must endure the time changes, still be at work on time, and they all have smiles on their faces and a friendly word to everyone. I, on the other hand, wake up looking like Grumpy Cat.
Well, I did sleep to almost 9:30 so I definitely missed Jon’s presentation. I went to get coffee and the baristas said they were glad to see me. They were worried about me because I was late. They are sweet young women.
The dining room was having a special Sunday brunch, so we decided to eat there. I enjoyed my lunch of Greek yogurt for the appetizer, mushroom crepe for the main course, and Poffertjes for dessert. They were nickel-sized puffy pancakes with powdered sugar.
Chuck was not really impressed with his lunch – Ham & Gruyere Monte Christo Sandwich with fries. The service was really slow, and his fries had started to cool off before he got his meal. However, I think they must have zapped my crepes twice in the microwave because steam came out of them, and the mushrooms burned my tongue. We sat at a table of 6 and at least the lively conversation made the time pass by pleasantly.
Only thing about sleeping late is that the day goes by so quickly. It was after twelve before we finished brunch. My plan for the rest of the day was simple and not strenuous. (1) Get our backpacks ready for the tour tomorrow – which includes a stop at the Secret Lagoon, so we need our swimwear too. We will start too early tomorrow to be grabbing stuff and hoping we don’t forget anything. (2) Put away the laundry that was delivered. (3) Process all the photos from our scenic cruising yesterday. (4) Go to dinner.
With all the time changes and the long days, my internal clock is all messed up. We were playing some slots in the Casino, and I looked at my watch and it was almost 8:00. We had not eaten dinner. We decided to go to the Lido again. I had the Taiwanese pork and lamb with noodles. They gave me too much, so Chuck had to help me finish it.
After dinner, it was time for the show. Cantare was performing again. Tonight’s show was “All In” and it featured songs by various musical groups – Beatles, Rolling Stones, Four Tops, etc. I enjoyed it but I could feel my eyes getting heavy. I knew I would be calling it a night. Chuck decided he was ready to sleep also.
Ever since we left Qaqortok, we had been sailing in dense fog. The ship’s foghorn was sounding every few minutes. I assumed it would be going off all night. I was glad I brought ear plugs. When we got back to the room, we had one piece of good news but two pieces of bad news.
The good news – Prins Christian Sund (Prince Christian Sound) exit point had not clogged up with ice so we could do the scenic sailing through it instead of having to go out to sea around Greenland. There had been hints from the Cruise Director throughout the day that we might not be able to make it.
The bad news – (1) we have to set our clocks forward one more hour. OMG. My internal clock is going to take another hit. (2) we have had an uptick in COVID cases among passengers and crew, so masks are now mandatory inside and also outside if you are in a big crowd. Until now, masks have been optional. Know there are going to be some very unhappy people. Oh well. You sign a contract when you board saying that you will follow the Captain’s orders.
I was correct. The fog horn sounded all night long. I was so happy for my earplugs. I don’t know how Chuck slept through it. Up at 6:00 again and by the time we were finished with our Lido breakfast, we had entered the first channel of Prins Christian Sund. It was about 35 degrees when we went outside. Would only rise to 43. The clouds covered the tops of most of the mountains on both sides of the Sund. Blue skies would peak through every now and then.
During the transit, the bow was open to anyone who wanted to go out there. We spent about 30 minutes there. We also spent time on the Sea View deck enjoying their coffee specials. Chuck had coffee and Jameson and I had hot chocolate and Bailey’s. The crew would also come around with small cups of Dutch pea soup. I enjoyed it so much that I had a bowl of it for lunch.
We spent the majority of the day, bundled up, and on our balcony watching the scenery go by. As Chuck said, it was like watching a nature channel on a giant screen TV. Jon, our speaker, gave periodic commentary that you could hear over the outside speakers or inside on channel 44 of your TV.
It took 8 hours to go through the entire Sund from east Greenland to west Greenland. We met two other cruise ships going in the opposite direction – an MSC and an AIDA. Jon said he had never seen so much traffic on the Sund. LOL. When the ships would blow their horns in greeting as they passed, you could hear the echo for quite a few minutes.
We saw so many beautiful waterfalls, icebergs, and glaciers that I lost count of them all. It was a wonderful day.
ICEBERGS:
WATERFALLS:
GLACIERS:
One of the most interesting sites was to sail by the small Inuit town of 120 residents – Aappilattoq. It is the only town on the Sund. They get supplies once a week by ship during the summer and by helicopter whenever it can fly during the winter. Cruise ships have also donated supplies at times. They eat seal and fish as their main food sources. They also process fish for export. They have a school, a church, and a small grocery store.
Isolated – Surrounded by Mountains
One resident came out to greet us in his speed boat and sped around the ship. Don’t know if he stopped on the other side for supplies or just circled the ship.
We exited the Sund at about 3:30 and immediately the water got rougher. We will be doing this transit on the way back to our other port in Greenland, and I hope we have another beautiful day for it.
It was now time to get unbundled and ready for the evening’s activities.
Travel Trivia
Prins Christian Sund
The Prins Christian Sund connects the Labrador Sea with the Irminger Sea. It is around 60 miles long and it is narrow, sometimes only 1,600 ft wide.
The Sund separates Greenland’s mainland from the Cape Farewell Archipelago, a group of islands off of Greenland’s southern tip.
It was named after Christian VIII (before he became the king of Denmark), but explorer John Cabot’s description is more accurate and more evocative: a river of melted snow.
At the entrance to the East to the Strait there is a weather station founded by the US during World War II under the name Bluie East One. The task of the weather station was to ensure that the shipping industry had reliable data on the weather at Cape Farewell, Greenland. On January 7, 1959, when the ship MS Hans Hedtoft hit an iceberg at Cape Farvel, the radio telegraphist at the weather station at Prince Christian Sound was the first to catch the ship’s distress signal.
*Trivia provided by Wikipedia and Holland America documents
We spent some time before dinner playing some slots. Even though the ship’s casino is small, it does have some fun slots.
We decided to eat in the Lido tonight. Most of the nights they have many of the same entrees that are served in the main dining room. Since Chuck had a number of raffle tickets for the drawing at 8:00, he wanted to be sure he was present.
I got a bowl of the tomato soup and I went to the Asian station and got some of their noodles and crispy duck. Delicious. I also splurged and had the crepe chef create a dessert crepe for me – chocolate and blueberries. I did share it with Chuck.
Afterwards, he returned to the casino for the raffle, and I went to the Ocean Bar to listen to the Band. Had excellent dance music during this set.
At 9:00, we went to watch tonight’s performance at the main stage – a comedian. He was a former teacher and had some pretty good stories.
Once his show was over, we went to the Ocean Bar Band’s last set. It was supposed to be a Motown hour, but the first song was “Fly me to the Moon” which was definitely not Motown. We listened to the whole set. Not one Motown song. Oh well. Time to say good night.
The Captain indicated that we might have some rough seas last night, and he wasn’t kidding. The ship was really rocking from side to side.
When I got up at 6:00 and opened the curtains I was greeted with an unexpected site – icebergs. They were all shapes and sizes. The water was as calm as a pond. I could see Greenland in the distance.
Once we had finished breakfast in the Lido, the Cruise Director announced that the ship had been cleared by local authorities and they were lowering the tender boats. We were an hour earlier than expected. The Cruise Director said the weather would be cloudy with a chance of rain and cold. We put our rain gear in the backpacks and got our jackets.
The first thing you notice about Qaqortoq, the largest town (a little over 3000 inhabitants) and the Southern Greenland capital, is its colorful saltbox buildings.
The next thing you notice is the flying, biting bugs. We did remember bug spray which seemed to help. Chuck also wore the head net as they still preferred him over me even with bug spray. If we had gone straight to the little grocery/general store, we could have bought another one. By the time we got there, they had sold out. However, I did see one woman with a head net that looked familiar. Turns out it was the mesh bag that the HAL robe comes in. Fit just perfectly. Ingenious. I will take it next time and use it if I can’t find one to buy. I understand this is not the last port that is known for annoying flies.
The third thing you better notice is how fast the locals drive, and pedestrians did not appear to have the right of way. If you are in the road taking a picture, you better be ready to jump to the side of the road if one of their vehicles comes careening around a curve (speaking from experience).
We had no big plans today except to explore the town. It is walkable if you don’t mind hills and steps. First landmark we found was the 1927 fountain. It is the oldest fountain in Greenland. I was told that the white stones surrounding the fountain and found throughout the town lining roads and paths are there to symbolize the icebergs that flow around Qaqortok.
We went to the Qaqortok Museum built in 1804 as a residence.
It had a nice assortment of Inuit, Danish, and Norwegian artifacts. We bought a ticket for $10 pp. The ticket entitled you to enter this Museum, the smaller Norse Museum, and the 1832 Savior Church. We spent some time looking at the items.
Upstairs, they had information about the MS Hans Hedtoft – a Danish cargo passenger liner that struck an iceberg and sank on 30 January 1959 on her maiden voyage off the coast of Western Greenland. The only piece of the wreckage ever found was a lifebelt. As of today, she remains the last known ship sunk by an iceberg with casualties.
As we continued walking, we found some of the “Stone and Man” carvings chiseled into rocks and rock walls by former inhabitants.
We enjoyed the other art pieces that we found throughout the town.
We continued walking past the bank, the new church, restaurants, and the only hotel in Qaqortok. We also perused the grocery store. I had to restrain myself from buying a ginormous raisin bun from the grocery bakery. The locals were walking their dogs, chatting on the sidewalk, and buying groceries. The children were having recess. All seemed oblivious to the throngs of people wandering their town.
We did not walk to the cemetery, but I took a picture from a distance because I had not seen crosses like that except in military cemeteries.
We decided to take a tender back to the ship for lunch. The Norse Museum and the Church did not open until 1:00. Once we ate, Chuck decided to stay and enjoy the pool and the hot tub. I changed my jacket to my blue jean shirt because the sun had come out and it was getting warm. I was glad the weather forecast was wrong.
I took a tender back over and went straight to the Norse Museum. It was a small museum but had a number of Norse items and furnishings from the family of the founder.
I then walked over to the Church but there appeared to be a meeting or a service going on, so I didn’t go inside. Just took some photos of the outside.
The last item on the agenda before I went back to the ship was to visit the souvenir shop. There were no Christmas ornaments, per se. However, I found a small hand-carved spoon out of driftwood signed by the carver. I will tie a ribbon around it and use it as an ornament.
Once I returned from the ship, I spent time processing some of my photos. When Chuck came to the room, it was time to get ready for the evening. It was a nice day in Greenland.
Qaqortok flowers:
Travel Trivia
Qaqortoq, Greenland
Pronounced: KACK-or-TOCK
The area around Qaqortoq has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Beginning with the Saqqaq culture roughly 4,300 years ago, the area has had a continuous human presence.
The ruins of Hvalsey – the most prominent Norse ruins in Greenland – are located 12 miles northeast of Qaqortoq.
Roughly two-thirds of all tourists to Qaqortoq are from Denmark.
*Trivia provided by Holland America and Qaqortok tourist information.
After some pleasant conversation with some fellow guests in the Ocean Bar, we went to the dining room. Shared a table with 2 other couples. Some more lively conversation.
I had the seared duck breast appetizer, mixed green salad, and the seared hake fish. Hake is a member of the cod family and is a mild flaky fish. Very good. Chuck had the beef stroganoff and said the beef was very tender. We skipped dessert.
We had every intention of going to see the singer at the main stage at 9:00, but we both found ourselves starting to yawn. We each blamed the other for starting the yawning. I think the early mornings and the clocks moving forward were catching up with us. The clocks were going to move forward another 30 minutes tonight. So annoying. We decided to read for a while, and it was soon lights out.
I definitely needed the sleep as I slept soundly all night. If the fog horns sounded, I didn’t hear them. With the time change, I was up at 6:00. It was very foggy, and the waves were much bigger and very choppy. The Captain was right. The temperature has dropped another 10 degrees. It was 43 degrees but with the wind, it felt much cooler.
Could not get my Fitbit to find a time zone that would match the ship clocks, so it is an hour behind. At least I could set my phone correctly.
We decided to eat in the main dining room for breakfast since we had not done that yet this trip. We shared a table with 4 other people who were traveling together. The food was very good, but the service was slow. We finished just in time for Jon’s first lecture “Greenland.”
He had some wonderful photos of his visits there. Some interesting points – the island was named Greenland by Erik the Red. However, the native Inuits still call it Kalaallit Nunaat – “land of the people.” Greenland is part of North America whereas Iceland is part of Europe. A large part of Greenland is a national park that is very inaccessible. Very few cars but lots of boats, small planes, and dog sleds. Good chance we will see icebergs. I hope so.
After the talk, I grabbed some chips and a Diet Coke and went to the room. His next talk was at 2:00 but I knew I’d have to get there at 1:15 for a decent seat.
I started thinking about how good the hot chocolate from the coffee shop was, especially when you add a shot of Bailey’s, so I picked up one to have while I listened to Jon’s next talk – “Qaqortok and Prince Christian Sound.”
Again, he had some stunning photographs. Interesting points – Ikerasassuaq is the native name for Prince Christian Sound. In Qaqortok, there are numerous native sculptures found all around in nooks and crannies of the town. In the stores, you will find pastries, ammo, and knitting supplies all side by side. Look for the old red sandstone bath house – researchers have determined the stone is a tropical desert stone. A number of competing theories on how it ended up in Qaqortok.
After Jon’s talk ended, I came back to the room and found Chuck. He had enjoyed a nice afternoon of 3-card poker. We decided it was a good time to get ready for the evening activities.
We enjoyed some slot time before going to the Main Dining room for dinner. We were happy with the menu again this evening. We both had the crab cake appetizers and the halibut for our main dish. We were seated at a table for two, but it was so close to another table for two, it might have been a table for four. The other couple seemed fine chatting with us. I hope they weren’t planning on an intimate dinner for just the two of them.
We had a little time for another round of slots. Chuck was notified that he had enough points to get three tickets into the slot tournament. He played his 3 rounds and is so far number 6. He may get some more tickets to try and move up. Only the top 3 players will get paid.
At 9:00, we attend the Main Stage show featuring the 4-man group: Cantare. This particular groups sings on several of the HAL ships, but it is not the same four men on every ship. Their song selection tonight was called “Timeless”, and they were mostly love songs. The group consisted of three tenors and a bass and they harmonized beautifully.
The Ocean Bar band had a night off tonight and tomorrow is a port day, so we called it an evening. I will be glad to see land. I’ve only caught glimpses of shoreline in the distance since we left Bar Harbor.
I was up with the alarm at 6:00 and was glad that I had slept better than I did the night before. We are in Red Bay Labrador Canada. It is a tender port. We are definitely heading north as it was only 50 degrees this morning and the Internet is getting very weak.
We ate breakfast in the Lido and then got our backpacks ready with rain gear, jackets, and stocking caps, binoculars, and my waterproof camera. I had read that flying, biting bugs could also be a problem so I had purchased two head nets from Amazon (still sealed in the original package) and put that package in my backpack also. We were ready to go (or so I thought).
Since we did not have a planned excursion, we arrived at the dining room on the 5th deck to get our ticket to get on the tender. HAL was running three tenders, but the Red Bay dock only had room for one tender at a time. They had it pretty organized, one tender unloading/loading at Red Bay, one tender full making its way to the island, and one tender at the ship loading/unloading.
Once we arrived at the dock, we were greeted by some local representatives who gave us a map. I asked about hiking, and she said the nicest hike was at the little island in the Bay called Saddle Island. A fishing boat was ferrying people back and forth. Okay. We would go there.
By the time we walked to the small dock to wait for the fishing boat ferry, the bugs were on us – black flies and mosquitoes. SNAFU #1 – I forgot to pack our bug spray. I had a small can for each of our packs and they were still in the room. SNAFU #2 – when I opened the sealed package to remove the 2 head nettings – there were 2 netting holders but only one net. Ugh! I cannot believe I didn’t check the order before now. What was I thinking?
I gave the netting to Chuck because the bugs were much worse around him. Every time we encounter bugs or mosquitoes, they always seem to treat him like a Golden Corral buffet. The head net helped but he was wearing shorts and getting attacked on the legs so much that he decided to return to the ship.
I put on the head net and had on jeans and my jacket, so I was fairly protected. I decided to go ahead and hike the Island. The trail followed the coast, and it was mostly flat and even in some places there was a boardwalk. I eventually caught up with a couple who are going to be on some of the same tours we are on, and they invited me to walk with them.
I enjoyed looking at the various flowers and watching the sea gulls scan the water and argue with each other. There were a lot of mussel shells and sea urchin shells all over the island. The park ranger told us that the sea gulls get them out of the ocean and then drop the remains on the island.
The bugs didn’t seem to be as bad as they were in the town, but the wind was stronger and colder. The entire hike around the island and up to the light house was a mile and a half according to my Fitbit.
Once we took the fishing boat ferry back to the town, the couple decided to walk up the hill to see the whaling museum which houses the skeletal remains of a 16th Century Greenland Right Whale. I decided to pass on that trek. I stopped by the gift shop for my souvenir ornament and then got in the long line for the tender back to the ship.
I was happy with my decision because by the time I got back to the ship, it had started raining and the fog rolled in thick. I could no longer see the colorful saltbox houses on the land. Chuck was in the room, and he said he spent a very pleasant time on our balcony watching a pod of porpoises leaping and diving in the water. When I was walking the trail, I had hoped to see a whale or porpoises, but didn’t so I am glad that Chuck did.
I warmed up at lunch with a bowl of mushroom and wild rice chowder. Afterwards, Chuck got a coffee with Bailey’s, and I got a hot chocolate with Bailey’s. We wrapped up in the wool lap blankets that HAL provides and sat on the balcony for a while. I was hoping that the porpoises would make another appearance, but they did not.
The afternoon passed quickly and soon the Captain came on the PA System to announce that we would be leaving Red Bay soon and making our way to Greenland. Once the ship left the protected bay area, we could expect for the temperatures to continue to drop and the wind and swells to get rougher. Time to take a Bonine.
Dinner was an excellent gala meal. Lobster was on the menu. Yay!
In the past, you could always count on having lobster on one of the gala nights. However, now the surf of the surf and turf might be shrimp instead. So, tonight was a very nice surprise.
We ate dinner with another couple and two sisters traveling together. The service was slower tonight as the waiter was trying to fill wine orders as well as food orders. But the time passed with lively conversation.
After dinner, we went to see the BBC presentation: Seven Continents – Seven Worlds. The HAL musicians provided the music to the nature film. Stunning footage. I admire the expertise and the dedication of professional nature photographers. I can’t even get a decent picture of a bird in flight.
We ended the night listening to the last set of the Ocean Bar band. The music was good but not easy to dance. Came back to the room and a towel animal was waiting for us.
We just made it to the Lido before it closed. Soon the crew safety drill started. Guests didn’t have to do anything but all the crew had to participate so all services were closed for 30 minutes. The guests just had to put up with the very shrill alarms.
We had to set our clocks forward 30 minutes. Who does that? So weird. Took me forever this morning to get my Fitbit correct.
I went to today’s lecture at 11:00 on “The eruption of EYJAFJALLAJOKULL” by our lecturer Jon. It was about the 2010 Iceland volcano eruption that disrupted airports around the world and caused 17,000 flights to be cancelled in a couple of days time because of the heavy ash in the air.
However, to Icelanders, it was just a spectacular event to go visit. His photographs were stunning because he and another person hiked up to see the lava flow and all the fissures open up. They were not the only ones to do it. Apparently, there are no restrictions to getting close to the top of a volcano. You are just supposed to use “common sense” to not get hurt. My common sense says stay away from the volcano. Currently there are 5 Icelandic volcanos that are on the “watch list” and should blow “any day now.” Whoopee.
Another lunch in the Lido and then a while editing some photos, I was ready to go play Bunko. We used to play it at Christmas when we would get together with extended family, but I haven’t played the dice game in years. However, it didn’t take long to remember how to play. About 30 people had signed up but only 12 showed up. I think it was because it was scheduled opposite of another of Jon’s presentations. No matter. You only need 12 to play.
It was a lot of fun, but I didn’t win any of the prize money. There will be another set on the way back to Boston so maybe my luck will change. Since that game took up most of the afternoon, I was surprised to see that it was almost time for dinner. Meals certainly come around frequently on a ship.
Dinner was a table for two. I had the butternut squash soup and the branzino fish fillet. Chuck had a small ham steak with sauerkraut and potatoes. We skipped dessert.
After dinner we played a little blackjack. Then Chuck played some 3-card poker. I came back and sent out our first bag of laundry. Then I went to the Main Stage show “Humanity.” I’ve seen this show on several HAL ships, but it is one of my favorites. The dancers did an excellent job. They got a standing ovation.
We went to the Ocean Bar just in time for the Band’s last 3 songs of their last set. I hope we can attend their sets again as they were very good.
We decided to call it a night. Clocks move forward one hour for the first sea day. Sigh.
I got up at 7:00 and got my shower. Had a much more restful night than the one before. Did a coffee run to the Explorer Cafe – my first of many this trip. What is nice is that it is located only one floor down from our room. I am used to going up to the Crow’s Nest for coffee on other ships.
We ate breakfast in the Lido. While I was eating, one of the Sea View bar tenders came over to let me know he had found my metal straw and had washed and saved it for me. I was happy. I had been disappointed that I had left it somewhere and figured it would be thrown out if found. HAL staff are the best.
We then went to the Cruise Critic meet and greet in the Crow’s Nest. I was able to pick up our private excursion tickets and find out when the Bunko game is going to be held tomorrow.
After the meeting, we went to the first lecture of the cruise “Viking Discovery of the North Atlantic” by Jon Siegerssen, an Iceland native. He had a very dry sense of humor. He can trace his heritage all the way back to the Vikings. One of the most interesting points was that the Vikings “discovered” places such as Greenland and Canada because they had either been exiled from their country for killings and had to find a new country or they got lost sailing for their intended country and just decided to stay in the new country.
Time for lunch! I went to my favorite – HAL salad bar. There is always a line, but it is because there was a server creating your salad as you requested the items. I like that process rather than making it yourself. However, I have noticed there are more self-serve areas than I have seen since cruise ships have started sailing again. I don’t know how I feel about it. Still a little apprehensive about so many people touching the serving spoons.
At 2:00, I went to the next lecture – “Vikings – Traders or Raiders?” by Dr. Valerie Mock, a retired Suffolk University business professor. Most interesting point was that the Vikings were like the mob – they intimidated people into trading but if you didn’t trade, they took what they wanted and may or may not kill you in the process. Or you could pay them protection money (silver) to be left alone. But they didn’t consider themselves thieves because thieving was “wrong,” They were offering to “trade,” but if you said “no” they had to do what they had to do. Guess that helped them sleep at night.
Chuck used this time to get in the sea view pool. When I met up with him at 3:00, he said the pool was very warm. There were several people in it when I arrived. They didn’t seem to be shivering. Not sure I will be trying the pool this trip.
After a pleasant afternoon by the pool, it was soon time to get ready for our first Gala night of the cruise.
After some time at the Ocean’s Bar and the Casino, we were ready for dinner. We were seated at a table for 6 next to the aft windows. We were seated with 3 people from California. We enjoyed the conversation. During a lull in the conversation, I happened to look out the window and I saw a whale emerge – enough that I could see the hump and the tail. It was pretty far away but it was still exciting to see.
I had the clam chowder, tomato slices with mozzarella cheese slices, and the haddock with shrimp and mussels. It was all very good. However, I had actually ordered the seared rainbow trout. I think the man at the end of our table ordered the haddock and got my trout, but he started eating his fish, so I ate mine too. The haddock had been my second choice, so no harm done.
After dinner, we watched the beautiful sunset from the balcony. We then played a few more slots. After a while, we called it a night. We had a very early excursion in Bar Harbor.
I was up before the 5:00 alarm. Got my shower and then roused Chuck so he would be awake before our breakfast was delivered at 6:00. I thought my mix-up in my meal last night was an anomaly but sadly no…..this morning we received 2 plates of bacon and eggs. I only ordered one plate of bacon and eggs. However, I did order 2 fruit plates and 1 bowl of cereal. We also got that food. So much food.
I ate the bacon from the 2nd plate and Chuck ate the eggs. I will have to see what I can do differently the next time I have to order room service breakfast, so we don’t get that extra food. I ordered the same breakfast items on the Hawaii trip, and they always got the order right. I hope the Zaandam crew gets it right the next time.
Our meeting place was the Main Stage at 7:15. We were directed to our tender boat at 7:40. At the pier, we met our tour guide for today’s tour of Acadia National Park.
The HAL tour was “An Intimate Look at Acadia National Park“
Step aboard an executive mini-coach for the ultimate small-group excursion in Acadia National Park. With only 14 guests, this tour will provide maximum interaction with your experienced guide as you observe the wonders of this majestic park.
Your drive will trace the ocean’s edge before stopping at Thunder Hole where, under the right tidal conditions, ocean swells converge with a thunderous roar against the granite coastline. You’ll pause high above the 107-foot Otter Cliffs before winding through lush pine and deciduous forests.
Pass scenic glacial lakes, then continue up the famed summit road of Cadillac Mountain, the Atlantic coast’s highest peak; from the summit, you’ll get breathtaking, 360-degree views of Frenchman Bay (where your ship is anchored) and the Cranberry islands.
At every overlook, your guide will encourage questions from guests and provide personal insights into Acadia. This intimate tour will provide you with a unique look at this gorgeous corner of the United States.
It was a very comfortable van with only 10 other people and the driver/tour guide. The sound system was good so we could hear fine even sitting in the back.
She had a lot of excellent information on the history of the park, how the great fire reshaped the park’s landscape, the rich and famous people who have houses in and around Bar Harbor, and the animals that make the park their home, including bears and moose.
I thought it very interesting about how beavers are allowed to build dams and lodges anywhere they want and cannot be moved or hurt/killed.
Many years ago, beavers built a dam in the creek next to our house and in the process took some of our young trees and flooded part of the yard. Chuck did battle with them by knocking down part of their dam to encourage them to go away. Next day – dam is back bigger and better. He worked all day taking it completely down. Next day – bigger, thicker, and higher. We gave up and called in wildlife control to relocate them. Guess we would have been out of luck if we had lived in Bar Harbor and just had to live with a flooded yard.
Our first stop was the top of Cadillac Mountain (same person who named the mountain also started the car company). The guide said some days the fog is very thick but today it was nothing but blue skies and the views were spectacular for 360 degrees – just like the in the tour description.
Our next photo stop was Thunder Hole. It was a blow hole that is very active during high tide. We were there a little early for high tide, but it was still slightly active. At this stop, we purchased some Old Soaker blueberry soda which is very popular here. I can understand why, it was refreshing and delicious. Blueberries are in abundance in the park but cannot be commercially processed so tourists and animals are encouraged to eat them.
Even though the landscapes were stunning, I also enjoy taking photos of flowers that I might see. Bar Harbor did not disappoint.
Hungry Bee
Once we returned to port, our guide recommended some different restaurants for lunch. We chose the Side Street Cafe. We each got a cup of clam chowder, split a lobster roll, homemade potato chips, and split a warm blueberry pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was so good I wanted to lick the plates.
After eating, we walked to the Christmas store, and I bought my typical souvenir- a travel Christmas ornament. He’s cute.
We walked back to the pier and got on a tender boat back to the ship. Very nice day in Bar Harbor. I wouldn’t mind spending more time here on a land vacation.
The rest of the afternoon was spent at the Sea View bar area enjoying the nice weather. I was disappointed that they didn’t have a sail away party when we left Bar Harbor. We had such fun ones on the South Pacific cruise.
Wasn’t long before it was time to go to dinner.
Travel Trivia
Maine – The Pine Tree State
The original inhabitants of the territory that is now Maine were Algonquian-speaking Wabanaki peoples, including the Passamaquoddy, Maliseet, Penobscot, Androscoggin, and Kennebec.
European contact with what is now called Maine may have started around 1200 CE when Vikings are believed to have interacted with the native Penobscot in present-day Hancock County, Maine. The first European confirmed settlement in modern-day Maine was in 1604 on Saint Croix Island, led by French explorer Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons.
The territory of Maine was confirmed when the United States was formed following the Treaty of Paris ending the revolution.
Maine officially became the 23rd state on March 15, 1820.
In 1873, Chester Greenwood, a 15-year-old resident of Farmington, Maine, invented earmuffs when he was looking for a solution to chilly ears. He patented the first design of his earmuffs in 1877 and later went on to make improvements.
West Quoddy Head, in Lubec, Maine, is the easternmost point of land in the 48 contiguous states.
Maine has more than 60 lighthouses. The Portland Head Light is the oldest lighthouse in the state and was the first lighthouse completed after independence from the British. It was completed in 1791 and was automated in 1989.
Freeport, Maine is the home to the L.L. Bean Company, the first retail clothier to be open 24/7/365, founded in 1912.
Joan Benoit Samuelson from Cape Elizabeth, Maine was the first-ever women’s Olympic Games marathon winner. She won the Gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Maine is the only state in the United States whose name has one syllable.
It is the only state bordered on three sides by Canada.
Maine Lobster yield annually is 40 million pounds, nearly 90 percent of the nation’s lobster supply.
Maine produces 90% of the country’s toothpick supply.
Portland, Maine is the birthplace of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Author Steven King is a resident of Bangor, Maine.
Maine’s coastline has so many deep harbors it could provide anchorage for all the Navy fleets in the world.
Bar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor is home to the largest parts of Acadia National Park, including Cadillac Mountain, the highest point within twenty-five miles of the coastline of the Eastern United States.
Bar Harbor was also used for naval practices during World War II. More specifically, Bald Porcupine Island was used to fire live torpedoes.
On September 6, 1604, French explorer Samuel de Champlain discovered the area when his boat ran aground on a rock as he was sailing towards Otter Creek.
John D. Rockefeller, Jr., son of John D. Rockefeller of Standard Oil Co., donated about one-third of the land in Acadia National Park and built the carriage roads that are today used for hiking and biking.
In the 1880’s, Bar Harbor became a summer retreat for the Rockefellers, Morgans, Fords, Vanderbilts, Carnegies, and Astors, and other prominent families who built elegant estates, ironically called “cottages”.
*Trivia provided by Wikipedia and Massachusetts tourist literature
