Post #6 Kristiansand Norway September 12, 2015

     After a short sail overnight we arrived in Kristiansand this morning.  At least I think we arrived this morning because after the last few days without much sleep we missed the sail in.  We slept in so much that when we went up to the buffet for some breakfast, they were already putting out the lunch selections. We just seem to be sleep groggy all day.  However we did finally manage to get ashore by noon.  We met groups of people finished their ashore time and were walking back to the ship.

   

Regal Princess

  Kristiansand seems to be one of those stops that we have found on a number of Princess cruises.  A small little town that is a refreshing break from the stall and sellers lining the dock of some stops.  Sometimes I wonder if these towns pay Princess to stop here!

Fish Market

      We spent about 3 hours walking around.  The fish market was very small after the experiences of the market in Busan Korea.  This one consisted of about 5 stalls but the area has been rejuvinated with most spaces now occupied by restaurants.  The one that stood out was the Mexican one.
   

Noah's Ark

Row Houses

 We found “Noah's Ark” in the area as well.  It replicates the classic idea of what the ark looked like.  It is built on a barge and from what we could tell it is a traveling museum.  At least the stuffed animals that we saw seemed to indicate that but it probably was selling them.  The sign said that it was on the way in a few days to Bergen our next port.  Market street is the centre of town and was full of activity. The ship plus Saturday plus some type of election (soon) had the street full of people.  The were handing out balloons, baked buns, roses, candy, etc.  We continued to walk around and found the “old town|”.  It is an area of older houses that seem to be the place to live.  It use to be red light district of the city. They were plain front 2 story multi family structures.  Very little colour anywhere. They need to take a lesson from the older district of Dublin where the doors are all vibrant different colours.  More wandering and

Market Street

then back to the ship.  The day was overcast but we did not have any rain.
        A good cup of tea (what else!) and a cookie was about all we had for lunch.  That seemed to help the excessive grogginess that we had all day.  It felt like we were just waking up most of the day but after a nap we were ready to go for the evening.   We met our friends for pre-dinner hors d'ouvers in the Elite Lounge.  It really is not that exclusive but it is a nice place to relax.  We had a really nice chat.  We also ended up buying a wine package for the entire cruise.  It seems like a good deal rather than buying wine as we went along.
      Dinner was great with our 4 other table mates.  We are still only 6 and that probably will be it for the cruise.  We were among the last to leave the dining area.   We did get to see the George Casey comedy show.  He now lives in Orlando but he is an Irish comedian.  We remember him from the cruise last summer.  His jokes were basically the same but he does put on a good show.  We really enjoyed his routine.
    Ashore in Bergen Norway tomorrow!

Post #5 Goodbye Iceland Hello Regal Princess September 11, 2015

   Today was our travel to Copenhagen day. After dinner and packing we got ready for our early pickup. The hotel had arranged with flybus for a 4:30 pick up. I asked for a wake up call and was told the phone lines and internet were 'down' and there was no way to contact us. This of course was a bit of a panic moment as e did not have a clock in our room. I know get a cell phone! Finally the night clerk said he would knock on our door but he did not convince me of that. Needless to say I was awake plenty wondering of we were going to miss our flight and thus the ship. The system was up and running, we did get a call and a sweet roll breakfast were all in order. Pick up was at 4:45.

    The arrangement is slick. Pick up in a mini-bus, bus station drop off, buy a ticket, bus the 45 minutes to the airport. All quite seamless. We were in line at the airport (along with many others) by 5:45. Self check in bag drop and security moved along although there were at least 400 people in line when we started. Flight was delayed a few minutes but after the Icelandicair 1 glass of of service we arrived in Copenhagen.

 

Our Cabin

    Again Princess was very efficient with the transfer and

Princess Theatre

by 3 we were in our cabin.

The Regal Princess is the newest ship of the new design. Our cabin seems a bit smaller than the other ships, especially the balcony, but it has a number of improvements that are immediately apparent. Theresa (our first female room steward) was on the spot and the few things we asked for were immediately done. We toured the ship , had a bite to eat, attended the fire drill and unpacked. Again the luggage arrived almost immediately. A short rest and it was time for the welcome aboard show and then off for dinner.

The Atrium

We met 4 of the other diners tonight. The other 2 at our table for 8 did not appear but that is not unusual for the first night after people have traveled all night. The arrangement is odd. It is not a round table for 8 but a rectangular one. It will be impossible to talk or listen to everyone with this arrangement. One couple is from California, the other from the Orillia area.

After Dinner

  After dinner as we were headed back to our cabin we ran into Bill and Eli a couple we first met on our river cruise years ago. We also sailed with them on our northern transatlantic cruise a few years back. We got caught up on what has happened since we saw them last and will see them for drinks as the cruise goes on. It was pure chance that we passed then as there are just under 3500 passengers on this crossing .

We stop at our first port tomorrow.

Post # 4: The Golden Circle - Reykjavik September 10, 2015

We chose and booked this tour before we left Windsor because it seemed to offer the most variety in the shortest period of time. We had an 8:30 pick up at the hotel so it gave us plenty of time to enjoy a nice breakfast European style.

The mini bus took us to a central point where we boarded at 50 passenger bus for the trip. It was certainly an eye opener with the number of buses going for the day. There are number of tour companies in the area and we did not expect to see so many people all day this time of year. Iceland certainly has established a well run tourist industry. There are many things that you can do from glaciers, volcanoes, the ocean, etc.

The Bees

The weather when we started out was a very windy 50 degrees. After that the day got worse with fog and rain for most of the morning. Our first stop was a greenhouse operating heated by geothermal water. It grew tomatoes and cucumbers and was very small in comparison to what you see in Essex County. However it was very similar to what we saw in June when we toured near Leamington. The only new thing that we found out is the use of bees indoors to pollinate the plants. A new queen bee is needed once a week. They import them from the Netherlands. It did not rain in the greenhouse!

The Geezer

Then It Rained!

Our second stop was at Geysir. Apparently this was the first place that the term geysir (Geeser as they say) was used. Some European visitors used the term long ago. In any case apparently the 'Old Faithful' of the basin changed during an earthquake a few years ago and no longer explodes. There is one geyser that does erupt every few minutes. However it is one short explosion and done. However it does explode 5-6 times per hour. There were a few other geysers in the area but none were working today! We did not find any mud pots either.

Apparently there are only 5 or 6 places in he world where you can find a field like this. We have been to 3. Of the 3, Yellowstone is the best for seeing them, followed by New Zealand. However there was a nice hill to climb and of course we needed to do that. It was a muddy climb but offered nice vistas of the countryside. It is quite green in this interior area away from the coast. As we drove along the coast after leaving Reykjavik this morning the lava fields were covered by a green moss and nothing else. As we made our way back to the store/cafe the rain started but we managed to stay dry.

North American Plate

After a 20 minute drive we were at the Gullfoss (Golden) waterfall.

Only Wind Now!

It is a glacier fed waterfall over a basaltic lava plain. It looks very much like you see in Yellowstone and why not. There is a 3 step staircase into a deep crevice. In all it is over 100 feet high. This was to be the highlight of the trip. We made our way to the upper lookout and as we headed back it started to rain. Rain is not the right word. Someone was throwing pails of water at us. In addition the wind was blowing us off the trail. It felt like it was sleeting the rain was hitting so hard. You get the idea. We were and remained soaked for the next 3 hours of the tour. Unfortunately we could not even attempt to go to the lower falls. WET WET WET!

Birthday Soup

After drying out, we headed to the main street for dinner. Since it is Judy's birthday today she had the pick of the restaurants. We headed for the “Black Coffee”. It was a very small restaurant that we had seen advertised in a brochure. The menu tonight consisted of one thing only – soup in a bread bowl. It was superb! We waited for a table outside as they would not let anyone wait inside. We were seated in about 10 minutes. 2 bread bowl and a “Gull” local beer.  After the rain it was the perfect meal.

We finalized packing and hit the sack as we were in for a 3:45 wake up call. Copenhagen and the Regal Princess are next.  

Overnight, Blue Lagoon and Touring Reykjavik September 9, 2015.

            We finally made it to our hotel in the centre of Reykjavik. We are not sure if we would use Icelandicair in the future. The check in at Toronto terminal 3 was extremely slow. The plane was full but there were only 2 check in people available. When we got towards the front of the line – having arrived 3 hours before flight time one of the counters took 35 minutes to process one group. I think that the problem had something to do with a visa. It took almost 2 hours from airport arrival to clear security. No worries the flight was delayed for 90 minutes.

    The flight itself was uneventful except for the fact that they gave us 1 glass of juice. Not a peanut insight fro a 5 hour flight. We did not bring snacks with us. Needless to say we were hungry having eaten only lunch before we left. Custom and immigration were painless. The weather is another story. As we deplaned onto the tarmac the wind was so strong that we needed to hold on tight. If Judy had not caught her back pack on the stairs, I might still be looking for her!bThe weather is coolish but the wind is something else. My thought is “that's why they call it Iceland!

Blue Lagoon

 We had booked transport before we left and with the delayed arrival we were ready to go to the Blue Lagoon, a large natural hot tub. We had booked that online as well so there was no waiting although at 9 in the morning only a few people had arrived.

     We spent almost 2 hours in the mineral rich waters, exfoliating with the silica mud. There were very few people in the lagoon. We looked like extras in a horror movie. Judy thought that we looked like mimes. It was although at one point we thought that we were in a wave pool. The wind continued to gust so you needed to keep low in the water. It was quite an experience. When you arrive you get a bracelet that

Through The |Lava Beds

locks any locker and can only

After 2 Hours!

be opened with that bracelet. You can also buy drinks, etc. by tapping as needed. You pay as you return the device. We had stored our luggage for the 3 hours that we were there. By the time we left the pool began to “fill” and there was a lineup out the door.

     Our hotel room was ready shorty after we arrived. Judy need a nap but I managed to sleep on the plane. I stayed up and filled in some details for the blog.

Church Tower

After we did a short walk to the church and decided not to go up the tower as it started to rain. We will try again tomorrow after our 8 hour tour. Wandered a bit more and finally had something to eat. Never did find the fish and chips restaurant that we were looking for. Everything is extremely expensive but we knew that before the trip and were prepared for it. Early to bed was the order of the day.

Windsor To Toronto

We decided to fly to Toronto this trip even though we spent a few days there with |Christopher and Brigitte. The reason had everything to do with getting home from New York when the cruise finishes. As you can see there was no shortage of modes of transportation getting to Toronto.

Porter Air

Belle Island

This was our first flight with Porter Airlines.
Since we are flying to Iceland from Toronto, we decided to give it a try. Besides we are flying to Windsor from New York at the end of the cruise. It was a good adventure.

First we had a ride to the airport in Windsor. |Then the plane to Toronto. Porter operates out of Bishop airport on the island in the downtown area. Flying a different flight plan gave us a chance to have a different view of the |Ontario landscape. Landing was a bit of an adventure (no not the hard touchdown!) but rather seeing downtown Toronto from the air. The luggage arrived before we got to the baggage area. We decided on the recently opened moving walkway to connect to the mainland. The ferry takes about 2 minutes and still operates but probably not much longer

Shuttle

with most passagers opting for the walkway. Next came the shuttle bus to Union station. We arrived in Toronto around noon. The Blue Jays were playing an afternoon game; the Canadian National Exhibition (fair) was in the final weekend; and a large ”comicon” type expo had thousands of people in the Union Station area. We felt like salmon swimming upstream as we made our way along. There were waves of people coming at us about 30 wide and deep! We found the subway, the next mode

Subway Stop

of transportation. We tried to get on the first of 2 subway lines that we needed to take but so many people got off the train that the doors closed before we got there. It reminded us of trying to get on the train in London during rush hour. The next train arrived and then off to catch the

Subway Line # 1

west bound train riding it to the end of the line. After that Bus 46 was another link in our travels Finally the seventh mode of transportation “walking” got us to our destination where we stayed for the next 4 days.

The Walk

 From landing to our destination 

took about 2 hours but we finally arrived!

After a 4 very relaxing days in Toronto we are finally heading to the airport and our Flight on Icelandic Air. After 5 hours of flight, we will be in Iceland.

Ready To Cruise September 2015

     It seems like a long time since we have taken a cruise. Besides wintering in Florida it is probably the best thing that we are lucky enough to do! After 3 cruises last year we had taken a break but we are ready and anxious to be underway again. We decided to return to Europe for an ocean crossing. 

    It seems like a long time since we have taken a cruise. Besides wintering in Florida it is probably the best thing that we are lucky enough to do! After 3 cruises last year we had taken a break but we are ready and anxious to be underway again. We decided to return to Europe for an ocean crossing.

    This cruise will be on the Regal Princess, the newest ship in the Princess fleet. It is about 2 years old. We did sail on the old Regal through the Panama Canal back on our second cruise many years ago. We picked this cruise on the Regal for a number of reason. The itinerary, landing in New York and never having been on this ship before all was part of it. However as we found out from good friends who were on this ship last winter, one of the photos that I submitted before the ship was finished is displayed on deck 8 with credit given. Princess never informed me of that but I am looking forward to finding the print of the Great Wall of China.

After flying to Toronto to spend a few days, we will head to Copenhagen. However, we are leaving a few days before the cruise departs and will spend 2 nights in Iceland. We were there a few years ago and wanted to experience a bit more of the island. Iceland is a good stop over on the way to Europe. We have already booked the 2 things that we wanted to be sure to do; the Blue Lagoon mineral waters and the countryside. As the maps shows, after arriving in Copenhagen, we will have 2 stops in Norway. We have been to Bergen before but there is plenty to do there. On to Glasgow and Belfast before stopping in Cork. We were there last year. Finally the crossing with stops in St John's Newfoundland and Halifax before landing in New York. We are looking forward to 15 days of fun.

After this trip we will have over 280 days on Princess (stuck in a rut?) but now that we attained Elite status we can hardly pass up the perks.  It the free laundry! Anyone that has cruised will appreciate what a luxury this is. It means that you do not need to pack as many clothes. The mini bar and and wine tasting are also nice.

        We have only booked one ship tour as of now. After doing the research and having been to some of these places before we are content to explore on our own. That may change.

At the bottom of each post is a small icon that looks like an envelop. If you open it, you should be able to send us an email directly to my gmail address from the post. If you have a gmail account I think that you can leave a message on the blog. It is always nice to read the comments of people interested in our travels.

  This cruise will be on the Regal Princess, the newest ship in the Princess fleet. It is about 2 years old. We did sail on the old Regal through the Panama Canal back on our second cruise many years ago. We picked this cruise on the Regal for a number of reason. The itinerary, landing in New York and never having been on this ship before all was part of it. However as we found out from good friends who were on this ship last winter, one of the photos that I submitted before the ship was finished is displayed on deck 8 with credit given. Princess never informed me of that but I am looking forward to finding the print of the Great Wall of China.

    After flying to Toronto to spend a few days, we will head to Copenhagen. However, we are leaving a few days before the cruise departs and will spend 2 nights in Iceland. We were there a few years ago and wanted to experience a bit more of the island. Iceland is a good stop over on the way to Europe. We have already booked the 2 things that we wanted to be sure to do; the Blue Lagoon mineral waters and the countryside. As the maps shows, after arriving in Copenhagen, we will have 2 stops in Norway. We have been to Bergen before but there is plenty to do there. On to Glasgow and Belfast before stopping in Cork. We were there last year. Finally the crossing with stops in St John's Newfoundland and Halifax before landing in New York. We are looking forward to 15 days of fun.

    After this trip we will have over 280 days on Princess (stuck in a rut?) but now that we attained Elite status we can hardly pass up the perks.  It the free laundry! Anyone that has cruised will appreciate what a luxury this is. It means that you do not need to pack as many clothes. The mini bar and and wine tasting are also nice.

        We have only booked one ship tour as of now. After doing the research and having been to some of these places before we are content to explore on our own. That may change.   

     At the bottom of each post is a small icon that looks like an envelop. If you open it, you should be able to send us an email directly to my gmail address from the post. If you have a gmail account I think that you can leave a message on the blog. It is always nice to read the comments of people interested in our travels.