May 18, 2018 - At sea

Another day at sea gives me time to reflect on the nature of cruising (again, remember that this is our first one):

• The ship is designed to separate you from your money.  I understand this--Disney World was the same way--but it seemed to be all the time.  Before I even got to the gym door on Deck 12 (it was a good gym), I was asked if I wanted a massage, a haircut, and a spa treatment.  Yikes!  If I was any more sensitive, I'd think they felt I was a mess.

• Everyone who has cruised told me about the food.  It really was good.  We had table seating for dinner but breakfast, lunch, and any snacking was at the Oceanview cafe.  This was the buffet area, and any readers that know me know that I like a buffet.  I don't know if I could have had food there 24 hours a day, but I got all I wanted--and the coffee (Lavazza) was 24 hours.

• We were swimming in antibacterial hand sanitizer.  I understand this too--I've read the stories about norovirus on board ships--but even with this, I'd estimate that about 20 percent of the people I saw had a cough or sore throat as we were nearing the end of the trip.  Fe got both a  cough and a sore throat, so now I'm counting on my caffeine and preservatives regimen to keep me strong.

• Another similarity to Disney--the international make-up of the crew.  I (of course) was fascinated by this and tried to read everyone's name tag to see the nationality, but to my tired old eyes it was written rather small.  I'm sure some of them thought it was weird of me squinting at their chest.  I expected a lot from the Philippines, but I think there were even more (at least in the areas we were) from Indonesia.  A lot were from India too, which I wasn't expecting.  Mauritius was the most exotic country I saw staff from.  A good number of them sang as they were working and I heard that Celebrity was one of the better cruise lines to work for.  I'll bet it's hard to be away from home for so long though.

• Seeing a new shoreline become clearer as you approach by ship is very different than landing at an airport.  It gives me time to think about who might be living there; what they do in these islands, mountains, and fjords; will the natives be friendly?  Silly, I know.  But if I go around saying that I'm a liberal arts major trapped in an engineer's body, I have to live up to it.

May 17, 2018 - Lerwick

Lerwick (Shetland Islands), Scotland was today's destination.  Not only did it allow me to check another box on my bucket list (visit every nation that makes up the United Kingdom) but after the highlights of Iceland, I was prepared for some disappointment.  How wrong I was!  Iceland is still the highlight but I can see us coming back here (probably the Scottish mainland) sometime soon.

Coming in to port

View of town

Fe and I signed up for a short afternoon tour, so we had time to do some exploring on our own (if I didn't say so earlier, these are my favorite times of the trip),  The Shetlands have a strong Nordic influence but the architecture style seems thoroughly British.

Welcome plaque

Town Square

House near the sea

A garage in town.  We found out later that when boats are beyond seaworthiness, they are turned into a roof.

This house attracted a lot pf tourists'attention for the plants.

Anderson Institute, a high school for 11- to 18-year-olds.

Our tour this time was a bus trip around the southern part of the island.

Offshore Island

Seals sunning in the beach

Shetland pony

Lighthouse as we leave

Shipspeak: bilge - the area on the outer surface of a ship's hull where the bottom curves to meet the vertical sides.

May 16, 2018 - At Sea

Today is the second at sea day as we leave Iceland and head to Lerwick (Shetland Islands), Scotland.  It seems that these are the days most everyone relaxes--I notice a lot more sleeping in, less crowds in the breakfast buffet, more swimming (even in the cold).

Remember, this is our first cruise so most of this is new to me.  Celebrity works hard to keep you entertained and busy:  there are shows every night, a library, computer room (of Apples), gym, hot tubs, swimming pools (indoor and outdoor), and contests.  Food is plentiful, and there is coffee 24 hours a day--though even I haven't gone out at 330 am to check.

I have to admit that I am not used to the relaxation.  I usually take vacations to expose myself to a different type of stress--not to relax.

Fe and I miss the boys.  She will FaceTime with them and we've sent IMs.  There has been some severe weather in Carlisle this week, so I worry a bit also.

Sunset

A scene from Topper, a musical

Shipspeak: Chock - a metal casting with curved arms for passing ropes used to moor the ship

May 15, 2018 - Akureyri

Our second port call in Iceland is Akureyri, the "capital of northern Iceland.  It is the second largest urban area in the country.

Approaching the port

In the fjord

Today's tour is called "Jewel of the North".  First stop was the Skutustathagigar along the south shore of Lake Myvatn.  This is an area of "pseuso-craters", which means they were formed by steam explosions, not meteors.  It took an hour to get here from Reykjavik.

A view of Lake Myvatn

Another view

The information board,  I usually don't post these, but this gives you a good look at what the craters look like.  From the ground, they look just like hills.  We were along the road on the southern edge of the lake.

The second stop was Dimmuborgir.  It is an area of rock formations formed about 2300 years ago when lava pooled over a small lake.  I had read that the astronauts trained n this area before the moon landings because it was so desolate and rocky.  There are walking paths all through it now.

Lava tube

Rocky ground

Lava formation

Fe and I at the overlook.  You can tell I am enjoying the buffet.

The Namafjall Geothermal Area was the next stop.  Our guide said it was where the magma came closest to the surface of the earth, which causes mud pots to form.  The minerals in the area caused a reddish color and it reeked of sulfur.

The steam and fumaroles

Mountains in the background

Fumarole

I think Gothafoss Falls are the most famous in the country.  It was my favorite stop on the tour.

The falls

Rapids downstream from the falls

Another view of the rapids

Another view

After this, it was back to the ship for departure--no time to explore the town.  We did see this though:

Our guide said that this was done to help depression during the 2008-09 financial crisis.

Shipspeak: Stowage - the amount of room for storing materials aboard a ship.

May 14, 2018 - Reykjavik (Part II)

Today's tour was longer and titled the "Ring of Fire".  It took us all around the southwest part of the island and each stop was an illustration of how Iceland uses and is affected by the volcanic forces that lie beneath the surface.  It was a longer tour than yesterday, but we saw a lot.

First up, the Nesjaveller Power Station, the second largest in Iceland.  It's located 743 meters (2438 ft) above sea level which means spectacular views.

Clouds over the mountains

Steam coming from the earth

Iceland sits astride the fault line that separates the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates and the next stop was the Hakith overlook of the Almannagja fault.

The fault from above

Down in the fault

The valley floor

Next stop, lunch in Hveragerthi.  The restaurant was a place that used geothermal heat to bake the bread and (I assume) heat the other food.  We were told that all the food had at least some connection to the geothermal heat.

The restaurant, Kjot and Kunst

Proof of the heat

Behind the restaurant was a path through geothermal pools as well as a greenhouse.

Steam from the Earth

One of the pools

A nearby church.  The place was right in the middle of a residential area.

Flora near the hot springs.

Banana plant in the greenhouse.  Iceland is the second to the Canary Islands in the production of bananas in Europe.

When travelling on a guided tour, you get to see a lot.  But when it's time to move on, you'd better be on the bus.  I would have liked to explore this little town a bit more.  Maybe some other time.

The final stop was another geothermal power station, Hellisheiði Power Plant.  They did a good job of showing the potential and use of geothermal energy.  Not too many pictures here, but there was an interesting mineral display.

Mineral Display

Back to the ship in Reykjavik before setting sail for Akureyri,

Big rock near the port in Reykjavik

Shipspeak: Tender - a vessel used to provide transportation of people and supplies between ship and shore.

May 13, 2018 - Reykjavik (Part I)

Although the cruise is just about halfway over, I think Iceland--and specifically Reykjavik--is the highlight.   Our excursion today was a guided tour of the world's northernmost capital.

On the way to docking at Reykjavik

The first stop was Hofdi House.  This was where Presidents Reagan and Gorbachev met in 1986 to discuss disarmament and that meeting is now considered the beginning of the end of the Cold War between the US and USSR.  The house is owned by the city of Reykjavik and is used for official receptions.  You can't go inside, but it is a popular stop for tour groups.

Hofdi House

Next up was the National Museum of Iceland, or Þjóðminjasafn Íslands,  This was (I thought) a neat place that showed exhibits of the history of Iceland from its settlement in the 9th Century to the present day.  

Icelandic Sailing Ship

Arbaer Open Open Air Museum was next.  This was an area just outside of town that recreated several types of homes and other buildings that were in danger of being lost due to decay or development.  We were escorted by a guide in period dress who explained the history and lives of the farmers and fisherman who lived in these places.

Flag of Iceland

Farmhouse Bedroom

One of the things I noticed as we came in to the port was a silver dome in the middle of town.  It turns out that it was part of this city tour, the Perlan Museum.  There is a lot here about glaciers and other natural exhibits, but the main attraction is the view at the top.  

Museum Entrance.  Most buildings here are modernistic.

View from the top

Sea bird exhibit inside.  Impressive display of bird crap.

The last stop on our official tour was Hallgrimskirkja.  It's a Lutheran church--the largest church in Iceland and also one of the tallest buildings on the country.  Named after Hallgrímur Pétursson (an Icelandic poet and clergyman), the construction of the church began in 1945 and ended in 1946.  There is also a statue of Leif Erickson outside, a gift from the US in 1930 to honor the 1000th anniversary of Iceland's parliament, the Althing.

Outside the church.

After this last stop, the bus left us (and maybe two others) off in downtown Reykjavik.  This is what made it (IMHO) the best part of the trip.  We walked around town, took pictures, ate in a Scandinavian restaurant, shopped in a local grocery store and the Hard Rock Cafe, and then came back to the ship in our own time.  I also crossed an item off my bucket list (it's a strange list).

A city building near the lake.

The Prime Minister's Office.  The statue is of King Christian X.

Harpa Concert Hall

Tourists to Iceland built these cairns near the concert hall.

Myself and the Unknown Bureaucrat.  Once I learned of it's existence, I had to see it!

Icelandic Krona (ISK).  Just over 100 to  the dollar.

Shipspeak: Keel - the central structural basis of the hull.