Today Mom and Dad decided to sleep in and forgo the morning excursion into Siglufjörður. Between the jet lag and the late nights up looking for birds in the midnight sun (well, the 11:45 sun, as that’s when it sets these days in Iceland) we are all a bit wiped out.
In Siglufjörður, an isolated town of about 1200 or so, there was not much to do. The one excursion was a tour of the Herring Era Museum. It was quite good. A nice museum which included a ‘demonstration’, a tour, and three buildings of artifacts and information. Our group (the only patrons at the time), also got to try some pickled herring and a hard alcohol made in Iceland. The tour guide was fantastically knowledgable, as history of Iceland is her passion. It’s, really quite a gem for such a remote place. The cruise group was joined by a group of third graders for the demonstration who were also there to learn about their history and culture. They watched and participated in the demonstrations and the dance at the beginning. Some of the boys were hiding away, trying not to have to join in.
Tara and I rushed through the last building to ensure we could get to visit Frida, the chocolatier and artist that was recommended by the ship. The cruise crowds were dispersing when we arrived, but it was still crowded. I got some hot chocolate to consume there, and also to bring home and make later as well as a few chocolates for the rest of the trip to share with Mom and Dad. While we lunched we continued cruising east, turning into Eyjafjörður toward Akuyeri. Views from the observation deck, fantastic of course.
Once anchored, the four of us went in a zodiac to Hrísey village which is on an island part way down the fjord. It has about 200 people. We got pretty drenched on the way in as the wind was against us and it was pretty choppy. A few people turned right around and went back. The rest of us walked around with wet pants and jackets. We didn’t make it very far before we came upon the blow up bouncy thing that is at all the playgrounds, along with a zip line. A couple of the ladies went for a zip line ride and some kids came right at that time, taking their shoes off and started jumping. I asking if I could jump with them and I think they were excited to have someone to play their game. I was informed there are 14 children on the island. The kids were 4, 6 and 7, I think. Two were brothers and the other was a girl who gave me a ‘tour’ of the store that just opened across the street as I was getting my shoes on. The store was actually the post office, bank and cafe also. I had fun, easily one of the more fun parts of the trip.
The trip back to the ship was nice and calm, relatively speaking, as we were with the wind. Dinner tonight we sat at the ships table with some of the crew, really, just the excursion director, Peter von Sassen who Tara didn't grill too hard for information. After dinner they announced a whale sighting. We all scrambled to get our cameras and on deck. 350 rapid succession action shots later I got quite a few good pictures and not enough time to go through them. I’m getting further and further behind. But of course, it’s all worth it, I’ve got to cram as much as I can in while I’m here.
In Siglufjörður, an isolated town of about 1200 or so, there was not much to do. The one excursion was a tour of the Herring Era Museum. It was quite good. A nice museum which included a ‘demonstration’, a tour, and three buildings of artifacts and information. Our group (the only patrons at the time), also got to try some pickled herring and a hard alcohol made in Iceland. The tour guide was fantastically knowledgable, as history of Iceland is her passion. It’s, really quite a gem for such a remote place. The cruise group was joined by a group of third graders for the demonstration who were also there to learn about their history and culture. They watched and participated in the demonstrations and the dance at the beginning. Some of the boys were hiding away, trying not to have to join in.
Tara and I rushed through the last building to ensure we could get to visit Frida, the chocolatier and artist that was recommended by the ship. The cruise crowds were dispersing when we arrived, but it was still crowded. I got some hot chocolate to consume there, and also to bring home and make later as well as a few chocolates for the rest of the trip to share with Mom and Dad. While we lunched we continued cruising east, turning into Eyjafjörður toward Akuyeri. Views from the observation deck, fantastic of course.
Once anchored, the four of us went in a zodiac to Hrísey village which is on an island part way down the fjord. It has about 200 people. We got pretty drenched on the way in as the wind was against us and it was pretty choppy. A few people turned right around and went back. The rest of us walked around with wet pants and jackets. We didn’t make it very far before we came upon the blow up bouncy thing that is at all the playgrounds, along with a zip line. A couple of the ladies went for a zip line ride and some kids came right at that time, taking their shoes off and started jumping. I asking if I could jump with them and I think they were excited to have someone to play their game. I was informed there are 14 children on the island. The kids were 4, 6 and 7, I think. Two were brothers and the other was a girl who gave me a ‘tour’ of the store that just opened across the street as I was getting my shoes on. The store was actually the post office, bank and cafe also. I had fun, easily one of the more fun parts of the trip.
The trip back to the ship was nice and calm, relatively speaking, as we were with the wind. Dinner tonight we sat at the ships table with some of the crew, really, just the excursion director, Peter von Sassen who Tara didn't grill too hard for information. After dinner they announced a whale sighting. We all scrambled to get our cameras and on deck. 350 rapid succession action shots later I got quite a few good pictures and not enough time to go through them. I’m getting further and further behind. But of course, it’s all worth it, I’ve got to cram as much as I can in while I’m here.
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