This gallery contains 16 photos.
We left Hanseatic in the morning after breakfast; buses were waiting for us for a day trip around the Golden Circle. It took us about an hour until our first stop at the viewing platform of Þingvellir National Park – … Continue reading
Today was our extra day in Reykjavik. As this was an unplanned day, the cruise company had organized two options to keep us busy. One option was a full day bus trip up to the Snaefellsjoekull peninsula, the other option was a morning city tour, followed by a free afternoon. I decided against the full day trip, as I was simply not eager to be on a bus for the full day.
We were picked up at the ship in the morning after breakfast. The weather had turned bad (as to be expected – – the low pressure areas, that we had avoided, were clearly showing their effect) – it was both rainy and cold.
The bus did circle around town and the guide was providing some background on the city, its inhabitants and the local culture. We had a first stop at he Perlan viewing spot – though the wind was simply to heavy to fully appreciate the viewing platform (and the horizontal rain did not help either).
From the Perlan we continued to the Hallgrimskirkja. Today the organ was playing, which quiet added to the experience compared to yesterday. Obviously the inclement weather made another go for the tower pointless (so good, I had that covered on the previous day).
We left the downtown area and made it over to Bessastaðir, the residence of the president of Iceland to see the attached church (Bessastaðakirkja) and (from a distance) the residence itself.
From here it was back to the ship with stops at Höfði House and the Sólfarið sculpture one the way.
On the ship lunch was waiting for us; today only served in the main restaurant (so the only day on the ship, that I did not have lunch outside).
After lunch three of us made our way into town for an Icelandic thermal pool experience. The original idea had been to try to get into one of the famous big thermal pools (like the blue lagoon) – but those were essentially sold out. So we decided to try one of the public pools in the city of Reykjavik – and ended up in the Vesturbæjarlaug public bath – which had your normal 25m pool, but also some thermal pools with water at different temperatures … it turned out a good experience and also a good introduction into Icelandic bathing culture (which tends to take a slightly higher focus on hygiene – similar to the Japanese onsen culture).
After a relaxing a bath and another stroll through town it was back to the ship for dinner and a post-dinner drink (at affordable ship prices).
This gallery contains 12 photos.
We made it into Reykjavik around lunchtime, while having the traditional Austrian-Bavarian Frühschoppen in one of the ship’s lounges. The ship was now sitting in Reykjavik’s central harbor – just in front of the Harpa opera building. This meant, we … Continue reading
One could already feel during our first night East of Greenland, that things were not going as planned.
Per the original plan, we were scheduled for another shore landing at Greenland’s east coast. A low pressure area over the Northern Denmark Strait however put that plan to a stop fairly quickly.
At some point in the first night (still on course for the east coast landing site) – with the wind and wave situation becoming more and more severe – a decision had been taken on the bridge to abandon that plan and go for a more southerly course and then straight over to Iceland. It also did not help, that another low pressure area was coming in from the South – the reasonable choice thus was to head straight for Reykjavik and the safety of the port.
For us this meant, that what the brochure described as “one day relaxation at sea” now really turned out as nearly three days – and I am sure, they were more shaky than relaxing for many of my fellow passengers.
Needless to say … we were – as usual – offered a full program, with plenty of lectures, a classical concert by the ship’s pianist and of course the usual amenities of the ship.
I also – as on my previous trips – did ask for the opportunity to get a glimpse of the machine room. On my past trips it had not worked out – but this time I got my invitation for a machine room tour. We were a small group and led through the machine area by the chief engineer of the ship. It was interesting to get that glimpse behind the scenes and also to see the machinery, that was keeping us going.
We continued our way through the Prince Christian Sound.
By now the traditional Hanseatic Pølser Party had started on the pool deck. Food (pølsers = Danish-style hot dogs) was offered – and drinks were flowing freely.
I nevertheless stayed up on the Sun Deck to a) avoid the music and b) get in the views, while we were going through the Southern bit of the Prince Christian Sound.
Of course this did not stop me from having the one or other pølser (with extra pickles of course) and punch (plus those suddenly appearing glasses of jenever).
When we hit the Southern mouth of the sound, nature had a special treat ready for us – a small group of orcas just in front of the ship … seemingly on the hunt for some prey.
The ship did stop at some point in the sound and we were invited for a shore landing at Igdlorsuit (which ultimately turned out our last shore landing before arriving in Iceland).
We made it over to the beach in an old glacial valley. A walk was offered to the front of the retreating glacier – a distance of about 1.5km / 1 mile one way through rough terrain. It turned out a nice walk through the autumn tundra – to (after climbing the glacier’s terminal moraine) get a great view of the glacier itself.
Today saw us crossing over from Greenland’s west coast to the east coast via the Prince Christian Sound.
We entered the sound in the early morning well before breakfast, but in time for a slow sunrise, that threw in amazing colors and quiet added to the mood.
My nickname for the sound: Lemaire Channel for beginners 😉
This gallery contains 19 photos.
Similar to previous days, the crew did use the lunch break to move the ship into another fjord – just in front of the little island of Uunartoq. We made it ashore … and made it first up to the … Continue reading
This gallery contains 19 photos.
After two and half churches yesterday (counting the church ruin of Hvalsey as half) another small church was waiting for us today. We made it to the small settlement of Lichtenau or Alluitsoq, found in the late 18th century as … Continue reading
The title says it all – right?
Like on my last trip, I ended up being one of the few, who had breakfast on the outer deck almost every morning. This time I had to skip for one morning in the Denmark Strait – the sea was simply to rough and the outside tables and chairs roped up and secured.
Below some photos of the views before and during breakfast this morning. Who needs breakfast, when you get to see this … ?
Disclaimer: I surely did have breakfast this morning … slowly starting with some tea – and then adding in all the other good stuff … makes life even feel bitchier – right? 😀