Our Journey Continues
Monday dawned very early on the Seabourn Ovation as we were so close to the Arctic Circle, but thank goodness for black-out drapes. When we did awaken at 7:00 o'clock, we were greeted with yet another cool but sunny day. By 8:30 in the morning, we were docked in Djupivogur, a small, picturesque fishing village in Iceland’s Eastfjords. I decided to skip the room service breakfast to enjoy my morning meal in The Colonnade. A few cups of Decaf Coffee, a glass of Pineapple Juice, and an order of the Raison Bread French Toast with a side order of Bacon was just the ticket to start my day off on a good note. While we were originally scheduled for a tour lasting over eight hours, we thought better of it and instead booked a two-hour cultural walking tour. However, Diane decided to skip it altogether and so I set off in the tender on my own to begin the tour at the village pier.
Gunnar was our guide and he led our small group uphill to a nearby Stone & Mineral Museum, which I must say was a real snoozer. A local fellow named Auðunn opened the museum after his collection of rocks and stones grew significantly. Suffice it to say that his hobby turned into an obsession and after he dutifully told us about any number of his specimens, he exclaimed, “I have nothing more to say. You look around now.” I quickly found the exit and waited for the others, several of whom had apparently purchased some of his stones. We next headed up to the Old Harbor Area to see the unusual outdoor granite artwork placed around the waterfront. It would be hard to say whether Djupivogur was more famous for its real bird life or for the Eggs of Merry Bay sculpture. It consists of 34 to-scale, oversized eggs dotted along the water’s edge, each representing a local bird species. The largest of the eggs represents the red throated diver, the official village bird.
The next part of the tour was really bizarre. The group walked up to what appeared to be an old, rusted and abandoned storage tank. The real surprise was that Gunnar’s wife of 39 years was waiting for us inside. Chairs were set up in a semi-circle in the darkened space as she stood on a soap box illuminated only by the light of 11 candles. She proceeded to sing several songs for us in Icelandic while her voice reverberated in the hollowed-out tank. I found this to be very strange. Afterwards, we traveled along a gravel path towards the village, Gunnar regaled us with stories of Iceland's hidden people. These mythical elves are popular in the nation's folklore and are said to live in a parallel society inside rocks, hills, and lava fields. Surveys have shown that a large percentage of Icelanders actually consider their existence possible. As we approached the center of the village, Gunnar pointed out his wife’s food stand from which she was then selling hot dogs, salmon rolls and ice cream. The highlight of the tour, was encountering two boys in wet suits by the pier. One of them in a Batman costume said, “If you buy a stone, we will jump in the ocean.” And someone did and they did. Granted, this was somewhat entrepreneurial and entertaining, but it was also rather unusual. Riding back in the tender, I couldn't wait to tell Diane she didn't really miss anything. That tour was certainly peculiar and definitely not worth $125!
That evening we dined at Solis located midship on Deck 8. Solis was the ship’s fine-dining specialty restaurant, which featured light and modern Mediterranean cuisine. Due to high demand, reservations were required and limited to one reservation for every seven day voyage. We were warmly welcomed by Solis Manager Kai who showed us directly to our window table. The restaurant had a quiet, chic and warm ambiance that almost seemed to harmonize with the sun’s afterglow. The service was outstanding and the food was delicious. I enjoyed the Lobster Stuffed Paccheri Pasta for a starter and the Roasted Scallops as my entrée while Diane’s was the Branzino Al Sale, a whole Mediterranean Sea Bass baked in a Sea Salt and Fresh Thyme Crust that was prepared table side. I particularly liked the Vacherin Glacé, Crisp French Meringue served with Marinated Fresh Berries, and Bourbon Vanilla Gelato. We were sold on Solis and approached Kai about the possibility of a return visit the following evening. He explained that it was often easier to find room for two diners and so he suggested we return on the next evening to try our luck. Before turning in for the night, we were advised to set our clocks ahead one hour to British Summer Time.
Tuesday, the following day was my birthday. And it was a sea day, which turned the ship itself into the destination. Without any pressure to rush off for port excursions, we were free to embrace total relaxation, enjoy uninterrupted views of the ocean, and take full advantage of shipboard activities. Sea days always seem slower and stress free and are among my favorites. I attended a morning lecture in The Grand Salon called The Viking Age with Jennifer Eremeeva. Jennifer is an American expatriate writer, historian and cruise ship enrichment lecturer based in Riga, Latvia. In her writing and enrichment talks, she explores the historical intersections of travel, history, culture and cuisine. This talk touched on Viking women and their world, the Norse myths and the sagas that preserved them, and on the remarkable story of how Scandinavian culture spread from Greenland to Baghdad along the river routes of medieval Russia. The lecture was most informative.
After lunch, I treated myself to a beard trim in The Spa located on Deck 10, followed by a trip to the shops near the central hub of Deck 7 known as Seabourn Square. With parcels to return to our cabin, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that our Suite Host Alicia and Suite Attendant Ruffy had decorated the cabin for my birthday with cleverly-folded towels and a birthday banner! There was even a personalized letter from the ship’s officers and a complimentary, small decorated cake delivered directly to the suite. It was a very nice touch and very much appreciated. Being a history buff, I attended another of Jennifer’s lectures that afternoon, this one titled The Icelandic Sagas and their Legacy. In her talk she discussed the rich collection of medieval prose narratives written in the 13th and 14th centuries which tell stories about the heroic journeys which took place during the Viking Age.
Evening cocktails took place in the attractive Solis Lounge where we were again greeted by Kai. Within minutes, he approached us and said, “I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that you will have to leave the bar now, but the good news is that we will have a table ready for you shortly.” We were delighted and were seated right next to the very well-positioned table at which we dined the previous evening. I selected the Tuscan Style Angus Prime Beef Porterhouse Steak and savored the very same Vacherin Glacé dessert I enjoyed on Monday evening, declaring it “among the best I’ve ever had.” Before we departed, KaI presented me with a small Chocolate Ganache birthday cake, which he later had sent up to our suite. That was a very thoughtful and kind gesture on his part. That brought my birthday to a close. It was indeed a memorable one which I will long treasure.
Scotland was next on the itinerary and I’ll tell you all about that part of the voyage in a future post.
Until next time…safe travels.
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