Life begins at fjord-ty: Day 8 - Honningsvag/North Cape

[wickesy]

Today’s Patter (click for full size). Full marks to anybody who can spot the mistake on this one!
Honningsvag Port Guide is in my Photobucket album - http://s158.photobucket.com/albums/t120/wickesy/Norwegian Cruise/Day 8/

Today we were at the most Northerly port of our trip - Honningsvag. We were up at 8:00 and as usual we went up for breakfast and to take photos before anything else.

For those who have never been on the Crown Princess, Princess Links is a little putting course out on the top deck of the ship.

We were doing a trip to Nordkapp (North Cape) this morning so by 9:00 we were down in the Princess Theatre to check in. By 9:45 we had been led off the ship on to our waiting coach and we were on our way. First stop was a photo stop at a ‘ Sami camp’ - the Sami are the native people but rather than a genuine camp this turned out to be two tents and a souvenir shop at the side of the road, so obviously a tourist trap.

We arrived at Nordkapp at about 10:30 and were given about 90 minutes to wander around before we had to meet the coach to take us back to the ship. First stop was the gift shop where we bought a hoodie for me and a couple of fridge magnets. From there we stopped off to have a coke each while sitting looking out at the cliffs and sea.

Suitably refreshed we went outside to the globe where we had our picture taken by the ship’s photographer.

From there we had a wander around the cliffs taking various photos.

This one is a full 360 degree panorama

Continued in next post

 

[wickesy]

This is the Children of the Earth monument. Every year a prize is handed out here to an individual or project that has helped children that have suffered somewhere in the world. You can read more about the project here: http://www.barnavjorden.org/eng/welcome.htm

Then we went back inside and watched a 14 minute film that was unnarrated but was kind of ‘a year in the life of Nordkapp’. By the time the film had finished we just had time to go down and look at King’s View before it was time to meet our coach for the return journey.

Everywhere we went we saw these little pockets of snow that refused to melt.

This is the world’s most Northern ecumenical chapel. It’s just a little room carved into the rocks.

By 12:45 we were back at the port so we had a look around the souvenir shop and then went into the Artico Ice Bar.

We had a couple of drinks in the bar then, in accordance with local custom, went outside, threw our shot glasses (made of ice) into the sea and made a wish. By now we were getting hungry so we made our way back on to the ship and up to Horizon Court for some lunch and then spent the afternoon wandering around and taking more photos. Today was the 4th of July so there was a big display in the atrium to mark the day.

At 4:30 we went up onto the deck above the bridge to watch sail away from a different vantage point.

Continued in next post

 

[wickesy]

This bird got a bit of a surprise when the rope was slackened so we could be untied!

This ship was moving in to take up the berth we had just left.

Cocktails were at the usual time following which we went down for dinner. Tonight I started with duck liver pate and Dad had crab meat with apple balls and melon balls, then I had chicken noodle soup and Dad had romaine lettuce. Main courses were turkey escalope and pumpkin for Dad and surf ‘n’ turf for me - filet mignon and jumbo shrimp - then dessert was café latte ice cream for both of us.

Brandies followed as usual and then it was in bed by 10:25 ready for a day in Tromso tomorrow.

Not quite the Midnight sun – I think this was taken around 10:00

Day 9

 

[Chilly]

was the food good aboard ship?

 

[wickesy]

was the food good aboard ship?

Yes it was. I've said on here before that I'm no foodie - I eat to live rather than live to eat - but there was never anything that I ordered and then didn't like. Unfortunately one of the cruise industry staples, lobster, doesn't agree with me so I never got to try that but there were a few things I had that I've never had before - game hen, goose, pheasant etc. - which was nice to see.

 

[DISWolves]

Just caught up with all of your trippie David.
I like the panoramic shots.
Hove you done these with the camera or stitched them together later?

 

[wickesy]

Just caught up with all of your trippie David.
I like the panoramic shots.
Hove you done these with the camera or stitched them together later?

Thanks. They were done using the panorama mode on my camera - Fuji F300EXR - which does either 120, 240 or 360 degree panoramas. This was the first holiday I had used it on so I'm really pleased with the way they came out.

 

[jns]

Really enjoying r report
Love all the photos
Thanks for sharing

 

[Claire L]

Oh the Ice Bar looks cool, pardon the pun

Beautiful picture of the sun late in the evening.

The food for the 4th of July looks great!

 

[mandymouse]

More lovely pics David I love the look of that Ice Bar

 

[irongirlof12]

Great pics e ice bar looked fun but chilly

 

[loobzuk]

the ice bar looks great fun

 

[Tammy Stringer]

Another lovely day and the ice bar looks like a lot of fun

Tammy

 

[florida sun]

Another great day, friends of mine stayed in a Ice Hotel a few years back that looked just like the Ice bar