Tuesday, March 17, 2020

June 25, 2019 – Akureyri, Iceland – Windy, Cool, Party Cloudy – 50s

We are both scheduled to be on tours today but the meeting time was just too early for us (and I am dealing with a sinus infection) so we told Shorex that would not be able to go on these early tours. 

Instead, after breakfast, we walked the short distance from the pier to the City Center.  That path took us through an industrial area and over a short causeway.




Akureyri is noted for having the best climate in Iceland but as we left the ship, we were met with 40 plus MPH winds until we got to the shelter of the buildings in town.  I got some nice pictures of the fjord but you had to really hold tight against the wind.  



An interesting installation resembling a whale's fluke stood on the causeway leading to the town. 


Akureyri has several streets with shops and restaurants –





 it also has a huge bookstore, where you can also enjoy coffee and tea and Icelandic treats.  I even came across an Icelandic language version of a Jack Reacher book advertised in the bookstore window.  It's "Make Me" (number 20 in the series) but it doesn't translate that way using on line translation.


On one of the main streets a pair of giant trolls (oxymoron?) greeted passersby.  

It also had a Subway restaurant, so the town was now complete.


We crisscrossed the town, took some very nice pictures, and then headed back to the ship, which was a good thing since the temperature was dropping. 

As we got near the ship, Ellen noticed a tour bus getting ready to depart and had a brief conversation with the Shorex Manager.  It turned out that there was one slot still open on this tour to "Godafoss and the Botanic Gardens".  I told Ellen to take it and I went back to the ship. These are the photos Ellen took on her tour.

The Botanic Garden

A stop on the tour included a look at a row of houses with sod roofs.









Godafoss 

The name, Godafoss, can be translated into the "Waterfall of the Gods".





On the way back to the ship, Ellen snapped a picture of the Akureyri Airport as well as the Pacific Princess docked.



I spent a lot of the day up in the Panorama Buffet working on the log and upcoming talks.  I found a plug near one of the table so that was a plus.

I also got some very nice shots of the city and surrounding mountains from the open deck.




Ellen’s bus got back after the all-aboard time and I even got a call from Security asking whether she was on a tour (she had scanned out earlier than the tour folk so they wanted to make sure). 

I watched the sail away (for a little while) from the open deck.





We had dinner up in the Panorama Buffet – there was not much we could eat so the Chef said he would see if he could come up with Spaghetti Marinara for us.  Fifteen minutes later he came back with the BEST Spaghetti Marina I have ever had – noodles, sauce, and cherry tomatoes.  Wonderful – I ate the whole thing.

We went to see Diane Cousins – a Welsh singer, comedian.  We have seen her before (about five years ago on the late great Ocean Princess in Norway).  For me, she is a little difficult to understand but she put on a terrific show and the audience really liked her.

We finished off the day in the Pacific Lounge – I am making progress on “The First Assassin”.  The setting is Toyko and the description of streets and Japanese items is very interesting.

Another hour forward tonight.  We are now six hours ahead of Chicago.



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