Finland, Sweden, Denmark,
  Norway, Scotland,
  Faroe Islands & Iceland

It was just 3 hours and we were in Helsinki. We had no bags to claim so we were quickly at the train station in the airport and on our way to the city. We arrived at the main station and our hotel was just a short walk away. It was 5 pm when we checked in. We stashed our bags and went out to get in a GPS MY CITY walking tour. We had a great time walking to the waterfront and to the beautiful Helsinki Cathedral. We found where our tour leaves from tomorrow and slowly headed back to the hotel. It is close to 9 and the sun is bright but we are pooped. We were not hungry but did stop in the lively hotel bar for an Aperol Spritz before retiring. Showered we climbed into our bed.

We slowly made our way to the hotel and got our luggage. We walked to the train station and stored our carryons and took our backpacks with us on the train. We took the overnight Santa Express train to Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland. We had a sleeper suite complete with shower. If you are thinking luxury you are wrong… bunk beds and a bathroom so tiny one person barely fits! It was an adventure and as the train left the station we headed to the restaurant car for beer and wine and a large window to watch the scenery. We shared our table with a lovely couple and their 8 month old son. He was so precious and she was a general medicine physician. It was a great evening and before we realized it was bed time. I slept very well but Hugh had a restless night.

Back in the city center we walked to the river and did a bit of the hike with plans to do more tomorrow. It is 2.7 miles and today it looks like rain. Back at the hotel we journaled and rested until time to shower and head to dinner. We ate at the Arctic Restaurant and it was delish! I highly recommend the pasta with crayfish sauce and king prawns! For dessert we had Sticky toffee pudding, caramel sauce, roasted cream ice cream and pistachio. It was late when we finished and still cold and windy outside so we went to our suite and looked at photos and journaled. A long hot bath finished the day!!

The drive back went very fast and we were in our hotel before 3. With the afternoon before us we headed out to explore the town. We walked for miles looking in shopping centers, walking through neighborhoods, and watching people. This area is filled with very large tire bikes and motorbikes and there are dedicated lanes for the bikes and for walkers. The temp today was about 70 and sunny a nice change from 53 and overcast. We stopped for dinner and sat for a long time just relaxing. After dinner we walked across a beautiful bridge to a beach area on the other side. We continued our walk to another bridge to get back to our side of the river. Back at the hotel we edited photos , journaled, and again ended the evening with a bubble bath.

This morning we awoke and had a delicious breakfast and then took a last walk around Rovaniemi. We were packed so when we made it to the hotel we got our bags and said our goodbyes to Mark who had taken such great care of us. Our UBER came and soon we were on our way to the airport! Our driver was a retired F-14 pilot and now his son flies military jets. He showed us pictures and when I commented on how handsome his son was he replied, “ Long time ago I was very handsome too!” We arrived safely and it was a quick checkin and security. We had time to relax and drink coffee before we boarded. The flight was one hour and forty five minutes in a very smooth prop jet. We landed in Helsinki and took the train into the city. Back at Central Station we reclaimed the bags we stored and headed off to our hotel. We checked in and were so surprised when we got to our room! It was huge with a gigantic bathtub and a separate toilet room. It was getting late in the afternoon and we had not eaten since breakfast. We decided quickly to return to Olivia’s and have just what we had had before plus an Aperol Spritz! After a lovely dinner we took a walk to finish some of our GPS My City tour and then we walked about 2 miles to Sibelius Park. We then walked around part of the lake there. Then it was the long walk back. There was just enough time to freshen up before we headed to the hotel bar for the World Cup watch party. With drinks in hand we sat down and quickly made friends with Gavin from Vancouver. Spain beat France, we had a new friend, and all was good!! Off to bed for us!!

Late in the afternoon we walked to the bus station and purchased our tickets . We got the last 2 seats, not together, and settled in for the ride back to Helsinki. When we arrived we thought we were at the train station but we were under a large mall at the bus station. We were not familiar with the area but gps got us safely back to our hotel. We had very sore feet and decided to eat in the hotel…. Hot dogs, French fries, and drinks. We thought about staying for the nights watch party but decided to watch in our room after long showers or in my case a soak in the tub!! We curled up in bed to watch the game but I was asleep before halftime and Hugh followed at the break!!!

Thoughts on Finland… if you want to feel short and dumpy this is the place to be!!! Everyone seems to be fit, tall, and blond! When I say tall I mean over 6 ft and that is the women!!! It is a country of minimal decor which is very pleasing and very clean! Excellent selection of great restaurants and lots to see and do!!

We made our way back to the hotel to grab a jacket just in case it should cool off in the evening. We had tickets for a 3 hour Archipelago tour. We spent a lot of time running around trying to find the correct pier and the funny thing was that it was the first place we stopped. We boarded and enjoyed seeing all the islands on the tour. There are 130 inhabited islands in the archipelago and a lot of the homes would qualify as mansions. The woman who narrated the tour gave us history and social info and we felt we knew the area by the end of the trip. On our way back to the hotel we stopped for dinner and then strolled back enjoying the much cooler temps.

By late afternoon we were hungry and settled on Bistek Bistro for traditional meatballs, gravy, lingon berries, and pickled cucumbers! Our meal was fantastic and after dinner we strolled the pedestrian street before heading to the hotel. We did some journaling, Hugh showered, and it was off to bed!

From the museum we continued toward the ABBA Museum. We were early for our timed tickets so we walked through the Tivoli Grande amusement park. As seniors we had free admission and we enjoyed seeing the different rides especially the roller coasters. This park was colorful and filled with beautiful flowers!! It started to sprinkle on us so we made our way to the ABBA museum and waited for our turn. This museum was older but detailed the individual members from their show biz begging to forming the group and then post group. It was not as interactive as we imagined but it was enjoyable and we left with Waterloo, their first big hit, firmly in our heads. We took the tram back into the city and stopped for some ramen for dinner,… perfect for a rainy cool night! We made our way back to the hotel for showers and photo editing.

We headed to the Uppsala Castle, a pink fortress atop a hill with a great view. The castle did not open til noon so we descended the steps to the botanical gardens which we could see below. The gardens were started in the 17th century and were donated to the University by the king in the 18th century. We spent several hours wandering through the gardens and the greenhouses. Everything was tagged and we learned a lot. We stopped for coffee before making our way back up the hill to the castle. We spent the next several hours exploring the 3 museums in the castle, the art museum, the castle museum, and the museum that allowed you to see the oldest part of the original buildings. As we made our way back toward the city we stopped at Trinity Church and then at the magnificent Uppsala Cathedral. It is Scandinavia's largest church and was constructed between the late 13th and 15th centuries. Originally a Catholic seat dedicated to Sweden's patron saint, Eric Jedvardsson, it became the country's coronation and burial site for monarchs, including King Gustav Vasa. Heavily restored in the 19th century, it remains a national Gothic treasure. We finished our visit with the Treasury. Here we saw beautiful ecclesiastical robes and royal items. We then made our way back to the train station , had a bite to eat, and boarded our train back to Stockholm. It was raining in Stockholm when we arrived and also very cool. We went to our room, showered, and then went to the bar for beer and wine. We then went up to watch the 2nd half of the World Cup match but went to bed when it went to extra time.

Our first stop was the cathedral. Gothenburg Cathedral is the principal church of the city and one of its most important historic landmarks. A church has stood on this site since the early 1600s, when a small rectory served as Gothenburg’s first church and one of the new city’s earliest buildings. Construction of the first cathedral was completed in 1633. The inside was pure Scandinavian, simple with a very balanced design. Our next stop was the Haga Church but it was not open. We then walked through the Haga district. Haga is one of Gothenburg’s oldest and most beloved historic districts. Established in 1648 by Queen Kristina just outside the original city walls, it began as a working-class neighborhood of craftsmen, laborers, and sailors. Today it is known for its cobbled, pedestrian-only streets and relaxed, village-like atmosphere. It was very crowded but we were able to get to the bakery with the cinnamon buns that are dinner plate sized and we were amazed at how many people were eating them. After this we decided to have dinner before we went to our canal cruise. We ate Swedish burgers and fries at a well recommended restaurant and were not disappointed! We then walked to the waterfront and boarded our boat. This tour took us all through the canals and even out onto the river. Our guide was great and I was amazed how she changed from Swedish to English without a minute’s hesitation. After the tour we slowly walked back to the hotel stopping for photos along the way! It was time for a dip in the tub before bed!!

Off the boat we decided to take the bus again to the botanical garden stop. It was a long walk to the gardens but they were lovely and we took a fika break at the restaurant! The gardens are massive and the excessive heat that Europe has been experiencing has wrecked havoc in some areas even though it has only been on the high 70’s. The flowers were still beautiful and this lovely garden is free. People walk here in the afternoon and have picnics on the grounds each evening. We walked back toward the Haga district and stopped for dinner at a seafood restaurant. We had the famous shrimp sandwich and fish and chips. Both were delicious and very fresh! We walked back through the Haga area and it was very quiet and most things were closed. When we arrived at the hotel we stopped for a drink before heading to our room!

This morning marked the end of our time in Gothenburg and also Sweden. We packed and headed to breakfast where we had time for an extra cup of coffee. At checkout time we headed to the train station. It was a walk on cobblestone streets but we made it with our suitcase wheels intact! We found the flixbus and waited to board. I had purchased our tickets online and they did not originate from the train station😩😩. The driver was kind enough to change them, stow our bags, and get us on our way. At the airport we checked our bags as this is a short 45 minute flight on a small plane. After clearing security we made our way to the SAS lounge and because of my Platinum Delta status we were able to enter. The down time was nice and the 45 minute flight was up and down. My bag did not come out with the others but when I reported it the agent found it and it came up shortly. We headed to the rental car bus and getting the car went so easily. As we were leaving we noticed we did not have cell phone coverage. We both called Verizon and finally found out the whole area is out. We purchased 24 hours of Holafly coverage and got on our way. The drive to Odense was easy but finding our hotel and somewhere to park was exasperating and we were both so glad when we got to our room. Hugh did some laundry, it’s his thing, and I took a bath, my thing! Thoughts on Sweden… the people are still very tall but not as fair or fit as in Finland. There is so much to see and do that you need more time than you can imagine. There are not a lot of large cities so don’t skip the smaller towns as they have a lot of history, architecture, and beauty!

After lunch we walked to the Den Gamle By, the outdoor museum tracing Aarhus history! We did not know what we would find by we loved it so much we spent the rest of the afternoon there. The mayors house from the 15 century was our favorite! We made our way back to Odense and took a walk through the town which is very near our hotel. There are a lot of restaurants with people enjoying nightcaps or a late dinner. It is lively and we hope to come here for dinner our last evening! Back at the hotel it was bath and bed!!

Our first stop was Søby, the smallest of the 3 towns. We walked to the church which was across from the mini golf course. We then walked through some neighborhoods admiring the lovely flowerbeds. We ended down at the harbor where we caught the next bus to Marstal. This is the largest of the towns and had a lovely Main Street with colorful buildings and a lot of people out shopping or having coffee. For a town of 1,986 people it was busy. We enjoyed people watching and then stopped for coffee and a waffle with ice cream. We walked out to see the colorful beach huts and then made our way to the harbor to catch the bus. This time we went to Aeroskobing where we started. Here we walked a good distance to get up close to the colorful beach huts . Then we walked through the town but it was more of what we had seen. We decided to get an earlier ferry. When we arrived back in Svendborg we were thrilled to see all the tall sailing ships had arrived for the Fyn Runde, a maritime heritage festival! We enjoyed looking at all these ships and of course making photos! Afterwards we explored the town and stopped for a bite to eat. We ended our day arriving back late to our hotel!!

This morning we were up early and after breakfast we began our walk to our first destinations of the day , the Hans Christian Andersen Museum! We did not know what do expect, maybe childish, but it was wonderfully done and brought back so many childhood memories. By the way, only adults there! From the museum where we saw where he was born we walked to his childhood home. He left home when he was 14. He grew up very poor but had a rich imagination. Besides being a writer he was a wonderful cut paper artist often entertaining children with cutouts to illustrate the story he was telling! We stopped for coffee and people watched! We then walked to some downtown sights for pictures.

We made our way to our car and made the hour long drive to Egeskov Slot... aka castle. Again not sure what we would find but we were blown away by the beauty of the grounds and the huge rooms we were able to enjoy . There were gardens, hedge mazes, and multiple museums. The original family still lives there and all through the ages have had wide interests and we enjoyed the motorcycle museum, the classic car museum, the outdoor camping museum, and of course the castle! We were there until late and then had to drive back to Odense. We freshened up and then walked downtown for an Asian fusion dinner., Hughs choice for his birthday. Then it was off to the tub then bed! It had been a full day!!

When we completed the tour of Frederiksborg we walked briskly to the train station to get the train to Helsingør and our nest castle! The trip was an hour and when we arrived we found a lovely old town and a castle that is perfectly situated to be a major defense! Kronborg Castle sits at one of the most important points along the Øresund, the narrow waterway between Denmark and Sweden. For centuries, it played a major role in Danish history and shaped events across Northern Europe from the 16th to the 18th centuries. The beautiful Renaissance castle has remained remarkably unchanged since King Christian IV rebuilt it in the early 1600s. Around the world, though, it’s best known as Elsinore—the legendary setting of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The rooms are huge but were very bare. It had been stripped of its grandeur before World War II and made into a military base and remained this was during German occupation. We toured the underground passage where the resistance fighters met and some lived! We also took a walk along the walls and enjoyed the sea views. It was extremely windy and we walked into town. We did a little shopping and then had a delicious dinner at an Italian restaurant owned and operated by an Italian gentleman and his son! They spoke the language and cooked the food! We then took the train back to Copenhagen and we warmed up in our room before heading to the hotel bar for editing photos! It was a marvelous day!

From there we made our way to Christiansborg Castle. This place is huge and so many things to see. We started with the ruins of the 2 castles before the first Christiansborg. This is the third one as the other 2 were destroyed by fire. This one was built in 1907 and no king has ever lived here. It is used for major royal events and inaugurations. It is a storehouse of art , furniture, and it is truly grand in size. After we finished the tour we went to the royal chapel and then on to the royal stables where horses are still stabled. The horses are all white and rather large. We saw all the royal carriages here also and a lot of them are still used today!! We then finished our GPS My City tour of castle island. We saw the royal library both old and new, the stock exchange, and the marble bridge. From Castle Island we headed to Nyhavn. It was a long walk but we enjoyed the stroll down the main pedestrian shopping street. When we arrived it was so crowded with people that we were almost sad we came. We made our way up and down the streets making photos and then decided to do a canal tour to get away from the crowds. We were too late to make the boat that was getting ready to leave and the next one was too late for our dinner reservations. We decided to go to the restaurant and see if they could seat us earlier. They did and we enjoyed a leisurely delicious meal. After dinner we did the canal tour and it was a lot of fun and very informative . Then it was the long hike back to the hotel. It was a lovely evening and the streets were much easier to walk as all the day trippers had left! Back at the hotel we showered and journaled and then off to bed!

From our refreshment stop we walked to the cemetery and the park ending at the castle. We paid the admission and found out it was several art museums with some of the household items from the time of the castles heyday. We looked around and then walked to get a hotdog before catching the train back to Copenhagen. The train ride was quiet and relaxing. On our way to the hotel we stopped at the grocery and picked up wine to take on the ship tomorrow. We stored this in our room and then walked along way to buy a bottle of vodka for Hugh. I talked to Lori for a long while and Hugh found out that you buy alcohol at the Seven Eleven. Oh well we got extra steps in! Back at the hotel we showered and packed before heading up to the bar for drinks and nachos. We enjoyed our down time and soon it was bed time!!

We had our dirty clothes packed separately and soon they were in the wash! We unpacked, finished the laundry, pressed the clothes, and still made it to the sail away party. There was music and some people but we noticed a lot of do not disturb signs on our hallway. We showered and dressed for dinner in Jacques! This is not my favorite restaurant because of the noise level. We were supposed to share a table but no one showed up so we had a private table and an enjoyable dinner with the crew celebrating Hughs birthday with cake and song! We made it to the show and the entertainment team seemed to be strong and well matched. Then it was off to bed for us.

We continued our walk and finally ended up in the town. We went in some shops to browse but the prices in Norway forbid purchasing. At last it was time to get the tender back to the shop. We had walked over 20,000 steps and we had tired feet. The tender was fast and we made our way to The Terrace for a late lite lunch. We then worked on our art hunt before going to the cabin to prop up the feet and journal and work on photos. Later in the afternoon we attended the church service and then joined the line for early dinner. We opted for a table for two and had a fabulous meal. Afterwards we went to the Grand Bar and listened to music until time for the show. Tonight’s entertainment was a violinist from Poland. He was so engaging and such a fabulous musician that he got a standing O!! After the show went to Horizon for the ABBA show and cocktails! A wonderful day!

This morning we switched things up. We got up much earlier, had our coffee, and went to the gym. After our workout we had a lite breakfast and then went for a mile and half walk on the outdoor track. We then cleaned up, did some laundry, and made it to the future cruise presentation. We didn’t win the door prize nor did we see any cruises that were interesting. After the presentation we headed to lunch in the dining room. It was quiet and we enjoyed our meal. We then did our art scavenger hunt and rested before the first lecture. It was a talk on other worldly communications and how the study of humpback whales and other creatures helps us in our investigation. Afterwards more art. Our next lecture was on religious changes in the Nordic area. I went to have my bath before the five thirty lecture on the eclipse. We were just a minute or two late but had to stand. Everyone was interested in this topic! It was off to dinner in the main dining room and we took our time. We finished in time to listen to the string quartet and have a glass of wine before the comedy show at 9:15. Rikki Jay was back and much better this show! Then it was off to bed for us!

Our biggest surprise of the day was the Scottish National Portrait Gallery—we popped in for a quick look, but ended up losing several hours exploring the exhibits and grabbing a wonderful snack. From there, we powered on to Calton Hill. Climbing up to the old observatory rewarded us with sweeping, unforgettable views of parts of the city we hadn't seen yet. Along the way, we checked out the striking, unfinished National Monument, the Nelson Monument, and the Dugald Stewart Monument. Our route then looped us past the Scottish Parliament, the Museum of Edinburgh, historic St. Giles' Church, and the Scottish Gallery, before making our way back to Charlotte Square to catch the shuttle. Back on board, we cleaned up for a relaxing dinner in the main dining room, followed by an absolute highlight: an incredible performance by guest violinist Michael Baccala. A rainy start turned into an unforgettable day!

From the lake, we took the back roads to Culloden Battlefield where Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Jacobites were massacred by the Duke of Cumberland’s British army. While exploring, we got a look at the new Culloden tartan. As we drove to Clava Cairns, the skies turned very dark, but the clouds parted right as we arrived. These ancient burial mounds date back 4,000 years and served as the inspiration for the Outlander series. On the road to our next stop, we also passed the impressive Culloden Viaduct, an 1898 bridge featuring 28 arches spanning the Nairn River. Cawdor Castle was the absolute highlight for me! The castle is still lived in by the same family after centuries. While famous for its connection to Macbeth thanks to the reference to the Thane of Cawdor, it is highly fictionalized since the castle was actually built long after Macbeth's time. After exploring the castle and its beautiful gardens, we headed to Inverness for a quick city tour. When we made it back to the cruise ship, our walk was very wet! Once on board, we showered and cleaned up for dinner at Red Ginger. We finished the evening by catching the production company's show, Rockin Soul (though it wasn't our favorite!), before finally heading off to bed.

From here we continued along the coast on our way back to Scrabster. Along the way we saw the ruins of a castle and lovely homes along the cliffs. We made it back to the ship in time for a lite lunch and some time without shoes to rest our feet! Then we headed out to the light house and the hike through the sheep pastures to get to Holburn Head. We have done this hike before but we were still blown away by the beauty of this rock stack rising from the sea! It was a great hike and got us over 9.5 miles for the day. Back on the ship we rested and got all gussied up for the Oceania Club party. We sat with a lovely lady from Toronto and stayed until they were closing down. We went to the dining room for dinner and then to the show. Rebecca Kelley was our entertainer and she was great. She was a comedian and singer with a lot of energy!

From there, we wandered through Á Reyni and Undir Ryggi, where tiny lanes wind between old black-tarred houses, stone paths and more turf roofs. We climbed up to Skansin Fortress for the cannons and the spectacular view across the harbor to Nólsoy, then finished at the pretty white Tórshavn Cathedral, dating from 1788. A small city, but with a surprisingly big sense of history — and plenty of character. Back on the ship we dried off, warmed up, and had a very lite late lunch at WAVES. We rested and then went to the Pizzeria for a fabulous dinner. My burrata and tomato salad was incredible and the focaccia was better than the pizza. We headed to Horizons for the dance party and finished up some journaling. It was a great day!!

This morning we had coffee in the room and then breakfast in the main dining room. We had our first lecture at 9 am and it was on how to view and photograph the eclipse. It was very informative. We went up to Horizons to journal, organize photos, and drink coffee. Our next lecture on Iceland, Greenland and the medieval ivory trade was again a wonderful and engaging lecture! From the lounge we headed to the dining room for lunch. We love just sitting and watching the waves and eating a delicious lunch. We again took some time to journal and then nap! Love a good down day!! We got up, showered, and dressed for dinner. We went to the 5:30 lecture and the to the main dining room. Because of the large groups we have had a table for two each evening. We then went to listen to the strings quartet before going to the show. Tonight’s entertainment was Tom McCormick and The Elton John Songbook. He was amazing both on piano and vocals. There was a lot of audience participation and laughter. He got a standing ovation and everyone left anxious for his next performance. We walked a bit and then headed to bed!

We went to 3 unscheduled lectures and each one was fantastic. The 2 lecturers gave it their all and held our attention the whole time. We sorted pictures, journaled, and actually had a little time to rest. We had a most enjoyable dinner with the General Manager , Dominique and the head of L&D, Melody. There were 4 couples all Platinum level and we got to dine in Privee. We could order from both the Polo and Toscana menus and the wine flowed as did conversation. It was a long evening and we only caught the last 10 minutes of Rebecca Kelley’s show highlighting the music of Carole King. What a great sea day!!!

From there we made a long very steep climb down the mountain to the old town. Here was the museum and Nonnis house. Nonni's House is a small wooden home built around 1850. It is one of the oldest buildings in town and the childhood home of Jón Sveinsson—a beloved children's author and Jesuit priest known as "Nonni. We continued our hike back through the main part of town and ended back at the ship. We had some time to go to afternoon tea and shower before everyone was back on board. We went to the main dinning room for a quiet dinner and then to the Grande Bar area to listen to the strings quartet. Tonight’s show was a great singer/pianist named Tom McCormick. He did an Elton John tribute two nights ago and was fantastic. Tonight it was legends and we really enjoyed it. He was a hit as he filled the showroom and got a standing ovation! It was country night in Horizons so we headed to bed!

Next stop was Gemlufall Farm. This is a family farm that had been in the same family since about 1200 and is mentioned in Viking literature from that time. The owners served us Happy Marriage cake and coffee when we arrived . After telling the history of the farm, the farm owner turned us over to her 12 year old son! He was quite the character and had us all chuckling with his colorful description of the life of a ram aka dead beat dad! Evidently the rams have to be kept separate or the farm would be overrun with kids!! We were able to pet some Icelandic horses before departing for the harbor. Hugh and I opted to get off early and spent the rest of the afternoon hiking the hills with exceptional views of the city. We then walked along the water til we arrived back at the harbor. Back on board we rested then cleaned up for dinner. Another lovely meal and a little music before the show rounded out our evening! The show was all the entertainers from the ship and then the captain and crew for the farewell! It was late when we finished and we were a bit disappointed that we fifnot ding YMCA like on most ships! Off to bed for us!

Then it was time for the Solar Eclipse pre-party. We had canapes and cosmic cocktails plus a moonwalk contest. It was a nice lead in to the big event. We donned our coats and protective glasses and headed to the top deck. Viewing was easy as the sun was still high! At the time for first encounter we all looked up and everyone shouted when they saw the first bite from the moon. We watched periodically as the sun went from circular to crescent. Things sped up after that and we watched more intently. As the total eclipse approached do many things changed. The shadows became more crisp, the air cooled off so much we added another layer, and the colors around us became steely. At the moment of totality it was still, dark, and cold. Off came the glasses and we could see the corona. After saying we would not photograph the event we did take a few pictures. We saw the two diamond rings and the last one was do bright that the glasses went back on. We continued to watch until the daylight returned and then went to shower. We had dinner in Polo with a lovely couple from California and it was well after 10 when we headed to our cabin!

I got some laundry going before it was time to head out for our food tour. We were to meet our guide at the concert hall and we were there a bit early but could not find our guide. We located several others looking confused and after confirming they to were on the tour we waited patiently . Right on the minute our guide , Frei, showed up. Soon we were on our way to our first restaurant Forréttabarinn. Here we had Lamb shank with mashed potatoes, broccoli, pearl onions and wine sauce. It was delicious and everyone agreed they would have this again. We continued our walk in the same area of the city to our next stop, Tapas barinn. Once we were seated Frey told us about the dishes and how they are prepared. Here we had two dishes , Marinated lamb tenderloin with liquorice andIcelandic blue ling in langoustine sauce. Again the food was perfectly prepared and delicious. The lamb was a concern to many because of the licorice but it was wonderful. Staying in the same area we next stopped at Matarkjallarinn. Here was the restaurant I was dreading . We will be having the fermented shark here . Frey had everyone get something to drink, wine , beer, or shot of Brennivín. Once we had our drinks he opened the small jars of shark snd handed out toothpicks. Once everyone had their small piece we held the up , and shouted skoal, and popped them in our mouths. There were some strange faces made but everyone managed the 8-10 chews before swallowing. We quickly drank our drinks to flush out the taste. We were then served the restaurant’s specialty of Slow cooked cod with smoked lamb and noisette-hollandaise sauce. We were starting to get filled with these none to small portions but on we trooped. Our next stop was a take away restaurant/ food truck. Here we had Icelandic hot dogs with Icelandic ketchup, Icelandic mustard, remoulade sauce, deep-fried onion, and raw onion. The line here was very long and we’re expecting something special. We were a bit disappointed and I would not order this again. From here we went to Tivoli. This was our last stop and we had rhubarb cake served with whipped cream and coffee/tea. We said our goodbyes and we slowly made our way home. Ron and Lori were exhausted and Hugh and I were tired also. I put clothes in the dryer and took a long bath. Soon the house was quiet as we all slept.

From the park we headed to Bruarfoss. It took us about 30 minutes and Hugh and I were surprised that we had not heard of this. We walked a short distance from the parking other and found ourselves at a Bruarfoss. there was a bridge across the river here and we got magnificent views of the turquoise water cascading down. We decided to make the 3 mile hike along the river and we were so glad we did. We saw 2 more waterfalls, and enjoyed peaceful walk along the river. As we were behind our time we decided to enjoy an Icelandic hotdog from a food truck at the end of our hike. this one was much better than yesterdays.

Our last stop of the day was Gullifoss. This is a highlight of anyones visit to Iceland and we were determined to get the full experience. We donned our rain gear including rain pants and started with the top viewing platforms. The wind brought the mist but we remained remarkable dry. the rainbows we saw and the overview was nice but we decided to get up close and personal with this giant. We made the hike to the lower viewing area and we got the full experience, heavy mist, thundering noise. and an amazing view. We walked back up to the lower parking area, removed our rain gear and headed to our car. Wow, what an experience. We made the drive back to Reykjavik and just barely made our 8pm reservations at Kopar. We were seated quickly and the restaurant was vibrant and had lovely views of the harbor. Our meal was delicious and the service efficient without rushing. After a lovely meal we headed to the airbnb to renew our energy for the following day.

Once back on solid ground, Ron researched a spot for lunch, and he absolutely knocked it out of the park. He found Íslenski Barinn, which served fantastic fish and chips alongside a truly amazing Skyr (Icelandic yogurt) dessert. Because Ron and Lori were still battling a bit of jet lag, we headed back to the Airbnb for some well-deserved downtime. While three of the group napped, I tackled some laundry to prep for the rest of our adventure. After an hour, Lori and Hugh woke up refreshed, but Ron decided to keep sleeping. The three of us headed out to a nearby lake we had spotted earlier. We walked all the way around it, admiring the gorgeous local homes, vibrant flowers, and a very unusual enclosed bandstand. We were just heading back to get ready for dinner when Lori got a phone call that threw us for a loop—we were late for our reservations! We had written down 8:00 PM, but the restaurant had us down for 7:00 PM. Luckily, we were only four minutes away. Lori quickly called Ron to meet us, and we dashed over to Matur og Drykkur. The staff at the Michelin-selected restaurant were incredibly gracious and seated our frantic group quickly. What followed was a dining experience none of us will ever forget. We treated ourselves to a creative tasting menu that took traditional Icelandic dishes to the next level using incredibly fresh, locally sourced ingredients. While every course was spectacular, our absolute favorites were the scallop and rock crab, the razorbill egg, the goat and lovage, and the sheep served with rutabaga and reindeer lichen. For the first time in my life, dessert wasn't my favorite part of the meal—it was excellent, but the savory dishes were just that mind-blowing. The meal stretched past 11:00 PM, and we all walked away completely full, amazed, and inspired by the unique flavors. Needless to say, after an adventure-filled day like that, we all slept wonderfully!

We arrived and happily the parking lot was not yet overflowing and the walk to the waterfall was not crowded at all. We decked out in all our rain gear and made the short hike from the parking lot. Seljalandsfoss is a beautiful waterfall that plunges about sixty meters into a lush green setting. Its unique feature is that the shape of the cliff allows it to fall in such a way that you can walk behind the waterfall. It makes for great pictures. After exiting we walked about 10 minutes to Gljufrabui waterfall. this 40 meter falls is tucked inside a narrow black basalt canyon. You have to navigate wet rocks to get inside the narrow opening. even tough we had beaten the crowds this tiny space was crowded. Short visit but some great photos.

The parking lots were crowded so we parked on the road and made the hike up the mountain to start our visit. this peninsula is famous for its staggering views of Iceland’s South Coast. It is also known for puffins but we were all told it was too late to see any so we had no expectations. As we slowly walked along the cliff edge is saw something rustling in the grass. i turned to look and a puffin looked back at me. About the same time Ron spotted more of these adorable birds flying around. As we continued our journey around the cliff edge we saw hundred of puffins. I could have stayed there all day just photographing them. Alas, we had to move on to see the main attraction of the lighthouse, the black sand beaches, the double arch out in the water, and the sea stacks of black basalt.

Just a short distance up the road we stopped at School Beans, an old school bus turned into a quirky coffee shop. Ron had the treat of the day in this elaborate hot chocolate decorated with marshmallows and whipped cream. Our last stop of the day was Fjairargljufur Canyon. This canyon was a dramatic 2-km long and 100 meters deep. It was carved by glacial meltwater at the end of the last ice age. We made the hike and were rewarded with a beautiful view of Mogafoss Waterfall.

When we arrived the weather was overcast and cold so we dressed warmly and started our hike into Skaftafell National Park. The hike was easy and soon we were mesmerized by the huge glacier in front of us. It is the largest glacier in Europe and very impressive. We were able to hike very close and we spent a long time just photographing from different angles and varying lights. We watch icebergs in the river and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Skaftafell is part of a larger national park called Vatnajokull.

The weather took a turn for the worse and a heavy fog rolled in. Our next stop was Diamond Beach just across the highway and we did not get the full impact of the sparkle from all the icebergs because we had no sun. Fortunately we have time allotted for a morning visit tomorrow. It was windy and cold but we did ourselves proud in sticking it out and getting some photos.

We then started westward making our next stop at Diamond Beach where we hoped for better light and though not clear it was definitely better than yesterday. We spent a lot of time photographing but we did not have a set in stone schedule today. We just had to get to our next airbnb before too late. We continued our drive westward stopping at view points, waterfalls and any other place that looked interesting. We made it to Vic in time for lunch at Black Crust Pizza and we had so much pizza leftover that we planned on pizza for dinner also. We did some snack shopping and Lori picked up a gift she had been looking for. We continued our westward journey and made stops at Seljalandsfoss and Gljufrabui for a second look at these beautiful waterfalls. We made it to our airbnb and it was lovely with a nice den where we watched some tv, ate pizza, saw an amazing sunset, did some work and drank some wine! Oh did I say we had a waterfall view! Great day…good night.

The next item on our agenda was the Black Church of Budir. This church is situated amid a rugged lava field on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. The first church at this site was a turf chapel built in 1703. The church here today was built in 1848 and covered with the traditional pitch to protect it from the harsh Icelandic winters. We hiked to the sea and the weather was nice and the view outstanding. From here we made our way to the cliffs of Arnastapi. We started out with the intent of hiking to Hellnar about 2 miles away but the wind was so strong and the clouds so dark that we just enjoyed a shorter hike and drove to Hellnar. We were looking for the cafe that sits on the cliff and serves tea and waffles but we did not find it, so on we went. Our adventure continued at Londrangar where we saw two huge basalt pinnacles that are the remains of a crater. They are 246 feet high and 200 feet high and the walk out to see them is very scenic. We were getting hungry so we went to the town of Borganes and ate at a cute restaurant where we all had the fish of the day and it was fantastic. We then checked into our hotel and made use of the hot tub. A fun and relaxed day.

On our way to our last stop we did a short hike at Raudfeldsgia slot canyon. It was very narrow with wobbly rocks to walk on so Hugh and I let Ron and Lori do the actual exploration inside the canyon. Our last stop was one of our most fun. We ended our trip at Hvammsvik Hot Springs. It was after 6 when we arrived and we decided to have dinner in the cafe before our soak. The meal was great and soon we found ourselves soaking in natural geothermal hot springs right on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. There were 8 pools to choose from, some cooler some hotter. As we were enjoying our first pool we spotted a whale swimming lazily just off shore. This was the cherry on top of our trip. We felt so blessed to have seen the puffins and now a whale. We had a cocktail at the swim up bar to celebrate. Well rested and toasty we showered and drove to the hotel. Reality set in when we had to get everything back into the suitcase. Once that was accomplished it was off to bed.

This morning we awoke feeling a little sad. Our wonderful adventure and time with the children ends today. We packed the last few things and then stored them in the car before breakfast. We had a great meal, checked out of the hotel, and began the 1:30 hour trip to the airport. We are still listening to our book so it did not seem long at all. Lori and Ron dropped us off and went to a coffee shop to wait for their flight. Their flight is an afternoon one. Hugh and I checked our bags, cleared security and thought we had it made but alas no. We found our terminal and then we saw the masses. We still had to go through passport control which took us almost an hour. We made it to our gate in time to board. This was our first time in Delta comfort and the flight was nice, good legroom, real food, blankets and pillows, and entertainment. We arrived in JFK early and we cleared passport control and customs so quickly our head was spinning. We claimed and rechecked our bags and had time to spend in the lounge. We relaxed a bit and then boarded our next flight. We expected the same level of service as the last flight as they were of equal length but this was not to be. We had no food, poor stewards you could hardly understand, and it was freezing and they told me rudely there were no blankets. I was very happy when we arrived at SLC, claimed our luggage, and UBERed home. Lori and Ron arrived home safely also so I slept soundly.