NB Day 2: Ålesund Bound … Torvik

… Day 1 being embarkation in Bergen.

Overnight Stops: Flørø & Maløy.

Went to bed with pouring rain. Woke up with pouring rain. I’ve read that this can be a recurring theme on these coastal voyages. We’re here to escape the heat that is plaguing much of Europe, so I will try not to complain about the ongoing ‘liquid sunshine’ that is dogging our steps. Or is it the other way around and we are following in the wake of the rain? In any event, I’ll issue a ‘bulk apology’ in advance for all the rain drops that will likely be streaking through the photos I’ll be taking.

Got a very good night’s rest. We could barely feel m/s Havila Castor move through the sea as it mostly hugged the coastline, weaving its way through the islands along the Norwegian coast.

The ship’s eco-friendly propulsion system — LNG and electric batteries — ensured a quiet night.. Even the two stops we made in the wee hours of the morning at Florø and Måløy didn’t disturb our sleep … even though our portside cabin is the third one to the aft of the cargo bay hatch.

Mui was up around 6:00a for his morning coffee … from the machines on deck 6. I stayed abed for another hour and then joined him for breakfast … open seating starting at 7:00a. This is the only meal where there is a buffet … hot dishes, such as eggs and pancakes, ordered off the menu and served at the table … as is juice and hot beverages.

Yes, we tried the “brunost” … brown cheese … which isn’t cheese really. At least not in the sense that we think of cheese., Wikipedia describes this iconic Norwegian food as “… made by boiling down the whey, milk, and cream of goat's milk, cow's milk, or a mix of both. The long cooking process caramelizes the milk sugars (lactose), giving it a dense, fudge-like texture and a sweet, caramel-like flavor.” We liked it … but I am not sure ‘it likes me’ 😊

By the time we were ready to proceed with the rest of the day, the ship was ready to call on Torvik … on the islands of Leinøya. There is no town near the dock. Rather it’s all farms … so what you see is limited. Nonetheless … a peaceful setting and I’m glad we got a glimpse of a place that we would unlikely to be visiting otherwise.Leggi altro