Solovetsky Patriarchal Monastery
July 15, 2019 in Russia ⋅ ⛅ 52 °F
The name of the monastery is much longer than what I was able to fit into the title of the footprint — Spaso-Preobrazhenskiy Solovetsky Patriarchal Monastery.
Back in the main settlement after ourRead more
Solovetsky Island Photo Gallery
July 15, 2019, White Sea ⋅ ⛅ 50 °F
Images from today’s visit to Murmansk, Russia are at this link:
https://eenusa.smugmug.com/Cruises/NoGlow/Slvts…
Welcome to Arkhangelsk (Russia)
July 16, 2019 in Russia ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F
Our eighth port of call ... new-to-us Arkhangelsk, Russia ... Archangel, in English. A short overnight cruise from Solovetsky Island and up the Northern Dvina River brought us to our destination.
ARead more
Arkhangelsk: Monuments & Memorials
July 16, 2019 in Russia ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F
On our way to the open-air museum we planned to visit, our guide stopped at a beach overlooking the Northern Dvina River. Huh! Sure, it was a warm, sunny day ... but not nearly warm enough for us toRead more
Arkhangelsk: Malye Korely
July 16, 2019 in Russia ⋅ ☀️ 63 °F
Malye Korely, the state museum of wooden architecture and folk art of the northern regions of Russia, is said to be country’s largest museum of its kind. It consists of four sectors, with two moreRead more
Arkhangelsk: Lunch Time
July 16, 2019 in Russia ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F
I very much would have preferred to spend a little extra time at Malye Korely in lieu of the late lunch we had at Paratov, a floating restaurant back in the city. The food was uninspired IMHO.
TheRead more
Arkhangelsk Photo Gallery
July 16, 2019, White Sea ⋅ ☀️ 52 °F
Images from today’s visit to Murmansk, Russia are at this link:
https://eenusa.smugmug.com/Cruises/NoGlow/Arch0…
At Sea
July 17, 2019, Barentsz Sea ⋅ 🌧 43 °F
Having made the turn out of the White Sea and around the Kola Peninsula early this morning, this was a day of sailing the Barents Sea back towards Norway. We are once again above the Arctic Circle.
ARead more
Welcome to Honningsvåg (Norway)
July 18, 2019 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F
Our ninth port of call ... new-to-us Honningsvåg, Norway ... where we were greeted not just by trolls, but also by Bamse, the Sailor Dog.
[The story of Bamse is at this link:Read more
Honningsvåg: Nordkapp Tour ... Kamøyvær
July 18, 2019 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F
While Honningsvåg’s status as Europe’s northernmost city might be questioned, what can’t be disputed (sort of) is Europe’s northernmost point ... Nordkapp (North Cape in English).
On our wayRead more
Honningsvåg: Nordkapp Tour ... Skarsvåg
July 18, 2019 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F
Our second stop en route to Nordkapp was Skarsvåg ... which claims to be the northernmost fishing village in the world!
Monika took us to the king crab tanks here. Apparently, king crabs are notRead more
Honningsvåg: Nordkapp ... Northernmost?
July 18, 2019 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F
Even the postcards I picked up at Nordkapp — North Cape in English — describe the massive rocky plateau that rises some 1,000 feet above the surface of the sea as the northernmost point ofRead more
Honningsvåg: Here & There on Magerøya
July 18, 2019 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 48 °F
Our Nordkapp tour with Blue Puffin took us to places around Magerøya Island. In some places we spent quite a bit of time. Other stops were photo-ops that caught our eye.
We wrapped up our tour withRead more
Farewell Honningsvåg!
July 18, 2019, Barentsz Sea ⋅ ☁️ 50 °F
Our last glimpse of Nordkapp was from the ship as Nautica rounded Magerøya Island to leave the Barents Sea behind and continue our cruise south.
Next Port: Kristiansund, Norway ... 684 NM away. ButRead more
Honningsvåg Image Gallery
July 18, 2019, Norwegian Sea ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F
Images from today’s visit to Honningsvåg, Norway are at this link:
https://eenusa.smugmug.com/Cruises/NoGlow/Hnngs…
Day @ Sea
July 19, 2019, Norwegian Sea ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F
We’ve left the Barents Sea behind and are now sailing the Norwegian Sea. We have received the “Currents” — the daily program — for tomorrow and once again sunrise and sunset times are beingRead more
Welcome to Kristiansund (Norway)
July 20, 2019 in Norway ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F
Our tenth port-of-call ... new-to-us Kristiansund, Norway.
We were greeted with blue skies and sunshine as Nautica made its way to its berth on Kirkelandet, one of the four main islands on whichRead more
Kristiansund: Grip Ruta
July 20, 2019 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F
Yes, we were lucky and managed to snag seats on the Hagbart Waage, the boat that takes visitors out to an archipelago of islands about 9 miles from Kristiansund.
A glorious day of blue skies andRead more
Kristiansund: Grip Welcome Committee
July 20, 2019 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F
Our delightful day on Gripholmen began with an unexpected welcome committee.
As the Grip Ruta boat approached the pier we were so entranced by the colorful buildings lining the shore that we almostRead more
Kristiansund: A-Wander in Grip
July 20, 2019 in Norway ⋅ ⛅ 61 °F
Grip, which is located on Gripholmen, the largest of the 80+ islands and skerries, was first settled in the 9th century so that fishermen could be close to the best cod fishing grounds. For centuries,Read more
Kristiansund: A Stroll in the City
July 20, 2019 in Norway ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F
Returning from Grip, we still had time to stroll around Kristiansund. Since our time in Kristiansund was growing short, however, we limited our explorations to Kirkelandet, the island where NauticaRead more
Kristiansund Image Gallery
July 20, 2019, Norwegian Sea ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F
Images from today’s visit to Kristiansund, Norway are at this link:
https://eenusa.smugmug.com/Cruises/NoGlow/Kris0…
Sailing up Aurlandsfjorden to Flåm
July 21, 2019 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 55 °F
Nautica was already sailing up the 127-mile long, UNESCO-listed Sognefjorden when we rolled out of bed to overcast skies and light rain. We bundled up and went for a wander around the outside decks toRead more
Welcome to Flåm (Norway)
July 21, 2019 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 57 °F
Our 11th — and final — port-of-call ... Flåm, Norway ... which we first visited in 2017.
Since we were sharing this port with the much larger MSC Preziosa, that ship was given the privilege ofRead more
Flåm: On the Way to Brekkefossen
July 21, 2019 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 55 °F
The most popular activity for people visiting Flåm is riding the Flåmsbana (Flåm Railway). We have yet to do that.
When we called on Flåm in 2017, we hiked over to the Otternes Farm Open AirRead more










































































































































TravelerWish we could go there!