The last couple of nights we have been in rough seas on the North Atlantic. Rolling waves and high wind tend to make it hard to walk a straight line. Some people stay in their cabins and order room service. Some of us try to pretend all is well and proceed as normal. We just hang on tighter on the treadmill, and we skip anything that requires balancing on one foot in Thai Chi class.
Last night on the ship, it was “dressy” night. The dining room provided steak and lobster for dinner, which was followed by the Zuiederdam Ball. We tucked into that lobster, although Dave switched the steak for salmon. It was a most delicious dinner. Then we headed to the showroom to watch and listen. Many women were dressed in formal attire, as were a few of the men. Our favorite band was playing for the evening, and despite the rough seas, the dancing was in full swing by the time we got there. We really enjoyed the evening, and it was fun to watch some of the staff we’ve come to know enjoy themselves as well.
The sea settled around midnight when we entered the fjord. Today, August 10, our destination was the Icelandic town called Seydisfjordur…pronounced say-diss-fee-yore-duh. Yes, we are back in Iceland—this time on the northwest side. We will be stopping at two other Iceland locations as we work our way to the correct area in which to view the eclipse in a few days.
This was actually Dave’s favorite stop. The weather was absolutely perfect. It was bright and sunny and the temperature topped out in the high 50s. The town (population 700) is set at the foot of snow-topped mountains covered in green velvet, with waterfalls spilling crystal-clear, ice-cold water into creeks throughout the town that empty into the fjord.
At this stop, we couldn’t park at a dock, so the ship was anchored offshore, making it necessary to tender to shore. This time, the water was smooth and the tendering was quick and easy. As we exited the tender boats, we watched jelly fish along the sides of the dock. The water is so crystal clear that it was easy to photograph them.
We wandered around the town and eventually found the trail that leads to the bottom—and up to the middle–of the nearest waterfalls. It was one of those places where there are so many views and vistas you want to photograph…but you know that you can never really capture how beautiful it is. It’s just hard to believe that some people live here and get to enjoy this scenery every day. Of course, then you have to stop and think about all the days of the year that are snow covered and dark. That must make these sunny days even more magical to the locals.
One of my favorite photos from the trip is of the white Norwegian style church. The photo was taken from a graveyard across the pond, so that you can also see the church’s reflection in the water. The church is at the end of a street painted in rainbow colors. It made me wonder whether it was inspired by the rainbow street in Reykjavik, or whether Reykjavik’s street was inspired by Seydisfjordur.
One thing we saw in Seydisfjordur that we really enjoyed was a couple of Icelandic kids who set up a “lemonade” stand. I’m not sure what beverage they were selling, but they were incredibly cute. We did not typically see a lot of the villagers out and about. I’m guessing that they choose to stay inside when the cruise ships dump boatloads of tourists on them. While I’m sure they appreciate the boost in their economy, it must be stressful to absorb a group of tourists that is larger than the entire population of the village. Holland America consistently reminds passengers to be respectful of the native population, and it seems that most of us are. However, there are always a few who are disrespectful and intrusive. Usually, they are from the east coast, and it drives me nuts.
Tonight we sail to another Icelandic town called Husavik. See you there.