We sailed into Greenland, the world’s largest island, and we were welcomed by some large and beautiful icebergs that were floating in the waters. It reminded us of our trip to Antarctica. We had breakfast and then we tendered over to our port of call, the municipality of Qaqortoq, to do a walking tour on our own.
It was raining slightly and damp when we disembarked the tender, but then the sun came out and we were ready to start taking off our outer layers. Thank goodness we didn’t, since while we were waiting for the tender to return us to the ship, it was once again damp, cloudy and chilly.
We meandered all through the small town, and we enjoyed seeing the brightly colored homes of red, yellow, green, orange, purple, and blue tucked into the hillside, which made for some picture perfect shots. I can’t wait to get home and try painting them in watercolor.
Qaqortoq is a seaport best known for fish processing, tourism, tanning, fur production, and ship maintenance and repair. The Great Greenland Furhouse is the only tannery in Greenland and the primary sealskin purchaser on the island; it remains one of the major employers in the town.
We were curious as to how the houses were heated and a local guide told us that the larger buildings are heated by steam generated at a central plant and the smaller buildings and homes are heated by oil.
We walked to the little church where a choir usually performs during the day, but unfortunately, they were not performing today. We walked up the hill to see the cemetery and then went down to the waters edge to look at the boats. On the way, two Greenlanders were sitting on a bench and I asked if I could take their picture. They nodded yes and after I snapped the pic, I showed it to them, much to their delight.
We enjoyed dinner at the World Cafe, played some games, and then it was off to the Star Theater to hear the Stage Door singers perform the songs from some much loved musicals – Oliver, Rent, Singing in the Rain, Cabaret, to mention a few. And they ended the show with songs from Les Mis. It was a stellar performance.
Since we have an early morning tour, we arranged to have breakfast delivered to our room, as we sail into Nanortalik, Greenland.
After a nice breakfast, we decided to do a little laundry. It’s free on the ship…including the laundry soap, and as luck would have it, on our second trek to the launderette, we were provided with a free washer. After 40 minutes, we returned and put the clothes in the dryer for about 40 minutes, and when we returned, our laundry was still sopping wet. Whaaaa???? So we started the dryer again and went back early to retrieve the clothes and sure enough, our wash was only partially dry. We think someone was inadvertently turning off our dryer since the buttons for both the washer and dryer are together. Fortunately, the third time was a charm and we took our finally dried laundry back to the cabin.
We took a brisk walk around the outside deck after the fun at the launderette. Four times around is a mile so we did a mile and a 1/2 and then went in for lunch as it was getting a little breezy and cold. They were serving all kinds of soups today and I had the minestrone vegetable which was served in a bread bowl. Yummy!
We had a delicious dinner at Manfredi’s. I had the beef tartare, the carbonara, and the pork chop and Allan had the salmon. We had a fun time chatting with the servers and learning about where home was for them, etc.
Allan saw the executive chef go by and called him over. We told him how delicious the meal was and Allan mentioned that he saw a sign on the door across the hall that said ‘kitchen’ and he asked where it went to. The chef said it is where the cooking classes are held.” And then he said, “Come with me and I will take you on a tour of the cooking class area and the galley”. So off we went with the chef while everyone in the restaurant looked at us and wondered what celebrities we could possibly be to merit a tour by the executive chef.
As he introduced us to the line chefs who were preparing the food, we sang their praises and told them how wonderful the meal was. They all beamed with pride. (I think they were all a bit surprised to see us, and I guess they were also wondering who we could possibly be.)
Then the chef took us to the other side of the galley and we met those line chefs as well. What a treat to have a personal tour. He insisted we come back again another night to enjoy dinner and we told him that we would definitely make it a priority.
After dinner we went to the theater to hear the singer, Madison Benton, who hails from Brooklyn, NY, and has been the standby for Princess Anna in Broadway’s musical ‘Frozen’. Tonight she sang the music that celebrated Liza Minelli, Barbra Streisand, and Judy Garland. It was a great way to end the day.
We have moved our clocks so far during our cruise two hours ahead, as we sail to our destination – Greenland. It was another sunny day with temps in the low 60’s. The waves were a comfortable 5’ and we once again mounted in our favorite spot by the pool. We had breakfast and lunch in The Restaurant and it was nice to be served at a table instead of perusing the buffet options in the World Cafe. The nice thing about the World Cafe however is…they have sushi, which The Restaurant does not offer.
In the afternoon we listened to a guest lecture given by Corey Sandler entitled “The Beatles Decoded – Rene Magritte, Khalil Gibran & “Sexy Sadie”’. The talk was very interesting as Corey told us the meaning behind many of the Beatles songs. Before the lecture started, he showed some rare recorded footage of the Beatles while they were performing and he delved into the meaning behind the lyrics. There were a few songs I was not familiar with, and I learned a few things I never knew about the Beatles, and it made for a very enjoyable afternoon.
We had dinner in the Restaurant, and as usual, it was an excellent cuisine. We both had a duck and chicken liver parfait and for the main course, lamb chops that were done to perfection. The manager of The Restaurant, J.P., we knew from our Antarctic excursion, and he has been very helpful procuring dinner reservations for us and doing anything he can to make our cruise memorable.
The young lady who arranges the reservations at the specialty restaurants is also very accommodating, as is Allan’s favorite crew member, the sweet girl who serves the gelato. They are on a first name basis now after only three days.
After dinner I went to hear the taped performance of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. I stayed through the first act but I was not a fan of the music. Give me La Boheme or Madam Butterfly instead.
Then it was off to bed. Tomorrow is another sea day.
Instead of having a day at sea and then visiting Newfoundland the day after, we are in the port of Sydney in Nova Scotia for the day, and the next two days will be at sea en route to Greenland. Because of the change in itinerary, no shore excursions were offered today, since we arrived last minute.
Allan and I went to the little cafe on the ship called Mamsen’s for breakfast, and we ordered the famous waffles. I didn’t get the fruit and the pure peanut butter rolls, but Allan got the works!
After a nice morning relaxing at the pool area, we waited to go on shore to investigate the town of Sydney. Sydney was once one of the main producers of steel in North America and during both the First and Second World Wars, it was a major staging area for England-bound convoys. Today its main industries are tourism and, interestingly enough, customer support call centers.
When the ship docked, Lisa, John, Allan and I walked into town along the boardwalk, and passed the world’s largest fiddle, a tribute to the folk music and traditions of the province’s Celtic community, and then we stopped at an arts and crafts boutique. We then walked over to the memorial for the merchant marines, which tells the heroic story of the sailors on merchant ships who carried equipment and supplies to the Allied forces in Europe during WWII.
Since nothing much was going on except a lot of construction, we walked back to the ship and had lunch. I had a delicious Asian beef noodle soup and I finished the meal with vegetables on a skewer, as well as some steamed veggies.
At 8 pm, we went to the Chef’s Table restaurant for an Asian cuisine. The selections were stellar, and thankfully, there was not a cumin spice to be found like what was in our meal the other night.
The wines that were paired with each course complemented them perfectly and the courses that were presented were absolutely wonderful. We were thinking we should come back and enjoy the entire meal once again. The Chef’s Table changes cuisine every third day, so in actuality, we could be there tomorrow, but alas, we will find another venue for dinner tomorrow evening, which I’m sure will be equally enjoyable.
We finished the evening at the pool lounging on the chaises, to read and then it was to bed.
When we woke up this morning and looked out onto our veranda, we were greeted with the remnants of the sunrise, with the almost full moon shining above the horizon. Such a lovely way to start the day.
At 9:20, after a hearty breakfast, we embarked on a shore excursion that took us to the Citadel, Peggy’s Cove, The Fairview Lawn Cemetery, (where some of the people who perished in the Titanic disaster are buried). and finished the day with a visit to the Halifax public gardens.
The Citadel has 4 fortifications that were constructed after the city was founded in 1749. There is a 30′ wide moat around the Citadel that has prevented any attacks during the wars. The Citadel was strategically important, as it guarded the Halifax Harbor and the Royal Navy Dockyards.
We boarded our bus again and off we went to visit Peggy’s Cove, which is nestled along the shores of St. Margaret’s Bay. The cove is a small fishing community and is one of Canada’s most popular tourist spots.
Only 35 residents live in the cove during the summer with 30 residing there during the winter months. The cove has everything needed to support their lives..a church, a school, a general store, and of course, fish and lobsters!!
The lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove is the most photographed of lighthouses, and it truly makes for a beautiful photo with the rocks that have been smoothed by the winds and the sea crashing below. Many people have perished on the black rocks below the lighthouse because a rogue wave can arise suddenly and sweep anyone who is foolish enough to try to navigate the rocks, to their death. Our guide reiterated many times… Don’t go on the black rocks!!!
One thought as to how the name Peggy’s Cove came about, was when a young child, the only survivor of a ship wreck, was rescued. She was subsequently adopted by a family living at the cove and they named her Peggy, and thus, the area became known as Peggy’s Cove. Others think the cove got its name because it is right off St Margaret’s Bay, and Peggy is a nickname for Margaret. Who knows what the true story is.
(Sadly, right near Peggy’s Cove in the entrance to St. Margaret’s Bay, was where on September 2, 1998, Swiss Air flight 111 crash landed killing all 229 souls onboard. The flight took off from JFK – its final destination being Geneva, Switzerland, when an onboard fire caused the plane to plunge into the sea. Ships, warships, aircraft, and submarines came from all over the world to aid in the retrieval of bodies and plane parts. The largest plane part that was discovered was the size of a dinner plate. That’s how enormous the devastation was. Additionally, two paintings by Picasso were on the plane and were never found. There is a monument marking the tragedy on the shore nearby.)
The Cove houses many artists and a famous one, William deGarth, not only painted beautiful watercolors of the sea, but he decided at the age of 70 to become a sculptor, and he created a mural carved in the huge granite stone that was in front of his home.
The work depicts thirty-two fishermen and their wives and children with the wings of St. Elmo, the patron saint of fisherman, protecting them. It also features the image of little Peggy, who deGarthe believed gave her name to the village.
We had a nice bowl of chowder at the Sou’Wester, a restaurant in Peggy’s cove that overlooks the water. The chowder was hearty, but the bowl was rather small and we would have enjoyed having a bit more. The meal ended with a slice of gingerbread cake doused with a generous spoonful of lemon sauce.
Walking around the cove on this beautiful day was wonderful, with the sun shining on our faces, the balmy winds at our backs, and the beauty of the sea right in front of us. It was a lovely place to visit.
The next stop on the tour wasn’t as joyful. The Fairview Lawn Cemetery holds the graves of 121 victims of the Titanic. The graves are arranged in four lines on a sloping hillside within the cemetery. The majority of headstones are small black-granite grave markers with the name of the person buried there and the date…April 15, 1912. Also inscribed on the grave markers is the number assigned to the victim when their body was recovered from the sea.
Some of the graves were nameless as the bodies were never identified, but recently, with the help of DNA, a few bodies were able to be identified and their names were inscribed on the front side of the marker. There was also a larger grave marker for the tomb of an unknown child who perished. It was a somber visit.
We then went to the Halifax Botanical Gardens, established in 1867. The garden is an example of a Victorian garden and most all of the plants and flowers were in bloom, including the dahlia and rose gardens. It was pleasant to stroll around and see the beautiful niches and flower beds that had been created.
Then it was back to the ship where, as we set sail, our captain told us that because of circumstances beyond anyone’s control, we would not be having a day at sea tomorrow but instead would be visiting Sydney in Nova Scotia, instead of visiting L’Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland on the following day. There was a problem that arose with the pier in L’Anse aux Meadows and we would not be able to dock there.
We finished the day eating at the World Cafe with Lisa, John and a new friend Barbara, dining on sushi and surf and turf. Afterwards Allan and I decided to go to the show Duets in the theater, and were entertained by four singers serenading us with famous songs that became hits when two iconic singers sang them like… I’ve Got You Babe by Sonny and Cher, Streisand and Diamond’s rendition of You Don’t Bring Me Flowers Anymore, and Travolta and Olivia Newton John singing You’re the One That I Want. It was a little chilly in the theater, but cozy blankets were provided, so I snuggled under one of them and enjoyed the show.
The day started out early with a rocking ship. I was a tad queasy so wasn’t interested in breakfast, but I rested on a chaise at the pool and after awhile I went for a bowl of congee and felt much better. (Chi…I didn’t put yogurt in it😂.). The waves were quite something all day, but after my initial queasiness, I was fine.
We read for awhile and then had lunch watching the dolphins that were following our ship. What a sight to see as they dove in pairs along side us.
In the afternoon we went to a port talk about Halifax, where we will be touring tomorrow. The port of Halifax was very important during many wars.
December 6, 1917 saw one of the greatest disasters in Canadian history, when the ship the SS Mont-Blanc, a French cargo ship carrying explosives, collided with the the SS Imo, a Belgian Relief vessel outside the Halifax harbor. The resulting explosion, devastated the north end of Halifax, killing approximately 2,000 people and injuring about 9,000. It was the largest artificial explosion before the use of nuclear weapons.
Interestingly, significant aid came from Boston, Massachusetts in an effort to help revive the devastation of the homes and businesses as well as to help the families who lost loved ones. To this day, every Christmas, the government of Halifax sends a lighted Christmas tree to Boston to be erected in the town square, as a thank you to for all the aid they sent.
We had drinks with Lisa and John and then went to the Chef’s Table for dinner (menu below). This restaurant pairs wine with each course and the meal was…interesting. The ahi tuna appetizer was delicious, but I wasn’t a fan of the beef dish, as the chef served it roasted with cumin and other herbs. The cumin was overpowering and I just don’t think cumin and beef go well together, so I didn’t eat it. The wines however were very nice.
We again watched a beautiful sunset and all in all, it was a very relaxing day.
We are looking forward to touring Halifax tomorrow.
We traveled through the maze of traffic in NYC with our travel companions Lisa and John, as our fearless van driver navigated the crowded streets of Manhattan, on our approach to Pier 90, where our ship, The Viking Saturn, was docked.
Check-in was very efficient at the pier and since we arrived around 11 am, there weren’t many people presenting their boarding passes and passports, so before we knew it, we were onboard our ship, for our Canada, Greenland, and Iceland adventure.
We were immediately escorted to an emergency station, the place we would flock calmly to if the captain deemed it necessary to abandon ship, This area is where further instructions would be imparted to us and we would don life jackets and board a second means of transportation, aka “the lifeboat”. They served us champagne as we, the captive audience, listened intently to the instructions. (Somehow, I don’t think in the event of a real emergency, we would be guzzling champagne while scrambling into the life boats, but it was a nice touch.) After that enlightening session, we had a lovely lunch in the World Cafe and afterwards, we explored the ship a bit, and then went to our cabin where our luggage was awaiting us.
At around 5, we met Lisa and John for drinks on deck 7, so that we could watch the ship’s departure from port. I wanted to see the Statue of Liberty, and there was some confusion as to what side we should be sitting on…port or starboard… for the best view. The crew tried to be helpful, but no one knew the definitive answer, so we decided to stay starboard, and we weren’t disappointed. We sailed past lady liberty in all her glory, with the sun right behind her, and as always, it was a magnificent site to behold.
We then went to ‘The Restaurant’ (that’s really the name of the restaurant) for dinner and had a nice meal with Lisa and John while watching the sun set. After dinner we walked the upper deck in search of the super blue moon that was going to be shining in the night sky, but some wispy clouds were occluding it and we couldn’t see it very clearly. The evening was balmy with a lovely breeze, but we were tired and decided it was time for bed. Once back in bed, however, I decided that I really wanted to check out that super blue moon again, because after all, it happens once in a blue moon, so I went back to deck 8 by myself in my PJ’s, and I was rewarded with seeing it cloud free. The picture I took doesn’t do it justice. Then it was back to the cabin for a good night’s sleep, as the Saturn cruised the Atlantic Ocean, making its way to Halifax, Canada. Tomorrow will be a day at sea.
Well, we’re off on another adventure. We leave from the pier in NYC and will board our ship the Viking Saturn that will take us to ports in Canada, Greenland, and iconic Iceland. I’ll try to post every day, as long as the the internet cooperates, so sit back and I hope you will enjoy the journey.
New York City! Being a native New Yorker (that’s pronounced New Yawker by the way), I need to get back to the city periodically to get my fix of the hustle and bustle of the city streets, to inhale the fragrances that waft through the air, to marvel at the beauty of the skyline, and then of course to scarf down bagels and pizza, which you can’t get anywhere else in the world! Yes, there’s nothing like New York.
First stop: New York Pizza! If you’re a native New Yorker, you eat your pizza by folding it in half, never by cutting it with a knife and eating with a fork. It’s wonderful when the oil and the tomato sauce drips down your chin while you savor each slice. We went to a place called Carve and had our pizza…Margarita style, making sure that our napkins sopped up the oil and sauce before they threatened to stain our clothes.
Next stop: Broadway! I was able to get tickets to the Broadway production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, at the Lunt-Fontanne theater, starring Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The musical is based on a book by Hugh Wheeler and based on a 1970 play Sweeney Todd by Christopher Bond. This is the first time since 1980 that the musical was performed as the original production that Sondheim envisioned, with a 26-player orchestration.
It was fabulous! Josh’s voice took Sweeney to new heights and his deep and resonant voice added to the macabre set. Annaleigh was hilarious with her antics, as she fell in love with Sweeney, only to be cast aside literally in the end. They are both up for Tony’s for Best Performance by an Actor and Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical, and the show itself is up for Tony’s in Best Revival of a Musical, Mimi Lien for Best Scenic Design, Natasha Katz, for Best Lighting Design of a Musical, Nevin Steinberg for Best Sound Design of a Musical, and Steven Hoggett for Best Choreography. They all deserve to win!
Third stop: Hotel Scherman! We checked in to this lovely and quaint boutique hotel on Restaurant Row at 346 West 46th. The staff were so accommodating, and the hotel was immaculate. Our room was spacious – king bed, refrig, and a huge bathroom. Breakfast was included on the mezzanine level patio and offered hardboiled eggs, an assortment of breads, (including of course NY bagels), fruits, yogurts, cereals, and beverages.
Fourth stop: Jean-Georges! We walked from the Hotel Scherman to Columbus Circle, taking in the gorgeous evening and the NYC skyline, on our way to Jean-Georges, a two-star Michelin restaurant (top rating is three-star). We’ve been to French Laundry, in California, which was an amazing three-star restaurant, and Jean-Georges was excellent as well. The menu (below) was diverse, and by the time the last two courses arrived, we were so sated, we couldn’t even finish. (Note to self: Don’t keep eating the savory breads, no matter how heavenly the gourmet butter is.) The least expensive bottle of red wine on the menu was $400 so we purchased two glasses each of a cabernet at $38 a glass. We dined on the 10 course omnivore menu and each bite was bliss to the tastebuds. To enhance many of the courses, a small amount of coulis would appear via a waiter holding a small gravy boat, and the sauce would surround the highlighted offering and add to the savoriness. The waitstaff explained each course to us, and each offering appeared on different and unusual plates – the food atop being artfully arranged. We celebrated our 50th anniversary at the restaurant, since on our actual 50th date last August, we both had COVID. Our waiter presented us with a delicious little anniversary cake. And when we were leaving the restaurant, we were presented with two almond loaves to enjoy for breakfast. It was a romantic and magical evening.
We walked back at our hotel around 11:45 pm and the next day we enjoyed the…
Fifth stop: RiseNY! We had never heard of this museum before, but we were so glad that we found it. It took about 2 hours to go through the exhibits, which (according to a blurb from RiseNY) was a “journey through seven galleries – Finance, Skyline, TV/Radio, Fashion, Music, Broadway, and Film…spot-lighting historic artifacts, and memorabilia from each gallery“. It was a trip down memory lane – reliving famous events in NYC as well as seeing the sets of the famous TV shows like All in the Family, Seinfeld, and at Sesame Street we even met Oscar the Grouch in his garbage can. We watched the Beatles as they appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show back in 1964, and I loved seeing the fashion statements in the Fashion gallery, that featured some of the famous outfits performers have worn through the years.
After we toured the museum, we went on a simulated ride over the NYC skyline! THAT WAS AMAZING!!!! According to the blurb of the museum, “Full motion seats let you dip, turn, and soar, while wind, mist, and scents heighten the experience, creating the sensation of flight.” I have a fear of heights, and in the beginning, I did have to close my eyes, but then, wide-eyed, I enjoyed the rest of the show. It began to rain on the screen, and we were sprinkled with water as the ride soared along. We zoomed over Yankee Stadium, the skyscrapers, the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, to mention just a few of the sites. And then, we found ourselves at the soon-to-be 2023 New Year’s Eve ball drop in Times Square, and we were given a blast of cool air while snowflakes flew in our faces as the ride glided to an end. It was so much fun and we enjoyed every minute.
It was a fabulous two days, and we can’t wait for our next visit to the most wonderful city in the world – New York!
JEAN-GEORGES MENU
Amuse Bouche – Sea trout crispy sushi sea urchin, salted butter and yuzu, with a cup of sweet pea soup
Caviar – Coconut semifreddo and dill
Japanese Snapper Ceviche – Turmeric, golden kiwi and elderflower
Yellowfin Tuna Ribbons – Avocado, radish, ginger dressing and chili oil
King Crab – Nishiki rice, vermouth fondue and nori
Spring Pea Dumpling – Smoked morel mushrooms and sansho
Black Sea Bass – Clams, celtuce, spring garlic-sorrel jus
Maine Lobster – Braised endive, passion fruit-whiskey emulsion
Hudson Valley Foie Gras – Rhubarb, lemongrass, Sicilian pistachio
Charred Duck Breast – White asparagus, kanzuri, strawberry consommé
Please scroll down to get to beginning of the trip.
We had quite a delay in getting back home. Apparently a volcano erupted in the Aleutian Islands, causing the plane, that we were waiting for to arrive to take us back to Newark, to be delayed. There was also a medical emergency on that plane, that required the pilot to turn back to San Francisco. So all these things combined, delayed our plane about 6 hours. But, because the crew can only work 13 hours according to FAA rules, when we finally boarded our plane in Tokyo, we had to make an unexpected stop to refuel in San Francisco and to change crew members, which delayed our arrival home another hour. We wound up getting home at 4 am, instead of around 9 pm.
We will miss Japan. It is a beautiful country, with humble and gentle people, streets, subways, trains, buses, and hotels that are sparkling clean, and delicious food that tempted our taste buds at every meal. We met some wonderful people on the tour, and of course our guide Hiro was second to none. We saw so many wonderful sites, and participated in so many amazing adventures, that the days flew by too quickly. And of course…the cherry blossoms. Words can’t capture how truly magnificent they were.
一期一会, which is pronounced as Ichigo ichie. Translated, it means “once in a lifetime encounter.” In other words, you must enjoy and live every exceptional encounter to its fullest, as long as it lasts.
