Day 20 - Reykjavik, Iceland - Grand Circle Tour

 I got up at 6:30 and we were already docked having come in early (around 5). At 7, Jai announced that the gangway was open and passengers could depart. I dressed and went to breakfast at 7:20. After breakfast, I returned to the cabin to find my pictures from the Mariners Appreciation Event, Disembarkation options form, and the entry form for the On Deck for a Cause tomorrow. I took the On Deck for the Cause form to the front desk and got my t-shirt and then went to the library for the crossword. I worked it and then left the cabin so that they could service it at 9:30 but they had a crew safety drill for one hour. I tried to walk on the outer deck but they had part of it closed off. I returned to the cabin at 9:50 and read until the drill ended. My tour does not meet until 1:45 on shore, so I worked on other crosswords until10:45 when the drill was over and I left the room so that they could service it. I came back at 11:20 to find the service done and my laundry from last night back. I put up the laundry anbd went to lunch at 11:40. I returned to the cabin and read until time to go to the pier to meet my tour at 1:30. We boarded the bus and departed at 1:50 and drove for about an hour to the power plant where they use the hot water from the ground to heat cold water for piping to homes for heating. They cannot use the h\hot water from the ground due to the amount of minerals in it. They use the steam to derive the turbines for electricity generation. Next, we drove to Strokker Geyser and I got a video of it. Next we drove to the Gullfoss Waterfalls which were very impressive but after walking down over 100 step stairway the spray from the waterfall got me and the camera a bit damp. I then had to walk up those same over 100 steps to get back to the meeting place.  Afterward, we met at the restaurant for dinner which was soup ans salmon steaks. We then drove to a UNESCO site where the country would meet in olden days fo hear the laws. We walked through the canyon, across the river, and re-boarded the bus on the far end to travel back to the ship. I got back to my cabin at 9:45 to find out that we lose an hour tonight. I logged 10,619 steps yesterday and many were up and down stairs of inclines. I uploaded my photos and went to bed at 10:45.

The view from my verandah after we docked

 

An interesting sign on the side of a building from the bus

The equipment used at the power plant to heat the water for the city

Lots of steam coming from the ground

The Golfloss Waterfall

My videos are more impressive

The large glacier in the mountains

More steam from the ground

Walking down into the canyon

The view of the river from the bottom of the canyon

Dday 19 - Heimaey, Westman Islands, Iceland Cancelled

 I got up at 6:50 after a night of hearing the fog horn, all I see is fog.  I dressed for the day and went to breakfast at 7:30. After breakfast, I returned to the cabin and the Captain announced that due to the swells we are cancelling the port stop as the conditions are unsafe for tendering. At 8:20, I went to the library to get the daily crossword. but it was not out yet so I found a seat to watch as they began to gather up the tenders that had already been launched and at 8:50, I went back to the library and found that the crossword was not out still, but I picked up a copy of the USA Today and The International. I returned to my cabin and read them. At 9:45, they updated today's agenda with some additional items. At 10:50, I went to the library again for the crossword but it was still not there. I put a bag of laundry together to put out tonight and went to lunch at 11:45. As we continued slowly toward Reykjavik, the fog horn continued but the fog is forecast to clear up around 1pm. After lunch, I went by the library again to no avail as there were still no copies of the crossword. I returned to the cabin and worked a couple of crosswords from one of the Morning News puzzle books that I brought from home. At 3, I went to the library and finally got the daily crossword before going to the Billboard Onboard for a drink. I returned to the cabin at 4 and worked the crossword then got ready for the evening. I went to dinner at 6 and afterward, I went to the Billboard Onboard to listen to the pianists play country music and have a drink. I returned to the cabin at 8 and read until bedtime. The fog horn has started again. 

 

People watching from an upper deck as the tenders are hoisted up (taken from my verandah)

Day 18 - At Sea - Solar Eclipse

 I got up at 6:55, dressed and went to breakfast at 7:30. After breakfast, I went to the library and picked up the daily crossword. I returned to the cabin and worked it and at 9, I went down to the BB King Lounge for the Coffee with Jai featuring the Nieuw Statendam Singers and Dancers. Afterward at 10, I went to the SPA and had the complimentary massage sampler on my neck and shoulders. I returned to the cabin and then went to the Cruise Specialists area with Tom Mullen until 11:15 while waiting for my cabin to be serviced. At 11:45, I went to the Lido for lunch. After lunch, I returned to the cabin and read until time to get ready for the eclipse which is estimated to begin at approximately 4:48 and reach totality at 5:50 and ending at 6:49. At 3:45, I went to the Billboard Onboard for a drink and it was very quiet since a lot of people were on the outer decks already so that they would save a good viewing position. The Captain was attempting to find a hole in the clouds as the partial eclipse began and he was successful prior to totality. I went up to the back deck and took a few of the totality. At 6, I went to dinner and after dinner, I updated the blog with the pictures. At 7:25, I went to the Billboard Onboard for a drink and listened to the two pianist. They were doing all requests and they were great. I returned to the cabin at 8:10 and read until bedtime. I have no tour tomorrow so I will tender in and just walk around the town.

These three photos from my camera during totality

These two from my phone

I tried to zoom in but the ship was moving a bit and it got cut off

Day 17 - At Sea - Mariners Recognition Event & Lunch

 I got up at 6:50, dressed and went to breakfast at 7:25. At 8:45 I went to the library and picked up the daily crossword, returned to the cabin and worked it. I got ready for the Mariners Recognition Event and Lunch and at 10:05, I went to the BB King Lounge. There were many silver and gold medallions and a few platinum ones. Then they recognized the people with more than 1000 days and I was called up and had pictures made with the Captain and Hotel Manager and had another picture made with all of the over 1000 days passengers. Then they announced that I had the most over 1000 at 1256 days but short of the 1400 for the President's Club. I also saw Bernice from the 2013 World Cruise getting a medallion and Howard, passenger who I had sailed with before and he was in the President's Club with over 4000 days and Tom Mullen with over 5000 days.  Bernice came to my table and said hello. After the presentations, we went to lunch where I was at a reserved table with 6 other long time members along with 2 officers. The Group & Event Coordinator Janzy and the Guest Services Manager Klaus. I got back to the cabin at 1:10 to find my laundry back that I sent out last night. After a lot of champagne at lunch, I rested for a while and then read until dinner time. I went to dinner at 5:45. After dinner, I went to the Billboard Onboard for drinks and listened to the bands in the Rolling Stone Lounge across the way. I returned to the cabin at 8 and read  until bedtime. Tomorrow is the Solar Eclipse and the Captain said that he would attempt to find a non-cloudy area for us to view it around 5:50 pm.

Some of the officers and Jai the cruise director
 

Day 16 - Qaqortoq, Greenland

 I got up at 6 as they were moving furniture around above me by the aft pool.  I got dressed for my tour and went to breakfast at 6:40. After breakfast, I returned to the cabin to gather my things for going ashore. My tour is Qaqortoq on Foot for 1.5 hours at 8:30 and this is a tender port. Jai announced that there is a lot of mosquito activity and that we should bring our repellent with us.  I went to the World Stage to get my tour sticker at 8. We got on the tender to shore at 8:20 and gathered with our guide at the port before taking off on our walk. Our guide was a Danish girl name Ariana and she was very good at explaining the importance of the buildings. The tour ended at 10 and I returned to the tender and to my cabin at 10:30. I found my invitation to the Mariner Recognition Event and Lunch tomorrow and am at table 283. I uploaded my photos and updated the blog entry and went to lunch at 11:45. After lunch I wet to the library and got the crossword and returned to the cabin and worked it. At 3, I went to the Billboard Onboard for one drink before returning to the cabin where I read until time to get ready for the Orange Party. After a day of overcast skies, the sun came out as we were sailing away. I went to dinner at 6:15. After dinner, I went to the Billboard Onboard for a drink and at 8, I returned to the cabin before the Orange Party started as we lose 1 hour tonight and I have the Mariner Recognition Event at 10:15 tomorrow. I read until bedtime.

View from verandah in the early morning
 

Our guide told the store of the woman with the long black hair that gathered all the fish into it when the people were misbehaving meaning that they could catch no fish and when they behaved she combed all the fish out of her hair and back into the sea.

Colorful houses on the hill

The local bar with all types of entertainment

Mural on the side of a building

An example of a woman's shoe with beading and fur and color

The only hotel in Qaqortoq

A City Government Building

The new church painted white like an iceberg

The old church which became too small for the growing city

A very old important building

Grass growing out of the rock

The fountain which was dry at the moment

The native woman who helped a scientist during his survey by speaking the language and showing helpful things like which parts of an animal should not be eaten and how to skin a seal