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Published: February 22nd 2017
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The MS Spitsbergen was waiting patiently for us as we boarded among 200 plus passengers (19 Feb). We could check in at 3pm but had to wait until 6pm to get into our cabins. Fortunately we located our travelling buddies, Kim and Stuart Grierson, fairly quickly, so we had a lovely few hours chatting and meeting other passengers.
This ship is beautifully finished with good quality furnishings. The cabins and common areas both are very pleasant to the eye as well as being comfortable. The absolute best part of the service on the ship is the food. The breakfast and lunch offerings on this ship are buffet style. Some who know me well will attest to the fact that I have never been a fan of the "buffet" but the food selection and quality here is amazing. In fact I enjoyed the buffet breakfast at the Scandic Strand on our first morning in Norway. Maybe there is a pattern here. The food on offer is full of flavour. Nothing is bland. The food is also served at the right temperature - either hot or cold - not luke warm or tepid. The other noticeable difference is that the amount of
food is smaller and replenished frequently. Makes a huge difference.
Our first stop was Alesund (20 Feb). The temperature was around 2
oC. We caught a cab to the highest point in the area. The views were stunning. I was quite taken aback by the cleanliness of the towns, even near the docks. Very little graffiti and rubbish on the streets. We headed off to the aquarium, where we saw a diving show - the diver was feeding the fish. The young woman who narrated the show was very polished in her presentation - managing the kids with a "SH.SH.SH.SH" when they became too excited. It was effective. Maybe I will try this with my classes of Grade 11s and 12s.
The next day we stopped was Trondheim (21 Feb). This city again was clean and free of rubbish, except for the snow that had been pushed onto the edges of the road. The temperature hovered around 0
oC. We rugged up and ventured into the city (it is the 3rd largest in Norway). The locals say that it had snowed overnight, the first of the Winter, which was unusual. We visited the Nidaros Cathedral.
Nidaros Cathedral was built
over the tomb of St Olaf who was a viking king and became Norway's national saint. It seems when he was 12 he went on his first Viking expedition and learned about Christianity. He was baptised in Rouen (France) in 1014 when he was 19 yo. He was killed in battle in 1030 and was buried at a place called Nidaros (which is now called Trondheim). He was exhumed and canonised in 1031 as a result of his martyrdom and miracles that took place at his tomb. In 1070 the building of the Cathedral over his final resting place commenced and finished around 1300. Nidaros became Northern Europe's greatest place of pilgrimage in the middle ages. Today it is a living parish church as well as a national church.
Trondheim also hosts iconic Norwegian architecture. The structures along the canal are amazing.
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