Viking Norway in search of Northern lights cruise Part 1
February 1st to February 9th 2025
Our cruise started in London where we met up with our friends Ralph and Sheryl.
We were able to get to “The Changing of the Guards” ceremony at Buckingham Palace. This is a popular event, typically held Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The ceremony takes place at Buckingham Palace Forecourt at 11:00am. it involves the New Guard arriving from Wellington Barracks to relieve the Old Guard, with a musical accompaniment. The ceremony lasts approximately 45 minutes. The ceremony is very popular, and it’s always a good idea to arrive early to secure a good viewing spot.
There is definitely no shortage of local Pubs to visit and quench your thirst in London.
It was a beautiful day so we walked to most of London’s hi-lites.
At 443 ft tall, London Eye is Europe’s tallest Ferris wheel and one of the most iconic London landmarks. The London Eye is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames.
The River Thames, known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At 215 miles, it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the River Severn
Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the Great Clock of Westminster, and, by extension, for the clock tower itself, which stands at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London, England. Big Ben stands 315’ tall and opened in May 1859.
The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is located in London, England. It is commonly called the Houses of Parliament after the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two legislative chambers which occupy the building.
St Paul's Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Paul the Apostle, is an Anglican cathedral in London, England, the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London in the Church of England. It is on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London.
"The Peggy Porschen Parlour” is an independent business, owned and run by cake artist Peggy Porschen and Bryn Morrow. Nestled amongst the beautiful boutiques of Belgravia, here you will find a fairy-tale setting just a short walk from Victoria Station. Visitors from all over the world flock to Peggy’s Parlour to enjoy her award-winning layer cakes, cupcakes and Afternoon Tea alongside artisan teas and barista coffees.
We all worked up a good appetite after all that walking so of course we had to get our Pub cuisine.
Now off to our cruise ship which was docked in Tilbury (outside of London) to start our journey to Norway. As we got on the ship we were informed that our initial itinerary has changed due to bad weather in the North Sea. Mother nature had her own plans for us. We definitely were disappointed however we kept our good attitude and enjoyed our time with our friends. Better safe than sorry.
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Sea in the north.
First stop: Trondheim Norway, situated along the sheltered shores of the Trondheim Fjord at the mouth of the Nidelva River, is one of Norway’s most important ports and home to the country’s largest university. Founded in 997 AD by King Olaf Tryggvason, it has been a pilgrimage destination for centuries, thanks to the Nidaros Cathedral-Norway’s largest church and world’s northernmost Gothic cathedral. The picturesque neighborhood of Bakklandet sits in the shadow of the Kristiansten Fortress, its cobblestone streets lined with colorful houses and stylish riverside cafè’s and restaurants.
We had to stay in Trondheim for 2 days due to weather conditions out in the Norwegian sea. So the guys signed us up for a tour on the ships bridge. Thank goodness they refrained from pushing every button as they would normally like to do.
The additional day allowed us to catch up on exercise, laundry and we went for another walk through town.
This is just an example of a daily itinerary on board. One should never worry about not having plenty to do.
We finally got the all clear to head north towards Narvik Norway and cross the Arctic Circle.
Location: The Arctic Circle is located at approximately 66°33′ north latitude.
Significance: It marks the southernmost point in the Northern Hemisphere where the sun can remain continuously above the horizon for at least one day of the year (the midnight sun) and the southernmost point where the sun can remain continuously below the horizon for at least one day of the year (polar night).
Countries: The Arctic Circle passes through several countries, including Russia, Canada, the United States (Alaska), Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark (Greenland), and Iceland
That night the announcement was made that there are Northern lights sightings. I got lucky to get there just in time to get a picture. The light display only lasted a few minutes.
Now off to Narvik Norway in search of more Northern lights!!! So stay tuned for my next post.
How exciting!!!