Skerry Islands

Not Scary - Skerries they are called, the flat, rocky islands forming a labyrhintic belt outside of Swedens capital. There accurate number is unknown, an incredible 25.000 at least. Here it is very, very obvious why we need a pilot - the chance of making a fatal mistake is very high, so: Do we trust the man? Yes, we do. And indeed, after a scenic three-hour ride through this archipelago of leisure, lined with the most beautiful and cozy houses, jetties and pleasure boats, we arrive in front of the charming facades of Stockholm.

Our parking position is smack in the city center, less than a cat's jump to Gamla Stan, the old town, one of the main attractions. Per-fect! The Swedish authorities are friendly and unbeaurocratic, so after a very short while everybody can go ashore.

Two excursions prove to be a full success, be it the "Stockholm Waterways", an extensive tour with a little barge, through old and new parts of the town. Or the "Old Town and City Hall" tour, showing the traditional aspects of this gentle, pretty place.

Well, and then it is definitely time to pack up, get a great summary of the whole trip in photographer Heather's slide show, and watch the day fade, wrapping the stout buildings in the twilight of the last evening.

A colorful trip this has been, rich in history, architecture, events, information - and fun.

Fancy to come back? - You'll be more than welcome!

Your "blogger" for the last couple of weeks is signing off tomorrow - thank you for following so closely, and please stay tuned: The Blog continues...

The Quiet Pond

Sea day. Calm day. Actually, that sums it up so nicely that there is hardly anything to add to it. Our itinerary leads us in considerable distance from the nearest land masses, so all we see is - sea.

What do you do when all of a sudden you have time on your hands?

Many find it difficult in the beginning to deal with this surprising amount of liberty and just do nothing, to only sit and watch the totally calm waters around us. Ok, the morning is wisely spent by attending the bridge visits, where our captain Arild Hårvik patiently explains the ship's technical features and answers all questions. And now? Well, point of fact, there's no need to be lazy, there are lectures given - on the Hanseatic League, on the famous Hermitage in St. Petersburg and on the Baltic Sea throughout the last couple of billion (!) years. There is our lofty gym, where you can work out or stretch while overlooking the endless horizons, giving you the perfect excuse during the meals to add a ladle more soup or a slice of meat.

The atmosphere is superbly laid back, the sunset is one you want to touch with your hand, it makes you bow toward the West. And so everybody is in a happy mood as we all gather for the Incredible Fashion Show. Well, I leave the definition of incredible to you...

Sunny Haven

Something's different. You feel it only marginally on the bridge, but it's there. FRAM has left home... we are not in Norway any more, where everybody knows and loves Hurtigruten. Now we are a foreign ship, about to call the port of Copenhagen, Denmark. That means being boarded by port authorities and custom officials. Paperwork. But all friendly, all very brief, all very welcoming. And so the arrival is official, and our guests are allowed to enter the "merchants haven", as the translation of the city's name would call it. 

And we are parked literally in the middle of it, so actually you can do extensive sightseeing from your armchair on deck 7. But a stroll through town is always good for surprises: It is Sunday, and in the inner court of the large citadel there is a vintage car convention, a feast for the eyes. If you like shiny chrome and wooden steering and white sidewall tires, that is. 

The weather is spoiling us, and so many are to be found in the numerous cafés around Nyhavn, the New Harbour, where beautiful old sailing ships are moored for eternity, as it will seem. but not everything is vintage, the modern opera house is sitting majestically on the other side of the strait, glistening in the afternoon sun, passed by legions of sightseeing barges - and our fearless Expedition Leader and Chief Purser who test-ran their new Kayaks. You don't keep a Norwegian away from the water...

But there is also the option to see everything from the waterfront by participating in the excursion Harbor Cruise and Christianborg Castle. Here you get extensive explanation about the history of the area, from the first middle age construction of the castle to the notorious tax-raising for passing ships to the yearly performances of Shakespeare's Hamlet, which partially does take place here.

After many hours of sunshine, photographing and enjoying, everybody returns on board and we sail into the dark, toward our next destination, Helsinki.

Coming is Going

No, this is not a typo - everything in nature and in life is following the slow heaving rhythm of coming and going, the tides of existence. Why should it be different with happy events? Holidays are only a special time - well, because they are a special time, having a beginning and an end. 

Of course, this thought is easier to handle for the arriving bunch than for our nice group trudging down the gangway, in order to catch bus, taxi or shuttle. The skies have covered themselves in dark grey, a chilly wind is bringing out the atmosphere of departure. At least it's not raining much, just a baby shower. But in spite of the built-in melancholy: Many have been here before, so they know, there will be a coming back, will be another special time.

As soon as the ship is empty, a big busy chaos breaks loose - there is so much to do before the new arrival. Cabins have to be cleaned, stocks replenished, equipment prepared, storages emptied, others filled. All in high speed, all with a lot of talking and shoving and milling around each other.

A short stroll in town is in order, few pictures of the mix between old and modern architecture, then back to the ship.

And then we jump into our uniforms again - the busses have arrived!

Although it may seem like a very repetitive procedure, welcoming day is never the same, as it entirely depends on the arriving group. There's not two of them alike, so the usual handling of cruise card, expedition jacket and luggage is fun, not duty.

As soon as everybody is there (boarding completed), we start with the safety drill, where the assembling at the muster stations is trained and the lifesaver suits are demonstrated.

And as if the heavens try to orchestrate the coming and going accordingly, they open up, showing fluffy white clouds and clear blue, while we are heading out of the Oslo Fjord.

And if that isn't enough, the flaming sunset gets a silent, majestic counterpart on the other side of the horizon - the full moon is rising.