Mediterranean Bound

Sunset last night

Let’s see, it’s been over half of the trip.  I have seen the Caribbean, the Bermuda triangle, the Canary Islands, Scandinavia, and the Baltic.   and I am finally getting to the sunny beaches of the Mediterranean.  I have to say my tan is nowhere to where I thought it would be at this point and I understand why Scandinavians and Russians tend to be of the paler hue….  It’s STILL cold.  Even the other day in St. Petersburg it is half way through the summer and I am still wearing sweaters and jackets.  Well, those are being put away for me now and here comes the bikini (and more frequent trips to the gym) because I am going to be on some beaches…cold or not.  

The Little Mermaid; Copenhagen, Denmark.  She has lost one of her arms and her head twice.

Also, I am finally going to add Italy to my list of places I have been and even though I am going to be in a bikini even more I am going to eat, pray, love some straight up Italian pizza.  Honestly, nothing is going to stop me from doing this because there is no way I can be disappointed especially when the pizza on the ship resembles tomato paste with a few shreds of cheese on a piece of cardboard.  This is going to be a time where even the most simple pizza will resemble a Davinci masterpiece.  (Which I saw in person in St. Petersburg after waiting in a long line.... totally worth it).  

Christiana, Denmark

So tomorrow I am in Dover for the last time before our home port becomes Barcelona.  This is the town that we have been visiting ever week or so to get new eager passengers and is also the same place where, unbeknownst to me, I started a drunken bar fight between two belligerent Brits at noon time on a Saturday after rejecting one and leaving the bar.  Yep.  I am interested to see how packed this little shipping town with a drinking problem on the coast will be doing with the Olympic traffic just arriving in London.  

I am also quite shocked as to how many older folks have no idea the Olympics are happening in London or that they are even occurring in the near future.  O Well….what do you do with that.  :)

Yet another wonderful sunset

Infamous Officer Bar in the Ryndam

A smattering of pics!

Chritiania; a hippy commune in Copenhagen, Denmark

Dancing in the Crow's Nest on the ship!!

Love this pic of Martien and I eating softees ice cream.  Even though is it still cold in Norway those people LOVE their ice cream.

Sam and I in Geiranger, Norway standing next to a peddling robot duck.

Geiranger, Norway.  This was probably to most beautiful place.

Stavanger, Norway.  Just a sweet and quaint place

I'm Alive, and Well, and Lately in Helsinki!

I am sitting here in Helsinki, Finland. It is a gorgeous fine day and I was inspired to write a blog again after a span of time that just flew by with events.

First of all thank you to all those that expressed concern over my "disappearing":) The last month has been somewhat of a doozy and to be honest my blog went on the back burner. Sad but true. Consider this my "restart" and let me full you in:

- We left Norway after a month and a half of sailing back and forth from there to Dover, England. I love Norway but I am happy to see some new places. Going to the same places over and over again was threatening to make Norway seem like "Bore-way" ( corney I know). In the Baltic now then to the Mediterranean... Finally!

- My boyfriend Joe and I broke up. This is also a sad thing but truly a something that I feel was better for both of us because of the distance. At least I know there are really great guys out there because Joe was defiantly one if them.

- I also decided that I like doing this and would like to continue to keep traveling...so my hat is on the table for upcoming contracts. I might already have something but I am not going to say too much here because I don't want to jinx it:)

- Went back to St Petersburg and it was just as awesome as the first time I went to study there with the O'Neill. Made me really nostalgic none the less for my NTI friends. Love you guys!

- my best friend Danielle is officially visiting me in September 9th-24rd and we are going to take Italy and Greece by storm. If Greece thinks it has problems now...they better watch out.

- Lastly, I am in a pretty good place. Feeling like I've found a sort of niche that has everything I like. Singing, traveling, sun, fun times, getting paid, and a new experience where ever you turn. Plus, I am making some pretty good friends.

So lastly, Hello again:) I'll post a smattering of pics tonight.

Also, yesterday was my official half way point. Weird.

Pulpit Rock in Stavanger and the Troll Church in Molde, Norway

Stavanger, Pulpit Rock

First of all, Norway is truly a land of wonder.  Throughout my adventures here I have been told about trolls, river spirits, and wood nymphs named Huldra.  For those who don’t know, because I certainly didn’t, “the huldra belongs to the underground people and is supposedly a beautiful young girl with long hair, walking around in the woods, trying to seduce young men and lure them to marry her and move underground with her. She is often seen herding cattle - cows which are exceptionally fat and full of milk, and the leader cow has a bucket with little silver bells on its horns. She is dressed in a national costume or a white blouse and a skirt, and her chest is decorated with silver and gold. But you recognise that she’s a huldra if she turns her back to you: She has a cow’s tail!”  WHAT?! 
 

 I know this sounds pretty fantastical but these are traditions found mostly in forest areas and agricultural districts which are mostly all the places we are seeing so… I have been keeping my eyes peeled while I have been hiking this last week.  

Stavanger, Pulpit Rock

Stavanger, Pulpit Rock

Stavanger, Pulpit Rock

Most of us that went on the hike- Stavanger, Pulpit Rock

Stavanger was such a perfect day.  We left the ship and it was a sunny 70 degrees outside and couldn’t help but soak up to sun.  I actually got a sunburn this day, which was brilliant, because I matched my pink pant suit I had to wear that night in the showJ  This day we hiked to Preikestolhytta, or Pulpit Rock in English, and this is a true “bucket-list” place.  The walk to Preikestolen is very steep in places. The path starts at the Preikestolhytta, at an elevation of approximately 886 feet above sea level, and climbs 1982 feet. The hike takes 1-3 hours depending on experience and fitness level and we HAD to do it within 2 so needless to say we were kicking our butts. Being that the hike it pretty short the total elevation gain and loss over the course of the hike is more than one might initially expect, or at least more than I expected, as the path climbs and descends various ridges where you are practically climbing.  It was well worth the trip though once we go to the top as only the pictures can attest to so feast your eyes on me sitting at the edge of the world. :)

Molde, Norway- Getting ready to hike!!

The mountain that we had to get to the top of

View from the hike up to Troll Chruch- Molde

View from the hike up to Troll Chruch- Molde

Entrance of the Troll Church

View from the entrance of the cave

The next place we went to was Trollkirke, or Troll Church, in Molde which was also a rather difficult hike because there was no trail at all.  The views on this equally gorgeous day were incredible.  I felt like I landed in the land of pastoral paradise.  The troll church, after we finally arrived above the snow line of the mountain, was a cave that had an underground waterfall  of ice cold snow runoff surrounded by walls of white quartz.  I felt like I seriously was in the Lord of the Rings movie. There couldn’t have been anything more appealing to the imagination than that.  

The next cruise is a chartered cruise, meaning the entire ship was bought out by one group.  Supposedly it is a spanish group where only 15% of the group can speak minimal English.  This ought to be interesting, but seeing as they have spent $14 million dollars to rent the ship for a full week and have brought on $6,000 of additional wine, I am thinking they are just going to want to have a good time:)

I'll let you know how it goes.

Norway: The Enchanted Land of Trolls and Fjords

Norway is the land of trolls, moss, and very expensive things and I have to tell you its beauty far surpasses what I expected.  It kind of reminds me of the wild beauty of Alaska and makes me yearn to go back and hike through the peaty soil and see all those friends again.  Miss you all you crazy Alaska peeps!! 

So far, we have been to many places in Norway and will be here for another few weeks.  It is also starting to stay light out until a little after midnight because we are getting so far north.  Land of the midnight sun!!! :)  It is kind of nuts to come out of your room where there is NO sunlight all day and walk outside at midnight and it look like daytime.  

As I have said, there has been no eating out for me in Norway.  Everything, especially food, is crazy expensive.  If you go to McDonalds you can expect to drop $16 (95 kroners) on just the cheeseburger.  We all went out to a bar the other night and I got ONE beer and that alone cost me the equivalent of $20!!!  Needless to say it has been difficult to justify a $15 coffee to sit in a coffee shop to monopolize the internet.  In the same way, I apologize for not updating this for some time and I promise it will get better after we get out of expensive Norway.  The wonderful and strikingly mountainous fjords make it difficult for the ship to get reception but it does make you feel as if I you are lost in the land before time. :)

 My favorite place so far was Geiranger and it is because me and three others went up and around the mountains on bicycles and got to take it the beauty around us.  The air was also so fresh and I couldn’t stop myself from just taking the deepest breaths possible without passing out.   After the last month of chemicals being sprayed around the sjip I felt like I struck the fountain of youth in that clean air.    I cannot wait to tell you about the other places we are going this coming cruise because we are heading as far north as we will go the entire contract!!

Until then I will let all these pictures do all the talking because I can’t do it justice.  

View of Oslo, Norway

Houses with grass roofs in Oslo

Gloves I got in Stavanger...I needed them!

Ulvik, Norway

As far as ship life goes, besides the internet, everything is fine.  I am finding my routine and also getting to know a lot of people very well.  I officially feel part of the crowd now and I like that. The food is starting to get old though.  O well, can’t have it all I guess:)

Ulvik, Norway

Ulvik, Norway

Church in Ulvik, Norway

Church in Ulvik, Norway

Traditional clothing- Ulvik, Norway

I just loved this persons view- Ulvik, Norway

Ulvik, Norway

One of the many fish markets in Bergen, Norway

Caviar- Bergen, Norway

Geiranger, Norway

Geiranger, Norway

Where we started our bike ride in Geiranger...brrrrr

Wow....Geiranger, Norway

Geiranger, Norway

Geiranger, Norway

More Pictures of ENCORE!

"Danny Boy" during ENCORE

I figured I would get more porduction pictures of  ENCORE  since we perform it again tomorrow night.  So far it seems the favorite of the guests...and my favorite too:)

"La Vie En Rose" during Encore

"The Prayer" in ENCORE