Our 13-day cruise on Viking Neptune took us to Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Åland Islands (Finland), Poland and Germany, alternating picturesque little ports with big modern cities like Stockholm, Oslo, and Copenhagen.
In most ports we joined the cohorts of fellow passengers opting for Viking’s “included” walking tours. These were led by local professional guides brandishing lollypop-shaped signs and broadcasting wirelessly from their mic to our earbuds, via receivers hanging from our necks. With multiple groups jostling for access to top spots, it was dangerous to stop and muse, as you might catch up only to discover you are with the wrong group and have lost your spouse up an alleyway.
Bergen, Norway
We flew into Bergen after two weeks driving the Iceland ring road, tired and more than willing to be looked after. The next day we (Laurie, Maggie, Terri and Marida) did our first guided tour and then strolled around the fish market. There, in a moment of confused politeness, we all accepted and ate proffered samples of dried whale meat. We will not be repeating this.
Eidfjord, Norway
Eidfjord is considered one of the most beautiful fjords in Norway. Its glacier-scoured bay is surrounded by rugged peaks, creating a lovely natural bowl which our ship immediately obscured with a pall of diesel engine exhaust.
Stavanger, Norway
Stavanger is pretty and is important for many reasons, none of which come to mind. But it is also home to the Justification of Fossil Fuel Extraction and Profitability Exposition (actual name: Oil Industry Museum), which turned out to be kind of cool if you are into giant octopus-shaped drilling bits (Marida is).
The Oil Museum
On the way to Oslo
Oslo, Norway
Oslo is a real gem, with a vibrant restaurant scene, broad pedestrian avenues, majestic buildings, and art everywhere. Also, in the port is the opera house, where it is obligatory to walk up the sloping iceberg-shaped roof and admire the glass iceberg-shaped sculpture floating in the harbor.
Iron roses memorial
The forged roses in a courtyard outside Oslo Cathedral were created by artisans around the world in memory of the 77 adults and children who died in attacks by a far-right extremist on July 22, 2011.
Munch Museum
Right down at the port is the Munch Museum, where the main attraction is a small, packed room with three alternating versions of The Scream and many screaming examples of Covid microbes. But we discovered that Munch was a wonderful draftsman and painter. The museum displays thousands of artwork in styles ranging from beautifully-rendered portraits to expressionist and everything in between.
Vigeland Sculpture Park
Eighty acres of beautifully landscaped gardens in Frogner Park in Oslo provide a backdrop for more than 200 sculptures in bronze and granite. These naked figures illustrating the human journey were bequeathed to the city by the artist Gustav Vigiland after 40 years of labor to create them.
Copenhagen, Denmark
Terri loved Copenhagen, which Marida did not see it as she was off looking at some Viking thing or other.
Mariehamn, Åland Islands
Maritime Museum and Pommern restored square rigger
Shipyard at Emeliebygget, Mariehamn
Strolling Mariehamn, we found a small marina area with boatyard. There was almost no one there, and Marida spent an hour wandering around and peering into the little wooden hangars with boats in various states of repair. Eventually a guy showed up and told us how the community had come together to keep the old boatyard from dying after new technology made those skills obsolete. Now building and restoring boats with traditional methods is a growing industry in the small town.
Stockholm
Our last full day was in this beautiful, historic and vibrant city. In the morning, Marida caught a ferry across the harbor to duck into the Abba Museum shop and for an extended visit the Vasa Museum. In the afternoon she joined Terri with a walking tour of Gana Stan, the historic center of Stockholm.
