Dog’s first voyage onboard with Dragon started with an unexpected change. Inclement weather in the North Sea resulted in three immediate somewhat rough sea days. Our Hamburg port was cancelled by German authorities and was eventually replaced with an unplanned day trip to Amsterdam via IJmuiden, Netherlands. Following that there were three successive ports in the Scandinavian countries of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.
Sea Days
The immediate itinerary change resulting in three consecutive sea days gave Dog and Dragon some time to adapt and adjust. Dog had the opportunity to settle into this new life; including learning his way around the ship, meeting and being welcomed by the many people that Dragon had been travelling with for months, figuring out a variety of mundane necessities like internet access, and noting possibilities for daily routines like the best times to use the gym. Dragon had time to address the challenges of integrating Dog into her ship life, helping him sort out basic routines like dining and laundry, and adapting to Dog’s invasion of her tiny house life in a cruise ship cabin. Those sea days also allowed them to attend several amazing theater shows, enjoy formal night with Dragon’s team, and watch the rugby world cup in the crew bar.
Netherlands
October 21 became the first port of the voyage at IJmuiden, Netherlands. Dragon was on day call, so Dog went exploring alone. It was an overcast day with off and on drizzle. Dog took the bus to Amsterdam and spent the day wandering the capital of the Netherlands. As expected, Amsterdam was a vibrant city filled with people walking and biking among the many canals and cafes. He even stumbled upon an iconic Netherlands windmill in the heart of the city. Check out some Amsterdam street art on the Dog and Dragon Adventures Instagram page.
Denmark
October 23 was the start of a whirlwind tour of Scandinavian ports beginning in Copenhagen. Dog and Dragon took the train into the city center then walked across town intent on skiing the world famous Copenhill urban ski area. Not only does Copenhill feature a fully functional urban ski hill down the building, it also features the world’s tallest multi-pitch climbing wall at 85 meters. It turned out neither skiing nor climbing were available that day, but they were able to take in the epic view from the top. Wandering the Danish capital on foot they discovered another bike friendly city intersected by canals. Copenhagen was rich in amazing statuary, artistry, and a lovely blend of historical architecture and modern design.
Sweden
October 24 was another Scandinavian port in Gothenburg, Sweden. The ship was docked far from town so Dog and Dragon rode a shuttle bus into the city center before wandering Gothenburg’s cobblestone streets. Gothenburg had a bustling public transportation system serving the metro area. They discovered Gothenburg was also full of wonderful statuary and amazing historical structures. A short hike brought them to Skansen Kronan, a hilltop fortress built in 1687. Follow this link to check out some Gothenburg street art.
Norway
October 25 brought Dog and Dragon to Oslo, Norway. Oslo was an amazing city, perhaps their favorite stop so far. It is a city that combines amazing modern design with old world history. All along the waterfront are multi-story housing complexes with shopping and dining on the lower levels. Each one is unique and visually appealing in design. The residential areas are built on either side of Arkenshus Fortress, a medieval castle in the heart of the Norwegian capital that is also the home of the Norwegian WWII Resistance Museum. Oslo is a fabulous modern city in a breathtakingly beautiful location.
Low Countries Next
As I write this post the journey is taking us back south towards what is known as the low countries. We’ll update you further on our upcoming ports in Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, and Le Havre. Talk to you then.
The tiramisu looks amazing, hope it tasted amazing as well. See you very soon.
Loved the post, but I expected actual discussion of the tiramisu. Give the fans what they want, Bob.