Julie Rose Textiles and Sailing

29 August

Off on Arcadia, very drizzly going past our boat and the sailing club, hAd been given 8:30 dining which is really very late, didn’t get into the dining room till 8:45 but dinner was good and was served quickly so all good, had a look at the ballroom dancing then went up to the Crows Nest for a drink.

30 August

Cabin nice but too warm, sunny when waking up this morning. Sea day today, went for a 3 lap walk around the deck to make one mile. Must do that every day although walking up the stairs is also very good exercise . Went to a talk about art thefts then lunch a talk about taking photos with your phone which was very interesting, then a dance class for the Cha Cha Cha which was very difficult, needed a glass of Whiskey to calm down after that, then a classical music recital, getting ready for the celebration night. Captain’s cocktails at 8pm then dinner. forever Tenors in the theatre, who were very good, then Crows Nest for more music and finally a little dancing in the Disco! Bed at 12:30! Who can say cruising is boring and there was time to get a book from the library and time to sit and read it.

Thursday 31 august

Dancing this morning for the Tango, difficult but did get some of it, going back later for the second session. Interesting talk about Norway and another talk about Jack Vercharchio and then later a glass of Prosecco with the gallery reps and a look at the pictures, theatre Dan……… who was good but not as good as yesterday. Also classical music at 5pm so busy day, no knitting done but some drawing done and book reading, all good.

Friday 1 September

Arrived in Skjoden early morning and looked a nice sunny day, had a proper breakfast and then off the ship, looked like a nice walk to a waterfall so followed the signs, had picked up a map at the tourist office just off the ship, saw the waterfall but decided to do a bit of a hike up the mountain, the trail just went on and on and up and up and eventually stopped to eat our stolen muffin from the ship. Walking down proved that we had gone a long way up, set a google mark and will check later for height . Walked into the small town, bought chocolate and walked up to the cider farm thinking we would get a drink but no shop, in fact only two shops the co-op and a small cafe where we did buy a drink. Then back to the ship, 23000 steps. And tired legs.

Dinner, then the theatre for Forever Tenors who were very good.

Saturday 2 September

Arrive in Alesand, a much bigger town, walked off the ship, got maps and information and went on one of the hop on hop off buses, expensive but better than the ships trips. Went to the open air museum when had lots of stone houses and lots of boats which was very interesting. Then back on the bus to a viewpoint, interesting road to get there, lots of photos at the viewpoint and we walked down the 410 steps to the town, was so glad we didn’t walk up! Ieuan was quite thoughtful about walking down. Into the town and off to the Art Nouveau Museum which was interesting and then we found a bar that was open……… most were closed and only opened in the evening. Then back to the ship for a well deserved cup of tea and scone. Dinner then we looked in on the dancing but they were far too good for us and went back to the theatre for Headliners who were very good but dreadful 70’s music then up to the Crows nest for piano music, much better and bed at 12 ish. Weather predicted to get worse and windy and rainy

Sunday 3rd September

Woke up to rain and a little more wind only a westerly force 6 according to the tv screen. Had gone out last night and it was worse. All doors closed today, not allowed out. Dancing was the Rumba today was slightly easier than the Tango and Cha Cha Cha. Good talk about the vikings . Wind steely increased to. F7 expected to go up to a F8 this evening with a swell of 4 meters. Ship rocking quite a bit, a formal evening so long dresses tonight.

Monday 4th September

Another sea day today and weather still a bit rocky but got better as the day went on. Talk about Lowry today, was interesting but think we have seen it before then dancing and theatre with the Headliners which was very good

Tuesday 5th S eptember

Arrived in Reykjavík to about 10 degrees and quite sunny, went on a trip today to the Secret Lagoon for swimming in the pool, was so lovely and warm about 40 degrees was so lovely then on to a tomato greenhouse for soup and bread for lunch and to look around the greenhouse, amazing way of growing tomatoes , then on to a viewpoint and walk where the tectonic plates meet in the middle of Iceland.

Back to the ship for good dinner and violin Ralph Allin in the theatre, was very good

Wednesday 6th September

Walked into Reykjavík as the queue for the shuttle bus was very long, about a mile and a half but was a good walk, Went to the `maritime museum and then into a bar and paid £18 for two beers! Around the city and on the rainbow road and into a little supermarket just to see and buy some chocolate but everything very expensive.

Back to the boat for music from the Arcadia orchestra and the Headliners again.

Thursday 7th September

Woke up in Isafjordur which is a little village at the end of a fiord and a good walk around and up to the viewpoint and looking in the shops, i had been trying to find Icelandic wool but have found none, a shop here had Drops wool but we can get that in England so just more expensive.

Back on the ship and jazz with the orchestra and a comedian Mick Miller who wasn’t very good.

Friday 8th September

Woke up in Akureyri which is the second city of Iceland , walked off the ship to a small 3 story wooden house which was interesting then on into the town and on up to the botanical gardens and had a coffee there and a good walk around the town with lots of lovely houses and a man street with lots of shops, i did find a proper wool shop with Icelandic wood but the price was high and even the pattern book was about £18 so had to leave it all there but we have good wool in England so i can still make Christmas presents for the girls in the family of fingerless mittens.

Back to the ship for more looking at the art exhibition with Clarendon Fine Art, some really nice pictures. Then the Ihoppers in the evening in the theatre but they were suffering with the ship rocking, they just didn’t have their sea legs yet.

Saturday 9th September

Sea day so dancing x 2 and the orchestra in the Erving for swing tonight and the Headliners in the theatre in the evening which was excellent.

Sunday 10th September

Church service of about 30 minutes in the morning then more dancing and went to see a film Master Gardener which was dreadful, nothing happening film but very nice seats in the screening room. Marcia Lynett as Whitney Houston in the evening which was good.

Monday 11th September

Woke up in Queensferry and had to use the tenders to get ashore which was very easy. Then a bus into Edinburgh, looked at the castle but so many people up there and also expensive and we only had a short day. Walked the Royal Mile and some gardens and went into the two pubs that Beverly recommended and both were excellent. Went to the medical centre when we got back as i had been suffering with toothache, on of the teeth at Simon re did last time i went which is only a few weeks ago, got antibiotics and a bill for £108, but just couldn’t wait till i got home. The Ihoppers again this evening but they were much much better today, had got used to the movement but we had hardly any movement anyway, weather quite calm.

Tuesday 12 September

Woke up in North Shields, just by the marina we were in last year. Took the metro to Whitley Bay and walked to the lighthouse, then back to Tynemouth for a nice lunch and beer in a pub . And on to North Shields where we found the Craft Beer place we went in last year and had another beer or so and then walked back to the ship, 25000 steps today. Went to the Gala Ball after dinner as the comedian was on in the theatre and didn’t want to see him again. Couldn’t dance as they didnt play ones we had been learning and the dancers all were very good.

Wednesday 13 September

Last sea day, Dancing going over the dances that we had learned today, the orchestra and theatre in the evening.

14 September

Breakfast and then off the ship, Ieuan had a day’s work at the boat show with Alan so I had a taxi back home by myself and time to do washing etc etc !!!