Neither rain nor wind nor snow — or even too much sun — can prevent those hearty Vikings from making their rounds and serving you.
That’s a loose version of the famous postman’s creed, but a pretty near perfect description of our 15-day cruise from London to Norway’s magical Land of the Midnight Sun aboard the Viking Mira.
Fierce winds and rain followed us from London, Wales and Scotland and it wasn’t until we reached the Norwegian island port of Honningsvag, high above the Arctic Circle, that we were greeted with sunshine.
And boy, did it shine. For the entirety of our two days there, the Midnight Sun period was slowly transitioning into night and day.
And just as weird, here, in the northernmost land point in all of Europe, at figuratively the top of the world, we had our warmest weather and were reaching for shorts and flip-flops.
“Still light enough to play golf at 3:00 in the morning like I did the other day,” said Olav, a man we met at a coffee shop. “I don’t pay much attention to time, don’t even wear a watch.”
The Midnight Sun period can last up to four months, ending in early August.
But for every Olav, there is a traditionalist like Sven, who sticks to his daily routine, putting heavy black curtains on the windows each night and wearing sleep masks to mimic the dark. Breakfast, lunch and dinner come at their usual time.
Row houses on Alesund wharf. (DOMINICK MERLE/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER)
The Viking Mira
But before getting into the reindeer and trolls we’ll scroll back to those windy, rainy days off the British Isles. There was definitely a bright side, and it was our ship itself, the Viking Mira. We’ve had a few previous Viking cruises but always took its services and amenities for granted. This time, because of the bad weather, we got up close and personal.
There were about 900 cruisers aboard and 450 crew, so service was there whenever you needed it, but never in your face. And everything was in its place. So much so, we played like Sherlock Holmes in search of a flaw, but gave up on the third day.
Viking has over 80 ships on the waters and is usually ranked among the top three luxury cruise lines, often the first. It is not pretentious or stuffy, but has a comfortable feel about it, a neat blend of Scandinavian elegance and Swiss precision.
It has a return rate of over 70%, something almost unheard of in cruise travel, and has won over 60 awards over the years, most recently being chosen the cleanest cruise line.
It wasn’t surprising, but who’d think there was even such a category for luxury lines, like which one is the dirtiest?
North Cape under cloudy skies. (DOMINICK MERLE/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER)
Exploring Norway
There are over 250,000 reindeer in Norway. You can buy one for between $500 and $5,000 depending on size, age, antlers, health, and yes, even looks. The Sami indigenous people have the rights to breed and sell them.
Every inch of the reindeer is used for one thing or another—food, travel, work, clothing, tourism and in rare cases, just as an all-around pet. There are also thousands of wild reindeer roaming about, like the one we saw walking about nonchalantly with the tourists and locals on the charming island of Lofoten. We didn’t seem to impress him.
Trolls? For those not big on legends, trolls are a race of supernatural beings scattered throughout Norway. They come in all shapes and sizes, from imps and dwarfs to 12-foot giants.
“The big ones have trees growing out of the top of their heads,” our guide claimed. “And some of them have two heads.”
Author Susan Merle with Troll. (DOMINICK MERLE/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER)
Of course, none of us believed it, including the guide, but troll figures are one of the biggest sellers in tourist shops and when the money keeps rolling in you don’t ask questions. Incidentally, prices in Norway in general are almost 40% higher for similar items in the U.S.
Other stops along the Norwegian west coast included Tromso, often referred to as the “Gateway to the Arctic.”
It’s practically wall-to-wall touristy, but worth visiting for its Arctic Cathedral. Due to the cathedral’s distinctive look and location, it has also been called the “opera house of Norway, likening it to the Sydney Opera House in Australia.
On the scenic front, Geiranger was the showstopper. We sailed into its magnificent fjord which is nine miles long and 850 feet deep. Two waterfalls face each other across the fjord, Sostre (Seven Sisters) and Friaren (The Suitor), said to be wooing Sostre.
Minuet Church in Tromso. (DOMINICK MERLE/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER)
Colorful wooden houses on Bergen wharf. (DOMINICK MERLE/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER)
Bergen, Norway’s second-largest city to Oslo, was our final stop. Framed by seven mountains, it is arguably Norway’s top tourist attraction. Its wooden wharf (Bryggen) with its colorful historic wooden houses, looks like a storybook come to life.
Small quaint shops, artist studios, cable cars, funiculars, a massive fish market — it’s all there. Don’t take a tour. Bergen will come to you.
(Dominick and Susan Merle are travel photojournalists based in Montreal. Dominick is co-founder of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association.)