Always Sensational Scotland

What else can we say?

Our final country on this cruise was Scotland, and we couldn't wait to return to the Old Sod. Scotland has always been a favorite destination of our since we first came here in 1993.  We’ve now been to Scotland several times, and always look forward to doing some more exploring.

Lerwick Harbor on Shetland

Lerwick, Shetland (Scotland)

This is the one Anne has been waiting for, since she is a huge fan of the TV series Shetland. From the moment she saw the stately stone buildings situated around the harbor, she was thrilled. We had arranged a small group tour (six people), and our guide, Grant, was waiting for us when we finally got off the ship’s tender. The Immigration and tendering process here was excruciating -- took us almost two hours to get off the ship and into Lerwick.

New housing in Lerwick

Grant started our tour with a jaunt through Lerwick, a tiny capital "city" of 7500 people. The entire population of Shetland is only 23,000, and with over 100,000 sheep, the sheep outnumber the people over four to one! 

Surprisingly, Shetland is really growing with lots of new homes being built and new services being added. Looking for a retirement spot away from it all? Shetland has excellent retirement services paid for by profits from the oil industry. Just like in Norway, the government here puts aside a percentage of all oil profits as savings for the future when the oil is depleted.

Jimmy Perez's house from the TV series Shetland

A lot of the old narrow streets looked familiar to Anne from the TV series, but then Grant pulled up in front of an unmistakable sight (at least for Anne) -- the stone house where Jimmy Perez, the main character of the series lives. Honestly, she felt as if Jimmy could walk out the front door at any moment. The TV series has become wildly popular, and Grant told us this house is the most photographed building in Lerwick!  Of course, since Frank is not a fan, the hype of the series was a nonevent for him.

Unseasonably pleasant weather in Shetland

Anne calmed down, and we continued out into the beautiful countryside on still another gorgeous sunny day. We were especially lucky since Grant told us rain and gale force winds were in the next day's forecast. Thanks to the Gulf Stream, Shetland never gets terribly cold. Even in winter, the lowest temperature is a couple degrees above freezing, but they do get a lot of wind.

Shetland coastline

Shetland is quite mountainous with an abundance of great landscapes, and we stopped frequently to take in these views. One of the best stops was at a beach that connects the mainland to St. Ninian's Island. The water has to be freezing, but intrepid Shetlanders do swim here.

Isthmus over to St. Ninian's Island

About sixty years ago, a team of archaeologists came to St. Ninian's to excavate the ruins. A sixteen-year-old local boy tagged along, and he discovered a stash of silver dating back to the 8th c., buried by an ancient Celtic people called the Picts. Apparently, the archaeologists were not pleased with the young lad’s discovery and instant fame.

Croft House Museum

Grant introduced us to two major sites on Shetland. The first one was the Croft House Museum which gave us a glimpse into life on Shetland in the 1800's. The people of this time period were extremely poor, nothing more than slaves really. Similar to Ireland, wealthy Scottish lairds stole the land and evicted people whenever they felt like it. Lots of times, they evicted people with no notice at all, just to acquire more land for their sheep farming.

The small farmhouse-like dwelling that we visited would often have held a family with ten children along with an assortment of relatives, all victims of the evictions. The islands have few trees but plenty of peat, so peat would have been used for heating. Some peat was burning in the fireplace when we visited – altho it required a bit of getting used to, Anne loved the earthy smell while Frank said he’d prefer baseboard hot water heat instead.

Frank solves the mystery of the mousetrap

Frank was the star of the day when he figured out how an old mousetrap artifact worked. Apparently, most visitors don't have a clue. This device had a very clever home-brew design about it, with a large weighty stone propped on a board above the bait, so that when the mouse went for the cheese, the clapper board on which the stone rested, dropped and squashed him. (Obviously, have-a-heart traps hadn't been invented yet).

Multiple excavations at Jarlshof

Our second major site was an archaeological dig called Jarlshof begun in 1925 that unearthed ancient dwellings of the Vikings along with evidence of previous life from the stone, bronze, and iron ages.  As you know we love prehistoric sites, and this was one of the best. This small stretch of land on a promontory above the sea contains ruins spanning over 4,000 years. It was fascinating to see the layers of human history as each successive period built on top of the last.

Ancient dwellings at Jarlshof

We walked from stone-age construction, to Bronze Age houses, to parts of an Iron Age village that included a partial broch, a tower-like structure that looked like a stone roundhouse. No one knows what the brochs were used for. They look like defensive structures, but with no known adversaries at the time, they may have had a religious purpose or been a place to store food supplies or other things.

Viking ruins at Jarlshof

We continued on to the remains of a Viking long house, and finally a ruined Scottish laird's house built in the 1500's. The whole complex would never have been discovered if not for a storm that washed away part of the shore and revealed the treasures beneath. Archaeological treasures much like those we found on our foray to the Orkney Islands 2 years ago. It makes you wonder what else lies beneath our feet just waiting to be uncovered.

View of coastline from
Sumburgh Head Lighthouse on Shetland

For our last stop, we drove up to Sumburgh Head Lighthouse for some great views of the rugged cliffs. And the sheep. These burly-looking sheep with their super-thick coats stay outside all winter long – the very thing that makes their coats super-thick! We also saw the famous Shetland ponies including some adorable miniature ones. Altho Grant told us they don't have very nice dispositions.

Frank with his Azure Shetland beer

We also picked up two bottles of Shetland beer in our travels. Really good stuff. And once again, Frank was able to smuggle them on the ship with no problem.

Trees full of clothing "offerings" at Clootie Well

Invergordon (Inverness)

We had arranged for a private tour for just the two of us and our next guide. Kevin, was waiting for us as soon as we left the ship. Kevin started the tour with a stop at Clootie Well, a place only locals know about. It was a really weird and wonderful ancient Celtic site with thousands of bits of cloth, clothing, shoes, jackets, and even underwear hanging in the trees and on their branches.

Anne dips her cloth in Clootie Well
and prepares to make her wish

The idea is that you dip a bit of something in the sacred waters of the well, wipe the water around our face, and then make a wish as you hang the item from the tree. Kevin gave us each a paper towel, so we could perform the ancient ritual too. 

Cawdor Castle

We traveled on to Cawdor Castle, a romantic 14th c. castle still occupied by members of the Cawdor family. Outside, it looked like a charming fairy-tale castle, but inside it was very livable, and Anne was ready to move in. The floral gardens outside were lovely too.

 

Anne's failed attempt at the time travel trick

We made a quick stop at Clava Cairns, an ancient site of 4,000-year-old stones. The place has become very popular because it is said that Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander books, first got her inspiration for the story here. Anne touched the stones hoping for a little bit of time travel for herself, but no luck.

Site of the battle of Culloden

The highlight of the day was Culloden Battlefield where the Jacobites were badly defeated. The Jacobites, which included many Scottish Highlanders were part of a rebellion meant to restore the House of Stuart and place Bonnie Prince Charlie on the throne. Fought on April 16, 1746, it is the last battle fought on British soil.

Highland bulls with their unusually hairy coats at Culloden

We watched a movie in the round house that made us feel like we were right in the center of the battle. The movie lasted 3-½ minutes. The exact amount of time it took for 900 Highlanders to die in the battle. The Highlanders were lethal in close combat, but various circumstances prevented them from getting to the government forces fast enough. Instead, the government rifle and cannon power mowed them all down and caused the remainder to retreat. 

After the battle, the government enacted a policy called the pacification of the Highlands, intended to dismantle Highland culture. Highlanders lost their land, and the kilt and the tartan (plaids that identified each of the clans) were banned.

Frank with some Scottish Highlanders

Queen Victoria actually helped revive an interest in the culture because she loved Scotland, particularly the Highlands. Today, even tho they were trounced in record time at Culloden, the Highlanders are celebrated as romantic heroes.

Tasting Singleton at Glen Ord Distillery

Frank was especially psyched for our last stop, the Glen Ord Distillery for a tasting of fine Scotch whiskey. Glen Ord is the only remaining single malt scotch whiskey distillery on the Black Isle. And it makes a renowned Singelotn whiskey specifically for the very profitable Asian market. The Singelton can only be purchased in Asia or at this distillery. Obviously, we had to check it out and maybe grab a bottle for ourselves. 

Tour guide Kevin and Frank in tasting room
at the Glen Ord Distillery

We had a fascinating tasting where we learned how to add a single drop of water to a glass of whiskey. And the surprising difference that one tiny drop of water makes. We tasted three Singleton whiskeys, and the 15-year was so noticeably smooth and flavorful even Anne liked it. How could we not bring a bottle home? (However, we were unable to sneak this one on the ship. Holland Security was on high alert for whiskey purchases, and we had to let them hold our bottle for us until the end of the cruise.)

Roaming the streets of South Queensferry, Scotland

South Queensferry (Edinburgh)

Since we had visited Edinburgh just two years ago, we decided to explore the small town of South Queensferry instead of making the trip into Edinburgh, a city with which we were already pretty familiar. Altho there are still many things yet to see in Edinburgh, we really enjoyed the low-keyed atmosphere and a laid-back stroll thru this bucolic seaside town of South Queensferry.

Forth Rail Bridge spanning the Firth of Forth

The town sits on the Firth of Forth near three bridges spanning the Forth. The most famous is the Forth Rail Bridge which was built after the previous bridge collapsed, sending a passenger train tumbling into the Firth. As a result of the tragic accident, the new bridge was over-engineered to guarantee safety. It was considered the greatest engineering accomplishment of the 19th c. and remains the world's second-longest single cantilever span. 

We wandered along High Street, buying souvenirs and checking out the elegant Georgian homes. We were able to get caught up on our email thanks to the public library that generously provided free wi-fi access to all us cruisers. We know this is not a big deal to the rest of the world, but finding available wi-fi in these remote countries is sometimes not so easy.

Cheers from the Ferry Bridge Pub in
downtown Queensferry, Scotland

We ended our day at a local hangout in town called The Ferry Bridge Pub. Great atmosphere with locals at the bar speaking what we assume was some form of Gaelic (something incomprehensible to us). We chowed down on potato soup, fish and chips (can't get enough of those), and the very familiar Tennent’s Beer, our beer of choice the last time we were here. A perfect Scottish lunch.

More pics:

Boarding the tender to go ashore

Anne thinks she's a "Shetland Girl" at heart

Ever see a sign like this?

Shetland sheep are everywhere!

Shetland ponies abound here

A classic site in Shetland

Gorgeous coastline on Shetland

Welcome to Invergordon!

Anne with her Shetland beer

Interesting stuff hung in the trees at Clootie Well, Inverness

Good reminder for pedestrians in Scotland
where people drive on the left

Inside Cawdor Castle

Frank in the gardens at Cawdor Castle

Split stone at Clava Cairn

Nessie, the monster of Loch Ness,
is a big name here

We think Anne found Nessie!

The Forth Rail Bridge

Frank at Clava Cairn

Anne with our new friend Mary from Amsterdam

Frank on the upper deck of the MS Rotterdam

Getting Viking goofy

And that's a wrap. Another successful and enjoyable trip. As always, thanks for following along!

Glorious Greenland

Entering the narrow Prince Christian Sound of Greenland

We accessed Greenland via the Prince Christian Sund (or Sound), and it was a truly glorious entrance. The narrow channel (62 miles long and less than 2 miles wide) is full of glaciers sliding down to the sea, waterfalls, craggy rocks on both sides, and best of all - icebergs!

Icebergs ahead!!! (In the Prince Christian Sound)

We were so lucky because the weather was spectacular, sunny with blue skies. One crew member said he had been through the sound 30 times and never saw weather like we had. Bad weather is the norm here, and cruise ships are often unable to even enter the sound because of the poor conditions.

Glacier along the Prince Christian Sound

Some quick facts: Greenland is the largest island in the world that is not a continent. 80% of the country is covered by the Greenland Ice Cap, making it totally uninhabitable. This ice sheet is the second largest in the world (Antarctica is #1), but Greenland as a whole has more ice than any other place on the planet.

All bundled up for iceberg watching

The size of these icebergs is staggering. One of the largest, was estimated to be 150 feet high. They float like cathedrals on the sea, glistening in the sun. They also have surprising color, some have blue stripes, and the area at the base of the iceberg gleams in greens and blues. Of course, it is sobering to remember that only 10% of an iceberg is visible. That's a LOT of ice underwater!

Our tender shuttles passengers to and from the cruise ship

Qaqartoq, Greenland

Because the harbors are much too small to accommodate a ship like ours, all of our ports in Greenland were accessible only by ship’s tender. We couldn't wait to hop a tender and finally set foot on Greenland. What a thrill and what a privilege!

The "Qaqortoq-ers"were ready for us!

We were blessed with another perfect day. We never expected temps in the high 50's in Greenland. We actually got warm walking around. A young Inuit girl who lives here told us this was the nicest morning of the entire summer.

Colorful homes of Qaqortoq, Greenland

Say whaaatt??? (unpronounceable street name)

The town of Qaqartoq (Greenlanders like the letter Q!) was cute and colorful with pretty houses sparkling in the sun. Small towns here like this have no roads in and out; the only roads are within the town. The only way to go anywhere else is by boat. Which made us wonder why there was so much traffic – surprisingly, lots of big trucks and even taxis roamed the streets.

We strolled down to the main square with a totally unpronounceable name and stopped by the local fish market to ogle slabs of seal meat. (We learned there are millions of seals, and they need to control their numbers to prevent overpopulation.) BTW this town is accessible only by boat, and the Inuit people have no fresh fruit or vegetables for eight months out of the year, making seal and whale meat an essential part of their diet. 

Grocery store with supersized can goods

We dropped into the local grocery store and were blown away by the eclectic merchandise. An odd assortment of guns, skeins of yarn in every possible color, heavy duty boots, and lots of charcoal grills, fishing rods, et al. The food was mostly supersized cans of fruit and vegetables like the large quantities of food you would see in a Cosco, or Sams Place. Shopping here is a different operation than in our country; you really need to stock up for the winter!

Colorful Qaqortoq, Greenland

Our last stop was the Great Greenland Furhouse where they specialize in seal fur. Fishing and hunting are the primary occupations here, and seals are particularly valuable. The seal fur was surprisingly soft, and Anne had to admit the seal jackets were stunning and looked to be very warm.

Welcome to Paamiut, Greenland

Paamiut

 

Our next port of Paamiut required a lengthy tender ride, and we became frustrated by the long wait. But we were luckier than some - one of the tenders broke down, and those people were stranded for over two hours until another tender towed them in.

School girls wanting to practice their English with us

We finally got into this small town of 2,000 people and were surprised to find it had lots of personality and lots to see. We checked out the open-air museum and met a group of young Inuit women with a sign asking us to help them with their English by speaking with them. 

Inuit English students gather for a group photograph

Of course, we gladly joined in the conversation, and it was lots of fun.

Pretty church in Paaimut, Greenland

The prettiest building in town was the church painted red and green with lots of gingerbread trim. The tiny cemetery of white wooden crosses was especially moving. So many died as children or in their teens. The longest living person we could find died at age 43.

Traditional Greenlandic sod house for winter living

The best site was a replica of a sod house, or sometimes called a turf house. It looked like a mound of earth, but it was actually built with embedded stones in the walls for strength, and a grass roof. 

Frank exits the tiny sod house doorway

Inside was one tiny low-ceilinged room which would have held an entire family for the long winter.

Cheers from Paamiut, Greenland!

We stopped into a grocery store (lots more charcoal grills, fishing rods, packaged foods, etc.) and found a bottle of Greenlandic beer called Royal Export made in a brewery in the capitol city of Nuuk. We sat on a bench in the middle of Paamiut, drinking our beer and thinking how we never could have dreamed we would make it to Greenland.

Hunting icebergs in the harbor at Nanortalik

Nanortalik

Nanortalik was our last port in Greenland, and we could not turn down one of the few ship excursions offered here in Greenland called "Among the Icebergs." Our Inuit guides led us down to a small dock and had us pull on one-piece flotation suits (not as easy as it sounds -- Anne felt like the Michelin Man). They topped that off with a life preserver saying, "No matter what happens you won't drown." (Good to know!)

Multicolored iceberg floating in Nanotalik Harbor

We boarded a small open boat made out of aluminum, and soon we were thumping across the waves on a rough ride out into the harbor. Not the most comfortable ride, but so worth it when we pulled up next to our first iceberg. The boat got as close as possible and we were in awe.

Our guide Lisbeth explained that the icebergs break off from the Ice Cap and are a piece of the 110,000-year-old ice there. In the spring, sheets of ice arrive carrying seals and occasionally a polar bear, although she said polar bear sightings are rare as a result of global warming. The icebergs are constantly in motion with the sea water sloshing up and over them all the time. Lisbeth told us the icebergs we saw will be fully melted in just a week or two.

Lisbeth with chunk of iceberg ice

Lisbeth walked to the back of the craft, then suddenly appeared carrying a 30-lb. chunk of iceberg ice. She broke the ice chunk up with a metal tool and offered us cups of Glenfidditch Scotch served with the small bits of genuine iceberg ice. 

Frank tips back some Glenfidditch with his iceberg ice

So, got the picture?  There we were rocking to-and-fro among the icebergs in our rinky-dink 6-seater motorboat somewhere in the Nanortalik Harbor drinking Glenfidditch -- we say that it doesn't get much better than that!

Exploring the Nanortalik outdoor museum

After our boat ride, we had time to explore the small town which was not nearly as attractive as the previous two. However, the Nanortalik Museum was worth seeing and the views around town were lovely. We even managed to pick up two more bottles of Royal Export beer that Frank managed to smuggle onto the ship.

We never get tired of these icebergs!

The following day, our ship made the return trip though the Prince Christian Sound with more icebergs and more incredible scenery. We sat out on deck chairs with woolen blankets draped over us, feeling like passengers on the Titanic. We even got to see whales! No, not really the whole whale; just their spouts and a glimpse of a shiny black surface in the waves, but we were thrilled.

We were blown away by this whole Greenland experience. The tiny towns and amazing landscapes, and most of all, the icebergs and glaciers that were some of the most majestic sights in nature.

More pics:

Greenlandic stone carvings in Qaqortoq

Hillside homes in Qaqortoq

Inuit art carved from whalebone

Inuit painting

Harbor at Qaqortoq

Seal meat for sale at the fish market

Footbridge and homes in Paamiut

Enjoying a Greenlandic beer in the subarctic

Anne inspects a piece of iceberg

Speaking of icebergs, we got a million of these pics!

Children's rain jackets made from
a patchwork of glued-together seal
intestines (you have to be clever
to survive up here in the North)

Nanortalik, Greenland

Hiking the tundra of Nanortalik, Greenland

Sailing through the Prince Christian Sound

Glacier along Prince Christian Sound

 

Greenlandic beer brewed in Nuuk, Greenland
smuggled on board by Frank Supsic

Greetings from Qaqortoq!