The Purple Penguin

So the meals are very nice onboard. Though we are the last seating for dinner and also the last to be served! Still, it was worth it. After dinner, there was a talk in one of the bars, which we missed most of, but did get to try the canape served. Still not absolutely sure what it was other than tasty. May have been air dried lamb.

Then to bed as we had to be up early for our Trondheim tour. Just getting off to sleep and an announcement started – Joe said I was up and out before he’d fully got out of bed – it was a northern lights announcement! Not the spectacular ones you see all the photos of; in fact, a lot of people thought it was just clouds. But they were bright and moved and occasionally turned green/yellow (but were mostly white). So we were out on deck until sometime after midnight watching the light move over the sky. Came back in  a bit cold and finally fell asleep just to have the alarm go off – felt like I’d only just got to sleep!

Up and early breakfast and on a tour bus for 7:50. Bus left at 8 and drove through a dark Trondheim. Sunrise this morning was 10:01 and our tour ended at 10:00. So peered out the window at wooden houses as the bus wound it’s way up a steep rise to a lookout point over the city. We were told that we were lucky to get up there, as a day or so ago there was too much ice for the bus to get to the point. So we had a lovely view and the guide pointed out the sites of interest. Nice with the city lit up and Christmas lights on. Then we drove around the university and through the ‘mansion’ area – all the large beautiful houses. The guide said we could look at the Christmas decorations, but as we left the area she said she was very disappointed in their decorating – there was actually very little up!

We ended the tour at Nidaros Cathedral where we had a guided tour and then a chance to walk around. Joe and I elected to walk back to the ship, so had a wander around the Archbishops palace (but didn’t go in), and then through town along the river. Pretty city. Back on board and Joe was still taking photos as we were leaving. As the ship left port we got fed mussels from the area as we went past Munkholmen. Joe took loads of photos of the island (as did everyone!)

The rest of the day, we pretty much stayed on deck, though we had a brief talk in the afternoon about the northern lights and we also changed/added some activities. Then back to the room to rest before dinner and at about 6pm got another announcement. Joe had been checking the app he’d downloaded, so we were getting ready to go on deck anyway – again I was quick off the mark! These were much brighter than last night/early morning and stretched across the sky. But still mainly white. Hoping to see some more colours before we head back home!

While at dinner we docked at Rørvik, so finished eating and went out on deck for a look at the town. It was raining horizontally, so I didn’t stay out long, but Joe stayed to try to get photos (he’s weird like that). Now back underway and waiting to see if we’ll see more lights!