The SSQQ 2010
Oslo Cruise

Thursday, May 6th - Saturday, May 15th

A 9-day cruise across the North Sea
from Norway to the Normandy Coast
from Normandy to Ireland
from Ireland to Scotland
and back to Norway
aboard Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Seas

We start with the Fjords of Oslo, then sail to see Paris - the spectacular Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Arc de Triomphe, and the fabled Moulin Rouge. 

After Paris, we move down the coast to Cherbourg and the beaches of Normandy where D-Day took place in 1944.

Then it is on to Dublin and the stunning green vistas of Ireland. 

We wrap up our trip in Scotland with the Castles of Edinburgh one day and a visit to the mysterious Loch Ness Monster the next!

Day One:  Oslo, Norway -- Departs 5:00 pm
Day Two:  Fun Day at Sea Cruising the North Sea
Day Three: Paris, France (Le Havre) -- 9 am - Midnight
Day Four: Cherbourg, France  -- 7 am - 3 pm
Day Five: Dublin, Ireland -- 11 am- 11 pm
Day Six: Fun Day at Sea Cruising the British Isles
Day Seven: Edinburgh, Scotland -- 8 am - 5 pm
Day Eight: Loch Ness, Scotland --  9:00 am -- 6 pm
Day Nine:  Fun Day at Sea Cruising the North Sea
Day ten: Oslo, Norway -- Arrive 7:00 am

May 06 - Oslo, Norway

 

I Love Paris
Cole Porter

I love Paris in the
spring time!

I love Paris in the fall
I love Paris in the summer when it sizzles
I love Paris in the winter when it drizzles

I love Paris every moment
Every moment of the year
I love Paris, why oh why do I love Paris

Because my love is here

Palace at Luxemburg

Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel

The Seine River runs through the heart of Paris

Another look at the beautiful Seine River

Rick Archer's Note about Cherbourg: On September 15, 2009, I received a publicity email that touted the top 25 cities to visit in France.  Curious, I took a peek.  Alas, Cherbourg wasn't among them.  So the big question is - Why would a major cruise line visit Cherbourg when Paris is just down the street?

I assume the reason is that Cherbourg offers people the perfect chance to walk the beaches of Normandy and see first-hand the places where the Allies landed at D-Day.

I am well aware that no one who reads my travel write-ups needs me to explain the significance of D-Day to them.  So I will not insult your intelligence with a long-winded recap.  That said, I hope you won't mind if I say a word or two. 

The Invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, was by far the largest amphibious operation in history. Known as D-Day, this remarkable event marked the beginning of the end for Germany in World War II. 

The Normandy landings were the first successful "opposed" landings across the English Channel in over eight centuries. The attack was very costly in terms of men, but the defeat inflicted on the Germans was one of the largest of the war. Strategically, the campaign led to the loss of the German position in most of France. In larger context, the Normandy landings also helped the Soviets on the Eastern front, who were facing the bulk of the German forces.  There is little doubt that D-Day contributed to the shortening of the conflict there as well.

Contrary to what some people say, the Germans weren't stupid.  They knew full well from the Allied build-up across the channel in England that the invasion was coming.  Accordingly, the Germans put tremendous energy into building up their defenses along the coast of France.

One of the remarkable features of D-Day was just how successful the Allies were at duping the Germans into believing the main thrust would come at Calais (see picture).  Even after the assault on Normandy began, much of the German high command still believed this attack was just a fake to divert forces away from Calais.  Field Marshall von Rundstedt screamed at his Nazi superiors to allow him to move the vaunted Panzer divisions at his disposal down to Normandy, but he was not permitted to commit the armored reserve for several hours. When it was finally released late in the day, any chance of repelling the attack was lost.

So, thanks to the ingenuity of the Allied command, the resistance they did face at Normandy was diminished.  That still didn't make it easy.  As everyone knows, the GIs had to slog through water completely exposed to enemy machine guns pouring out thousands of bullets per second.  Then they had to crawl across the sandy beaches of Normandy without cover. Half the time they were pinned down eating sand as the deadly fire raked the beaches.  Just imagine the fear these young men had to feel in such a helpless position!  Finally, they had to literally scale cliffs to get to the enemy bunkers and begin the attack - with a hail of bullets whizzing past their ears scaring them to death the entire time.

For this reason alone, the willingness of these brave men to risk their lives against all odds ranks this attack right along with the Spartans of Thermopylae as one of the greatest displays of courage in human history.  These men certainly get my vote as the greatest heroes of my time here on Earth.  I admire their courage tremendously.

You might be amused to know I spent half a morning searching the Internet for pictures of the men as they lay pinned down on the beach with bullets flying overhead.  I was also looking for pictures of men scaling the Normandy cliffs as the Germans tried to shoot them down from above.  I was frustrated at my inability to find these graphic pictures.  That's when it occurred to me that any man in a position to take a picture like that was more likely to have a gun in his hand than a camera.  That's when I realized it is ridiculous how little I understand what these men really went through.  If I were to ask one of these guys what really happened that day, I am sure they would look at me and say, "Son, you have no idea."  Exactly.

Although naturally you and I focus on the Americans who bravely served their country in this fight, the people who had the most to lose were the British.  Hitler was determined to invade Great Britain.  Because the British channel stood in the way of invasion by land forces, the Germans thought they could soften up the UK population by indiscriminate bombing. Thanks to this reign of terror, 60,000 people died and the United Kingdom was decimated with senseless destruction. 

When D-Day finally arrived, you don't suppose the attacking British forces had a score to settle?   Interestingly, with their successful assault at Normandy, the British settled yet another score as well.  For you history buffs, you may recall the Norman Invasion of England led by William the Conqueror in 1066 AD. 

Today in the British cemetery at Normandy you can read the inscription: "We, once conquered by William, have now set free the Conqueror's native land"

Dublin, Ireland

Day Five

Dublin is the capital of Ireland as well as its largest city.  The anglicized name comes from the Irish Dubh Linn meaning "black pool". It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region.   Originally founded as a Viking settlement, it evolved into the Kingdom of Dublin and became the island's primary city following the Norman Invasion. Today, it is ranked 10th (up from 13th in 2008) in the Global Financial Centres Index.  Dublin has one of the fastest growing populations of any European capital city, and is ranked amongst the top 25 cities in the world.

The River Liffey divides Dublin. On the north side of the Liffey is O'Connell Street - the main thoroughfare, which is intersected by numerous shopping streets, including Henry Street and Talbot Street. On the south side are St. Stephen's Green, Grafton Street, Trinity College, Christ Church and St. Patrick's Cathedrals, and many other attractions.

St. Patrick's Cathedral is the second of the capital's two Protestant cathedrals. The other is Christ Church, and the reason Dublin has two cathedrals is because St. Patrick's originally stood outside the walls of Dublin, while its close neighbor was within the walls and belonged to the see of Dublin. Legend has it that in the 5th century, St. Patrick baptized many converts at a well on the site of the cathedral. The original building, dedicated in 1192 and early English Gothic in style, was an unsuccessful attempt to assert supremacy over Christ Church Cathedral. At 305 feet, this is the longest church in the country, a fact Oliver Cromwell's troops—no friends to the Irish—found useful as they made the church's nave into their stable in the 17th century. They left the building in a terrible state; its current condition is largely due to the benevolence of Sir Benjamin Guinness—of the brewing family—who started financing major, restoration work in 1860.

Make sure you see the gloriously heraldic Choir of St. Patrick's, hung with colorful medieval banners, and find the tomb of the most famous of St. Patrick's many illustrious deans, Jonathan Swift, immortal author of Gulliver's Travels, who held office from 1713 to 1745. Swift's tomb is in the south aisle, not far from that of his beloved "Stella," Mrs. Esther Johnson. Swift's epitaph is inscribed over the robbing-room door. W.B. Yeats—who translated it thus: "Swift has sailed into his rest; Savage indignation there cannot lacerate his breast"—declared it the greatest epitaph of all time. Other memorials include the 17th-century Boyle Monument, with its numerous painted figures of family members, and the monument to Furlough O’Carroll, the last of the Irish bards and one of the country's finest harp players. Immediately north of the cathedral is a small park, with statues of many of Dublin's literary figures and St. Patrick's Well. "Living Stones" is the cathedral's permanent exhibition celebrating St. Patrick's place in the life of the city. If you're a music lover, you're in for a treat; matins (9:40 AM) and evensong (5:45 PM) are still sung on many days.

Stephen's Green is a verdant, 27-acre Southside square that was used for the public punishment of criminals until 1664. After a long period of decline, it became a private park in 1814—the first time in its history that it was closed to the public. Its fortunes changed again in 1880, when Sir Arthur Guinness (a member of the Guinness brewery family who was later known as Lord Ardiluan), paid for it to be laid out anew. Flower gardens, formal lawns, a Victorian bandstand, and an ornamental lake with lots of waterfowl are all within the park's borders, connected by paths guaranteeing that strolling here or just passing through will offer up unexpected delights (such as palm trees). Among the park's many statues are a memorial to W. B. Yeats and another to Joyce by Henry Moore, and the Three Fates, a dramatic group of bronze female figures watching over human destiny. In the 18th century the walk on the north side of the green was referred to as the Beaux Walk because most of Dublin's gentlemen's clubs were in town houses here. Today the legendary Shelbourne hotel dominates it. On the south side is the alluring Georgian-gorgeous Newman House.

Trinity College was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I to "civilize" (Her Majesty's word) Dublin. Trinity is Ireland's oldest and most famous college. The memorably atmospheric campus is a must; here you can track the shadows of some of the noted alumni, such as Jonathan Swift (1667-1745), Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), Bram Stoker (1847-1912), and Samuel Beckett (1906-89). Trinity College, Dublin (familiarly known as TCD), was founded on the site of the confiscated Priory of All Hallows. For centuries Trinity was the preserve of the Protestant Church; a free education was offered to Catholics—provided that they accepted the Protestant faith. As a legacy of this condition, until 1966 Catholics who wished to study at Trinity had to obtain a dispensation from their bishop or face excommunication.

Grafton Street is no more than 200 yards long and about 20 feet wide, but this brick-lined street, open only to pedestrians, can claim to be the most humming street in the city, if not in all of Ireland. It's one of Dublin's vital spines: the most direct route between the front door of Trinity College and St. Stephen's Green, and the city's premier shopping street, with Dublin's most distinguished department store, Brown Thomas, as well as tried and trusted Marks & Spencer. Grafton Street and the smaller alleyways that radiate off it offer dozens of independent stores, a dozen or so colorful flower sellers, and some of the Southside's most popular watering holes. In summer, buskers from all over the world line both sides of the street, pouring out the sounds of drum, whistle, pipe, and string.

O’Connell Street is Dublin's most famous thoroughfare. It is 150 feet wide and was previously known as Sackville Street, but its name was changed in 1924, two years after the founding of the Irish Free State. After the devastation of the 1916 Easter Uprising, the Northside Street had to be almost entirely reconstructed, a task that took until the end of the 1920s. At one time the main attraction of the street was Nelson's Pillar, a Doric column towering over the city center and a marvelous vantage point, but it was blown up in 1966, on the 50th anniversary of the Easter Uprising. A major cleanup and repaving have returned the street to some of its old glory. The large monument at the south end of the street is dedicated to Daniel O'Connell (1775-1847), "The Liberator," and was erected in 1854 as a tribute to the orator's achievement in securing Catholic Emancipation in 1829. Seated winged figures represent the four Victories—Courage, Eloquence, Fidelity, and Patriotism—all exemplified by O'Connell. Ireland's four ancient provinces—Munster, Leinster, Ulster, and Connacht—are identified by their respective coats of arms. Look closely and you'll notice that O'Connell is wearing a glove on one hand, as he did for much of his adult life, a self-imposed penance for shooting a man in a duel. But even the great man himself is dwarfed by the newest addition to O'Connell Street: the 395-foot-high Spire was built in Nelson's Pillar's place in 2003, and today this gigantic, stainless-steel monument dominates the street.

Dublin provides a beautiful setting: it loops around the edge of Dublin Bay and on a plain at the edge of the gorgeous, green Dublin and Wicklow mountains, which rise softly just to the south. From the famous Four Courts building in the heart of town, the sight of the city, the bay, and the mountains will take your breath away. From the city's noted vantage points, such as the South Wall, which stretches far out into Dublin Bay, you can nearly get a full measure of the city. From north to south, Dublin stretches 10 miles in total, it covers 28,000 acres—but Dublin's heart is far more compact than these numbers indicate. Like Paris, London, and Florence, a river runs right through it.  All the major sights are well within less than an hour's walk of one another.

Phoenix Park is Europe's largest public park, which extends about 3 miles along the Liffey's north bank, encompasses 1,752 acres of verdant green lawns, woods, lakes, and playing fields.  Old-fashioned gas lamps line both sides of Chesterfield Avenue, the main road that bisects the park for 4 km (2½ mi), which was named for Lord Chesterfield, a lord lieutenant of Ireland, who laid out the road in the 1740s. To the right as you enter the park is the People's Garden, a colorful flower garden designed in 1864.

Famous for its literary tradition, Ireland's capital has been home to writers from Jonathan Swift to William Butler Yeats and James Joyce. A visit to Dublin allows you to explore both the historical and the hip, from castles and churches to cafés and clubs. Those in search of the perfect pint need look no further than one of Dublin's thousand pubs. The vibrant city life brims with traditional Irish culture and trendy European cool - all set against the backdrop of its stunning coastline.

One of the world’s liveliest cities, there’s been a buzz about Dublin for centuries. While some tales of the city and its residents are clichéd, many ring true. Dubliners are a friendly and talkative bunch.  No visit to Dublin would be complete without spending time in some of the city’s one thousand-plus pubs. A Dublin pub is an excellent place to experience the craic – that quintessentially Irish sense of bonhomie that improves as the evening wears on and the glasses empty. Dublin has pubs to suit every taste, from Victorian gems to 21st-century wannabes, elegant lounge bars to spit-and-sawdust dives. There are bars for the early morning and the late night, for listening to music or watching the big match, for soaking up literary history or indulging in quiet conversation; bars for a quick tipple, a long lunch or a whole evening’s drinking.

The Guinness Brewery is Ireland's all-dominating brewery.  It was founded by Arthur Guinness in 1759, and at one time was the largest stout-producing brewery in the world.  It spans a 60-acre spread west of Christ Church Cathedral. Not surprisingly, it's the most popular tourist destination in town—after all, the Irish national drink is Guinness stout, a dark brew made with roasted malt. The brewery itself is closed to the public, but the Guinness Storehouse is a spectacular attraction, designed to woo you with the wonders of the "dark stuff." In a 1904 cast-iron-and-brick warehouse, the museum display covers six floors built around a huge, central glass atrium. Beneath the glass floor of the lobby you can see Arthur Guinness's original lease on the site, for a whopping 9,000 years. The exhibition elucidates the brewing process and its history, with antique presses and vats, a look at bottle and can design through the ages, a history of the Guinness family, and a fascinating archive of Guinness advertisements.  The star attraction is undoubtedly the top-floor Gravity Bar, with 360-degree floor-to-ceiling glass walls that offer a nonpareil view out over the city at sunset while you sip your free pint.

The temperature in Dublin does not vary wildly by season, nor does the propensity to rain. Cool, wet summers and mild, wet winters are the hallmark of Dublin’s climate.  The capital boasts a bevy of free museums. A crop of upscale bistros concocts innovative takes on Irish cuisine, and pubs serve excellent food. A constantly evolving arts scene is the city’s lifeblood. There’s always something happening in Dublin.

Blarney Castle (pictured) is a medieval stronghold in Blarney, near Cork, Ireland, and the River Martin.  It is about 140 miles from Dublin.  The noted Blarney Stone is found here at this castle.

The castle is now a partial ruin with some accessible rooms and battlements. At the top of the castle lies the Stone of Eloquence, better known as the Blarney Stone. Tourists visiting Blarney Castle may hang upside-down over a sheer drop to kiss the stone, which is said to give the gift of eloquence. There are many legends as to the origin of the stone, but some say that it was the Lia Fáil—a magical stone upon which Irish kings were crowned.

Surrounding the castle are extensive gardens. There are paths touring the grounds with signs pointing out the various attractions such as several natural rock formations which have been given fanciful names, such as Druid's Circle, Witch's Cave and the Wishing Steps.

Blarney House, also open to the public, is a Scottish baronial-style mansion that was built on the grounds in 1874.

Saint Patrick's Cathedral

Stephen's Green

Trinity College

Grafton Street

Wicklow Mountain

Temple Bar, Dublin's most famous pub

Edinburgh, Scotland

 
Edinburgh is Scotland's capital and second-largest city after Glasgow.  Its dramatic windswept hills make it a site to behold. Edinburgh is known for its arts festivals and Hogmanay celebrations, where hundreds of thousands of people come to ring in the New Year. Edinburgh is considered one of the most beautiful capitals in Europe. Its distinctive and unique skyline follows closely that of Venice and makes for fantastic photography at dusk or dawn.

The historic City of Edinburgh preserved over the years has its own medieval atmosphere. Every corner of the city has its own story -- or legend -- which awaits to be uncovered. For example, no tourist should miss a visit to the vaults beneath the City which uncover spooky stories of ghosts and mystery.

Kirkyard is the Scottish term for 'churchyard' and Edinburgh has plenty of them. Each has countless stories to tell, grave stones and mausoleums in honour of famous individuals -- the economist Adam Smith, Robert Louis Stevenson and the world's worst poet, William McGonagall.

Greyfriars is possibly Edinburgh's most famous churchyard thanks to Greyfriars Bobby, the terrier who sat by his master's grave for years until his own death. All tourists take pictures with Bobby's statue just outside the kirkyard.

Despite its well preserved history, Edinburgh is by no means medieval. The year-round events -- like the Edinburgh Festival, the Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the Edinburgh Hogmanay -- make it a vibrant city and can be quite overwhelming for a tourist dying to cover it all.

Built on the site of extinct volcanoes on the Firth of Forth, Edinburgh’s Old Town is filled with cobbled laneways and atmospheric Gothic buildings, while the New Town boasts handsome streets and elegant treed squares. The Old Town’s oldest building is over a thousand years old, while the New Town dates back only to the 1800s.

But it’s not all about the past. Edinburgh is also a cosmopolitan city, with world-class restaurants, scintillating nightlife and every type of hotel imaginable. While the Castle looms on its crag at the top of the Royal Mile, the uber-modern Scottish Parliament building sits at the opposite end of the mile-long cobbled street.

Since we are visiting in the spring it will offer us the opportunity to see Edinburgh without the hordes of tourists that threaten to overrun the city in high season.

For first time visitors to Edinburgh take one of the hop-on-hop-off buses around the City.  It is an ideal way to see a good selection of Edinburgh - which is quite spread out and built on hills.  There are four different bus tours with varying routes.  Check to make sure the one you book goes to the sites you want to see.

The Royal Mile is the historic spine of the city, running from the Castle at its highest point to the  Palace of Holyroodhouse at the bottom. In between there are lots of significant historic sites and lots of cafes and souvenir shops.   If you are short of time do not walk all the way down the Royal Mile.  Enjoy the Castle at one end, and hop on a bus to Holyrood at the other.   
  
Alternatively, keep in mind that Edinburgh is a walker's city.

Get right off the ship at 900 am and head for the Palace of Holyroodhouse (opens at 9:30).  If there is a good exhibit at the new and beautiful Queen’s Gallery, buy a combination ticket and see the exhibit there first, then with your audio guide, tour the Palace and the Abbey ruins at your own pace.   Don't neglect a short stroll in the Palace gardens after your tour. They are pretty and well kept. 

Then walk slowly uphill toward Edinburgh Castle stopping on the way to look at John Knox’s house and, and St. Giles Cathedral; go inside these sights or not, as your whim takes you.  Peek into the Closes (small pedestrian alleyways) along the way, and if a shop strikes your fancy, of course, do that too.  There will be several shops offering free samples of Whiskey.  Along the way have lunch, perhaps "toasties" or soup at a charming place like the Forsythe Tea Shop in one of the Closes.  A short detour up George IV Bridge will take you to the statue of Greyfriars Bobby and the nearby Greyfriars Church.

Edinburgh Castle is an ancient fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. The Castle is now in the care of Historic Scotland.  It is considered to be Scotland's most-visited tourist attraction.

There has been a royal Castle here since at least the reign of David I in the 12th century, and the site continued to be a royal residence until the Union of the Crowns in 1603. As one of the most important fortresses in the Kingdom of Scotland, Edinburgh Castle has been involved in many historical conflicts, from the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century, up to the Jacobite Rising of 1745, and has been besieged, both successfully and unsuccessfully, on several occasions. From the later 17th century, the Castle became a military base, with a large garrison. Its importance as a historic monument was recognized from the 19th century, and various restoration programs have been carried out since.

Be sure to listen for the Once O’clock Gun, which is sounded from the Castle ramparts.  Be sure to get to the Castle by early afternoon, so you'll have enough time to see it all.  You can see the Honours of Scotland (crown jewels, etc.) and enough armor, dungeons and exhibits to entertain the whole family.  Sailors from the American Revolution were among the prisoners here, and you can still see their names and a ship with an American flag and other handiwork carved into the old wooden doors of the prison. The view over Edinburgh is marvelous, the complimentary guided tours or the audio tours are very informative. 

If there is time permitting, be sure not to miss the surrounding Scottish lowlands and the coastal villages on the outskirts of the city,

Edinburgh deserves its accolade of ‘Athens of the North’ – its grand setting, impressive architecture, stately presence qualify the Scottish capital as one of the finest European cities.

Any architectural tour of the city should include:

Holyrood Abbey – founded in 1128 by Queen Margaret’s son King David
Palace of Holyroodhouse
Edinburgh Castle  – Built by King Malcolm III Canmore and his wife Queen Margaret.
John Knox’s House – from around 1490 is a fine example of the Scottish tenement
Gladstone’s Land – from around 1620
Moray House – c.1628
Queensberry House – c.1634
George Heriot’s School - 1628
Tron Kirk - 1663
Canongate Kirk – 1688
National Gallery of Scotland – 1850, Classical temple-inspired
Cockburn Street – example of Scottish Baronial Style
Scott Monument--Built in the mid 1800's.  This Gothic-inspired monument has a seated statue of Sir Walter Scott and his Scottie dog in the spire.  Climb the almost 300 steps to the top for amazing views.

Old Town Edinburgh

Palace of Holyroodhouse

Edinburgh Castle atop the hill and the Princes Street Gardens

Calton Hill

About the Oslo 2010 Trip