Serenade of the “C’s” I Mean “I’s” – Ice Bergs, Iceland, Ice Caps and Ice Cream

[SailorJack]

On ‎2‎/‎24‎/‎2019 at 12:45 PM, Jasperdo said:

I guess I should stop scanning the Princess Board for that review then . My wife and I have done the Hawaii cruise twice. As you said, they're nice and relaxing with a lot of sea days. I'm still enjoying your photos from this trip. Your Iceland and Greenland photos are terrific! 

 

 

LOL.  You would have had a long wait.  My next Princess cruise is not till late next year.

 

Jack

[bluebeard39]

Hello Sailor Jack.  I just wanted to thank you for posting all the photos and information about the tours that you took.  My wife and I will be doing the Crossing on September 2, 2020 so we now can't wait for the time to go bye.

 

Paul 

[SailorJack]

The tender dock - a metal ladder leading up to the ground. 

 

 

Not a lot of flat ground here so the houses climb up the hill.

 

 

 

 

There are actually more boats than cars in town!

 

[SailorJack]

The river just about divides the "downtown" area.  All those people in the photo are off the ship.  Most locals seemed to have stayed home.

 

 

Houses lined the hills around the town.

 

 

 

The schoolhouse.

 

 

 

[SailorJack]

On ‎2‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 2:40 PM, bluebeard39 said:

Hello Sailor Jack.  I just wanted to thank you for posting all the photos and information about the tours that you took.  My wife and I will be doing the Crossing on September 2, 2020 so we now can't wait for the time to go bye.

 

Paul 

 

 

Glad you are enjoying them.  I know you enjoy seeing in person soon.  It is hard these days to find a port that has not become totally "touristy", but there are some of those on this trip.  It is fun to visit a place were every other store is not selling T-shirts.

 

Jack

[Baatman]

On ‎2‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 1:43 PM, SailorJack said:

 

 

LOL.  You would have had a long wait.  My next Princess cruise is not till late next year.

 

Jack

 

 

Which cruise...maybe it will be one that I am on  -finally!

[SailorJack]

Several people said they visited the seal processing plant, but we never saw it.  To bad, it sounded interesting.  However, there were several other important buildings for the town:

 

A library.

 

 

A bank.

 

 

And a hotel. This was the most interesting. We couldn't imagine why this little village would need such a large hotel?

 

 

[pacruise804]

I'm guessing they are anticipating a large influx of tourism, especially English speaking since the banner on the hotel was in English while the others weren't (although I recognize library from 2 years of high school French and bank was easy to deduce).

 

Hopefully the area can maintain its charm while possibly improving the economy with tourism dollars.

[SailorJack]

We have on fourteen layers of clothing and these basketball players have on a hoodie with the sleeves rolled up!

 

 

 

Most of the buildings we saw were either new or of aluminum siding construction but there were a few much older buildings.

 

 

This lady politely agreed to have her picture taken.  I admired her features and couldn't help but imagine the changes she is seeing from her younger days to now as her town becomes a cruise port.

 

 

[pacruise804]

That barn is lovely.  Great picture of that lady - I hope you had a way to get it to her, your camera and photography skills really captured her beauty.

[SailorJack]

On ‎3‎/‎1‎/‎2019 at 12:49 PM, pacruise804 said:

I'm guessing they are anticipating a large influx of tourism, especially English speaking since the banner on the hotel was in English while the others weren't (although I recognize library from 2 years of high school French and bank was easy to deduce).

 

Hopefully the area can maintain its charm while possibly improving the economy with tourism dollars.

 

 

I agree about the influx of tourism from the ships, but I am having trouble understanding why anybody would want to spend the night there. I mean there just isn't anything to do.

 

I do agree with your main point however - it will be interesting to visit here a few years from now.

 

Jack

[SailorJack]

Some last shots of Greenland before we board our ship and set sail for Nova Scotia.  These two photos were taken just outside of town and show just how cold and sparse the land was.

 

 

 

The sun sets over Greenland.  Greenland was on our bucket list of places to visit and we will probably wait a couple of years and come back to see what has happened to this tourist port. Next stop - Cape Breton on the coast of Nova Scotia!

 

 

 

 

 

[SailorJack]

On ‎3‎/‎2‎/‎2019 at 8:43 AM, pacruise804 said:

That barn is lovely.  Great picture of that lady - I hope you had a way to get it to her, your camera and photography skills really captured her beauty.

 

 

She spoke no English at all...I had to pantomime taking her picture and she gave her consent by nodding. She had so much character in her face that I just had to photograph her. No way to pass it along.  We want to go back in a couple of years and see what happened to the town.  But your suggestion is a good one.  I will take a copy along in the off chance that we meet up again.  Given the small nature of the town (3,000 people) maybe someone will recognize her.

 

Jack

[SailorJack]

Our first view of Nova Scotia.

 

 

 

This is the NE part of Nova Scotia known as Cape Breton.

 

 

Houses come right down to the water's edge.  Residents here are known as "Capers."

 

 

 

[SailorJack]

On ‎2‎/‎28‎/‎2019 at 3:09 PM, Baatman said:

 

 

Which cruise...maybe it will be one that I am on  -finally!

 

 

LOL...We are the Island Princess for an epic 30 day cruise from Rome to Abu Dhabi. Are you on that one?

 

Jack

[SailorJack]

Sydney harbor was a very active port.  When I first saw these ships I thought they were Princess ships as from a distance they looked like the Princess Seawitch.

 

 

As this ship sailed straight at us I couldn't help focus on the "Safety First" sign!

 

 

 

This ship ran next to us for quite a while.

 

 

[SailorJack]

We have arrived at dock side and were quite relieved to find the answer as to where we could shop for souvenirs.

 

 

 

We also saw an ambulance waiting for us as we docked.  We later heard that the patient was doing well.

 

 

Our first glimpse of the worlds largest fiddle - a major tourist attraction along the boardwalk.

 

[DavyJoneses]

On ‎3‎/‎9‎/‎2019 at 8:20 AM, SailorJack said:

We have arrived at dock side and were quite relieved to find the answer as to where we could shop for souvenirs.

 

 

 

We also saw an ambulance waiting for us as we docked.  We later heard that the patient was doing well.

 

 

Our first glimpse of the worlds largest fiddle - a major tourist attraction along the boardwalk.

 

 

 

Well, I guess Paul Bunyan could play it.

[SailorJack]

Brightly covered bikes are brought out for disembarking passengers.  They proved a real hit as they were all gone when we came back to the ship at lunch.

 

 

Besides bikes you could buy just about anything at this kiosk.

 

 

The harbor had a beautiful board walk that provided great views and some nice places to eat. The glass windows in front were for a nice upstairs restaurant.

 

[SailorJack]

On ‎3‎/‎10‎/‎2019 at 1:12 PM, DavyJoneses said:

 

 

Well, I guess Paul Bunyan could play it.

 

 

LOL...I think even Paul Bunyan would have trouble with that one - it stands a little over 60 tall.

[SailorJack]

We are off the ship and heading out to view the town.  We have actually docked within a four minute walk from the town's main street, so it is an easy walk to town.  Obviously the first thing we saw when we got off the ship was the giant fiddle.  You actually have to walk by it to go to town.  It looks a lot bigger standing in front of it than it did from our balcony.

 

 

The next thing you pass is Mariners Park.  Nova Scotia is one of the Maritime Provinces and it has a long heritage in seafaring.  The province also played a critical role in forming the convoys that sailed to Europe and Russia during WWII.

 

 

The memorial honors the Merchant Seamen who lost their lives in WWII

 

 

 

 

[SailorJack]

On ‎3‎/‎12‎/‎2019 at 8:10 AM, SailorJack said:

We are off the ship and heading out to view the town.  We have actually docked within a four minute walk from the town's main street, so it is an easy walk to town.  Obviously the first thing we saw when we got off the ship was the giant fiddle.  You actually have to walk by it to go to town.  It looks a lot bigger standing in front of it than it did from our balcony.

 

 

The next thing you pass is Mariners Park.  Nova Scotia is one of the Maritime Provinces and it has a long heritage in seafaring.  The province also played a critical role in forming the convoys that sailed to Europe and Russia during WWII.

 

 

The memorial honors the Merchant Seamen who lost their lives in WWII

 

 

 

 

 

[SailorJack]

Downtown was an easy walk to the main street. One of the first buildings one comes to is the Anglican church.  It is the oldest building in Sydney and dates from 1765. Visitors can tour the church and even play the organ.  Inside the church is a chair purportedly donated by Lord Nelson from his ship.  Also is a picture of Queen Elizabeth taken when she visited.

 

 

Inside a delightful docent gave us a tour.

 

 

Another old building a little down the road is this old Bank of Montreal building.  It is now a nice little museum and entrance is free.

 

 

There are also a couple of new buildings in town - but not many.  This one is a bank - of course.

 

 

 

 

[SailorJack]

Just down from the church is a little park with a statue dedicated to F.W, Desbarres - a past lieutenant-governor of Cape Breton and later of PEI.

 

 

A little street art.

 

 

 

I had no idea what this was supposed to be.  Note the chairs on the sidewalk - there were several of these on every block and on both sides of the street.  Perfect for taking a short break and doing a little people watching.

 

 

 

[SailorJack]

This church marks the end of the "downtown" area and from here to the park at the end of the road are houses that have been remarkably upkept. 

 

 

Examples of the houses along this very beautiful stretch homes.

 

 

The park at the end of the road.