Travels in Fire and Ice Day 3 - Birthday in Siglufjordor

Happy birthday to me!

I slept better last night than I ever sleep at home. I think the rolling ocean was rocking me to sleep.

I woke up to more rolling waves and a lot of rain, but by the time I was dressed and ready for the gym, there was land in sight.  I could see the ship pull into the harbor and drop anchor while I worked out. The rain eased up a bit too.

Our tour in Siglufjordor didn’t start until later in the morning, so we went to Atlantide for a sit-down, served breakfast.  I ate a three-course breakfast- just like Ben and David. I started with a croissant, then ate a grilled peach topped with honey and diced strawberries, and then finished it off with a cheese, onion, and mushroom omelet. I washed it all down with pineapple juice. (I wonder if they would have given me a mimosa if I asked for one.) I am allowed this sort of indulgence on my birthday!

Later that morning we boarded a tender for the town of Siglufjordor and met our guide Meg at the pier. We learned a bit about the history of this charming town.

(The priest of this church was instrumental in modernizing the town in the Herring Era)

(Is this Kevin’s car? It has his initials on it)

It was a tiny farming community until the early 20th century when the Norwegians began fishing the waters for herring and establishing herring processing plants.  There was a huge boom for several decades known as The Herring Years.  By the 1970s the area was overfished and the town fell into depression until it was revived as a tourist destination.

We started our tour at Frida’s Chocolates.  The owner is a woman who was laid off her bank job and decided to pivot to her passions as an artist and chocolate maker.  We had a tasting of her truffles and admired her works. She owns Icelandic horses. She needs to be my best friend.

(Our guide Meg - British expatriate)

(Frida the artist and chocolatier)

Of course we were able to sample some.  That’s what made this a perfect birthday.  It was all about chocolate.

Next we went to the Segull 67 brewery.  Beer was illegal in Iceland until 1969. (Wine has been legal since 1922).  The family that opened the brewery renovated an old fish processing plant into a hipster space.  I don’t like beer, but sampled three of them. One of the samples came straight from the tank.

We saw some fun quirky things in town as well like a colorful house.  Erik made a new friend.  I realized I have potential friends in town.

We returned to the ship and I returned to my cabin to find a bottle of champagne, a cake, and a card signed by the Captain. The family had lunch together at the pizza place and I shared my champagne with them then.

I used the rest of the afternoon for a massage at the spa.

Dinner was formal night.  I was excited to wear the new tulle skirt I have been lusting after for a few years and finally bought for the cruise.

We had my birthday dinner at La Dame, the ship’s high end French restaurant.

I began my dinner with foie gras.

My next course was a mushroom veloute followed by lemon sorbet.

My main course was duck breast served on brioche with some veggies.

My dessert was a chocolate mousse ball. Then the restaurant provided chocolates for the table.

I returned to my cabin for bed and found a little extra with the turn down.

We were soon underway for our next port.