Almost to Prince Christian Sound

A couple of days ago, we were at sea off the coast of Greenland. Cruising Prince Christian Sound was on the agenda, but it got called off by a helicopter at the last minute because the ice was impenetrable.

The first picture is of the sky in the northeast at 4 in the morning. (My body clock hadn’t adjusted to the new time zone yet.) I woke up around 9 to a phone call from a friend saying we were surrounded by ice! I was out of bed and on the bow within minutes. The most exciting thing I saw were loads of wild seals - fuzzy, grey, and sunbathing on ice chunks. I also loved getting to wear a fur hat in July!

I had to put on my Packers jersey (thanks Megan :)) so it would feel at home in the frozen tundra. The girls in the picture are Elise, one of our fabulous dancers, and Heidi, our rockstar singer. Iceland is next...

Qaqortoq, Greenland

Qaqortoq, Greenland - yep, three "Q's" and zero "U's"

We made it to the southwestern tip of Greenland this morning! It was sunny and the temperature couldn’t have been colder than 50°F. Balmy!!! The town had a lively harbor and the people were mainly of Inuit descent. Most of the homes and buildings were painted in bright crayola colors - which was striking against the side of the mountain. It must be even more beautiful in the snow. The country belongs to Denmark, so the currency was Danish “Kroners”. Approximately 5 K to $1 - a candy bar cost 5 bucks. I bought a hot meal for lunch in a grocery store. I asked the guy behind the deli counter what kind of food it was and he said, “Sweet Lovin”. I told him it looked like bacon and mashed potatoes to me, but how could I not buy it now? The lovely Brittany Dunn and I ate lunch together next to an old fountain in the center of town. Wool, beads, and seal fur were popular mediums for the local artists selling their creations near the dock. The souvenir shop sold things like reindeer jerky and hand knit sweaters. Since all the t-shirts that said “Greenland; the coolest place in the world” were either made in Honduras or the USA, I couldn’t bear to fork over the Kroners. Next stop; Iceland in 2 days!!!

Happy Birthday MOM!!!

Up and At 'Em!

52°11.38’ N

054°31.69’ W

Course: 31°

OR somewhere off the coast of Canada, heading for Greenland

Woke up early this morning to catch the sun filling up the sky. Armed with my Starbucks thermos, Kirby binoculars, and my little pink camera, I stood on the bow ready for anything. The bridge officers gave us a close up view of an iceberg on the port side, around 6:45 AM - perhaps 100 yards away. Everyone should get to breathe air like this!

Exploring Acadia National Park with the Kirby Family

One of the highlights from the last three months has been spending time with my sister’s in-laws, Clay, Karen, and Kate Kirby. They made the trek from Orono to Bar Harbor on days my ship came in and whisked me away in their sporty RAV-4 for some quality time on land. Whether their car carried mountain bikes or beach chairs, adventure was imminent and the company of family, priceless. After our traditional stop at Morning Glory Café for tabbouleh sandwiches and espresso scones to-go; we were ready for the wonders of Acadia National Park and beyond.

Frye Boots and Arias… on the move

Family and Friends,

As you know, I am no longer in the good state of Wisconsin. Instead of growing sugar snap peas and watching the Brewers, I have been living on a cruise ship and singing for my supper. Today we leave Canada in our wake for Greenland. Sunshine and calm seas surround us as we begin crossing the great Atlantic. Here are a few recent highlights: