Welcome back to Timeless-Travelers, a travel blog we write to be able to look back on where we’ve been and to share our adventures with family and friends. We’ve both been looking forward to this unique journey for a long time, as it includes several places on our bucket list. We’ll be visiting seven countries, making five stops above the Arctic Circle, and we’ll explore lands the Vikings discovered hundreds of years before Christopher Columbus!
Our itinerary begins in New York which has the distinct travel advantage of avoiding one LONG LONG trans-Atlantic flight at the front end. And we’ll be sharing this trip one country at a time (except this first post which includes the USA and Canada…still separate countries!) rather than day-by-day, so we’ll see how that goes.
Due to our early arrival, Viking treated us to a delicious breakfast at the historic Lotte New York Palace Hotel (previously the Helmsley Palace.) We strolled across the street to St. Patrick’s Cathedral just in time for Mass, and relaxed in the hotel courtyard until it was time to board the Viking Neptune.
Sailing away from New York, we sat back and enjoyed the magnificent skyline and numerous quintessential New York landmarks.
After a relaxing day at sea, we arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia for our first stop. Early morning fog gave way to spectacular sunshine and a glimpse of the first of many beautiful lighthouses.
Hlifax was the first permanent European settlement in the Canadian Maritimes. Because we had spent considerable time in Halifax on prior trips, we opted for a full-day excursion to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lunenburg.
Lunenburg, a former rum-running, ship-building port town, was founded in 1753. It was one of the first attempts to settle Anglican Protestants in the area. It is best known for its well-preserved waterfront, a bustling area with colorful buildings, historic fishing vessels, restaurants, shops, galleries, and the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic. Its history is deeply intertwined with the sea, and the museum honors the lives lost by countless men involved in this challenging industry over the years. The town itself is postcard-pretty, and the people we met were welcoming and justly proud of their historic town.
We set sail from Halifax anticipating a sea day along the St. Lawrence River en route to Newfoundland. Unfortunately, after sailing all night, the ship had to return to Halifax for a serious medical emergency. Dense fog prevented a helicopter evacuation, and the ports ahead aren’t equipped to handle the situation. The good news: the patient made it; the bad news; we won’t be visiting our last Canadian port in Newfoundland.
This is life at sea. Things happen, and we make the best of it. Farewell to Canada. On to Greenland!
Timeless Travelers 