Day 4…Norway Cruise…Haugesund, Norway…

Our Savior’s Church in downtown Haugesund, Norway. More photos will follow in the future.

Note: I cannot add more than this one photo due to the poor WiFi signal aboard the ship. Once we arrive in Nevada in early September, we can post our photos from Edinburgh and this cruise. Of course, we’ll continue to try to add photos each day! We are sorry for the inconvenience. Perhaps, when this cruise ends, we can start posting photos while on the upcoming Celebrity cruise in 14 days. We’ll continue taking photos and writing text daily, if possible.

Most days during this cruise, we’ll be venturing off the ship to see the small towns along the way in this Norway itinerary. So far, some towns are quaint and engaging; others are port towns with modern shops and restaurants with little of Norway’s charm.

However, we still have eight more ports of call on this cruise and look forward to getting off the ship on each occasion. Yesterday, we took many photos in Stavanger, and today, we took the shuttle to the center of the town of Haugesund, walking around the windy city and taking plenty of photos to post here in the future.

Right now, back on the ship, we’re using the timer on my Fitbit to keep track of our laundry, currently in the dryer in the free laundry room on our floor, only a few steps from our cabin. What an incredible convenience! Laundry pods are included, along with several free washers and dryers. Having worn the same clothes for a few days, we got by with one load of dark clothes. We’ll most likely need to do laundry two more times before the end of the cruise.

When we get on the Celebrity Cruise, we’re entitled to two bags of laundry for the entire cruise, but we’ll have $800 in cabin credit to use as we please. On this cruise, we still have $500 in unused cabin credit after paying for WiFi for both of us. Since we don’t care to eat in the specialty restaurants with my restricted diet since the main dining room has excellent food and will make anything I’d like. Tom’s been happy with his meals, as well.

As for today’s visit to Haugesund, Norway, the cruise “Insider” wrote the following about the village, again better than I could ever have described.

“Nestled along the captivating Norwegian coastline, Haugesund beckons with its enchanting maritime allure. This picturesque town boasts a rich history steeped in Viking legends, offering visitors a chance to explore ancient heritage and cultural treasures. Immerse yourself in the scenic beauty of Haugesund’s fjords, pristine beaches, and lush landscapes. Experience a vibrant arts and music scene, with festivals celebrating Norway’s creative spirit.”

We enjoyed the walk through the village, but with high winds and cool temperatures, we didn’t stay outdoors as long as we may have on a milder day. Note the following:

“What is the warmest month in Norway?
July
June, July, and August are the best months to go to Norway for warmer temperatures and longer days. The warmest month in Norway is July, when there’s the fabled midnight sun – ideal for hiking, cycling, kayaking, and berry picking.”

We have had such fun with many wonderful people we have met on the cruise. Tonight, we’re meeting Cindy and Rick (whom we met from Cruise Critic) for dinner in the main dining room at 7:00 pm, after we have a drink at one of the bars. The easy casual times aboard the ship have been delightful, filled with a constant stream of lively conversation, laughter, and story-sharing.

The past two evenings, we dined at “sharing” tables with six to eight other guests, which is always enjoyable when we don’t have specific plans with other passengers.

The cruise director provided me with some fascinating statistics regarding this cruise which we’ll share in tomorrow’s post, such as the current number of passengers, average age, etc. We look forward to sharing that information with all of our readers.

Have a fantastic day! Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, August 4, 2013:

This is the pan of yet-to-be-cooked bacon and pancetta-wrapped chicken scallopini (thin slices of chicken breasts pounded by the butcher) that I stuffed with seasoned ricotta cheese and chopped herbs from our private garden in Booveglio, Italy, wrapping them in the two versions of “bacon,” Tom prefers regular US-style bacon and me, loving the thin-sliced pancetta. These cooked for 30 minutes at 375 degrees (180 centigrade). I topped this with an Italian pesto sauce I’d made using ingredients from the garden. For more photos, please click here.