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28 | Oct 5 | Oct 26 | Nov 8 | Nov
30 | Dec 7 | Dec 14 | Dec 21
2008 Articles by Date:
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8 | Feb 29 | Mar 7 | Mar
14 | Mar 21 | Mar 28 | Apr 18 |
May 2 | Jun 6 | Jun 13
Feb. 8, 2008
If you have just tuned in, we find ourselves one week into the vacation of a
lifetime—of all things, a first cruise for this somewhat-seasoned traveler, and a first Scandinavian
experience. Definitely not the last for either. From September through January, Norwegian
American Weekly chronicled our adventure, beginning with the voyage to Flåm, the shore excursion by scenic
train and bus to Voss and Vik. Our next ports: Amazing Ålesund and Sunnmøre, historic Trondheim,
and the grandeur of Norway’s “Pearl of the Fjords,” Geirangerfjord. Finally, we cruised into the
long-awaited port of Bergen, Edvard Grieg’s birthplace, with his home (and tomb) at Troldhaugen.
We featured the famous Fantoft Church, and the waterfront of Bryggen. Our most recent account we
spent at sea, between Bergen and Kristiansand, pampered by the staff of Holland America Line’s MS Veendam.
The following will help you set your chronometer:
“Face it, not everyone will discover all one thousand places in the Patricia
Schultz best-seller, 1000 Places to See Before you Die, but one is enough if you choose the right
place. Start with Norway. This expansive country exceeds all expectations. Last summer, while much
of the Continent sweltered through a deadly heat wave and nearby London and faraway Texas endured
floods, 1,266 fortunate travelers sang and danced their way along the Norwegian shoreline, through
breathtaking fjords and by waterfalls that laced thousands of feet down 
steep rock faces...., Say
you were to take just one ocean-going excursion, then “A Prairie Home Companion 2007 Norway Cruise”
with host Garrison Keillor would be the ultimate, unforgettable journey. From the stirring moment
we left Copenhagen, until our return to the same port 10 days later, we experienced one life-changing
adventure after another. The ship left port, its aft navigation deck packed with cheering passengers
and the Prairie Home Companion crew, all of us singing The National Anthem, followed by Keillor’s
solo Norwegian National Anthem, Ja, vi elsker dette landet, all eight verses. From that moment
on, we were one people, heading on a voyage our Viking ancestors could never have imagined. The
Sail-Away Party bonded the group with song after familiar song.”
So, if you are just joining us, “Welcome Aboard!” If not, “Welcome Back!”
We have had one week aboard ship to lose track of the days. Were it not for the Day-of-the-Week carpet in each elevator, many on the Veendam could easily find the days melting into each other, the day of the week having little meaning. We were closing in on the end of our pampered part of the journey. Instead of the cheerful breakfast cook at our service each morning, we would soon have to make our own way, our own breakfast, in unfamiliar surroundings. At this time on the cruise, you do not want to miss any activity either aboard or ashore. Trying to be all places at once leaves little time for rest. Seeing the Friday rug for the second time on the cruise let us know that the coming weekend was all we had left of luxury, the end of our magnificent indulgence.
Dockside does not sound like a place you want to spend much time, but if your cruise ship appears assigned to the boondocks, you get to admire the organized industry of the Norwegian people in a more appreciative light. This is child’s play grown up. A stroll along the maritime business side of the harbor, though unplanned, rekindles the affection you once held for Erector sets, Tonka trucks, Legos, and train sets. Here they stand—full-sized, in full-color at the Port of Kristiansand. The more you back away, the greater the distance, the more all of it resembles the stuff of childhood. That said, Kristiansand shows the character of Norway grown tall and strong. Its port on the Otra River is a transportation hub with a massive number of cargo shipping containers, ferries, cruise ships, and the Royal Norwegian Navy and Norwegian Coast Guard. NATO (North Atlantis Treaty Organization) vessels frequent the port to make repairs, refuel, and take on supplies. Velkommen til Kristiansand Havn, says the sign. The port is open 24/7 and 365 days a year. Its proximity to a wide, navigable harbor has another advantageous feature. Though it snows in Kristiansand, its warm southern exposure keeps its shipping channels free of ice.
Situated
at the mouth of the Otra River on the Skagerrak Strait that divides Norway and Denmark, Kristiansand
is an ideal port for commerce. To the southeast lies Skagen, Denmark’s beautiful Jutland art colony.
Kristiansand serves as the administrative center of the Sørlandet District. For well over a century,
crews aboard ships in the Skagerrak Strait (especially before Global Positioning Systems) relied
on the sight of Lindesnes lighthouse on the southernmost mainland point of Norway—and on
Skagen Vest Lighthouse at the sandy northernmost tip of Denmark. Even with GPS, both lights function
today as aides to navigation.
You can view both lighthouses on a short flight from Copenhagen to Kristiansand Airport, Kjevik,
an international and domestic airport seven miles from the city; but at night, on a cruise ship,
it would take hours between seeing each lighthouse.
In summer, Kristiansand becomes a popular beach resort destination for the Scandinavians and British, who find it easily accessible by ferry. King Christian IV of Denmark and Norway founded the city that bears his name in 1641 during the Renaissance. You may see Kristiansand written as Kristiansand S (South), so as not to be confused with Kristiansund, which may be written Kristiansund N (North), a city named for King Christian VI of Denmark in 1742.
Kristiansand’s remarkable brickred Fiskebrygga (fish market) invites boaters, cyclists and strollers to enjoy seafood at one of its four restaurants, then visit the popular ice cream stand for dessert. As you walk from the harbor area toward town, one striking summer feature about Kristiansand is the obvious pride its public works officials take in the city’s appearance, most noticeably its flowers. The city’s employees need an early start to water what appear to be hundreds of hanging baskets, all with profusely blossoming petunias, geraniums, and other summer flowers. The effect of their effort is a cheerful, clean town that belies its dockside industry, a caring standard more cities would do well to emulate.
About Anita: A former teacher and flight attendant, she is the author of “Big Sur Inn: The Deetjen Legacy,” the award winning history of the famous, beloved landmark inn and its creators, Norwegian immigrant Helmuth Deetjen and his wife Helen.
Norwegian American Weekly
