You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
EXPLORE more<br />
See more of the world with Viking / <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2020</strong> £3.95<br />
MISSISSIPPI<br />
MAGIC<br />
Discover America’s heartland<br />
GALÁPAGOS<br />
• NEW EXPEDITIONS<br />
• TOP WILDLIFE TO SPOT<br />
BRIGHT<br />
LIGHTS<br />
A Nordic adventure<br />
to experience the<br />
northern lights
<strong>Explore</strong> the Galápagos Islands<br />
with Ecuador, Peru & Machu Picchu<br />
Embark on an extraordinary new journey to ancient worlds. From the Incan<br />
mysteries of Machu Picchu and the treasures of Peru and Ecuador, sail with a<br />
small group to the Galápagos Islands, one of the few places on Earth where<br />
human footprint is kept to a minimum. Here, in Charles Darwin’s living<br />
laboratory, come face to face with the unique wildlife that call these islands<br />
home, including giant tortoises, sea lions, iguanas, blue-footed boobies and<br />
penguins. Galápagos is one of the planet’s most isolated destinations. It is<br />
also one of its most awe-inspiring. Join us as we explore this truly remarkable<br />
destination, in a way that only Viking can.<br />
13 and 15-day 2022 journeys from £7,990pp<br />
Call 0800 014 7538 or visit vikingcruises.co.uk<br />
Prices & availability are correct at the time of going to print but are subject to change. From prices are based on two people sharing the lowest grade stateroom on<br />
a Wild Galápagos, Machu Picchu & Peru ocean cruise departing on 27 November 2022. Single supplements 100%. Gratuities included on board ship only. For more<br />
information please visit vikingcruises.co.uk/terms-conditions or call us.<br />
VC_EM_Galapagos_A4_v5.indd 1 18/05/<strong>2020</strong> 14:23:38
WELCOME<br />
Welcome to our summer edition of <strong>Explore</strong> <strong>More</strong><br />
We very much hope you will enjoy reading our latest edition and hope, in these unprecedented<br />
times, it might provide you with some escapism.<br />
To complement our expedition voyages to the Arctic and the Antarctic, we have announced<br />
that we will be venturing to the Galápagos Islands, where you will be able to learn about the<br />
unique flora and fauna of this fascinating region, as well as discovering Peruvian culture and the<br />
Inca treasures of Machu Picchu. And, from 2022, we will be expanding our river voyages into<br />
America’s heartland, along the iconic Mississippi River – featuring historical Civil War sites, rare<br />
wildlife, arts and music and a long chain of warm and welcoming towns and cities.<br />
For those of you who are keen cooks, we have some delicious French recipes to try at home,<br />
as well as plenty of new books to inspire your future travels. One of our travellers recalls the<br />
thrill of seeing the northern lights, and we delve into the history of intricate jewellery designs<br />
dating back to the Viking Age.<br />
We wish you all a wonderful summer ahead, and very much look forward to welcoming<br />
you on board again soon.<br />
With best wishes,<br />
Managing Director, Viking <strong>UK</strong><br />
P.S. We hope you’ve had a chance to look at Viking.TV – our exciting new online experience<br />
channel where you can view a range of content specially tailored to your interests.<br />
Tweet us:<br />
@VikingCruises<br />
Like us:<br />
facebook.com/VikingCruises<strong>UK</strong><br />
Follow us:<br />
instagram.com/vikingcruises<br />
<br />
Email us:<br />
uk-marketing@vikingcruises.com<br />
Find out more<br />
about the<br />
Viking <strong>Explore</strong>r<br />
Society<br />
on our website<br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 3
OFC_EM20_FINAL2.indd 1 22/05/<strong>2020</strong> 10:44<br />
08 70<br />
30<br />
58<br />
18<br />
16<br />
Contents<br />
IN THIS ISSUE...<br />
EXPLORE more<br />
See more of the world with Viking / <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2020</strong> £3.95<br />
MISSISSIPPI<br />
MAGIC<br />
GALÁPAGOS<br />
• NEW EXPEDITIONS<br />
• TOP WILDLIFE TO SPOT<br />
Discover America’s heartland<br />
BRIGHT<br />
LIGHTS<br />
A Nordic adventure<br />
to experience the<br />
northern lights<br />
Cover: Decorative balconies add even<br />
more colour to the historical buildings<br />
of New Orleans in the USA<br />
14 MISSISSIPPI MOMENTS History and culture unfold on<br />
this enriching river voyage across the United States<br />
18 BIG 15 The wildlife to spot on a Galápagos expedition<br />
25 DISCOVER THE GALÁPAGOS We delve into the<br />
highlights of a trip to experience the unique flora and fauna<br />
52 SPIRIT OF THE NORTH Combine epic scenery with<br />
Sámi legends on this iconic Norwegian adventure<br />
58 A TASTE OF FRANCE Cook up a classic French feast<br />
70 THE RHINE, RIVER OF LEGENDS A new series looking<br />
at the world’s great waterways starts with a European favourite<br />
74 MY SYDNEY The beaches, lifestyle and cuisine that<br />
make this city one of the best-loved places on the planet<br />
FEATURES<br />
08 MISSISSIPPI MAGIC An in-depth look at America’s<br />
great waterway to celebrate Viking’s new river voyages<br />
26 CARIBBEAN COOL Travel writer Gabrielle Sander<br />
reports back from her first ocean adventure<br />
36 BRIGHT LIGHTS Journalist Sarah Knapton is joined by<br />
her parents as she seeks out the northern lights<br />
32 VIKING JEWELLERY Uncovering the artistry of the age<br />
44 TRUE NORTH We speak to the project curator of the<br />
British Museum’s new exhibition about Arctic culture and climate<br />
46 TOUR DE FORCE Lisa Small goes in search of<br />
enlightenment on Viking’s Grand European Tour<br />
56 A CITY TO SAVOUR What makes Lyon a must-see city<br />
62 THE NORWEGIAN SEA A deep dive into the ocean<br />
REGULARS<br />
6 VIKING NEWS The latest news and events<br />
7 YOUR WORLD Letters and photos from our guests<br />
16 CASUAL CHIC Mix neutrals and prints for a capsule<br />
wardrobe that transitions from one season to the next<br />
30 CITY GUIDE: MIAMI The self-proclaimed cruise capital<br />
of the world wows with its art deco allure and Latin charm<br />
42 CITY GUIDE: TROMSØ What to see and do in<br />
Norway’s wonderful northern lights hotspot<br />
54 VIKING BOOK CLUB Reads to transport you overseas<br />
66 CITY GUIDE: VIENNA Baroque beauty meets cuttingedge<br />
cool in Austria’s culture-packed capital<br />
68 ON LOCATION WITH KARINE Executive Vice President<br />
Karine Hagen on new ways to stay connected and inspired<br />
4 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 5
Front cover: “Traveling Tomatoes”<br />
photographed by Karine in the<br />
Umbrian Countryside<br />
COOKERY AND TRAVEL €20<br />
NEWS<br />
Viking NEWS<br />
A round-up of the latest travel news and<br />
events from the world of Viking<br />
STAR LETTER<br />
Dear Viking,<br />
Thought you might like to see a copy of<br />
a lovely birthday card I received on my<br />
81st birthday from a grand-daughter.<br />
The “hiking” refers to a job I did for<br />
about 25 years,<br />
leading walking<br />
holidays abroad,<br />
world-wide,<br />
until I was 76!<br />
Now hugely<br />
enjoying being<br />
looked after on<br />
all your splendid<br />
river cruises.<br />
THANK YOU!<br />
Anne R. Duke<br />
VIKING.TV<br />
We are excited to announce<br />
that earlier this year, in March,<br />
we launched a dedicated new<br />
digital platform to allow you<br />
to continue exploring the<br />
world with us.<br />
Daily live streaming is<br />
organised into Museum<br />
Mondays, Resident Historian<br />
Tuesdays, Arts & Music<br />
Wednesdays,<br />
Guest Speaker<br />
Thursdays,<br />
At Home at<br />
From kitchens around the world, join Karine Hagen on<br />
her journeys as she explores dishes that represent some of<br />
our world’s most interesting destinations. From our kitchen<br />
tables to yours, we invite you to broaden your culinary<br />
horizons and cultural insights, and learn how simple and<br />
fun it is to recreate foreign flavors at home.<br />
Highclere Fridays<br />
and Wellness<br />
Weekends. In<br />
addition to this,<br />
there are filmed<br />
messages from<br />
Viking Chairman<br />
The Kitchen Table A CULINARY JOURNEY AROUND THE WORLD<br />
2 nd Edition<br />
The<br />
Kitchen<br />
Table<br />
A CULINARY JOURNEY AROUND THE WORLD<br />
Torstein Hagen, personal<br />
videos made by onboard crew<br />
and exclusive musical concerts<br />
sent in from our onboard<br />
classical musicians.<br />
You can find recipes from<br />
around the world from our<br />
very own cookbook, The<br />
Kitchen Table, as well as<br />
a special area for children<br />
including quizzes and<br />
colouring activities.<br />
The schedule for<br />
the week ahead is<br />
shared every Monday,<br />
and as a result of the<br />
fantastically positive<br />
reception, Viking.TV<br />
will continue to create<br />
exciting content for<br />
the foreseeable future.<br />
YOUR PHOTOS #MyVikingStory<br />
YOUR MESSAGES<br />
Follow us on Instagram @VikingCruises for more inspirational images<br />
NEW<br />
I will never forget touching a<br />
wall of the Colosseum, closing<br />
my eyes and listening to history. If<br />
you haven't had an opportunity to<br />
experience this amazing place, do.<br />
Debbie Robles Birdsong<br />
FRONTIERS<br />
Stretching for 2,350 miles, from<br />
Minnesota's Lake Itasca to the<br />
Gulf of Mexico, our new cruises<br />
on the “Mighty Mississippi” offer<br />
a different type of cross-country<br />
journey for the curious explorer –<br />
one that allows you to be immersed<br />
in American history and culture.<br />
Our three new 8-day itineraries<br />
allow you to travel a section of<br />
the river: Heart of the Delta travels<br />
from New Orleans up to Memphis;<br />
America’s Heartland explores the<br />
Upper Mississippi, and Southern<br />
Celebration is a roundtrip from<br />
New Orleans. Or, over 15-days,<br />
you can explore the length of the<br />
Mississippi, from New Orleans<br />
to St. Paul (or in reverse), on the<br />
America’s Great River journey,<br />
which includes 11 guided tours.<br />
Meanwhile, to complement our<br />
expedition cruises to the Arctic<br />
and Antarctica, our guests will<br />
now be able to join small groups<br />
sailing to the captivating Galápagos<br />
Islands. Featuring fully guided<br />
land excursions, you will explore<br />
Charles Darwin’s living laboratory,<br />
witnessing the archipelago’s unique<br />
wildlife, including giant tortoises,<br />
sea lions, iguanas and penguins.<br />
The 15-day East Galápagos,<br />
Machu Picchu & Peru trip and the<br />
two new 13-day journeys – West<br />
Galápagos, Machu Picchu & Peru<br />
and Wild Galápagos, Machu<br />
Picchu & Peru – all explore Peruvian<br />
culture, Machu Picchu’s Inca<br />
treasures, as well as the volcanic<br />
coastline of the Galápagos region<br />
and its fascinating flora and fauna.<br />
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK<br />
Clockwise, from top left:<br />
1. One of the most famous bridges not just<br />
in Venice, but in the world. GeofotoF<br />
2. Simply the best, waffles at Mamsen's on<br />
Viking Star. djthomashome<br />
3. Taken just before sunrise. My favourite<br />
day in the Falkland Islands. Carol Stafford<br />
4. They call it an Oreo cow. Photo taken in<br />
the Falkland Islands. dianneinlv<br />
5. Plotting our course through the Alaskan<br />
Inside Passage on Viking Orion in June 2019.<br />
sheiladavies_<br />
6. Budapest, Hungary. SashaEats<br />
Already booked the Mississippi!<br />
Doing the 15-day America's Great<br />
River. Only way to do it is with<br />
Viking. So looking forward to it.<br />
Ann Robinson Martin<br />
The Riesling soup recipe in The<br />
Kitchen Table cookbook is one<br />
of the best soups I've ever made!<br />
Kathleen Donahue Fowler<br />
We were fortunate enough to<br />
explore Highclere Castle as an<br />
extension of our Prague to Paris<br />
tour...Can't wait to get back to<br />
seeing the world, Viking-style.<br />
Ellie Kopnicky<br />
Viking is a class act!<br />
Jim Seeman<br />
Viking.TV is wonderful. Debbie<br />
Wiseman's composition for<br />
Viking, ‘The Traveller’, is beautiful.<br />
Rickie Cook<br />
6 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 7
TRAVEL<br />
This page:<br />
Viking Mississippi<br />
has been purpose<br />
built for this<br />
magical river<br />
MISSISSIPPI<br />
As Viking announces its expansion into the American interior, we take a<br />
look at some of the highlights that line the iconic Mississippi waterway<br />
8 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 9
TRAVEL<br />
A NEW ERA OF EXPLORATION<br />
Torstein Hagen,<br />
Chairman of Viking<br />
Clockwise, from<br />
above: An aerial<br />
view of Memphis;<br />
great egrets on<br />
a misty morning;<br />
relax and soak up<br />
the views in the<br />
<strong>Explore</strong>rs’ Lounge<br />
From the headwaters in<br />
Minnesota to its delta in<br />
the Gulf of Mexico, the<br />
Mississippi River stretches<br />
for 2,350 miles and winds through<br />
America’s heartland.<br />
The river was formed when the<br />
last ice age ended, about 10,000<br />
years ago. Water from the melting<br />
ice sheet gathered in a vast network<br />
of north-to-south channels that<br />
carved out the Mississippi Valley.<br />
HISTORY<br />
Native Americans have lived<br />
along the Mississippi’s banks for<br />
thousands of years. First to use the<br />
river for commerce, the earliest<br />
Native Americans established a<br />
network of trade routes; later, large<br />
population centres, including a<br />
metropolis across from presentday<br />
St. Louis called Cahokia,<br />
were formed. And it was the<br />
Algonquian-speaking people<br />
who named the river: Misi-ziibi,<br />
roughly translated as the “Great<br />
River” or “Father of waters”.<br />
American history is bound<br />
with the Mississippi. When the<br />
Revolutionary War ended, the<br />
river became the new nation’s<br />
western border. That changed<br />
in 1803, when the Louisiana<br />
Purchase ceded control of the river<br />
– and the lands west of it – to the<br />
United States. New communities<br />
formed, supported by paddlewheel<br />
steamboats that facilitated<br />
commerce and transportation.<br />
Control of this valuable resource<br />
was critical for both sides during<br />
the Civil War.<br />
LOGISTICS<br />
Controlling the waterways that<br />
make up the Mississippi has<br />
challenged government leaders<br />
and the Army Corps of Engineers<br />
for more than 100 years. A system<br />
of 29 locks and dams in the Upper<br />
Mississippi help facilitate barge<br />
traffic and regulate water levels.<br />
And on the more heavily trafficked<br />
Lower Mississippi, the river is<br />
restrained by levees and dikes<br />
to help control seasonal flooding.<br />
Today the Mississippi remains<br />
one of the world’s hardest-working<br />
waterways, generating more than<br />
$400 billion in annual revenue,<br />
supporting 1.3 million jobs and<br />
powering local economies. Low<br />
barges transport cotton, grain and<br />
other agricultural products from<br />
the heartland. And revitalised<br />
riverfronts along the Mississippi<br />
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK<br />
No other waterway<br />
has played such an<br />
important role in<br />
the country’s history,<br />
commerce and<br />
culture, which makes<br />
it the perfect setting<br />
for a collection of<br />
exciting new Viking<br />
itineraries which will be launching in 2022.<br />
Growing up in Norway, Torstein Hagen –<br />
the young boy who would one day become<br />
Viking Chairman – was inspired by Tom Sawyer<br />
and Huckleberry Finn’s adventures along the<br />
Mississippi River. And as a result, the area<br />
continued to interest him later in life.<br />
“When I was older and moved to America<br />
during my undergraduate studies, I became<br />
fascinated with the Upper Mississippi and<br />
the Midwest, a region so many Norwegian<br />
immigrants chose as their new home,” says<br />
Mr. Hagen. So it is fitting that Viking guests<br />
will now be able to explore the region.<br />
“These itineraries will offer a different kind of<br />
cross-country journey for the curious explorer –<br />
one that allows you to be immersed in American<br />
history and culture,” adds Mr. Hagen.<br />
From 2022, guests will be able to explore the<br />
Lower Mississippi by joining the 8-day Heart of<br />
the Delta trip, from New Orleans to Memphis,<br />
or the 8-day Southern Celebration roundtrip<br />
from New Orleans. The Upper Mississippi will<br />
be served by the America’s Heartland itinerary,<br />
an 8-day journey from St. Louis to St. Paul.<br />
And for travellers keen to explore the length<br />
of the waterway in its entirety, the epic 15-day<br />
America’s Great River covers the Mississippi<br />
from Minnesota to Louisiana.<br />
In addition to this, a new ship, Viking<br />
Mississippi, inspired by the award-winning Viking<br />
Longships and ocean vessels, will be built in the<br />
United States. Purpose-built for the Mississippi, it<br />
will feature sleek Scandinavian design, spacious<br />
staterooms, al fresco dining areas and extensive<br />
viewing areas, and will cater for 386 guests as<br />
they explore this endlessly-intriguing waterway.<br />
10 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 11
TRAVEL<br />
Clockwise, from<br />
far left: A wide<br />
stretch of the<br />
Mississippi River<br />
in Louisiana;<br />
colourful trolleys<br />
are a fun way to<br />
get around in<br />
New Orleans<br />
MISSISSIPPI CITIES<br />
Discover these picturesque destinations that have flourished and<br />
evolved on the banks of the mighty river<br />
provide new opportunities for<br />
tourism and commercial activities.<br />
This mighty river, with its<br />
unique history, heritage and<br />
culture, offers the ideal backdrop<br />
for a modern era of American<br />
exploration and discovery. Viking’s<br />
state-of-the-art new vessel, Viking<br />
Mississippi, has been designed<br />
specifically for this waterway and<br />
is the perfect home-from-home.<br />
BIODIVERSITY<br />
As one of the world’s major river<br />
systems in size, biological activity<br />
and habitat diversity, it is called<br />
the “Mighty Mississippi” for<br />
good reason. Bisecting America’s<br />
heartland, it serves as a natural<br />
border for 10 states and is home to<br />
360 species of fish, 326 species of<br />
birds, 145 species of amphibians<br />
and 50 species of mammals.<br />
With an abundance of<br />
migratory and year-round wildlife,<br />
ornithologists will love the range<br />
of birds to spot. The upper portion<br />
of the river is home to beavers and<br />
pelicans and the delta area features<br />
many endangered species such as<br />
the Louisiana black bear, the green<br />
sea turtle and piping plover, a small<br />
sand-coloured coastal bird. And<br />
secluded swamps are the perfect<br />
place to spot alligators.<br />
CULTURAL LEGACY<br />
The river’s cultural legacy has<br />
inspired artists and writers such as<br />
Maya Angelou, Tennessee Williams<br />
and Mark Twain, whose depictions<br />
of the Mississippi are a constant<br />
companion to his iconic hero,<br />
Huckleberry Finn.<br />
In his memoir about life as a<br />
steamboat pilot on the Mississippi<br />
River before the American Civil<br />
War, Twain observed, ‘it is not a<br />
commonplace river, but on the<br />
contrary is in all ways remarkable’.<br />
The concept of the river as a<br />
symbol of freedom and liberty has<br />
continued and is a theme running<br />
through many novels and historical<br />
non-fiction books today.<br />
Unique culinary traditions are<br />
also bountiful, from barbecue in<br />
St. Louis and Memphis, to Cajun<br />
and Creole in New Orleans. There<br />
are food options to delight every<br />
palate, and the welcoming fare is at<br />
the core of Mississippi culture and<br />
heritage. The community nature<br />
of the cuisine is evident in the<br />
number of heirloom recipes and<br />
family-run restaurants.<br />
And the river’s impact on<br />
American music styles – including<br />
Delta blues, jazz, gospel, country,<br />
folk and rock and roll – can be felt<br />
deep in the soul of the music which<br />
continues to evolve and delight.<br />
From 2022, Viking will operate a<br />
range of 8-day Mississippi river<br />
journeys, starting from £4,290pp.<br />
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK/ALAMY<br />
BATON ROUGE<br />
Capital of Louisiana, Baton Rouge<br />
paints a historic picture on the<br />
Mississippi’s eastern bank. Its<br />
remarkable cultural diversity is<br />
displayed in Cajun and Creole<br />
music, cuisine and arts.<br />
BURLINGTON<br />
Burlington grew into an economic<br />
powerhouse with the arrival of<br />
steamboats and the railroad.<br />
Today, it is home to numerous<br />
historic buildings including the<br />
art deco Capitol Theatre.<br />
DARROW<br />
The Lower Mississippi region is<br />
dotted with historic mansions,<br />
and Darrow is your gateway to<br />
these National Historic Landmarks<br />
renowned for their noted<br />
architecture and landscaping.<br />
DUBUQUE<br />
Dubuque is often called the<br />
“Masterpiece on the Mississippi”<br />
for its 19th-century ingenuity and<br />
modern-day cultural evolution.<br />
HANNIBAL<br />
Hannibal is the birthplace and<br />
childhood home of Samuel<br />
Langhorne Clemens, or Mark<br />
Twain, and the inspiration for his<br />
beloved stories of Tom Sawyer<br />
and Huckleberry Finn.<br />
LA CROSSE<br />
La Crosse enjoys a deep connection<br />
to the towering bluffs and rolling<br />
farmland of its Norskedalen,<br />
where a Norwegian immigrant<br />
population carved out a unique<br />
culture over generations.<br />
MEMPHIS<br />
Memphis is the celebrated<br />
birthplace of Memphis blues, a<br />
centre of civil rights history and<br />
home to Elvis Presley’s Graceland.<br />
NATCHEZ<br />
Natchez is home to one of the<br />
highest concentrations of historic<br />
Southern estates in the world;<br />
more than 200 perfectly preserved<br />
homes line its broad avenues.<br />
NEW ORLEANS<br />
Birthplace of American jazz, historic<br />
New Orleans exudes a festive<br />
atmosphere, especially in the French<br />
Quarter. The city’s French, African<br />
and other influences flavour its<br />
vibrant culture and Creole cuisine.<br />
QUAD CITIES<br />
Straddling the confluence of<br />
the Mississippi and Rock Rivers,<br />
the Quad Cities area rests amid<br />
“America’s Breadbasket” – the<br />
nation’s most expansive and<br />
scenic agricultural region.<br />
RED WING<br />
Red Wing, known for its<br />
American-made shoes and<br />
pottery, has a history of farming<br />
skills and craftsmanship brought<br />
by its New England, German, Irish<br />
and Scandinavian immigrants.<br />
ST. FRANCISVILLE<br />
Originally built on a narrow ridge<br />
overlooking the Mississippi, today<br />
St. Francisville boasts more than<br />
140 buildings on the National<br />
Register of Historic Places.<br />
ST. LOUIS<br />
Crossroads for 19th-century<br />
explorers, St. Louis is home to rich<br />
architectural treasures including<br />
the iconic Gateway Arch.<br />
ST. PAUL<br />
A base for westward settlers<br />
heading to the Dakotas, St. Paul<br />
is now a modern metropolis and<br />
the capital of Minnesota.<br />
VICKSBURG<br />
Vicksburg National Military Park<br />
commemorates the historic site of<br />
the Civil War’s most pivotal battle.<br />
The small town is the epitome of<br />
Southern heritage and charm.<br />
Clockwise, from<br />
top left: Neon<br />
lights in the<br />
French Quarter<br />
of New Orleans;<br />
Jambalaya is a<br />
culinary highlight;<br />
the iconic Gateway<br />
Arch stands out<br />
in the St. Louis<br />
skyline<br />
12 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 13
ITINERARY<br />
MISSISSIPPI moments<br />
History and culture unfold as you cross the USA from<br />
north to south on this enriching river voyage<br />
Above: The<br />
downtown skyline<br />
of Minneapolis<br />
DAY 1 / ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA<br />
Arrive in St. Paul and transfer to your ship before<br />
exploring the city and its acclaimed arts scene.<br />
DAY 2 / RED WING, MINNESOTA<br />
Enjoy the scenic landscape of the Mississippi as you sail<br />
to Red Wing, the city named after a celebrated Sioux<br />
chief whose red-dyed swan wing indicated his rank.<br />
DAY 3 / LA CROSSE, WISCONSIN<br />
<strong>Explore</strong> La Crosse with its architectural landmarks and<br />
statue-lined riverfront or opt for a trip to rural Decorah.<br />
DAY 9 / LOWER MISSISSIPPI<br />
Cruising the serpentine route of the Lower Mississippi,<br />
witness an astonishing array of picturesque scenery.<br />
DAY 10 / MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE<br />
The ‘Queen City of the South’ is the birthplace of<br />
Memphis blues. Discover the music, cuisine and buzz<br />
of Beale Street and a tour of Elvis Presley’s Graceland.<br />
DAY 11 / LOWER MISSISSIPPI<br />
Enjoy another full day of scenic cruising; it’s the chance<br />
to participate in a cooking demo or attend a lecture.<br />
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK<br />
DAY 4 / DUBUQUE, IOWA<br />
Dubbed the ‘Masterpiece on the Mississippi’, this city<br />
immediately conjures up the great Steamboat Era.<br />
DAY 5 / QUAD CITIES, IOWA<br />
Straddling the Mississippi and Rock Rivers, the Quad<br />
Cities area sits amid ‘America’s Breadbasket’.<br />
DAY 6 / BURLINGTON, IOWA<br />
A Burlington tour reveals the city’s historic downtown<br />
and Snake Alley – ‘the crookedest street in the world’.<br />
DAY 7 / HANNIBAL, MISSOURI<br />
This community is best known as the birthplace of<br />
author Mark Twain and the setting of his Adventures of<br />
Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn books.<br />
DAY 8 / ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI<br />
Immerse yourself in the ‘Gateway to the West’ with<br />
its diverse array of architectural treasures.<br />
DAY 12 / VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI<br />
Feel the Southern tradition that flows through<br />
Vicksburg’s veins as you uncover its rich Civil War<br />
history and Southern heritage and charm.<br />
DAY 13 / NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI<br />
Natchez boasts an array of historic Southern mansions<br />
and is the perfect place to enjoy small-town America.<br />
DAY 14 / BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA<br />
Arrive in Baton Rouge, set on the eastern bank of the<br />
Mississippi River, and take a panoramic city tour.<br />
DAY 15 / NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA<br />
After breakfast, you’ll be escorted to the airport for<br />
your return flight.<br />
A 15-day 2023 America’s Great River journey,<br />
from St. Paul to New Orleans, or in reverse,<br />
starts from £9,590pp.<br />
14 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong>
2022<br />
DATES ARE<br />
NOW ON SALE<br />
2022 Viking river cruises now on sale.<br />
Eight days from £1,495pp<br />
With the world’s largest fleet of innovative river ships – including our multi-awardwinning<br />
Viking Longships – only Viking can promise you more. <strong>More</strong> comfort, more<br />
quality, more style and more choice of cruises across Europe, Russia and Asia. Relax in<br />
spacious, contemporary surroundings. Indulge in fabulous, destination-inspired food<br />
and thoughtfully selected wines. <strong>Explore</strong> the cultures and customs of the places you<br />
visit on expertly led tours. And discover a unique and exciting new view of the world.<br />
GREAT VIKING VALUE – SO MUCH INCLUDED<br />
P Return scheduled flights from London<br />
and a choice of up to 14 regional airports<br />
at no extra cost<br />
P River-view stateroom<br />
P All meals on board including wine, beer<br />
and soft drinks with lunch and dinner<br />
P Free Wi-Fi on board (connection speed<br />
may vary)<br />
P An included excursion in almost<br />
every port<br />
P Free tea, coffee and snacks any time<br />
on board<br />
P All port charges, government taxes<br />
and overseas transfers<br />
P Onboard gratuities<br />
2022 RIVER CRUISES<br />
Portugal’s River of Gold<br />
10 days, 8 guided tours<br />
Departing March to November 2022<br />
From £2,195pp<br />
Lyon & Provence<br />
8 days, 7 guided tours<br />
Departing March to November 2022<br />
From £1,595pp<br />
Rhine Getaway<br />
8 days, 6 guided tours<br />
Departing March to December 2022<br />
From £1,495pp<br />
Grand European Tour<br />
15 days, 12 guided tours<br />
Departing April to November 2022<br />
From £3,095pp<br />
Romantic Danube<br />
8 days, 5 guided tours<br />
Departing April to December 2022<br />
From £1,595pp<br />
Passage to Eastern Europe<br />
11 days, 7 guided tours<br />
Departing March to November 2022<br />
From £2,045pp<br />
Châteaux, Rivers & Wine<br />
8 days, 7 guided tours<br />
Departing March to November 2022<br />
From £1,595pp<br />
Elegant Elbe<br />
10 days, 7 guided tours<br />
Departing March to November 2022<br />
From £2,095pp<br />
Paris & the Heart of Normandy<br />
8 days, 6 guided tours<br />
Departing May to December 2022<br />
From £1,945pp<br />
Kiev, Black Sea & Bucharest<br />
12 days, 9 guided tours<br />
Departing May to October 2022<br />
From £2,995pp<br />
Waterways of the Tsars<br />
13 days, 10 guided tours<br />
Departing May to October 2022<br />
From £3,095pp<br />
Pharoahs & Pyramids<br />
12 days, 11 guided tours<br />
Departing January to December 2022<br />
From £4,665pp<br />
Call now on 020 8780 7900 or visit vikingcruises.co.uk<br />
Prices correct at time of going to print but are subject to availability and change. From prices are per person<br />
and based on two people sharing the lowest grade stateroom available, departing on selected dates<br />
in 2022. Single supplements apply. Please note on selected cruises a visa may be required and is at<br />
the passengers own expense. Gratuities included on board ship only. For more information please visit<br />
vikingcruises.co.uk/terms-conditions or call us.<br />
VC_EM_River_Multi_v2.indd 1 18/05/<strong>2020</strong> 14:45:56
Floppy hat<br />
Accessorize,<br />
£22.50<br />
Tote bag<br />
Accessorize,<br />
£29<br />
Patterned kaftan tunic<br />
Accessorize, £40<br />
Drop earrings<br />
Oliver Bonas, £29.50<br />
Hoop earrings<br />
Oliver Bonas, £24<br />
FASHION<br />
and for men...<br />
Nautical blues work well<br />
both at home and on holiday<br />
Knitted polo shirt<br />
Marks & Spencer, £35<br />
Denim shirt dress<br />
(from a selection<br />
at Bonprix)<br />
For women...<br />
Build a capsule wardrobe with a<br />
combination of neutrals and prints<br />
Messenger bag<br />
Burton, £40<br />
Saddle bag<br />
Marks & Spencer,<br />
£69<br />
Shirt dress<br />
Monsoon, £60<br />
Casual<br />
Chic<br />
Invest in simple pieces that transition<br />
from one season to the next<br />
Knitted top<br />
Oliver Bonas, £49.50<br />
Shirt dress<br />
Marks & Spencer, £59<br />
Linen shorts<br />
Marks & Spencer, £29<br />
Printed shirt<br />
FatFace, £45<br />
Panama hat<br />
Marks & Spencer, £49<br />
Chinos and t-shirt<br />
(from a selection at FatFace)<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> jacket<br />
White Stuff, £65<br />
Embellished<br />
straw bag<br />
Accessorize, £40<br />
Braided belt<br />
Dune, £22<br />
Denim culottes<br />
White Stuff, £55<br />
Deck shoes<br />
Dune, £85<br />
Relaxed blouse<br />
Hobbs, £110<br />
Comfy trainers<br />
Marks & Spencer, £35<br />
Woven flats<br />
Dune, £85<br />
Casual trousers<br />
Monsoon, £45<br />
Shirt & holdall<br />
(from a selection<br />
at Barbour)
WILDLIFE<br />
GALÁPAGOS<br />
GIANT TORTOISE<br />
The Galápagos Giant<br />
Tortoise is a famous<br />
resident of the<br />
archipelago, with the<br />
name ‘Galápagos’ actually derived<br />
from the old Spanish word for<br />
tortoise. Arriving from South<br />
America around 2-3 million years<br />
ago, they morphed out into 15<br />
different species. The conservation<br />
status of the giant tortoise is<br />
endangered, particularly after<br />
the death of Lonesome George<br />
in 2012, the last Pinta tortoise,<br />
and now 10 live on the island.<br />
The tortoise can be divided into<br />
two main shell types, (domed and<br />
saddle-backed), and both spend a<br />
laidback life of around 16 hours a<br />
day resting, and eating grass, fruit<br />
and cactus pads.<br />
BIG 15<br />
GALÁPAGOS WILDLIFE<br />
Our pick of the Big 15 creatures to spot whilst on a<br />
voyage with Viking around the Galápagos Islands<br />
THE GALÁPAGOS<br />
ALBATROSS<br />
The Galápagos albatross is the<br />
largest bird in Galápagos with<br />
a spectacular wingspan of up to<br />
two and a half metres. Known<br />
for a brilliant yellow and almost<br />
comedic bill that appears too<br />
large for their bodies, beady eyes<br />
and a white breast, they are also<br />
nicknamed ‘the waved albatross’<br />
due to the wave-like pattern on<br />
their wings. Living high above the<br />
open waters of the surrounding<br />
ocean, the birds are fabulous<br />
gliders, but migrate around<br />
Colombia, Peru and Galápagos<br />
during the non-breeding and<br />
chick-rearing periods. Look out for<br />
their fascinating courtship dance.<br />
BLUE-FOOTED BOOBY<br />
Named for their distinctive blue webbed feet and<br />
coming from the Spanish word, ‘bobo’, meaning<br />
foolish, the blue footed booby is a much-loved marine<br />
bird native to subtropical regions of the eastern Pacific<br />
Ocean. During mating rituals, the male birds shows<br />
off their feet to potential mates with a high-step strut.<br />
The bluer the feet, the more attractive the mate! The<br />
booby also begins by presenting the female with a small<br />
stone. It is clear why the loveable bird fascinated Darwin<br />
during his 1835 Galápagos trip, with their loveable<br />
clumsiness on land and their agile swooping in the air.<br />
Research suggests that they have suffered large declines<br />
in recent years, with an estimated population of just<br />
6,400 birds in 2012. It is thought that this decline is<br />
related to a decline in clupeid fish, especially sardines,<br />
which the boobies need in large quantities.<br />
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK<br />
18 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 19
WILDLIFE<br />
RED-FOOTED BOOBY<br />
Distinguished by its bluey-purple<br />
rainbow-like beak and bright red<br />
feet, the red-footed booby is the<br />
smallest of the boobies. This seabird<br />
doesn’t migrate like its siblings, and<br />
lives year-round in tropical regions,<br />
but has an impressive ability to fly,<br />
travelling up to 90 miles in search of<br />
food. They hunt together, and have<br />
evolved to be able to snare flying fish<br />
from the air, or cleverly wrap their<br />
long wings around their bodies,<br />
enabling them to plunge into the<br />
water to hunt in search of fish.<br />
GALÁPAGOS FUR SEAL<br />
Noted for its long, humorous whiskers and slicked-back<br />
silvery fur, the Galápagos seal spends an idle life resting in<br />
the shade on the coastline, saving its reserves for hunting<br />
at night. Not to be mistaken for a Galápagos sea lion,<br />
they are far smaller with protruding eyes that make them<br />
excellent hunters – they are still able to keep a watchful<br />
eye out for sharks while seeking out their prey. They also<br />
avoid diving for food when a full moon is out, as they are<br />
more visible to sharks and their prey tends to move into<br />
deeper waters during this period of the lunar cycle.<br />
6FLIGHTLESS<br />
CORMORANT<br />
This fascinating species of<br />
seabird is one to look out for<br />
and is of particular interest to<br />
visitors to the Galápagos Islands<br />
because of its curious inability<br />
to fly. This means the species stays in the region<br />
year-round, occasionally diving to the ocean<br />
floor to hunt for food. According to scientific<br />
research, the bird has genetic anomalies which<br />
are also common among humans with rarer<br />
skeletal problems, meaning a gene mutation<br />
has left their short wings totally redundant,<br />
apart from helping them balance when hopping<br />
between rocks on the shoreline. Look out for<br />
flightless cormorant’s circular courtship dance.<br />
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK<br />
LAND IGUANA<br />
Lizards are often spotted on Galápagos,<br />
but this large lizard in particular thrives on<br />
the arid and dry areas of the islands. This type<br />
of lizard is characterised by the yellow white<br />
hue of its skin, with patches of black and brown.<br />
They have powerful legs and claws and look slightly<br />
intimidating as they scuttle along the shoreline, but<br />
they are mostly herbivore, enjoying prickly pear and fruit<br />
over other food. The population has undergone a drastic<br />
decline over recent years, but finches help them along the<br />
way, picking ticks from between their scales. Females travel far<br />
and wide to find the ideal nesting place to bury their eggs.<br />
AMERICAN<br />
FLAMINGO<br />
Standing out from the crowd, the<br />
American Flamingo is well known<br />
for its fluorescent pink feathers<br />
and long neck. Galápagos is home<br />
to a few hundred of this particular<br />
species, breeding in the archipelago<br />
and across the Caribbean, although<br />
the Galápagos version is significantly<br />
smaller than its Caribbean cousins,<br />
with smaller eggs. The bird is loved<br />
for its dramatic pink plumage and<br />
has inky black-tipped wings only<br />
visible in light. The colouring is down<br />
to their diet, and all flamingos have<br />
evolved an impressive way of feeding,<br />
shuffling their feet to disturb the<br />
ground before picking up their food<br />
with heads upside down in the water.<br />
In Galápagos, American flamingos can<br />
be found in lagoons close to beaches,<br />
but are difficult to spot. Look out for<br />
them from March to July when they<br />
nest and when they begin foraging.<br />
NAZCA BOOBY<br />
Another member of the booby<br />
family, the Nazca booby differs<br />
in appearance from its famous<br />
blue-footed sibling, with long<br />
yellow or orange beaks and a<br />
slightly larger size. You can spot<br />
the Nazca booby high above the<br />
ocean, where they hover from<br />
heights of up to 30 metres before<br />
spectacularly plunge-diving into<br />
the waters off the coast to catch<br />
their prey. Their diets are mostly<br />
made up of small fish, but they<br />
also have an appetite for flying<br />
fish, squid and anchovies.<br />
20 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 21
WILDLIFE<br />
10<br />
GALÁPAGOS<br />
PENGUIN<br />
This particular type of<br />
penguin is the most<br />
northerly found penguin<br />
and one of the smallest<br />
in the world. Located<br />
only on the Galápagos<br />
Islands, they are best spotted living right up on the<br />
northern tip of Isabela Island and make their homes<br />
by burrowing in the caves and crevices in the coastal<br />
lava. They are particularly agile underwater and<br />
have an impressive swimming capacity, reaching<br />
speeds of 35 km per hour when hunting for<br />
cold-water schooling fish to eat. Galápagos<br />
penguins are a loyal breed and mate for life,<br />
with the female laying between one and two<br />
eggs which hatch into dark brown chicks.<br />
SANTA FE<br />
LAND IGUANA<br />
Endemic to Sante Fe Island in<br />
Galápagos, this is a rarer subspecies<br />
of the land iguana. Unlike the other<br />
land iguanas roaming the rest of the<br />
Galápagos, this particular iguana is a<br />
paler yellow with a longer snout. Its<br />
more obscure colouring allows the<br />
Santa Fe land iguana to blend in with<br />
its surroundings, making it a hard target<br />
for predators, and for tourists, to spot.<br />
As a cold-blooded creature, it absorbs<br />
heat from the sunshine and at night<br />
carves burrows to capture the heat.<br />
A critically endangered animal, your<br />
best chance to see them in the wild is<br />
from the island of Espanola between<br />
April to June when eggs are laid.<br />
MARINE IGUANA<br />
15<br />
This curious creature is the only lizard in the world to be able to live and forage<br />
for prey at sea thanks to their powerful claws that grip onto rocks. Endemic to<br />
the region, there are six variations of this particular species that can be found<br />
dotted across different Galápagos Islands, some larger than others and some with<br />
different mating rituals, where they turn different colours, from reds and bright<br />
greens to red and black. In the mornings they can be found enjoying the<br />
GREAT AND MAGNIFICENT<br />
sunshine and absorbing the sun’s rays to give them energy for their long swims.<br />
FRIGATE BIRD<br />
The mating season spans from January to March.<br />
GALÁPAGOS HAWK<br />
An excellent predator and hunter, the<br />
Galápagos hawk is closely related to the<br />
red-backed and white-tailed hawks. One<br />
of the world’s rarest raptors, they have a<br />
vulnerable conservation status but are an<br />
impressive spot if you manage to catch<br />
one, with an adult having a wingspan of<br />
120cm. Adults can be recognised by their<br />
dark feathers, chicks by their pale plumage,<br />
and the females are larger than their male<br />
counterparts. Famed as scavengers across<br />
the island, they feed off carcasses using their<br />
strong beaks for pecking.<br />
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK<br />
GALÁPAGOS<br />
SEA LION<br />
A common sight on the Galápagos<br />
Islands, the Galápagos sea lion is<br />
widespread along the coast. Often found lazing on<br />
the shoreline, swimming just off the coast, and,<br />
thanks to their pelvic girdle, they can be spotted<br />
exhibiting their charismatic gallop at a surprisingly<br />
fast speed. They primarily breed in Galápagos and<br />
so it is from here that you can witness their sexual<br />
dimorphism first-hand. Males weigh a dramatic fourtimes<br />
that of females and use this size advantage to<br />
maintain territorial dominance, mating with various<br />
females by keeping hold of land. The mating season<br />
happens between July and December.<br />
Dubbed ‘the condor of the oceans’<br />
by Charles Darwin because of their<br />
impressive ability to spend days at<br />
a time out at sea, and with their<br />
dramatic wingspan, this seabird<br />
certainly lives up to its name.<br />
It’s the shape of this curious bird<br />
that gives them exceptional aerial<br />
manoeuvrability and allows them<br />
to glide. They are also nick-named<br />
‘pirate birds’ because of their habit<br />
of stealing food from other birds<br />
including the beloved boobies and<br />
forcing them to regurgitate their<br />
food by shaking their tail feathers<br />
vigorously. The bird’s main aesthetic<br />
attribute is its large red throat pouch<br />
which inflates during breeding season<br />
with the hope of attracting a mate.<br />
22 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 23
<strong>Explore</strong> the Great Lakes and Canada,<br />
on expedition ships designed for discovery<br />
The Great Lakes are an undiscovered treasure, boasting stunning national parks,<br />
in a region that is rich in culture and history.<br />
Here, you can experience a deep connection to nature in a genuinely remote wilderness.<br />
Watch for wildlife, from bald eagles to moose, grey wolves, bears and beavers. Reach across<br />
cultures with the First Nations’ people. Hike through pristine forests, and glide silently by<br />
kayak across Georgian Bay – a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Discover Canada’s colonial past<br />
and beautiful lakeshores. Visit the majestic Niagara Falls, all accompanied by expert guides.<br />
Viking offers a choice of inspiring new journeys around the Great Lakes, as well as voyages to<br />
the Arctic and Antarctica.<br />
To enable you to best explore the Great Lakes, we have assembled a world-class expedition<br />
team to lead you on engaging shore landings and esteemed scientific partnerships to deliver<br />
enriching programmes.<br />
The expedition ship perfected, Viking Polaris and Viking Octantis are home to just 378 guests<br />
and guild on our legacy of exploration with many industry firsts. Availability is limited and we<br />
are new taking bookings for our 2022 itineraries. Join us on the ultimate adventure aboard<br />
an expedition ship that offers the ultimate in comfort.<br />
Find out more about our extraordinary expedition ships and our<br />
equally extraordinary journeys to the Arctic, Antarctica and the<br />
Great Lakes. Call 0800 014 7538 or visit vikingcruises.co.uk<br />
VC_Oceans_Lakes_Jan<strong>2020</strong>_A4_v6.indd 1 18/05/<strong>2020</strong> 15:43:43
ITINERARY<br />
Andean adventure<br />
Uncover the mysteries of South America’s most captivating<br />
destinations on this immersive cruise-and-stay adventure<br />
Above: Tick<br />
Machu Picchu off<br />
your bucket list on<br />
a Viking voyage<br />
DAY 1 & 2 / LIMA, PERU<br />
Arrive in Lima and settle into your hotel. The following<br />
day, discover the capital’s colonial centre, the Baroque<br />
Lima Cathedral and the Palace of the Archbishop.<br />
DAY 3 & 4 / SACRED VALLEY, PERU<br />
Fly into the Sacred Valley and immerse yourself in local<br />
life. On day four hike to the ruins at Ollantaytambo, see<br />
Moray’s crop circle and admire the salt pans at Maras.<br />
DAY 5 / MACHU PICCHU, PERU<br />
An exciting rail journey through the Andean hills awaits<br />
today. Alight in Aguas Calientes and continue on to<br />
Machu Picchu, the iconic lost city of the Incas.<br />
DAY 6 / MACHU PICCHU & CUZCO, PERU<br />
<strong>Explore</strong> more of Machu Picchu on a hike or take a tour<br />
of a nearby tea plantation. In the afternoon, transfer<br />
via train to Cuzco, the historic capital of the Inca.<br />
DAY 10 / SAN CRISTÓBAL ISLAND,<br />
GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS<br />
Visit the Cerro Colorado Tortoise Breeding Center, then<br />
cruise to Punta Pitt to see blue-footed boobies.<br />
DAY 11 / SANTA FE ISLAND & SOUTH<br />
PLAZA ISLAND, GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS<br />
Seek out the primeval-looking Santa Fe land iguana<br />
before cruising to South Plaza Island in the afternoon.<br />
DAY 12 / SANTA CRUZ ISLAND,<br />
GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS<br />
A fascinating trip to the Charles Darwin Research<br />
Station is followed by lunch at a local farm.<br />
DAY 13 / ESPAÑOLA ISLAND,<br />
GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS<br />
Keep an eye out today for Española mockingbirds, lava<br />
lizards, Darwin’s three finches and marine iguanas.<br />
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK<br />
DAY 7 / CUZCO, PERU<br />
Visit wonderful sites like Cuzco Cathedral, the Temple<br />
of Koricancha and the fortress of Sacsayhuamán.<br />
DAY 8 / GUAYAQUIL, ECUADOR<br />
Catch a flight to Guayaquil, the gateway to the<br />
Galápagos Islands and a vibrant riverside city.<br />
DAY 9 / BALTRA & MOSQUERA ISLET,<br />
GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS<br />
Embark the 90-guest ship Santa Cruz II and cruise to<br />
Mosquera Islet for a chance to spot sea lions.<br />
DAY 14 / EDEN ISLET & NORTH<br />
SEYMOUR ISLAND, GALÁPAGOS<br />
ISLANDS<br />
Kayak or snorkel around the marine-rich coast of Eden<br />
Islet. <strong>More</strong> wildlife awaits on North Seymour Island.<br />
DAY 15 / BALTRA, GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS<br />
& QUITO, ECUADOR<br />
Disembark in Baltra before flying home from Quito.<br />
The 15-day 2021 & 2022 East Galápagos, Machu<br />
Picchu & Peru voyage starts from £8,790pp.<br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 25
TRAVEL<br />
This page, from<br />
left to right: Key<br />
West in Florida;<br />
Cuban influences<br />
are everywhere in<br />
the Florida Keys<br />
archipelago<br />
Caribbean<br />
cool<br />
Travel writer and river cruising fan<br />
Gabrielle Sander reports back from<br />
her first ocean adventure<br />
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK<br />
It is a year since I took my<br />
first cruise; an eight-day trip<br />
along the Rhine, from Basel to<br />
Amsterdam, on board Viking<br />
Eir. It’s one I’ve waxed lyrical about<br />
to many since, as well as in this very<br />
magazine. Aside from introducing<br />
me to a generous and picturesque<br />
portion of Western Europe,<br />
it opened my eyes to a way of<br />
travelling I’d previously filed under<br />
‘things to do when I retire’.<br />
I fell in love with the ease of<br />
sailing from one port to the next; a<br />
new town, city or country each day.<br />
Such a romantic, easy way to travel.<br />
Country-hopping without having<br />
to hire a car, board planes, or lug a<br />
suitcase onto different trains.<br />
It helped that my vessel was sleek<br />
and smooth-sailing (sometimes I’d<br />
look out the window just to see if<br />
we were actually moving); quiet,<br />
with only 190 passengers, and lowlevel,<br />
so we could cruise close to<br />
land and dock moments from the<br />
sightseeing action. It also helped<br />
that everything was on point, from<br />
the initial welcome to the smooth<br />
operation of the excursions, and<br />
sweet touches such as the plump<br />
strawberries left in our stateroom<br />
one morning. Just like that, my<br />
love of cruising was sparked.<br />
So, when it came to joining<br />
my first Viking ocean cruise –<br />
Turquoise Caribbean Seas, starting<br />
and finishing in Miami – I was<br />
excited, but also unsure whether<br />
I’d enjoy it as much: how would<br />
the cosy nature of the ship work<br />
on a larger scale, and would the<br />
personable nature of the river cruise<br />
translate to an ocean cruise?<br />
Well, that hesitation passed<br />
within five minutes of boarding<br />
Viking Sky. The welcome,<br />
the sunny spaces and cool<br />
26 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 27
TRAVEL<br />
FIVE TIPS<br />
FOR VIKING<br />
OCEAN<br />
CRUISERS<br />
Download the Viking<br />
Voyager app. Not only<br />
is it an easy way to<br />
keep track of activities<br />
and excursions, but<br />
you can use your<br />
headphones to follow<br />
the Viking Art Guide,<br />
a self-guided tour of<br />
the artwork on board.<br />
An apple a day<br />
keeps the doctor<br />
away, as the adage<br />
goes. Green apples<br />
are also packed<br />
with vitamins,<br />
antioxidants and<br />
fibre. You’ll find<br />
bowls of them at<br />
Guest Services.<br />
Clockwise from<br />
above: Lamanai<br />
Mayan Ruins in<br />
Belize; dine al<br />
fresco as the<br />
sun sets; the<br />
impressive Fort<br />
Jefferson in<br />
Florida; afternoon<br />
tea served in the<br />
Wintergarden<br />
Scandinavian décor – it was all<br />
comfortingly familiar, but bigger<br />
and beautifully finished. Rather<br />
than taking a couple of days to<br />
unwind into my temporary home,<br />
as is often the case when I travel,<br />
I relaxed immediately. It is of<br />
course a much larger vessel than<br />
the Viking Longship on which<br />
I traversed the Rhine, and at<br />
full 930-guest capacity, is home<br />
to considerably more people.<br />
However, with plenty of indoor<br />
and outdoor nooks to lounge in, it<br />
never felt busy, except the queue for<br />
the ice-cream at lunchtime, which<br />
is a given. It is very good ice-cream!<br />
The <strong>Explore</strong>rs’ Lounge featured<br />
drawers of curiosities to pull open<br />
and peruse and the Atrium, with<br />
hundreds of books lining the<br />
shelves, offered up the novel I’ve<br />
been meaning to read for ages,<br />
travel tales and foodie tomes to<br />
thumb through. Like the river<br />
cruise, the library is curated to suit<br />
the audience and destinations.<br />
I sampled the various places to<br />
eat and drink, all free from the set<br />
time slots and group tables that are<br />
experienced on other ocean cruises.<br />
That I could rock up at Italian<br />
restaurant Manfredi’s at 7.30pm,<br />
book in hand, and enjoy a plate<br />
of their freshly-rolled gnocchi al<br />
gorgonzola at a table for one if I so<br />
pleased, was bliss. That there was<br />
also ample opportunity to chat<br />
to fellow guests, say, in the buzzy<br />
Wintergarden during afternoon tea,<br />
was equally lovely. As solitary or<br />
sociable as you want it.<br />
I continued my ship recce,<br />
checking out the LivNordic Spa,<br />
which looked straight out of the<br />
pages of a wellness magazine,<br />
and includes a Snow Grotto that<br />
dumps fresh powder daily to<br />
melt onto your limbs before<br />
and after the sauna (a great<br />
circulation-booster). There was<br />
also a sea-facing, floor-to-ceiling<br />
windowed gym, an outdoor<br />
infinity pool and hot tub at the<br />
back of the ship, without the rowdy<br />
pool bar, that would usually put me<br />
off. The cinema, where the smell<br />
of popcorn wafts beckoningly<br />
around movie start time, offers<br />
the latest blockbusters.<br />
Getting acquainted with the ship<br />
on that inaugural walk around, my<br />
first thought was, ‘wow, this place<br />
is amazing – like a floating 5-star<br />
hotel’; my second: ‘how am I going<br />
to find time to enjoy it all?’<br />
PHOTOS: © VIKING; ISTOCK<br />
It’s almost as if the Viking gods<br />
heard this and summoned an extra<br />
sea day. That first afternoon, not<br />
long after boarding in Miami,<br />
the captain announced that our<br />
planned port stop, Key West,<br />
scheduled for the next morning,<br />
had been cancelled. The seas were<br />
too rough for us to dock safely,<br />
so we were heading straight to<br />
planned port two, Belize, with<br />
two days at sea in between.<br />
The conch train tour of<br />
Key West and visit to Ernest<br />
Hemingway’s former home,<br />
with its polydactyl cats, would have<br />
to wait. It was an unfortunate yet<br />
understandable blip, but it<br />
did mean more time to enjoy<br />
the sleek Scandi playground, the<br />
sunshine on deck, coffee and cake<br />
at Mamsen’s, or the superb display<br />
of original art, including a<br />
large collection of Edvard Munch.<br />
I enjoyed a Nordic Hair Ritual,<br />
a blissful 80 minutes involving<br />
exquisitely-scented Swedish<br />
products featuring cloudberries<br />
and blueberries.<br />
Those sea days passed in<br />
a blissfully laid-back bubble<br />
starting with sunrise laps along<br />
the promenade and ending with<br />
sundowners and early dinners.<br />
Then, with a burst of colour<br />
came our arrival into Belize. The<br />
itinerary was back on track, with<br />
Cozumel, Merida and the Gulf of<br />
Mexico, providing the views and<br />
entertainment over the final days.<br />
As for the missed stop, we were<br />
thrilled when our captain made a<br />
surprise call into Key West on the<br />
loop back to Miami.<br />
Hidden behind<br />
bright orange<br />
doors at Manfredi’s<br />
is a private dining<br />
room. Anyone can<br />
book and have<br />
dinner in there,<br />
at no additional<br />
charge. Perfect for<br />
special occassions.<br />
Don’t miss our sushi<br />
and seafood bar<br />
in the World Café.<br />
You can pick from<br />
a variety of freshly<br />
prepared sushi and<br />
crab. Plus, an Asian<br />
wok station adds<br />
to the international<br />
flavours on offer.<br />
The enrichment<br />
talks with visiting<br />
historians and<br />
other experts are<br />
usually in the<br />
afternoon. But<br />
you can catch-up<br />
later, at a time that<br />
suits you, via your<br />
stateroom TV.<br />
28 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 29
TRAVEL<br />
Miami<br />
Self-proclaimed cruise capital of the world,<br />
travellers flock to Miami to soak up the sunshine,<br />
art deco architecture and Latin American<br />
influenced culture<br />
Since the 1950s, when<br />
wealthy Cubans escaped<br />
Fidel Castro’s revolution,<br />
Miami has been a beacon<br />
for Hispanic people,<br />
earning its nickname the ‘Capital<br />
of Latin America’. A tour of Little<br />
Havana is a must and will help<br />
you find the highlights, such as the<br />
Cubaocho Museum & Performing<br />
Arts Center – a gallery and bar<br />
dedicated to the history of Cuba.<br />
Next up head to the Wynwood<br />
neighbourhood to see the incredible<br />
street art on the famous Wynwood<br />
Walls. In the evening visit the<br />
Bayside Marketplace for views of<br />
the city’s iconic skyline and port.<br />
At Miami Beach, cycle along<br />
the renowned Ocean Drive taking<br />
in art deco hotels and apartments,<br />
or join a walking tour of the art<br />
deco district around South Beach.<br />
Relax on the beautiful white sands<br />
or amble along the Miami Beach<br />
Boardwalk to appreciate the ocean<br />
view away from the buzz of traffic.<br />
Historic, Spanish-inspired Espanola<br />
Way, a pedestrianised street<br />
thronging with the Miami vibe, is a<br />
lively place to visit in the evening.<br />
Don’t miss<br />
•Built in 1916, Vizcaya Museum<br />
and Gardens is a mansion built<br />
in the Italian Renaissance style.<br />
Wander in the formal gardens and<br />
fountains, and enjoy the original<br />
artwork and furnishings inside.<br />
•Stroll out to the tip of South<br />
Pointe Park Pier for fabulous views<br />
of Downtown Miami’s skyline and<br />
the gleaming South Beach. Go in<br />
the late afternoon and linger for the<br />
sunset before heading to Collins<br />
Avenue for drinks and to experience<br />
that famous Miami nightlife.<br />
•Miami has the third tallest<br />
skyline in the US, so why not jump<br />
on board the free Metromover<br />
monorail for a tour through<br />
the impressive skyscrapers of<br />
Downtown. South of here is the<br />
pretty and popular Bayfront Park.<br />
•The Art Basel fair hosts a huge<br />
range of modern and contemporary<br />
art across the city every September,<br />
but works from the likes of Andy<br />
Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat,<br />
Cindy Sherman, Jeff Koons and<br />
Damien Hirst at the impressive<br />
Rubell Family Collection can be<br />
enjoyed year round.<br />
•Lincoln Road is a must-visit<br />
for travellers into shopping and<br />
culture. Architect Morris Lapidus<br />
redesigned the street in the 1960s<br />
giving it a unique style. Now a<br />
pedestrian hub, it bustles with<br />
people enjoying the sculptures,<br />
fountains, theatres and art galleries.<br />
Clockwise, from<br />
above: Miami’s<br />
South Beach has<br />
over 800 art deco<br />
buildings; one of<br />
the city’s iconic<br />
lifeguard huts<br />
Fast Facts<br />
•Miami was an obscure swampland<br />
before visionary Julia Tuttle<br />
inherited land in the southern<br />
Florida backwater and took up<br />
residence here in 1891. Through<br />
her contacts she was responsible for<br />
the arrival of the railroad.<br />
•Miami gets its name from the<br />
Mayaimi tribe who lived here in the<br />
16th and 17th centuries.<br />
•Miami has the second largest<br />
number of Spanish speakers in<br />
the US, and 70% of inhabitants<br />
are of Hispanic origin.<br />
•Locals enjoy cafecito (Cuban<br />
coffee) served from walk-up<br />
ventanitas windows. Try one<br />
yourself for a strong, sweet hit.<br />
•Man-made Neptune Memorial<br />
Reef, near Biscayne Bay, is an<br />
artistic replica of the Lost City of<br />
Atlantis. You can even go diving.<br />
•Look out for one of the many<br />
annual street festivals and parades.<br />
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK<br />
Insider Tips<br />
INNOVATIVE ART<br />
Head north to the often<br />
overlooked Museum of<br />
Art and Design housed in<br />
the Freedom Tower, a 1925<br />
masterpiece built in the<br />
Mediterranean revival<br />
style and arguably a work<br />
of art itself.<br />
EASY AS PIE<br />
No trip to Florida is<br />
complete without trying<br />
some Key Lime Pie. For a<br />
slice of the best, head to<br />
Joe’s Stone Crab which,<br />
trading in the city since<br />
1913, is now something of<br />
a Miami institution.<br />
SHIP AHOY<br />
From Miami Beach to South<br />
Miami, there are plenty<br />
of local area marinas to<br />
visit. Each one has its own<br />
identity, and many offer<br />
waterside restaurants,<br />
perfect for watching the<br />
world go by.<br />
TIME TRAVEL<br />
Miami’s splendid Ancient<br />
Spanish Monastery recalls<br />
the city’s past as a Spanish<br />
territory. It was built in<br />
Spain in the 12th century,<br />
disassembled and brought<br />
to Miami by newspaper mogul<br />
William Randolph Hearst.<br />
30 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 31
CULTURE<br />
VIKING<br />
JEWELLERY<br />
An intricate cultural history<br />
In celebration of our Norwegian heritage, we take a closer look at<br />
the traditional skills and artistry shown in these intricate designs<br />
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK<br />
Clockwise,<br />
from left: The<br />
earliest jewellery<br />
style is named<br />
after the famous<br />
Oseberg ship; an<br />
ornamental silver<br />
brooch, used here<br />
to fasten a cloak<br />
The Vikings were much<br />
more than legendary<br />
seafaring explorers.<br />
A closer look at their<br />
jewellery reveals a high level of<br />
artistic skill and a fascinating<br />
design vocabulary<br />
that evolved over<br />
the duration of the<br />
Viking Era, which<br />
historians agree is<br />
roughly the period<br />
from 789-1066 AD.<br />
The high volume of fine silver<br />
jewellery recovered from burial<br />
hordes across Europe suggests that<br />
silver coinage obtained through<br />
trade was melted down and used<br />
as adornments. Worn by men and<br />
women, these indicated social status<br />
and wealth, and may also have<br />
functioned as amulets.<br />
As the Viking Age progressed,<br />
the style of the designs changed.<br />
Historians generally classify Viking<br />
artefacts into six styles named<br />
after the area where a pivotal<br />
decorative object was unearthed.<br />
The majority of the artefacts are made of<br />
metal and stone, although rarer items made<br />
of bone and wood have been preserved<br />
Throughout the time period, design<br />
styles sometimes co-existed side<br />
by side or were even combined in<br />
a single piece and some artefacts<br />
demonstrate a melding of Viking<br />
designs with those of other cultures.<br />
The earliest recognisable<br />
style, dating to the 9th century,<br />
is known as Oseberg style and<br />
features sinuous animal forms<br />
and a gripping beast motif – a<br />
hallmark design element that<br />
appears well into the next century.<br />
The style’s name references the<br />
famous Oseberg ship, found in a<br />
large burial mound<br />
in Norway, which is<br />
currently on display<br />
at the Viking Ship<br />
Museum in Oslo.<br />
From the late<br />
9th century and<br />
continuing to the middle of the<br />
10th century, a new set of designs<br />
known as Borre style emerges. We<br />
continue to see the gripping beast,<br />
but the once-sinuous feel of the<br />
Oseberg creatures has shifted to<br />
triangular-headed animals with<br />
round eyes and protruding ears.<br />
Named for a set of bridle mounts<br />
32 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 33
CULTURE<br />
recovered from a ship burial site in<br />
Borre, Norway, this style appears<br />
to be purely Norse, and shows up<br />
in finds from countries including<br />
Iceland, Russia and England.<br />
Jelling style, from the 10th<br />
century, is named after the two<br />
massive carved runestones found<br />
in Jelling, Denmark. The carvings<br />
on these huge rocks feature stylistic<br />
S-shaped, intertwined animal forms<br />
with profiled heads and spiral hips<br />
as well as pigtails.<br />
The decorated stones were<br />
commissioned by two kings as<br />
memorials – King Gorm the Old<br />
honoured his wife, Thyra, and<br />
his son, Harald Bluetooth, raised<br />
the larger stone in memory of his<br />
parents, his conquest of Denmark<br />
and Norway, and his conversion<br />
of the Danes to Christianity. The<br />
patterns were much copied, and<br />
appeared on decorative items<br />
throughout this period.<br />
Developing out of the Jelling<br />
style, the Mammen style was<br />
prominent in the last half of<br />
the 10th century, and features<br />
naturalistic lions, birds, snakes and<br />
foliate elements. The style is named<br />
after an axe head found in a burial<br />
site in Mammen, in Denmark.<br />
The first half of the 11th century<br />
is represented by Ringerike style<br />
– an era in which standing stones<br />
were often carved featuring curvy,<br />
thin animals such as lion-like beasts<br />
with almond-shaped eyes and thin,<br />
long tendrils on plant motifs and<br />
leafy, floral patterns.<br />
Finally, from 1050 to the 12th<br />
century, Urnes style becomes<br />
regarded as the ultimate expression<br />
of Viking art. Named after the<br />
carvings that adorn the northern<br />
gate of the Urnes stave church in<br />
Norway, this style boasts sinous,<br />
interlaced and interwoven animals<br />
with long eyes, serpent-like<br />
creatures, and plants.<br />
The majority of artefacts related<br />
to these chronological phases of<br />
Scandinavian jewellery art are<br />
made of metal or stone, although<br />
some rarer items fashioned from<br />
bone, wood, ivory and even textiles,<br />
have also been preserved. Ongoing<br />
archaeological finds continue to<br />
add to our understanding of this<br />
fascinating evolution of style<br />
and craftsmanship.<br />
Clockwise, from<br />
above: Bunads<br />
(national folk<br />
costumes) are<br />
adorned with<br />
traditional Viking<br />
jewellery; motifs<br />
and forms used for<br />
figureheads also<br />
appear in Viking<br />
jewellery<br />
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK<br />
SKANE HAMMER PENDANT<br />
10th century, Skane, Sweden<br />
This clean-lined, elegant pendant is an<br />
anthropomorphic Thor’s hammer. The<br />
powerful god of thunder, Thor was one of<br />
the primary characters in Norse mythology<br />
and his hammer form appears frequently<br />
throughout the Viking Age.<br />
VÅRBY BROOCH<br />
10th century, Vårby Hoard, Sweden<br />
This disc-shaped pin from one of Sweden’s<br />
most magnificent hoards is loaded with<br />
ornamentation, complete with faces and<br />
entwined knots. These brooches appear to<br />
be an eastern Scandinavian phenomenon,<br />
used to fasten women’s cloaks.<br />
BRISINGAMEN NECKLACE<br />
11-12th century, Gotland, Sweden<br />
Viking artisans played the smoothness<br />
of rock crystal spheres off against the<br />
knubby texture of tiny granulated dots to<br />
beautiful effect in this necklace. It shows<br />
the continued use of granulation – tiny<br />
little dots created by heating metal until it<br />
clings to itself forming a ball – which is a<br />
consistent technique in Viking jewellery.<br />
The evolution of<br />
VIKING STYLE<br />
These beautiful examples of jewellery dating to the Viking Age<br />
demonstrate the progression of techniques and design<br />
DRAGON HEAD PIN<br />
circa 900 AD, Birka, Sweden<br />
Dragon head pins have been found<br />
throughout the historic Viking world, and<br />
are similar to iconic carved Viking ship<br />
figureheads. A soapstone casting mold<br />
for a similar pin was found in Sweden,<br />
suggesting that they could be reproduced.<br />
BORRE TREFOIL<br />
9-10th century<br />
Borre-style jewellery features interlacing<br />
knots or animals, like this version’s<br />
“gripping beast”design. The style was<br />
named after a group of harness mounts<br />
recovered from a ship grave<br />
near Borre, Norway.<br />
ROSCREA BROOCH<br />
late 9th century, Tipperary, Ireland<br />
This pin demonstrates the melding of<br />
Irish and Viking influences. The use of<br />
quality silver (rare in Ireland, but accessible<br />
through trade to the Vikings) and amber<br />
from the Baltic are distinctly Viking, yet<br />
the gold filigree work, abstract patterns<br />
and Book of Kells-like animals are basic<br />
to the Irish visual vocabulary.<br />
HATTEBERG BROOCH<br />
9th century, Hatteberg, Norway<br />
The penannular form is a very old style of<br />
brooch worn by both men and women.<br />
This example demonstrates Celtic<br />
influence, but the pin is Nordic in origin,<br />
suggesting that Viking Age artisans were<br />
familiar with styles across the North Sea.<br />
LUNETTE PENDANT<br />
10-11th century, Gnezdovo, Russia<br />
This crescent pendant with elaborate<br />
granulation work, a woman’s adornment,<br />
is from one of the major Varangian<br />
centres in Kievan Rus territory along<br />
the trade route from Scandinavia<br />
to the Byzantium.<br />
URNES STYLE BROOCH<br />
circa 1100 AD, Tröllaskógur, Iceland<br />
This brooch epitomises late Urnes Style<br />
in its sinuous, interwoven loops. Depicting<br />
a group of stylised, entwined serpentlike<br />
creatures with elongated eyes, it<br />
demonstrates the sophisticated styling of<br />
the late Viking Age through its interplay<br />
of writhing forms counterpointed<br />
against the negative space.<br />
34 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong>
TRAVEL<br />
Bright<br />
lights<br />
Journalist Sarah Knapton is joined by her parents<br />
on an adventure to the Arctic Circle in a bid to<br />
witness the northern lights<br />
This page:<br />
The northern<br />
lights glow<br />
spectacularly<br />
over the Lofoten<br />
Islands in Norway
TRAVEL<br />
My fasther (John, 69) and I have been<br />
talking about a trip to the Arctic for<br />
the past decade, but my mother<br />
(Carole, 70) has dodgy knees so we<br />
did not think such a physically demanding expedition<br />
would be possible.<br />
However, when I learned that Viking was cruising<br />
up the coast of Norway looking for the northern lights<br />
it seemed an ideal solution, giving us all the chance<br />
to be as adventurous or relaxed as we felt like.<br />
Our 13-day journey would begin in Bergen, then<br />
cross the Arctic circle to Narvik before venturing<br />
further up to the world’s most northerly city, Alta. The<br />
return would see us pass through Tromsø, Bodø and<br />
Stavanger, before sailing home to Tilbury in London.<br />
On the first day, I spent a peaceful evening sipping<br />
bellinis in the beautiful <strong>Explore</strong>rs’ Lounge, while<br />
my parents arrived on board later that evening to<br />
Yet even without the northern lights the scenery is<br />
spectacular. We left Bergen on a sunny afternoon after<br />
spending a relaxing morning listening to a piano recital<br />
at the home of Edvard Grieg, and our first chance to<br />
explore the sleepy snow-dusted Arctic wilderness came<br />
at Narvik, the little shipping port which saw the first<br />
victory against the Nazis in the Second World War.<br />
My dad and I chose to visit the nearby 110-acre<br />
Polar Park, home to lynx, wolverine, brown bears,<br />
musk ox, elk and, most excitingly, wolves. Wolves<br />
that can be petted.<br />
So on a bitterly cold January morning, we found<br />
ourselves kneeling in their enclosure, gloveless and<br />
hatless (wolves will pilfer anything that isn’t firmly<br />
attached to your body) awaiting the pack.<br />
Sadly the wolves seemed uninterested in hanging<br />
out with a semi-circle of shivering humans, but<br />
luckily the keeper had a trick up her sleeve.<br />
Opposite: Sarah<br />
Knapton’s holiday<br />
photos capture<br />
the essence of<br />
Norway in winter,<br />
from dramatic<br />
mountain scenery<br />
and fjords to<br />
majestic reindeers<br />
and multi-coloured<br />
wooden houses<br />
After bouncing along on a reindeer sleigh ride on a frozen river<br />
we were served a warming bowl of reindeer stew<br />
be greeted by welcoming glasses of champagne and<br />
reviving soup and cold-cuts in Mamsen’s, the ship’s<br />
cosy deli, named after the mother of Viking<br />
Chairman Torstein Hagen.<br />
In fact, the whole ship is designed with comfort in<br />
mind. The Scandinavian-inspired lounges, with their<br />
reindeer pelt-covered chairs, are perfect for hunkering<br />
down during the star-studded Arctic nights when<br />
temperatures plummet and a cold wind blows outside.<br />
All around are bookshelves stocked with exciting<br />
tales of Shackleton, Amundsen and Nansen.<br />
The Nordic theme continues in the excellent<br />
restaurants and even the Spa, where a steam room,<br />
sauna and Snow Grotto allow for the full Scandinavian<br />
bathing ritual of fire and ice.<br />
But it is the chance to see the elusive northern lights<br />
which is the big draw to this trip.<br />
Witnessing the phenomenon is by no means<br />
guaranteed. Conditions have to be just right, with<br />
the sun ejecting enough plasma towards a cloudless,<br />
moonless night on Earth for the lights to firstly form,<br />
and then be visible from below.<br />
The whole crew is permanently on aurora-watch,<br />
with even the bridge officers poised to announce<br />
sightings via the ship’s tannoy.<br />
Cupping her hands, she howled an eerie call into the<br />
wilderness. Within seconds the wolves had answered,<br />
baying in reply and hurrying over to let us warm our<br />
frozen fingers in their fur.<br />
The next port of call was Alta, which at nearly<br />
70 degrees north is the world’s most northerly city.<br />
It is known as “The City of Northern Lights”, a good<br />
sign, if any, that the aurora may show itself.<br />
This time my mother joined us as we took a<br />
nighttime excursion into the mountains, where the<br />
sky was pitch black, offering the best chance of a<br />
glimpse of the spectacle away from the lights of town.<br />
But although we had an enjoyable evening,<br />
lounging round birch wood fires, and sipping hot<br />
chocolate under a blanket of stars, the aurora<br />
remained absent.<br />
The following day we visited the Sámi, the<br />
indigenous people who still herd reindeers in the<br />
mountains and who believe the northern lights<br />
emanate from the souls of the dead. They traditionally<br />
refused to go outside when the aurora was in the sky.<br />
After bouncing along on a reindeer sleigh ride on a<br />
frozen river we were served a warming bowl of bidos,<br />
or reindeer stew, inside the Sámi communal tents,<br />
called lavvu, where we were entertained with<br />
PHOTOS: © ALAMY/ISTOCK/SARAH KNAPTON<br />
38 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 39
TRAVEL<br />
fascinating tales of life in the frozen north.<br />
Although the aurora again remained hidden, as<br />
we sailed further south towards Tromsø our hopes<br />
began to lift when the forecast showed a spike in the<br />
solar winds indicating that the light-generating plasma<br />
was on its way to Earth. We were playing Scrabble in<br />
the Atrium when the announcement everyone had been<br />
universities had been on hand in the previous days<br />
with photography tips and it had paid dividends.<br />
The lights were so bright that evening they were<br />
seen as far south as Aberdeen, in Scotland. And they<br />
returned the night after for a briefer yet similarly<br />
impressive performance.<br />
The next day we sailed to Stavanger. There is plenty<br />
Glowing streaks of green darted and swept across the sky, then vanished<br />
in an instant to be replaced by swirling ribbons of blue and purple<br />
Clockwise from<br />
above: Endless<br />
fjords stretching<br />
to the horizon;<br />
dog sledding<br />
across the<br />
snow-blanketed<br />
landscapes<br />
of Norway<br />
PHOTOS: © ALAMY<br />
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK<br />
hoping for came from the bridge. “The northern lights<br />
have been sighted on the starboard bow.”<br />
My dad and I headed out onto the deck.<br />
The wait was worth it. Glowing streaks of green<br />
darted and swept across the sky, then vanished in an<br />
instant to be replaced by swirling ribbons of blue<br />
and purple. Arcs framed the mountains and great<br />
smoky waves of light drifted from the peaks like an<br />
eruption of emerald lava.<br />
Not wanting my mother to miss it, I raced back<br />
down to the lounge where she was sitting and insisted<br />
she join us outside on the deck. Her face on seeing<br />
the spectacle was worth it. The lights appeared directly<br />
above the ship for around an hour then moved off<br />
south and were gone entirely.<br />
We found my dad in a corridor comparing pictures<br />
with other delighted guests. Experts from the Royal<br />
Astronomical Society and some of Britain’s best<br />
to do on board, from yoga classes, to massages and<br />
beauty treatments, games, concerts, wine tasting,<br />
films and talks, to name but a few.<br />
By the time we reached Stavanger it felt like a<br />
gentle re-entry into real life. The ship docked right<br />
in the centre of town, and we spent an enjoyable<br />
morning pootling around the chic shops and coffee<br />
bars, before setting sail across the North Sea and<br />
back home to the <strong>UK</strong>.<br />
As we disembarked at Tilbury – unexpectedly<br />
simple compared to most cruises – we all agreed<br />
we could have stayed longer, and had made some<br />
fabulous memories. Captain Bengt Gustafson<br />
insisted on saying goodbye to each and every<br />
passenger as we left.<br />
A 13-day 2021 In Search of the Northern Lights<br />
cruise, from Bergen to London, starts at £3,990pp.<br />
40 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 41
TRAVEL<br />
Tromsø<br />
Resting 217 miles north of the Arctic Circle,<br />
Tromsø is blessed with mild winters thanks to<br />
the Gulf Stream, making it an ideal destination<br />
to see the northern lights<br />
Inhabited for 10,000 years,<br />
Tromsø has a fascinating<br />
history. Sitting centrally to<br />
all the Nordic countries (as<br />
well as Russia), it became<br />
a major Arctic trade centre and<br />
the starting point for many an<br />
Arctic expedition. You can learn<br />
more of the hardships those early<br />
explorers endured at the fascinating<br />
Polarmuseet (Polar Museum).<br />
Surrounded by snow-capped<br />
peaks and subject to the midnight<br />
sun in the summer, this picturesque<br />
city is compact enough to explore<br />
by foot, but it is also well-served by<br />
local buses. Start across the famous<br />
bridge on Tromsdalen with a cable<br />
car trip to the 421-metre-tall<br />
Fjellheisen platform for stunning<br />
views across the city, and fjords,<br />
mountains and islands beyond.<br />
As you head back towards Tromsø<br />
stop at the iceberg-inspired Arctic<br />
Cathedral, built by Norwegian<br />
architect Jan Inge Hovig in 1965.<br />
Wander along the attractive<br />
harbour where the city’s oldest<br />
wooden buildings make a pretty<br />
photo backdrop, before moving<br />
on to Skansen, a customs station<br />
built in 1789 and Tromsø’s oldest<br />
house. The remains of a medieval<br />
settlement can be found here, too.<br />
Then there is Tromsø Domkirk,<br />
a wooden church and the world’s<br />
most northerly cathedral.<br />
Don’t miss<br />
•Tromsø boasts the world’s<br />
northernmost university, as<br />
well as a rich cultural calendar<br />
of music and festivals. Visit the<br />
Universitetsmuseet (University<br />
Museum) to learn more about the<br />
region’s history, art and wildlife.<br />
•The region is not only home to<br />
a Norse population but also to<br />
the Sámi people with their own<br />
unique culture. A Sámi Reindeer<br />
experience allows you to learn<br />
more about the people who herd<br />
and live with reindeer year-round,<br />
as well as a chance to meet and<br />
feed the animals.<br />
•The city is proud of its pubs, and<br />
until recently claimed the most<br />
northern commercial brewery: the<br />
Mack Brewery. If you stop for a<br />
pint at their Ølhallen (‘The Hall’),<br />
Tromsø’s oldest pub, you’ll have<br />
more than 70 beers to choose from.<br />
•Everyone wants to see the aurora<br />
borealis and they are occasionally<br />
visible from Tromsø itself, but<br />
taking an excursion to avoid the<br />
light pollution is the best option.<br />
If that’s not possible visit the<br />
Northern Norwegian Science<br />
Centre for a fantastic northern<br />
lights planetarium show.<br />
Clockwise, from<br />
above: Gorgeous<br />
views of snowcapped<br />
mountains<br />
surround the city;<br />
the northern lights<br />
are often visible<br />
from the city<br />
Fast Facts<br />
•Tromsø is pronounced trom-seh,<br />
not troms-O.<br />
•It takes its name from the island<br />
on which it is located: Tromsøya.<br />
•Tromsø hosts more pubs per<br />
capita than any other town<br />
in Norway.<br />
•Between the months of May and<br />
July the sun never dips below the<br />
horizon, while it is not visible at all<br />
from November to January.<br />
•The city is not only home to the<br />
world’s northernmost university,<br />
but also the northernmost botanical<br />
garden, brewery and planetarium.<br />
•Despite its location so far north,<br />
the city enjoys a moderate oceanic<br />
climate with relatively mild winters,<br />
making it the perfect location for<br />
outdoor activities.<br />
•There is evidence that human<br />
settlement in Tromsø dates back<br />
10,000 years, whilst the local Sámi<br />
culture is at least 2,000 years old.<br />
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK; SHUTTERSTOCK<br />
Insider Tips<br />
SPIRITUAL SPACE<br />
Tromsø is famed for its<br />
distinctive modern Arctic<br />
Cathedral, also known as<br />
Tromsdalen Church. Built<br />
in 1965 by the architect<br />
Jan Inge Hovig, it seats 600<br />
people and is made from<br />
concrete and metal.<br />
ON THE LOOKOUT<br />
Keep an eye out for the<br />
Tromsø coat of arms which is<br />
a reindeer presented against<br />
an azure blue background,<br />
sometimes topped by a<br />
crown. The stylised drawing,<br />
devised in 1870, was created<br />
by Hallvard Trætteberg.<br />
KNOCK ON WOOD<br />
Tromsø's town centre has<br />
the largest number of old<br />
wooden houses in northern<br />
Norway, dating from 1789<br />
to 1904. Common decorative<br />
features include Hound’s<br />
tooth patterns in the<br />
window frames.<br />
SKY HIGH<br />
Built in 1961 by a local<br />
shipping company, the<br />
Tromsø's Cable Car<br />
runs from Solliveien,<br />
in Tromsdalen, up to<br />
Storsteinen, a mountain<br />
ledge 421m above sea-level.<br />
The trip takes four minutes.<br />
42 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 43
CULTURE<br />
Above:<br />
Kiliii Yuyan<br />
(b. 1979), Umiaq<br />
and north wind<br />
during spring<br />
whaling. Inkjet<br />
print, 2019.<br />
© Kiliii Yuyan.<br />
TRUE NORTH<br />
Dr Jan Peter Laurens Loovers, Project Curator of the<br />
Citi exhibition Arctic: culture and climate at the British Museum,<br />
shares his highlights of the upcoming show<br />
What do you hope to achieve<br />
with this ambitious exhibition?<br />
The exhibition explores the lives of<br />
around 400,000 Indigenous Arctic<br />
Peoples who have made hospitable<br />
homelands out of ecosystems of ice<br />
for over 30,000 years.<br />
These communities have been<br />
on the frontline of global climate<br />
change and have noticed how their<br />
homelands and its weather patterns<br />
are changing drastically. Weather<br />
affects every aspect of their lives –<br />
food, travel, clothing, and even<br />
love. Climate change is making<br />
generations of knowledge obsolete.<br />
Thus the exhibition shows what is<br />
at stake when the homelands of<br />
Arctic Indigenous Peoples are free<br />
from ice in 80 years, as predicted.<br />
Ice is fundamental to their lives,<br />
serving as building material for<br />
roads and temporary shelters,<br />
enabling freedom to travel widely<br />
and providing access to bountiful<br />
worlds. Permafrost – frozen soil,<br />
which acts as bedrock in the Arctic<br />
– is thawing fast. Without it, roads<br />
are sinking, structures are collapsing<br />
and solid ground is giving way. If<br />
the Arctic is ice free within 80<br />
years, what will happen to these<br />
ways of life centred on the cold?<br />
Can you tell us a bit more<br />
about the range of objects and<br />
artworks on show?<br />
The exhibition covers over 30,000<br />
years of life in the Arctic with<br />
282 objects from across the<br />
region with lenders from Alaska,<br />
Denmark, the Russian Federation,<br />
and Switzerland. Objects include<br />
clothing, transport, cooking<br />
utensils, sewing tools, ceremonial<br />
items and contemporary art. We<br />
will, of course, show quintessential<br />
Arctic objects such as snow<br />
spectacles, harpoons, parkas, masks,<br />
dog and reindeer sleds, and a kayaq,<br />
as well as 157 objects that have<br />
never been shown before.<br />
We’ve also commissioned new<br />
objects – such as a mammoth-ivory<br />
model by Sakha master carver<br />
Fedor Markov and a Kentish-stone<br />
inukshuk by Inuit leader and artist<br />
Piita Irniq – and created a number<br />
of videos that offer snapshots of<br />
Arctic Indigenous Peoples’ seasonal<br />
lives. These include films of Nenet<br />
reindeer herding in the Yamal<br />
Peninsula as well as Inuit<br />
seamstresses in Mittimatalik<br />
making boots from sealskins. It will<br />
also host photographs by Brian<br />
Adams who is an Inupiat from<br />
Alaska and an edited film by Kiliii<br />
Yüyan who is a American-Chinese-<br />
Nanai film-maker.<br />
PHOTOS: © THE BRITISH MUSEUM<br />
How is the Arctic landscape<br />
woven through the exhibition?<br />
The Arctic landscape will take a<br />
prominent place in the exhibition.<br />
We want to bring the Arctic to<br />
London so that the visitor can<br />
have an immersive experience.<br />
The land, sea, and ice are of<br />
pivotal importance to Arctic<br />
Indigenous Peoples. Inuit carvings<br />
depict various animals such as a<br />
narwhal, a polar bear, a caribou<br />
(wild reindeer), or an owl. Inuit<br />
art, likewise, emphasises the<br />
importance of the land. Perhaps<br />
nobody shows this as successfully<br />
as acclaimed Inuit artist Kenojuak<br />
Ashevak (1927-2013) in her 1992<br />
drawing Nunavut Qajanartuk<br />
(Our Beautiful Land). The circular<br />
drawing shows the seasonal lives<br />
of Inuit in Nunavut with scenes of<br />
habitation, hunting and travelling.<br />
How have you showcased the<br />
contact with outsiders?<br />
Some Arctic Indigenous Peoples<br />
met “southerner” explorers and<br />
traders in the early 19th century,<br />
but others had a much longer or<br />
shorter history with “southerners”.<br />
The exhibition highlights several<br />
drawings to show how European<br />
expansion into the Arctic often led<br />
to conflict or collaboration. Three<br />
drawings by the English artist John<br />
White, made somewhere between<br />
1585 and 1593, show the violent<br />
escapades of Sir Martin Frobisher’s<br />
1576-1578 voyages to the Hudson’s<br />
Strait to explore new lands.<br />
Arctic Indigenous Peoples also<br />
began to incorporate Southerner<br />
clothing styles and Christianity. For<br />
example, an Aleut parka made from<br />
sea-mammal gut is in the style of a<br />
Russian officer’s cloak, while another<br />
Aleutian artisan made a calendar<br />
from driftwood and walrus ivory to<br />
keep track of important Russian<br />
Orthodox days. In other cases, like<br />
a Sámi bag that includes older<br />
spiritual designs in contemporary<br />
objects, the Peoples have adjusted<br />
their spiritual objects to be<br />
“hidden” from the colonial regimes.<br />
Wildlife features heavily, too.<br />
“Southerners” are prone to speak<br />
about animal instincts but Arctic<br />
Indigenous Peoples believe an<br />
animal’s personhood is akin to that<br />
of a human, and stress the ongoing<br />
importance of nourishing respectful<br />
relations with animals.<br />
A breakdown in such relations<br />
can lead to dire consequences such<br />
as the withholding of luck for<br />
successful hunting, bad weather or<br />
even death. When looking at Inuit<br />
artist Pudlo Pudlat’s lithograph<br />
Forced Immigration, which shows a<br />
polar bear, a walrus and a muskox<br />
hanging from a military helicopter,<br />
one might ponder what such<br />
actions would have resulted in.<br />
While hunting has mainly been<br />
done by men, women play a crucial<br />
role in maintaining good relations<br />
with animals too. Animals give<br />
themselves to the hunters and their<br />
families who observe respectful<br />
relationships. Women, therefore,<br />
have moral obligations to make<br />
beautiful garments from hunted<br />
animals for the men to wear during<br />
the hunt. The processing of food<br />
also needs to be done properly to<br />
maintain the family’s wellbeing.<br />
What is your favourite item?<br />
With over 280 objects it is difficult<br />
to pinpoint one item, so allow me<br />
to highlight a few. Small beads<br />
made from mammoth ivory offer<br />
insight into how Arctic Peoples<br />
created beautiful objects as early as<br />
32,000 years ago. A reindeer-antler<br />
needle and bird-bone needle case<br />
from Zhokov Island were made<br />
about 9,000 years ago, and a piece<br />
of a willow basket from the same<br />
site and era tell us how life would<br />
have been for Arctic ancestors.<br />
Coming closer to the present<br />
day (AD500-1300), a Dorset wand<br />
with 27 faces, each with a unique<br />
expression, has been carved in a<br />
caribou antler. And a map from the<br />
Bering Strait drawn on sealskin in<br />
the 1850s shows the annual<br />
movements of the maker.<br />
Another unique object is a<br />
waterproof Kalaallit whaling suit<br />
made from sealskins. It’s the only<br />
one that remains intact and would<br />
have been used by a hunter to jump<br />
on a sleeping whale and harpoon it.<br />
Perhaps my most favourite item<br />
is an early 20th-century Gwich’in<br />
summer outfit made from caribou<br />
skin. The colourful porcupine quills<br />
set against the white reindeer skin<br />
are beautiful and the skills of the<br />
Gwich’in seamstress are exceptional.<br />
This is just a small selection of<br />
the objects that will captivate,<br />
amaze and inspire visitors.<br />
The Citi exhibition Arctic: culture<br />
and climate at the British<br />
Museum will be one of the first<br />
exhibitions after the Museum<br />
re-opens. Loans may be<br />
impacted by the Covid 19 health<br />
emergency. The accompanying<br />
book, published by Thames &<br />
Hudson in collaboration with the<br />
British Museum, will be available<br />
when the exhibition opens.<br />
Check britishmuseum.org for the<br />
updated opening details.<br />
Clockwise, from<br />
above:<br />
Andrew Qappik<br />
(b. 1964, Inuit,<br />
Pangnirtung,<br />
Nunavut,<br />
Canada), There’s<br />
Another One.<br />
Coloured stencil<br />
drawing, 2012.<br />
© Andrew Qappik;<br />
Child’s all-in-one<br />
suit made of<br />
caribou fur. Inuit,<br />
Igloolik, Nunavut,<br />
Canada. 1980s.<br />
© Trustees of the<br />
British Museum;<br />
Ivory model<br />
sled with dogs,<br />
Northeast Siberia,<br />
Russia. © The<br />
Trustees of the<br />
British Museum.<br />
44 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 45
TRAVEL<br />
This page:<br />
Guests on a Viking<br />
Longship enjoy a<br />
closer view of the<br />
castles lining the<br />
Rhine River near<br />
the town of Kaub,<br />
in Germany<br />
Tour de<br />
FORCE<br />
Lisa Small discovers stunning<br />
architecture, delicious cuisine and vibrant<br />
culture on a Grand European Tour<br />
To get to the very heart of<br />
some of Europe’s most<br />
beautiful and historic<br />
cities there is perhaps no<br />
better way to travel than by river, as<br />
I discovered with great pleasure on<br />
my glorious Grand European Tour<br />
voyage with Viking. Just the name<br />
of the cruise was enough to stir my<br />
romantic sensibilities, conjuring<br />
up images of days gone by when<br />
wealthy young men embarked on<br />
a two-year Grand Tour of Europe<br />
in search of great enlightenment,<br />
education and inspiration.<br />
I too was hoping for all those<br />
things from my 15-day adventure<br />
exploring the cities, towns and<br />
diverse landscapes that line the<br />
banks of the Rhine, Main and<br />
Danube rivers. And I wasn’t<br />
disappointed. In fact, by the end of<br />
my journey I had gained so much<br />
more, including new friends, more<br />
luggage and a few extra pounds.<br />
Isn’t that the mark of a good trip?<br />
River cruising really is a different<br />
way of seeing the world. Every day<br />
brings new scenery and exciting<br />
destinations, from ancient rural<br />
towns to thriving cosmopolitan<br />
cities; vineyard-covered hills to<br />
mountainous forests watched over<br />
by crumbling fairy-tale castles.<br />
River cruise ships are so much<br />
smaller than ocean liners, but this<br />
means they can transport you right<br />
into the very centre of the city and<br />
moor up, putting all the sights<br />
and attractions within walking<br />
distance of your floating hotel.<br />
When you’re docked somewhere<br />
overnight, it makes it really easy to<br />
spend more time getting to know a<br />
place on your own – and the staff<br />
on board are great with directions,<br />
so I was never afraid of getting<br />
lost or missing out on a wonderful<br />
opportunity that came my way.<br />
The Viking Longship might<br />
have been smaller compared to<br />
its ocean-going cousins, but it<br />
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK<br />
46 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 47
TRAVEL<br />
was actually surprisingly spacious<br />
once you stepped on board. The<br />
lovely Sun Deck was a great place<br />
to sit and soak up the scenery with<br />
a glass of something chilled, the<br />
comfortable and surprisingly airy<br />
lounge was where it all happened<br />
before and after dinner and as for<br />
my stateroom…well it was more<br />
like a hotel room.<br />
Arriving in Amsterdam, the<br />
thought of a whole 15 days<br />
stretching ahead of me seemed like<br />
a deliciously long time, though I<br />
wanted to be sure to do justice to<br />
the rich history and culture of The<br />
Netherlands, Germany, Austria and<br />
Hungary. There’s something about<br />
being on the river, about gliding<br />
silently through the countryside,<br />
that is truly relaxing and feels a<br />
million miles from home and work.<br />
Life happens at a much slower pace<br />
somehow, despite being able to take<br />
so much of Europe in.<br />
I don’t know how Viking does it,<br />
but it really does work.<br />
Our adventure started on the<br />
Rhine with a tour of the charming<br />
17th-century streets and canals<br />
of old Amsterdam. I had visited<br />
From left to<br />
right: Majestic<br />
houses reflect in<br />
the canal waters<br />
in Amsterdam;<br />
watch the sunrise<br />
over a spot of<br />
breakfast on the<br />
Aquavit Terrace<br />
It doesn’t matter how far you have travelled...<br />
nothing quite prepares you for the jaw-dropping<br />
natural beauty of the Middle Rhine<br />
PHOTOS: ©ISTOCK<br />
BENEDICTINE TREASURES<br />
Melk Abbey, perched on dramatic cliffs high<br />
above the Danube, is perhaps the most graceful<br />
landmark of the Wachau Valley. The interior of the<br />
Abbey’s church is a kaleidoscope of red, orange<br />
and gold, and a highlight is the Imperial Staircase<br />
which leads off the impressive library.<br />
the city before, but this time there<br />
was something really special about<br />
being on the water and a real part<br />
of the whole city scene. Whilst in<br />
The Netherlands, we went to see<br />
the famous Kinderdijk windmills.<br />
It was a great opportunity to take<br />
some photographs and learn more<br />
about why these brilliant structures<br />
formed such an integral part of<br />
the Dutch landscape, which is<br />
criss-crossed with waterways.<br />
The Rhine continued its<br />
natural course into Germany and<br />
we went with it, spending the<br />
next eight fantastic days cruising<br />
through some of Europe’s most<br />
utterly breathtaking scenery, all<br />
while making the most of Viking’s<br />
wonderful hospitality, excellent<br />
facilities and delicious food.<br />
It doesn’t matter how old you<br />
get, or how far you have travelled<br />
across the many countries of the<br />
world, nothing quite prepares you<br />
for the jaw-dropping natural beauty<br />
of the Middle Rhine. Dramatic<br />
cliffs, hilltop castles straight from<br />
the pages of Sleeping Beauty and<br />
quaint riverside towns boasting<br />
gabled houses and cobbled squares<br />
really do still exist in this magical<br />
land that time appears to have<br />
forgotten. It’s a place I, and my<br />
fellow travellers, will certainly<br />
not forget in a hurry.<br />
Sharing the experiences of each<br />
day with other guests on board<br />
48 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 49
TRAVEL<br />
was one of the lovely things about<br />
my cruise. I met some wonderful,<br />
like-minded people and thanks<br />
to the intimacy of our Viking<br />
Longship, I had the opportunity to<br />
enjoy their friendly and interesting<br />
company throughout the voyage.<br />
There were no fixed seating plans<br />
at dinner so we were free to share<br />
the fabulous food and conversation<br />
with different people on different<br />
nights, which kept the atmosphere<br />
really informal and gave everyone<br />
the opportunity to meet and get<br />
to know new people.<br />
Other notable German<br />
highlights for me were stopping<br />
off for a beer in Germany’s oldest<br />
inn – ‘The Inn of the Giant’ – in<br />
Miltenberg; seeing the magnificent<br />
I had a glass of wine in my hand, and was looking<br />
up at the inky black night sky, illuminated by a thousand<br />
stars, as we sailed into beautiful Budapest<br />
WINDMILLS OF<br />
KINDERDIJK<br />
Much of this part of The<br />
Netherlands is actually below sea<br />
level. As the original technological<br />
marvels of historic Kinderdijk, these<br />
19 windmills have been designated<br />
a UNESCO World Heritage Site.<br />
Built in the mid-18th century, these<br />
structures stand like sentinels on<br />
a hushed landscape.<br />
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK<br />
Clockwise,<br />
from above:<br />
The rooftops of<br />
beautiful Vienna;<br />
the Hungarian<br />
Parliament is a<br />
sight to behold on<br />
the Danube; dining<br />
with a view is one<br />
of the benefits of<br />
sailing with Viking<br />
frescoes in the Bishop’s Residenz in<br />
Würzburg; tucking into sausages<br />
and sauerkraut at the Old Sausage<br />
Kitchen in Regensburg and<br />
shopping for gingerbread and<br />
pink pepper chocolate in Passau.<br />
Once on the Danube, we sailed<br />
into Austria where we encountered<br />
countless ‘camera-ready’ moments<br />
between Melk and Krems and a<br />
fabulous tour of the culturally rich<br />
and history-packed capital, Vienna.<br />
The end of this most memorable<br />
of journeys was marked by a<br />
moment I will cherish forever...<br />
standing out on the top deck of our<br />
Longship, there was music playing<br />
gently in the background, I had<br />
a glass of wine in my hand,<br />
and was looking up at the inky<br />
black night sky, illuminated by<br />
a thousand twinkling stars, as<br />
we sailed into the beautiful and<br />
historic city of Budapest. It was a<br />
truly magical experience and an<br />
absolutely wonderful way to end<br />
our 15-day adventure cruising<br />
through Europe’s majestic and<br />
enthralling waterways.<br />
A 15-day 2022 Grand European<br />
Tour river cruise, sailing from<br />
Amsterdam to Budapest, starts<br />
from £2,895pp.<br />
50 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 51
ITINERARY<br />
ITINERARY<br />
Spirit<br />
of the north<br />
This illuminating cruise combines epic scenery<br />
and snow-dusted landscapes with Sámi legends<br />
and rock carvings<br />
Clockwise,<br />
from top left:<br />
colourful houses<br />
in UNESCO-listed<br />
Bryggen wharf,<br />
in Bergen; the<br />
Sámi have herded<br />
reindeer for<br />
centuries; the<br />
Arctic Cathedral<br />
is one of Norway’s<br />
landmarks<br />
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK<br />
DAY 1 / LONDON<br />
Arrive in Tilbury, London, and take some time to settle<br />
into the ship – your home for the next 13 days.<br />
DAY 2 / CRUISE THE NORTH SEA<br />
Setting sail for the North Sea, you’ll have ample time to<br />
learn about this vast body of water and its importance<br />
throughout history, as well as take in panoramic views.<br />
DAY 3 / STAVANGER, NORWAY<br />
You’ll have a day to explore the old town, Gamle<br />
Stavanger, known for its charming cobbled walkways<br />
and white wooden buildings. You might also like<br />
to cruise along the Lysefjord to spot the remarkable<br />
Preikestolen rock or visit the museum for some history.<br />
DAY 4 / CRUISE THE NORWEGIAN SEA<br />
Cruising the Norwegian Sea to your next port of call,<br />
you’ll have lots of time to make the most of your ship’s<br />
amenities, from The Spa to the Scandinavian eateries.<br />
DAY 5 / BODØ, NORWAY<br />
Lying just north of the Arctic Circle is Bodø, a city<br />
rebuilt after experiencing unprecedented destruction<br />
in World War II. From here you’ll be able to enjoy<br />
an included tour to see the Customs House, the<br />
Norwegian Aviation Museum and Gothic Bodø<br />
Cathedral with its dramatic 36-metre clock tower.<br />
DAYS 6 & 7 / TROMSØ, NORWAY<br />
Your next port of call is the northern city and island of<br />
Tromsø with its quaint historic centre and surrounding<br />
snowcapped peaks. Be sure to visit its Arctic Cathedral,<br />
famed for its striking triangular shape. Another<br />
highlight is the Tromsø Wilderness Centre, while a<br />
once-in-a-lifetime glacier trek to discover Norway’s<br />
wilderness is the perfect way to spend day two here.<br />
DAY 8 / ALTA, NORWAY<br />
Spend the next two days on the shores of Altafjord,<br />
the gateway to the Arctic and a great place to spot the<br />
northern lights. You can also visit rock carvings telling<br />
stories of Norwegian culture, something you can learn<br />
more about at the Alta Museum, or take a trip to the<br />
Northern Lights Cathedral with its flame-like steeple.<br />
DAY 10 / NARVIK, NORWAY<br />
Narvik is situated on the innermost shores of Ofotfjord<br />
and enjoys a dramatic backdrop of mountains and a<br />
huge glacier that tumbles right down to the water’s<br />
edge. <strong>Explore</strong> the Polar Park, where you can spot Arctic<br />
wolves in their natural habitat as well as other wildlife.<br />
DAY 11 / CRUISE THE NORWEGIAN SEA<br />
After departing from Narvik, you’ll have another chance<br />
to discover your ship’s highlights. Try out the Viking Art<br />
App installed on your mobile device, where you can<br />
learn all about the Scandinavian-inspired art on board.<br />
DAYS 12 & 13 / BERGEN, NORWAY<br />
Be greeted in Bergen by UNESCO-listed Bryggen wharf,<br />
a harbour lined with cute 18th-century houses. Spend<br />
your last night on board before returning home.<br />
The 13-day 2022 In Search of the Northern Lights<br />
trip around Norway starts at £3,990pp.<br />
52 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SPRING <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 53
BOOK CLUB<br />
Viking<br />
JOIN OUR<br />
BOOK CLUB<br />
BOOK CLUB<br />
Here we select a few of our favourite books…<br />
www.vikingrivercruises.co.uk/why-viking/community/book-club<br />
THE MUSEUM<br />
OF BROKEN<br />
PROMISES BY<br />
ELIZABETH<br />
BUCHAN<br />
Atlantic Books,<br />
£14.99<br />
Split between<br />
modern day Paris<br />
and Prague in<br />
the heady summer of 1985, the<br />
narrative follows Laure who, today,<br />
owns and curates her own museum<br />
in the French capital. Every object<br />
has been donated – a cake tin,<br />
a wedding veil, a baby’s show.<br />
And each represents a moment of<br />
grief or betrayal. Yet hidden away<br />
are artefacts from Laure’s own<br />
painful youth – secrets that hint at<br />
her brush with life with dissident<br />
politics behind the Iron Curtain.<br />
As Laure faces up to the love<br />
that has shaped her life, the novel<br />
also reveals some of the darkest<br />
moments in European history.<br />
OLD GLORY:<br />
AN AMERICAN<br />
VOYAGE BY<br />
JONATHAN<br />
RABAN<br />
Eland Publishing,<br />
£14.99<br />
Ever since<br />
reading The<br />
Adventures of<br />
Huckleberry Finn as a seven year<br />
old, British author Jonathan Raban<br />
dreamt of navigating the waters<br />
of the Mississippi in a spartan 16ft<br />
motorboat. Thirty years later, in the<br />
late 1970s, he turned his childhood<br />
dream into a reality to create this<br />
masterpiece of contemporary<br />
American travel writing.<br />
During the course of his voyage,<br />
Raban records all the mercurial<br />
caprices of the river and the varied<br />
lives of the people who live along<br />
its banks, all with a dose of wry<br />
humour. He is an expert observer<br />
of the hospitality, energy and<br />
charm of America’s heartland as he<br />
finds himself, at times, vulnerable,<br />
curious, angry and foolishly in love<br />
THE SHADOW<br />
OF THE WIND<br />
BY CARLOS<br />
RUIZ ZAFÓN<br />
Orion Publishing<br />
Co, £8.99<br />
Hidden in the<br />
heart of the old<br />
city of Barcelona<br />
is the ‘Cemetery<br />
of Lost Books’, where a man brings<br />
his 10-year-old son Daniel one cold<br />
morning in 1945. He is allowed to<br />
choose one book from the shelves<br />
and pulls out ‘The Shadow of the<br />
Wind’ by Julian Carax.<br />
As he grows up, several people<br />
seem inordinately interested in his<br />
find, igniting Daniel to launch his<br />
own investigation into the author’s<br />
life. What begins as curiosity soon<br />
turns into a race to find out the<br />
truth behind the life and death of<br />
Julian Carax. This stunning literary<br />
thriller will have you hooked.<br />
GALÁPAGOS<br />
BY KURT<br />
VONNEGUT<br />
HarperCollins,<br />
£8.99<br />
This madcap<br />
classic takes<br />
readers back<br />
one million<br />
years to 1986.<br />
The plot follows a mismatched<br />
cast of characters who set off on<br />
holiday to the fictional island of<br />
Santa Rosalia in the Galápagos<br />
archipelago. When an apocalypse<br />
then ensues, a small group of<br />
survivors end up stranded on<br />
Santa Rosalia and find themselves<br />
the progenitors of a brand new<br />
and totally transformed human<br />
race – think thick fur, flipper-like<br />
hands and streamlined skulls.<br />
Full of Vonnegut’s trademark<br />
satire, dark humour and originality,<br />
his 11th novel questions the merit<br />
of the human brain from an<br />
evolutionary point of view as he<br />
uses Darwin’s theory to reach his<br />
conclusions and reveal all that is<br />
worth saving in the world.<br />
THE BAT BY<br />
JO NESBO<br />
Vintage<br />
Publishing, £8.99<br />
The first in the<br />
bestselling Harry<br />
Hole series, this<br />
thriller transports<br />
Nordic noir to<br />
sunny Sydney.<br />
Following the murder of a young<br />
Norwegian backpacker, Harry is<br />
sent to Australia to investigate, and<br />
soon unearths a string of unsolved<br />
murders and disappearances.<br />
Nothing will stop the detective<br />
from finding out the truth and the<br />
hunt for a serial killer is on, but the<br />
murderer will talk only to Harry.<br />
The evocation of Australia itself<br />
has Nesbo’s customary expertise<br />
in this addictive read as the stellar<br />
plot keeps readers guessing until<br />
the final pages.<br />
A THEATRE<br />
FOR<br />
DREAMERS<br />
BY POLLY<br />
SAMSON<br />
Bloomsbury<br />
Publishing,<br />
£14.99<br />
Escape to<br />
Greece in<br />
this new novel about the stormy<br />
undercurrents of an idyllic artist<br />
community on the island of Hydra.<br />
Living tangled lives, the group of<br />
poets, painters and musicians are<br />
ruled by the writers Charmian Clift<br />
and George Johnston, troubled<br />
king and queen of bohemia.<br />
Forming within this circle is a<br />
triangle: the magnetic, destructive<br />
writer Axel Jensen, his dazzling<br />
wife Marianne Ihlen, and a young<br />
Canadian poet named Leonard<br />
Cohen. Into their midst arrives<br />
teenage Eric who, settling on the<br />
periphery, watches, entranced and<br />
disquieted, as paradise unravels.<br />
The spellbinding book is a tale<br />
of innocence lost and the wars<br />
waged between men and women<br />
on the battlegrounds of genius.<br />
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK<br />
54 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 55
TRAVEL<br />
A CITY<br />
to savour<br />
Cassie Wilcox celebrates the rich history,<br />
forward-thinking spirit and culinary culture of the<br />
welcoming French city of Lyon<br />
PHOTOS: © ALAMY / ISTOCK / AWL<br />
Divided by two rivers,<br />
the Saône and Rhône,<br />
Lyon’s topography first<br />
attracted the Romans,<br />
who founded the city’s predecessor,<br />
Lugdunum, on the steep slopes of<br />
Fourvière Hill in 43BC. Today, the<br />
basilica-crowned hill offers pretty<br />
views over the terracotta roofs of<br />
Vieux-Lyon (the Old Town), one<br />
of the world’s largest Renaissance<br />
neighbourhoods.<br />
From Fourvière, you can walk<br />
(or take the funicular) downhill to<br />
the cobbled Croix-Rousse district<br />
in Vieux-Lyon and explore its<br />
warren of traboules – passages and<br />
tunnels created through houses and<br />
courtyards to offer silk workers a<br />
shortcut to market. And silk has<br />
had a key role to play in Lyon’s<br />
economy and culinary traditions.<br />
Lyon boasts many titles, such<br />
as the silk capital and the ancient<br />
capital of the Gauls. But its most<br />
famous is the capital of gastronomy.<br />
The city’s culinary heritage is the<br />
legacy of its mères, mothers who,<br />
when dismissed from the homes<br />
of bourgeois families during<br />
the economic crisis of 1929, set<br />
up their own restaurants called<br />
bouchons. Here, silk workers sat<br />
alongside businessmen and dined<br />
on simple, hearty dishes, washed<br />
down with a carafe of Beaujolais or<br />
CÔtes du RhÔne.<br />
Pork is a menu staple in Lyon’s<br />
bouchons. Quenelles are another<br />
typical dish; light and airy<br />
dumplings, almost like a soufflé,<br />
made with creamed fish or meat.<br />
For something lighter, try the Salade<br />
Lyonnaise, a green salad with bacon<br />
lardons, croutons, mustard dressing<br />
and a poached egg.<br />
These mères taught many of<br />
Lyon’s now famous chefs, including<br />
Paul Bocuse who went on to<br />
establish his three Michelin-star<br />
restaurant L’Auberge du Pont de<br />
Collonges, and his Lyon brasseries:<br />
Le Nord, L’Ouest, Le Sud and<br />
L’Est, each specialising in a<br />
different region of French cuisine.<br />
In a city of more than 2,000<br />
restaurants, there is no shortage<br />
of innovative chefs and you could<br />
happily spend your days sampling<br />
the many delicious wares available.<br />
At the epicentre of Lyon’s food<br />
culture is Les Halles de Lyon,<br />
the almost mythical indoor food<br />
market, with an international<br />
reputation for selling the finest<br />
produce available, anywhere.<br />
It is an ideal place to taste the<br />
best of French and Lyonnaise<br />
cuisine, with over 50 vendors<br />
selling a vast diversity of produce.<br />
Butchers, charcutiers, fromagers,<br />
pastry chefs and wine specialists<br />
have all set up shop, and once<br />
inside, you can wander around and<br />
enjoy a meal or choose a sampler<br />
plate. Among the culinary treasures<br />
are Lyon’s signature brioches au<br />
pralines, and an extraordinary array<br />
of cheeses made with cow, goat<br />
and sheep’s milk. Chocolates make<br />
a wonderful gift to take home, as<br />
do macarons, in flavours such as<br />
strawberry and tarragon, and lemon<br />
and cassis. One thing is certain, it is<br />
impossible to leave empty handed.<br />
Few things sum up a destination<br />
as honestly as its cuisine and<br />
culinary traditions. Food is at the<br />
heart of every culture. But in Lyon,<br />
food is more than the heart, it is the<br />
very soul of the city.<br />
Viking offers a variety of<br />
excursions in Lyon, including<br />
Flavours of Lyon, on its 8-day<br />
Lyon & Provence river cruise.<br />
2021 & 2022 prices from £1,595pp.<br />
Clockwise, from<br />
above: Al fresco<br />
dining abounds<br />
in Lyon; many of<br />
the historical sites<br />
in Lyon overlook<br />
the two rivers<br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 57
RECIPES<br />
A Taste of France<br />
Conjure up a delightful reminder of French<br />
cuisine with these classic dishes from our<br />
recipe book, The Kitchen Table<br />
French cuisine has long been<br />
the envy of the world. No<br />
matter whether it’s the rich<br />
flavours of the southern<br />
regions, with their Mediterranean<br />
influences, or the country-style<br />
dishes of the north, sophisticated<br />
tastes, elegant presentation and<br />
local produce can be guaranteed.<br />
The recipes below include a classic<br />
Provençal fish stew, coq au vin – a<br />
a hearty, rustic dish with regional<br />
variations across France – and a<br />
traditional French apple tart.<br />
BOUILLABAISSE<br />
TOULONNAISE<br />
Serves 4<br />
INGREDIENTS:<br />
• Olive oil<br />
• 125g (4 ½ oz) fennel, sliced<br />
• 2 red onions, chopped<br />
• 1 tsp sea salt<br />
• 1 tbsp tarragon, chopped<br />
• ½ tsp black pepper<br />
• Fish heads, bones and offcuts<br />
• 1kg (2.2 lb) tomatoes, roughly<br />
chopped<br />
• 2 tbsp tomato purée<br />
• 1 pinch saffron threads<br />
• 1 lemon, juiced<br />
• 2 tbsp butter<br />
FOR THE ROUILLE:<br />
• 3 egg yolks<br />
• Salt and pepper<br />
• ½ lemon, juiced<br />
• Pinch saffron<br />
• Pinch cayenne pepper<br />
• 200ml (6 ¾ fl oz) olive oil<br />
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed<br />
• 200g (7 oz) salmon<br />
• 200g (7 oz) pollock<br />
• 200g (7 oz) monkfish<br />
• 450g (1 lb) mussels, scrubbed,<br />
beards removed<br />
1. To make the broth, heat 4<br />
tablespoons of olive oil in a large<br />
pan over a medium heat. Add the<br />
fennel and cook for 3 to 4 minutes<br />
without it colouring, then add the<br />
red onion, sea salt, tarragon and<br />
black pepper.<br />
2. Add the fish bones and offcuts<br />
and the tomatoes, then cover with<br />
water. Bring to a simmer, skimming<br />
off any residue that rises to the<br />
surface. Add the tomato purée and<br />
saffron and bring back to a simmer.<br />
Cook for about 1 ½ hours, or until<br />
it has reduced by about a third.<br />
3. Sieve the broth, pressing down<br />
the contents of the sieve with a<br />
ladle to extract as much liquid as<br />
possible, then add the lemon juice<br />
and whisk in the butter. Check the<br />
seasoning, then cool and refrigerate.<br />
4. To make the rouille, whisk the<br />
egg yolks with the seasoning,<br />
lemon juice, saffron and cayenne<br />
pepper. Slowly add the oil in a thin<br />
stream, whisking continuously,<br />
then stir in the garlic. Add a little<br />
warm water if it is too thick. Set<br />
aside until needed.<br />
5. Bring the reserved broth up<br />
to a simmer, then add all the fish.<br />
Poach until just tender, adding the<br />
firmest fillets first, then remove<br />
and place on a serving platter.<br />
Ladel over the broth. Serve with<br />
the rouille on the side and some<br />
garlic croutons.<br />
Above:<br />
Bouilleabaisse was<br />
first created by<br />
French fisherman<br />
with unwanted fish<br />
from their catch<br />
58 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 59
Front cover: “Traveling Tomatoes”<br />
photographed by Karine in the<br />
Umbrian Countryside<br />
COOKERY AND TRAVEL €20<br />
2 nd Edition<br />
RECIPES<br />
COQ AU VIN<br />
SERVES 6<br />
INGREDIENTS:<br />
• 2 tbsp plain (all purpose) flour<br />
• 1 large chicken, jointed<br />
• 2 tbsp butter<br />
• 125g (4 ½ oz) bacon lardons<br />
• 1 medium onion, chopped<br />
• 1 medium carrot, chopped<br />
• 1 bottle full-bodied red wine<br />
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced<br />
• 1 tsp sugar<br />
• 1 bouquet garni (bundle of<br />
parsley, bay leaves and thyme)<br />
• Olive oil<br />
• 225g (8 oz) baby onions, peeled<br />
• 225g (8 oz) small button<br />
mushrooms, trimmed<br />
• Small bunch of fresh parsley<br />
From kitchens around the world, join Karine Hagen on<br />
her journeys as she explores dishes that represent some of<br />
our world’s most interesting destinations. From our kitchen<br />
tables to yours, we invite you to broaden your culinary<br />
horizons and cultural insights, and learn how simple and<br />
fun it is to recreate foreign flavors at home.<br />
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK<br />
The Kitchen Table A CULINARY JOURNEY AROUND THE WORLD<br />
METHOD:<br />
1. Season the flour generously,<br />
then toss the chicken pieces in the<br />
seasoned flour until well coated.<br />
2. In a heavy-based casserole pot,<br />
melt a tablespoon of the butter. Fry<br />
the chicken pieces, turning around<br />
until they are golden brown.<br />
Remove the chicken pieces and set<br />
aside. Add in the bacon, onion and<br />
carrot and fry for around 5 minutes.<br />
3. Pour in the wine, de-glazing the<br />
pan and scraping any caramelised<br />
bits stuck to the bottom. Add the<br />
chicken back in along with the<br />
garlic, sugar and bouquet garni.<br />
Cover and simmer for an hour.<br />
4. Before serving, melt another<br />
tablespoon of butter in a frying<br />
pan along with a tablespoon of<br />
olive oil. Add in the baby onions<br />
and mushrooms, season with salt<br />
and pepper and fry until golden.<br />
Stir in to the chicken.<br />
5. Remove the bouquet garni<br />
and garnish the coq au vin with<br />
chopped fresh parsley. Serve<br />
straight from the casserole.<br />
The<br />
Kitchen<br />
Table<br />
A CULINARY JOURNEY AROUND THE WORLD<br />
THE KITCHEN TABLE<br />
Join Viking’s Karine Hagen<br />
as she explores dishes that<br />
represent some of the world’s<br />
most interesting destinations.<br />
All recipes included here<br />
are featured in The Kitchen<br />
Table, which is now available<br />
to view on Viking.TV<br />
TARTE FINE<br />
AUX POMMES<br />
SERVES 6<br />
INGREDIENTS:<br />
• Plain (all purpose) flour, for<br />
dusting<br />
• 320g (11 ¼ oz) all-butter puff<br />
pastry<br />
• 4-6 apples<br />
• 1 lemon<br />
• 2 tbsp butter<br />
• 4 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar<br />
METHOD:<br />
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/<br />
400°F. On a flour-dusted surface,<br />
roll out the pastry as thinly as you<br />
can (around 3-5mm is ideal) and<br />
cut out a 22cm circle using an<br />
upturned cake tin or plate as a<br />
template. Place on a baking sheet<br />
lined with baking paper and chill in<br />
the refrigerator until you’re ready<br />
to assemble the tart.<br />
2. Peel, core and thinly slice the<br />
apples. To prevent them going<br />
brown, place in a bowl of cold<br />
water with a squeeze of lemon.<br />
3. Arrange the apple slices in<br />
overlapping, concentric circles<br />
around the pastry base, leaving<br />
a small border. In a small<br />
saucepan, melt the butter<br />
and 3 tbsp sugar together and<br />
brush generously all over the<br />
apples and pastry border.<br />
4. Bake for 20 minutes, then<br />
brush again with the butter and<br />
sugar mixture and dust with the<br />
remaining tablespoon of sugar.<br />
Bake for another 5-10 minutes,<br />
or until golden on top. Serve at<br />
room temperature.<br />
60 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 61
OCEANS<br />
The<br />
NORWEGIAN SEA<br />
To celebrate World Oceans Day in June, we bring to life<br />
the geography, resources and discoveries<br />
related to this northern ocean<br />
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK<br />
If you pulled Norway’s crinkled<br />
coastline out into a straight<br />
line, it would circle the<br />
planet two and a half times.<br />
From north to south, the country<br />
measures less than 1,100 miles, but<br />
its coastline is a huge 63,000 miles<br />
of fjords, bays and island shores.<br />
This glorious natural wonder<br />
was shaped during the last Ice Age<br />
when glaciers several miles high<br />
pushed into the land, resulting in<br />
dramatic soaring peaks, like those<br />
seen on the Lofoten Islands.<br />
A RICH SOURCE OF FOOD<br />
Stretching out into the Norwegian<br />
Sea, the remote Lofoten archipelago<br />
shows off the sculpting power of<br />
nature. The islands are home to the<br />
world’s greatest cod harvest. Each<br />
winter, the icy Arctic Ocean meets<br />
the Gulf Stream, attracting Arctic<br />
cod from the Barents Sea. These<br />
relatively warm waters are why the<br />
sea here remains ice-free all year.<br />
Tørrfisk or stockfish is dried and<br />
salted fish (usually cod), made in<br />
Norway for centuries. Traditionally<br />
dried outdoors by the wind and sun<br />
as a way to preserve nutrients, row<br />
upon row of fish hang on wooden<br />
racks along the shores of Lofoten,<br />
as it has done for 500 years.<br />
These waters are also rich in<br />
herring, and the abundance of fish<br />
in turn attracts an abundance of<br />
other animals. Minke, humpback,<br />
sei and orca come to feed, while the<br />
cries of puffin, kittiwake, gannets,<br />
gulls and guillemot pierce the sky.<br />
Until the 20th century, the<br />
coast was sparsely populated,<br />
although the coastal Sámi, who first<br />
colonised the land, have been living<br />
here for up to 4,000 years.<br />
BEYOND THE HORIZON<br />
From the deck of a ship, you sense<br />
a timelessness about the land,<br />
which is both wild and resilient.<br />
You can understand the pull of<br />
the sea that Norwegian explorers<br />
like Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof<br />
Nansen felt. For many years, the<br />
Norwegian Sea was thought to<br />
be the edge of the known world.<br />
To sail across the sea was an act<br />
of daring. It was also a great<br />
achievement of navigation.<br />
By the eighth century, the only<br />
European seafarers to dare sail<br />
far enough to lose sight of land<br />
were the Vikings. Waiting for<br />
favourable winds, and armed with<br />
plenty of provisions (like stockfish)<br />
they ventured in all directions,<br />
to create new settlements and<br />
forge new trading routes. They<br />
navigated by the position of the<br />
stars, and the sun. West, towards<br />
the sunset, meant they were headed<br />
for England; east (towards the<br />
sunrise) meant home to Norway.<br />
Symbolic of the Viking age, the<br />
Viking longships were sophisticated<br />
beyond their time, recognised,<br />
respected and imitated the world<br />
Opposite:<br />
Traditional homes<br />
perch on wooden<br />
stilts in the<br />
Lofoten Islands<br />
62 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 63
OCEANS<br />
TRAVEL<br />
Clockwise, from top left: A sperm<br />
whale breaches the Norwegian<br />
waters; fish dries on wooden racks<br />
along the coast; sea travel has always<br />
been vital to the Norwegian way of<br />
life; seagulls soar over the fjords; a<br />
traditional Viking ship; the Lofoten<br />
Islands attract thousands of puffins<br />
each year; the archipelago wows with<br />
its snow-capped mountain backdrop;<br />
Stavanger’s pretty old town<br />
over. Built not for comfort but for<br />
speed, agility and endurance, the<br />
ships’ innovative design allowed<br />
the Vikings unparalleled access to<br />
lands beyond their own.<br />
Exploration is part of the<br />
Norwegian DNA. By exploring<br />
beyond the horizon, Norwegians<br />
have mastered the sea and, in<br />
turn, depend on it for transport,<br />
resources and trade. The 14th<br />
century was Norway’s Golden<br />
Age, a time of peace and growing<br />
international trade with Britain and<br />
Germany. This period of trade was<br />
controlled by the Hanseatic League<br />
who established a trading centre<br />
in Bergen. On Bergen’s Bryggen<br />
(wharf) the preserved buildings<br />
of the Hanseatic League are a<br />
World Heritage Site and serve as<br />
a reminder of the country’s<br />
enduring link to the sea.<br />
OIL EXPLORATION<br />
Today, the most important product<br />
of the Norwegian Sea is not fish,<br />
but oil and gas. Oil was first found<br />
in the Norwegian sector of the<br />
North Sea in 1969 and by 1990<br />
the country was Europe’s largest<br />
oil producer. By 2000, oil and<br />
gas production accounted for 20<br />
percent of Norway’s economy, and<br />
it had become one of the world’s<br />
most prosperous countries. The oil<br />
industry not only created jobs in<br />
production, but also in the supply<br />
chain and technology.<br />
To sail the Norwegian Sea is<br />
to witness life along an eons-old<br />
coastline that is as mesmerising as<br />
the sea itself. Under the dusky<br />
light of the midnight sun or<br />
the mid-winter blanket of<br />
darkness, the coast reveals tiny<br />
settlements in sheltered hills that<br />
appear unchanged through time.<br />
The cities along the coast, from<br />
Bergen to Tromsø and, in the far<br />
north, Honningsvåg, were built<br />
on fishing, trade and exploration<br />
and they wear their heritage<br />
proudly. Wooden buildings from<br />
the 17th and 18th centuries line<br />
the harbour, where the fish markets<br />
sell the day’s catch. Deep, yawning<br />
fjords, offer a route inland to<br />
mountains and glaciers.<br />
Many countries have a history<br />
and culture firmly anchored to<br />
the sea. None more so than the<br />
people of Norway.<br />
Above: Fishing<br />
boats docked<br />
in Henningsvær,<br />
a village in the<br />
Lofoten Islands<br />
64 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 65
TRAVEL<br />
Vienna<br />
Old and new fuse beautifully in Vienna, where<br />
classical music, Sigmund Freud and baroque sit<br />
alongside hipster coffee shops, cutting-edge<br />
cuisine and an artsy bohemian vibe<br />
In Vienna, you feel the<br />
weight of the Imperial City’s<br />
important history at every<br />
turn, with its impressive<br />
palaces, Baroque ballrooms and<br />
opulent opera houses, which<br />
still uphold the grand traditions.<br />
When the Habsburg monarchy,<br />
who reigned in the 16th century,<br />
brought their wealth and influence<br />
to Vienna, the city was put on the<br />
map for its ornate Baroque style.<br />
Then came the musical and artistic<br />
pioneers; it’s no coincidence that<br />
four of the top classical musicians<br />
in the world – Beethoven, Mozart,<br />
Strauss and Haydn – lived in<br />
Vienna, as did Sigmund Freud,<br />
and artists Schiele and Klimt.<br />
Today the historic centre still<br />
draws crowds, and rightly so. The<br />
impressive Gothic St. Stephen’s<br />
Cathedral is seen as the symbol of<br />
Vienna with its tower stretching<br />
heavenwards for 136 metres. Don’t<br />
miss the eerie, dimly lit catacombs<br />
studded with skulls. Nearby the<br />
high-baroque Winter Palace borders<br />
Ringstrasse, the 19th-century<br />
boulevard that is home to many of<br />
Vienna's best-known sights, such<br />
as the Imperial Palace, the Vienna<br />
State Opera and Parliament.<br />
However, Vienna is so much<br />
more than its rich past. Today it’s a<br />
bold and vibrant capital city. You’ll<br />
find maverick artists experimenting<br />
with street art along the banks of<br />
the Danube River and museums<br />
packed with Old Masters and<br />
imperial art, as well as showing<br />
exhibitions by contemporary talent<br />
such as Rachel Whiteread. Hip<br />
new coffee shops sit happily beside<br />
Kaffeehaus, and new architecture<br />
breathes fresh air into the city,<br />
including Zaha Hadid’s modernist<br />
library. To get the best out of<br />
Vienna its crucial to take in both<br />
of its equally enthralling sides.<br />
Don’t miss<br />
•MuseumsQuartier at the Imperial<br />
Stables is Vienna’s largest art<br />
complex housing an astonishing<br />
ten museums. Look out for Art<br />
Nouveau heroes Klimt and Schiele.<br />
•Coffee and cake is a Viennese<br />
institution. Fuel up at traditional<br />
Vollpension café or try innovative<br />
das Möbel, where design pieces<br />
from its showroom are on display.<br />
•Follow the locals in summer and<br />
spend time on the Danube. There’s<br />
a hop-on-hop-off boat, bicycles to<br />
hire or simply stroll along the river.<br />
•Take a whirl on Vienna’s vintage<br />
Ferris wheel, the oldest in the<br />
world. Reserve a private cabin for a<br />
candlelit dinner to accompany the<br />
stunning Vienna skyline.<br />
Clockwise, from<br />
this image:<br />
Vienna's Baroque<br />
Belvedere Palace;<br />
the elegant<br />
surroundings<br />
of the Café<br />
Sacher Wien<br />
•Visit Vienna’s summer palace,<br />
Schönbrunn, with its elaborate<br />
Rococo interior spread throughout<br />
1,440 rooms. Linger in the<br />
wonderfully landscaped park to<br />
explore the maze and fountains.<br />
Fast Facts<br />
•Pez, the colourful sweetie<br />
dispensers beloved by children,<br />
were invented in Vienna in 1927.<br />
•Every year from New Year’s Eve to<br />
Easter is Viennese Ball Season, and<br />
over 450 balls take place during this<br />
period of time resulting in more<br />
than 2,000 hours of dancing.<br />
•In 2018, Vienna was crowned the<br />
most liveable city in the world.<br />
•The dazzling roof of St. Stephen’s<br />
Cathedral features 230,000 glazed<br />
mosaic tiles arranged in various<br />
patterns including a double-headed<br />
eagle – the symbol of the Austrian<br />
empire when it was ruled by<br />
the Habsburg dynasty.<br />
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK/AWL IMAGES<br />
Insider Tips<br />
GREAT MUSICIANS<br />
Enjoy classical music at<br />
traditional concert hall<br />
Musikverein, then retrace<br />
the footsteps of composers<br />
such as Beethoven, Strauss,<br />
Haydn and Mozart by visiting<br />
the houses they once lived<br />
in around Vienna.<br />
MARKET FINDS<br />
Spend an afternoon at<br />
Vienna’s multi-cultural food<br />
and flea market. Known as<br />
Naschmarkt, it spans over a<br />
mile and there are plenty of<br />
traditional sausage stands<br />
where visitors can stop for<br />
a Bratwurst and a beer.<br />
OPERATIC WONDER<br />
This stunning 1,709-seat<br />
building is the home of the<br />
Vienna State Opera and<br />
features an impressive central<br />
chandelier. It also hosts the<br />
annual Vienna Opera Ball,<br />
which attracts attendees<br />
from all over the world.<br />
HERITAGE HORSES<br />
The Spanish Riding School,<br />
home to the world-famous<br />
Lipizzaner stallions, is based<br />
at the Hofburg, a former<br />
imperial palace. The horses<br />
perform in the opulent<br />
baroque hall, in perfect<br />
unison with their riders.<br />
66 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 67
COLUMN<br />
For the love of books<br />
Books are another window<br />
to the world, and are a<br />
wonderful way to help<br />
minds stay stimulated<br />
during times of isolation. Our<br />
new Viking.TV site hosts a<br />
variety of recommended books<br />
(as well as films and music)<br />
relevant to each itinerary.<br />
ON LOCATION with Karine<br />
A<br />
more appropriate title<br />
to this month’s edition<br />
might be At Home with<br />
Karine, which is, of<br />
course true for all of us. I hope<br />
you are staying well and safe.<br />
These extraordinary times may<br />
have put a pause on travel, but we<br />
are looking at new ways in which<br />
we can stay connected, and share<br />
information – and inspiration – for<br />
when we can once again explore<br />
our wonderful world.<br />
WELCOME TO VIKING TV<br />
At the end of March, we launched<br />
Viking.TV, a new experience<br />
channel designed to be an<br />
uplifting place where we can<br />
all continue to virtually explore<br />
the world together – online.<br />
As well as daily live stream<br />
sessions, you’ll discover lots of<br />
additional programming at your<br />
fingertips on Viking.TV from short<br />
68 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
documentaries to reading lists<br />
and filmographies and classical<br />
music concerts, and much more.<br />
VIKING.TV WEEKLY<br />
SCHEDULE<br />
Museum Mondays<br />
The Munch Museum director,<br />
curator and conservationists<br />
host Museum Mondays behind<br />
closed doors for Privileged<br />
Access to one of the world's<br />
most interesting artists.<br />
Resident Historian Tuesdays<br />
Viking Resident Historians provide<br />
lectures on iconic milestones in<br />
world history and live Q&As.<br />
Arts & Music Wednesdays<br />
World-leading composers,<br />
conductors, photographers,<br />
artists, singers and musicians<br />
share insights into their creative<br />
worlds with you.<br />
Guest Speaker Thursdays<br />
Renowned journalist Anne<br />
Diamond interviews guests<br />
who have led or are leading<br />
extraordinary lives.<br />
At Home at Highclere Fridays<br />
Join the Earl and Countess of<br />
Carnarvon from their home,<br />
Highclere Castle, the historic<br />
country house that is the setting<br />
for the television series and film,<br />
Downton Abbey, every Friday.<br />
Wellness Weekends<br />
Mona Therese takes us through<br />
gentle yoga exercises to balance<br />
the mind and body during these<br />
extraordinary times.<br />
Exploring <strong>More</strong> with Karine<br />
Karine shares some of her<br />
favourite insights into world<br />
cultures through these awardwinning<br />
short documentaries.<br />
Clockwise,<br />
from above:<br />
Karine hosting<br />
Viking.TV at<br />
home; Heywood<br />
Hill bookshop;<br />
Karine gets lost<br />
in a book; inside<br />
Libreria Acqua<br />
Alta in Venice; the<br />
weekly schedule<br />
on Viking.TV<br />
HEYWOOD HILL<br />
One of the world’s leading<br />
literary collectors and influential<br />
booksellers, Heywood Hill,<br />
shares with Viking a curiosity<br />
and interest in the world’s many<br />
fascinating people and places.<br />
Together, we have curated<br />
an exclusive selection of books<br />
to enhance the experiences of<br />
Viking guests on board our ships.<br />
On Viking.TV you can listen to<br />
Heywood Hill Chairman, Nicky<br />
Dunne’s engaging talk entitled<br />
“Confessions of a Bookseller”,<br />
which was so popular that he<br />
returned for another episode<br />
where he interviewed the<br />
proprietor of the shop (and<br />
Nicky’s father-in-law) the Duke<br />
of Devonshire, who gave us<br />
Privileged Access and insights<br />
into his home, Chatsworth<br />
House, one of Britain’s finest<br />
great homes.<br />
DISCOVER TWO OF<br />
MY OTHER FAVOURITE<br />
BOOKSHOPS<br />
When I travel, I love to discover,<br />
sometimes by accident, some of the<br />
more unusual independent bookshops.<br />
These are invariably places where the<br />
owner is passionate about books.<br />
A UNIQUE, PERSONALISED GIFT<br />
Heywood Hill also provides a subscription service for individuals, where<br />
you can gift a year of books to friends and family based on their interests.<br />
I love the idea of book subscriptions, which I gave to my father and other<br />
special people in my life last Christmas, and now they get a surprise book<br />
in the mail every month, tailored to their interests!<br />
Libreria Acqua Alta<br />
This hidden treasure in Venice is<br />
an extraordinary shop run by the<br />
charismatic Luigi Frizzo, who believes<br />
that books “make your soul come<br />
alive”. A book lover’s paradise,<br />
Libreria Acqua Alta is a truly unique<br />
interpretation of what a book store<br />
should be. It reflects Luigi’s playful<br />
spirit and his unwavering passion<br />
for the written word. Libreria Acqua<br />
Alta has an eclectic collection of<br />
nearly 100,000 titles and includes<br />
a staircase made entirely of books!<br />
Shakespeare & Co.<br />
One of my favourite bookshops in the<br />
world is Shakespeare & Co. on Paris’s<br />
Left Bank. This literary haven was<br />
started in 1919 by a formidable woman<br />
and American idealist called Sylvia<br />
Beach, and it soon became a centre<br />
for American<br />
expats like Ernest<br />
Hemingway and<br />
F. Scott Fitzgerald.<br />
After the war,<br />
the bookshop<br />
was bought<br />
by American<br />
writer George<br />
Whitman and<br />
it became<br />
home to what<br />
he called<br />
tumbleweeds; aspiring writers who for<br />
years were able to work and live in the<br />
shop. The second floor is the library<br />
and has a room with beds for the<br />
tumbleweeds, as well as a piano. I’ve<br />
been to Shakespeare & Co. on several<br />
occasions when talented young<br />
pianists have been performing, and<br />
it’s been absolutely magical.<br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 69
TRAVEL<br />
THE RHINE,<br />
river of legends<br />
In the first of a new series looking at the great rivers of<br />
the world, we focus on the Rhine – a waterway that is as<br />
commercially important as it is picturesque<br />
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK<br />
History rarely repeats<br />
itself on the Rhine.<br />
Every town, every<br />
castle, and just about<br />
every rock has its own story to tell.<br />
It’s a river blessed with fairytale<br />
castles, vineyard-strewn hills, deep<br />
forests and picture-book towns.<br />
One that the Romans defined as the<br />
edge of their empire. One where<br />
the Prussians built an innovative<br />
pontoon bridge to stop Napoleon’s<br />
advancing army. And one where,<br />
despite Hitler’s best efforts, US<br />
troops found a bridge still standing<br />
at Remagen, allowing Allied forces<br />
to enter the heart of Europe.<br />
Old Father Rhine, as the<br />
Germans fondly call it, is Europe’s<br />
busiest river, although there is<br />
little sense of this on a sunny day,<br />
drifting slowly past mile after mile<br />
of steep vineyards guarded by<br />
craggy castles and the occassional<br />
sleepy town basking on its banks.<br />
Although the Rhine is generally<br />
associated with Germany, the river<br />
flows through or along the border<br />
of several other countries, including<br />
Austria, Lichtenstein, France and<br />
the Netherlands. The river rises<br />
in the Swiss Alps, making its way<br />
through the great expanse of Lake<br />
Constance, emerging at one end to<br />
cascade 21 metres over the foaming<br />
Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen.<br />
Beyond Basel, the Rhine is<br />
navigable for river cruise vessels,<br />
which sail all the way between here<br />
and Amsterdam. The most famous<br />
(and most beautiful) stretch is the<br />
Romantic Rhine, or the Middle<br />
Rhine, where the river forces<br />
its way through a series of steep<br />
gorges, crossing the hilly heart of<br />
Germany’s wine-growing country.<br />
Beyond the city of Bonn,<br />
the landscape flattens out into<br />
what has become the country’s<br />
industrial heartland, the now<br />
broad and powerful river flowing<br />
through cities such as Cologne and<br />
Düsseldorf before splitting into<br />
several arms in the Netherlands<br />
Clockwise, from<br />
far left: Viking<br />
Mani sails along<br />
the picturesque<br />
Rhine; vineyards<br />
are a common<br />
feature in the hilly<br />
Middle Rhine area<br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 71
TRAVEL<br />
and draining into the North Sea.<br />
Several tributaries feed the<br />
Rhine, among them is the Necker,<br />
overlooked by the quaint university<br />
city of Heidelberg, and the Moselle,<br />
which twists and turns along a<br />
narrow, forest-clad valley.<br />
The Main flows through<br />
Frankfurt, Germany’s financial<br />
powerhouse but with a lovely old<br />
centre, the Römerberg (Roman<br />
Hill), where a series of elegant<br />
patrician houses have been joined<br />
to create the Rathaus (town hall).<br />
Then in nearby Würzburg, the<br />
Bishop’s Residenz is one of Europe’s<br />
finest baroque palaces, with ornate<br />
frescoes and immaculate gardens.<br />
Throughout history, the Rhine<br />
has defined borders and empires.<br />
Caesar’s armies reached what is<br />
now Cologne in 51 BC and built<br />
the first bridge, giving them access<br />
to the right bank and the hostile<br />
territories beyond. The waterway<br />
is dotted with former Roman<br />
settlements, vestiges of which<br />
remain in the form of ancient walls<br />
and watchtowers. By the Middle<br />
Ages, the Rhine was a treacherous<br />
route for sailors; every bend was<br />
guarded by a castle and bribes and<br />
taxes had to be paid to sail past.<br />
Passenger shipping in a much<br />
more civilised form began with the<br />
evolution of the paddle steamer in<br />
1836, returning after the war until<br />
the 1960s, when more modern<br />
hotel ships started to appear.<br />
Shipping on the river changed<br />
forever in 1992 with the opening<br />
of the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal,<br />
an engineering masterpiece that<br />
allowed ships, for the first time, to<br />
sail all the way from the North Sea,<br />
along the Rhine, through the canal<br />
to join the Main, into the Danube<br />
and east to the Black Sea.<br />
There are many highlights of<br />
a Rhine voyage, from the rolling<br />
hills of the Black Forest to the<br />
half-timbered houses and market<br />
squares of Strasbourg, where hours<br />
can be whiled away in a street café,<br />
sampling fruity Alsace wines.<br />
For the length of the Rhine<br />
Gorge, the scenery is dominated<br />
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK<br />
by imposing castles perched on<br />
impossibly sheer rocky outcrops,<br />
each one hiding stories and legends<br />
of dynastic battles and evil-doing.<br />
At St. Goarshausen, the river twists<br />
around jagged rocks in a series<br />
of deep whirlpools; it is here that<br />
the Lorelei nymph, according to<br />
legend, lured sailors to their deaths<br />
with her voice’s haunting beauty.<br />
The pretty little town of<br />
Boppard reveals layer upon layer<br />
of history; here, you can see the<br />
remains of what was once a series<br />
of 28 Roman watchtowers, and<br />
the town’s original medieval gates.<br />
In Cologne, ships moor close<br />
to the heart of the city, which is<br />
dominated by the magnificent<br />
Dom (Cathedral). Bonn and<br />
Düsseldorf, meanwhile, have a<br />
wealth of superb art museums and<br />
some of Germany’s finest shopping.<br />
Amsterdam, the final port on<br />
many Rhine voyages (or the first,<br />
depending on the direction of<br />
the trip), is packed with sights,<br />
from the graceful canals to the<br />
magnificent and newly re-opened<br />
Rijksmuseum, the Anne Frank<br />
House and the Maritime Museum.<br />
Each season on the Rhine has<br />
its own charm. Spring is the time<br />
for admiring the glorious Dutch<br />
bulb fields, swathes of scarlet, blue,<br />
yellow and orange forming vast<br />
stripes across the landscape, and<br />
Keukenhof Gardens putting on a<br />
beautiful display of colours.<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> is the season of festivals,<br />
of long afternoons in riverside beer<br />
gardens and lazy days on deck as<br />
the ship drifts gently through lush<br />
vineyards and sunny meadows.<br />
In autumn, the woodlands in the<br />
Middle and Upper Rhine turn<br />
yellow and gold and the wine<br />
harvest comes in, which is always<br />
a cause for celebration. December<br />
is the season for Advent cruises,<br />
exploring a new Christmas market<br />
every day, shopping for handmade<br />
gifts and sampling mulled wine.<br />
Whatever the time of year, a<br />
voyage along the Rhine is a glimpse<br />
into the way this waterway has<br />
shaped European history.<br />
Clockwise, from<br />
far left: Viking<br />
guests are able to<br />
enjoy lunch whilst<br />
appreciating the<br />
landscape of the<br />
Rhine region;<br />
Strasbourg comes<br />
to life at sunrise<br />
72 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong><br />
SUMMER <strong>2020</strong> | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> 73
TRAVEL<br />
My SYDNEY<br />
Viking’s Cassie Wilcox lived in Sydney for 17 years. She shares<br />
what she loves most about the Australian city<br />
There is so much to love<br />
about Sydney, where<br />
do you start? Perhaps<br />
with Sydney Harbour,<br />
where Viking begins its Australia<br />
& New Zealand voyage.<br />
The most beautiful harbour<br />
in the world (yes, really), I never<br />
tired of gazing at it. Sydney has<br />
grown up around its harbour, bays<br />
and coves, and exploring its pretty<br />
harbourside parks and suburbs is<br />
easy. From Circular Quay next to<br />
Sydney Opera House, catch one of<br />
the little ferries in any direction:<br />
west to Glebe or Balmain, north<br />
to Kirribilli or east to Manly. In<br />
all these places, you can sit on the<br />
waterfront admiring the views or<br />
stop at a café for a coffee break.<br />
Speaking of which, the coffee<br />
in Australia is second to none, no<br />
doubt because of the huge wave of<br />
Italian migrants who now call ‘The<br />
Lucky Country’ home. Food and<br />
drink are a highlight of this city.<br />
The best Italian food I’ve eaten was<br />
here, often in little local restaurants<br />
where Mamma supervises the<br />
kitchen. The same is true for Thai<br />
and Vietnamese cuisine. Again, an<br />
enduring reward of immigration.<br />
Australian chefs are creative, and<br />
make the most of the abundant<br />
fresh produce, including fish and<br />
shellfish. For melt-in-your-mouth<br />
sashimi, visit Sydney Fish Market<br />
in Pyrmont, choose your fish<br />
(tuna is a favourite) and watch the<br />
fishmonger slice it for you before<br />
feasting on it by the harbour. Joy.<br />
Living in Sydney, I never took<br />
for granted the fact that I could<br />
finish work and head to the beach.<br />
There are lots to choose from:<br />
big, small, quiet, busy, surf or<br />
harbourside. My favourite was<br />
Clovelly – a tiny arc of sand framed<br />
by huge rocks in the city’s eastern<br />
suburbs. Bondi is of course the<br />
most iconic and you can explore it<br />
on one of Viking’s optional tours.<br />
Another Viking excursion takes<br />
you to the Blue Mountains, west<br />
of Sydney. Named for the natural<br />
blue haze from the eucalyptus trees<br />
that carpet the region, its lush<br />
forests are staggeringly beautiful,<br />
and offer great walking. I used to<br />
love visiting the Blue Mountains,<br />
especially in wintertime in July<br />
when the weather is cold and they<br />
celebrate Christmas, complete with<br />
a traditional Christmas lunch!<br />
Within the city, the Royal<br />
Botanic Gardens is a wonderful<br />
oasis of plants and trees with<br />
inspiring views over the harbour.<br />
The natural world and the great<br />
outdoors are never far away. This<br />
is a city that has public barbeques<br />
on the beaches and in the parks,<br />
and where dining al fresco is the<br />
norm, not the exception. Maybe<br />
the sunshine is why Sydneysiders<br />
are generally more relaxed and<br />
carefree. That sense of fun cannot<br />
help but rub off on you, and that is<br />
what I love – and miss<br />
– most about Sydney.<br />
The optimism, the<br />
humour and the<br />
freedom that is part<br />
of a can-do culture.<br />
Fun and carefree,<br />
Sydney is a city that<br />
never takes itself too<br />
seriously. It is a breath<br />
of fresh air, in more<br />
ways than one.<br />
Clockwise, from<br />
below: Ferries<br />
berth in Circular<br />
Quay; Sydney<br />
excels with its<br />
fresh fish and<br />
shellfish; Cassie<br />
never tired of the<br />
iconic harbour<br />
PHOTOS: © I STOCK/ ADOBE STOCK<br />
74 VIKINGCRUISES.CO.<strong>UK</strong> | SUMMER <strong>2020</strong>
<strong>Explore</strong> the mighty Mississippi,<br />
with Viking<br />
Celebrated in history and culture, the Mississippi River winds its way through<br />
America’s heartland, and Viking’s much-anticipated journeys along ‘Old Man<br />
River’ bring you the best of this exciting region. Experience St. Louis’s pioneer<br />
spirit and Natchez’ historic houses and southern hospitality. Stir your soul with<br />
Delta blues and New Orleans jazz. Retrace the steps of Cherokee pathfinders,<br />
Civil War soldiers and civil rights heroes. Savour Memphis barbeque, Gulf<br />
seafood and Creole cuisine. Inspired by our Viking Longships® and ocean<br />
ships, the brand-new Viking Mississippi is the most modern ship on the river.<br />
Mark Twain said the Mississippi has ‘a new story to tell every day.’ Come and<br />
create your own story with us, along this fabled river.<br />
Eight-day 2022 & 2023 Mississippi river journeys from £3,990pp<br />
Call 020 8780 7900 or visit vikingcruises.co.uk<br />
Prices & availability are correct at the time of going to print but are subject to change. From prices are based on two people sharing the lowest grade stateroom<br />
on Heart of the Delta departing on 21 or 28 January 2023. Single supplements apply. Gratuities included on board ship only. For more information please visit<br />
vikingcruises.co.uk/terms-conditions or call us.<br />
VC_EM_Mississippi_A4_v4.indd 1 18/05/<strong>2020</strong> 14:20:48
Embark on the ultimate adventure<br />
to the Arctic or Antarctica<br />
Discover the true Arctic on a journey to the top of the world, where polar bears reign<br />
and blue ice floats serenely on the horizon. Or explore Antarctica, the Last Continent,<br />
that is covered in ice and teeming with penguins, seals and whales.<br />
Our new expedition journeys Arctic Adventure and Antarctic <strong>Explore</strong>r reveal a<br />
breathtaking view of the planet in its purest state, and take you to pristine landscapes<br />
to see wildlife in its natural habitat.<br />
To allow you to best explore these unrivalled destinations, we have assembled a<br />
world-class expedition team to lead you on engaging shore landings, and esteemed<br />
scientific partnerships to develop enriching onboard programmes.<br />
The expedition ship perfected, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris are home to just 378<br />
guests, and build on our legacy of exploration, with many industry firsts. Availability is<br />
limited and we are now taking bookings for our 2022 voyages. Join us on the ultimate<br />
adventure aboard a ship that offers the ultimate in comfort.<br />
Find out more about our extraordinary expedition ships and our<br />
equally extraordinary journeys to the Arctic, Antarctica and the<br />
Great Lakes. Call 0800 014 7538 or visit vikingcruises.co.uk<br />
VC_Expeditions_Dec2019_A4_v7.indd 1 18/05/<strong>2020</strong> 15:21:33