A DAY IN LONGYEARBYEN AND A ELECTRIC BOAT CRUISE:
I am up nice and early and feel like I slept well. Lynn says she also slept well.
After cleaning up and organizing stuff for the day I went to the reception area for a coffee. Had a nice chat with the front desk person. She said the locals are ready and looking forward to the Polar Nights.
I will say I do like this property as the whole history is amazing. I really think a return trip in the winter might be interesting. I can only imagine the Aurora dancing here.
They do have sweaters here, a good brand, classic style, and the price is good. :)
I like that more properties do the Green Stay Thing:
I did learn the mine (Nybyen) above the Funken Lodge is believed to be the home of the Norwegian Santa Clause. During the Christmas season the mine entrance is decorated with lights. I think our plan for the day is to amble about town until about 1400 (2:00) when we catch a bus to board the MS Bard.
A very nice breakfast with excellent coffee and the view is great.
A School Bread pastry is a must in Norway
After breakfast we gathered ourselves together and started our walk into Longyearbyen. We were very early making a stop at Cafe Huskies, which had not opened. We then continued to the North Pole Expedition Museum. For me this is my favorite museum here in Longyearbyen. Yes, we were also to early to visit. We walked back to Cafe Huskies for a coffee.
I must say their pastries there are great as well as the coffee. We enjoyed the coffee and the company of the pups. My next objective is the Circle K for a hot dog. Well it is no longer a Circle K.
They do have hotdogs and they are good, but not Iceland or Bergen or Tromso. In our past visits we have not really visited the Rubber Tomahawk Shops (souvenir shops). As we walked back to our lodging we did stop in several of said shops to check out their wares. At the sporting goods store I got a Polar Bear multi tool key chain. We did stop at the grocery store and got some bulk candy and chips for the ship. The bulk candy is fun with all the choices. We will not be visiting a port with a grocery until we land in Reykjavik. We do get one village visit in Greenland but have been advised not to purchase any staples as the are a valuable commodity in limited amounts.
ICE BEARS EVERYWHERE:
We really like the Funken Lodge as it has a warm rustic appeal. The only down side is the return walk has a nice hill with a significant incline.
Oh Look A Sweater! (At a very good price). SCORE!! I should mention things are expensive in Norway and even more so in Longyearbyen. A good wool hat might cost $70 USD, a wool sweater $300 and up, firearms are about double the cost of what one finds in the USA.
We took a bit of time to get a drink and chill before we get picked up for a scenic fjord cruise on the MS Bard.
MS Bard:
MS Bard was a significant step forward in Brim Explorer’s mission to create purposeful, low-impact experiences at sea.
Carrying up to 145 guests. Its inclined bow and raised main deck offer greater stability and seakeeping, making it well-suited for both open waters and longer voyages.
What distinguishes MS Bard is its advanced propulsion system — fully electric, powered by Brim Tech high-torque engines paired with 1700mm fixed-pitch propellers. This setup eliminates the need for a traditional gearbox, allowing for smoother operation, improved energy efficiency, and near-silent cruising.
Our trip took us to Billefjorden and the glacier front of Nordenskiöldbreen. The crossing across was a tad rough and rocky.
The MS Spitsbergen which we will board tomorrow. She is in port with no passsengers for the night and the crew is having a party. GOOD FOR THEM AS I KNOW THE WORK VERY HARD, well deserved.
The engine and propellers are specially designed to minimize the noise and vibration. This not only takes us closer to nature; More importantly, the surrounding wildlife is less disturbed by our presence.
On the tour, we were served a vegetarian lentil veggie soup that’s very good.
We had plenty of deck and seating as there were only 17 of us on board.
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