Fire and Ice; Iceland to Greenland, an excursion of a lifetime.

Less than a minute before the wheels of Iceland Air flight 604 touched the runway we still hadn't descended below the cloud cover and when we finally emerged the landscape that opened up below us was barren save for low arctic grasses stretching as far as the eye could see. I don't recall what I had expected but this was not it. This is Iceland, a country formed from molten rock, a country powered by the purest of glacial waters, a country rich in history, culture and folklore, a country of unprecedented beauty, a country rich by global standards, and a country of stark contrasts.

Stepping out of the efficient and modern airport terminal and into the surrounding barrenness the absences of any sign of the modern city that is Reykjavik was overwhelming. How odd it seemed to locate the airport here.

The hour long bus ride to the city transported us through endless fields of wastelands, wastelands upon closer examination proved to be layer upon layer of ancient lava flows laid down from eons old eruptions. Where enough dirt had collected arctic grasses had taken root and is now flourishing, full of life.

One of the most magical experiences when cruising is that first glimpse of the ship as you turn that last corner bringing her into view. At 91,740 tons and boasting 14 decks the

Norwegian Star was easily the largest of the three cruise ships in Reykjavik this day. Like all Norwegian Cruise Line ships the Star sports a gleaming white hull and artwork unique to that ship, in this case stars reflecting her name.

As is normally the case, access to the staterooms is delayed until all the cleaning and sanitation is complete, and so I settled down on the pool deck, drink in hand, feeling home back on the water.

Any repeat cruiser will tell you that the Sail Away is an event not to be missed. Having a pier side balcony offered a spectacular and memorable last look out over Reykjavik, while sharing stories with fellow passengers on neighbouring balconies. Everyone had the same thought; its great to be back at sea. Once clear of the port the Harbour Pilot handed control back over to our Captain and we set course for Greenland at full speed.

Day two in the Captain's daily Update From the Bridge, he announced that "at least we're going the right way". Now most people thought this was in reference to the very dense fog but in actuality it was in reference to the previous cruise which never made it to Greenland but had to divert to Norway due to severe seas around the tip of Greenland. This is an important consideration when booking a cruise, as safety always comes first and weather can instantly force a change in the itinerary. Cruisers must be flexible.

The Captain's second quote of the day was in response to our sailing at full speed despite the fog. We were about to cross the Iceberg Terminus, an imaginary line separating open sea and iceberg territory, and therefore be forced to proceed ahead at a dead slow speed. "We don't want a repeat of 1912" he would announce.

After a morning of a slow dance through channels and around icebergs we finally arrived in Nanortalik, Greenland. The Star's thrusters then went to work keeping us on station, ready to shift our position should an iceberg wander too close.

Nanortalik, which means Place of Polar Bears, is a community of about 1,100 people, isolated from other communities by the landscape. The only way in or out is by boat. The ship's 1,700 passengers invaded their world, a world of hardships, a world of poverty, a world where people are born, live and die ignorant of the rich lifestyle on board that gleaming Star in their harbour. The contrast in lifestyles was profound, and yet all the inhabitants seemed happy and content.

The most amazing experience was seeing this contrast first hand, learning how they lived, learning about their culture and way of life. It was a gorgeous town nestled in a sea of low shrubs and wildflowers, punctuated by buildings here and there.

The towns people, as curious about us as we were about them came out to watch the spectacle of the tourists.

To me visiting places like this is not just some checklist item but an opportunity to be enriched by the experience of the visit.

In this part of the world ice is a constant companion and not to be taken lightly. One significant ice floe passed across our bow and

drifted into the wake of our starboard thruster causing it to spin and gyrate, putting on a show for several minutes before being released to continue on its way. Large ice floes taller than the ship risked clogging that meandering channel we zigzagged through earlier in the day, forcing us to cut our visit short or become entrapped.

Sadly, the next port of call, Paamiut, was skipped. Mother nature clogged the port with ice making it too dangerous to approach. This is the reality of the region so when taking a cruise adaptability is key. We sailed north toward Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, and once again totally immersed in heavy fog, which would magically lift occasionally, just long enough that sea ice bigger than the ship would give us awe.

The planned excursion in Nuuk was delayed due to mechanical issues with the tour boat. While a few outraged tourists chose the offered credit for the inconvenience those of us who waited it out were treated to a magnificent adventure up the 160 km Nuup Kangerlua fjord.

Instead of a single tour boat the tour operator had arranged for a fleet of bright yellow water taxi's to take us on the excursion. Each taxi took turns riding the wake of another. The boats danced around icebergs getting us up close. At midpoint we paused to put a glacial waterfall into perspective before the high speed race back to the ship. Awesome.

Leaving Greenland behind we were again immersed in fog slowing our passage down. Ice is not something to take lightly as the passengers of the Norwegian Sun, sister ship to the Star learned just a few weeks prior when their ship hit a small iceberg in Alaska. The slower passage south meant we had to forgo our first port of call in Iceland and head directly to Akureyri.

Now the way to get to Akureyri is to head way north into the Greenland Sea crossing briefly into the Arctic Circle before heading south into the massive Eyjafjorour fjord. Since my excursion to the Arctic Circle had been cancelled due to technical issues I stayed up that night, glued to the ships monitor showing our passage, determined to see the moment we poked north of 66°33′49″. Ok that was just silly.

With the the Star docked I took a stroll through town and came across a tour to Godafoss falls. Where I was expecting a scenic but quiet bus ride to the famous waterfall the tour guide regaled us with a never ending stream of folklore and facts that you never knew you wanted to learn. We learned the history of why there's only one breed of cow and horse on the island nation. We learned why schools have dormitories, why its a nation of sheep, how it became one of the riches countries in the world, why everyone can speak Icelandic, English and Danish, how Iceland will be the first zero emission country in the world, why trolls, elves and ghosts are an integral part of the culture, how they can grow tropical fruits and flowers, and of course the story of how Godafoss was named the waterfall of the gods.

I need point out that Iceland is extremely proud of their waterfalls and for good reason; they're magnificent but to someone who lives a 30 minute walk from Niagara Falls, Godafoss with its horseshoe precipice and a third the height strikes me as a baby version of the real thing. Having said that, the shear volume of water that flows continuously over its face comes from glacial runoff and to me, that's mind boggling.

Next up was Isafjordur and if you look really close through the mist you see a Viking God

standing guard over the harbour greeting all visitors. Holland America's Zaandam arrived before us taking the only berth in town so we took up a position in the middle of the fjord and tendered to the pier.

This is a beautifully walkable town with ones exploration starting along a hedge of roses, the scent, intoxicating. One quickly learns of the history of the well kept and colourful houses. Placards on the buildings proudly announce the year of each build, dating back to the mid 1800's.

The day before disembarking in Reykjavik a short 38 km away the Fagradalsfjall volcano started it's eruption. Rather than being alarmed, Icelanders simply respond in a fashion not unlike a Canadian responding to a winter snowstorm; just acknowledge it, adjust any plans and get on with life.

So I did the only sensible thing and ventured down into a volcano. Ok so the one I descended down into has been dormant for 4,000 years, I'm not that crazy. The trek there was described by the mountain guide as "mainly flat with a slight incline at the end". Half way there it became clear that the incline was actually a steep ascend to the top of a crater. A cage suspended at the end of a crane cable lowered us 40 stories down into the hollow of an old magma chamber. The colour patterns inside the the chamber are forged by the cooling process and are simply magnificent.

Of course, no trip to Iceland would be complete without a

tour of the Golden Circle. The first stop is at Thingvellir

National Park, a UNESCO listed site and birth place of the Iceland commonwealth back in 930 AD. Here you can literally touch both the Eurasian tectonic plate and the North American tectonic plate at the same time.

Although not quite as famous, further along we reach the original "old faithful". The word geyser stems from the Strokkur Geysir which spews steam 20 meters up every six to eight minutes.

Gullfoss or waterfall of gold is a thunderous three tiered drop and a must see. It got its name because it has a golden hue when the light hits it at a certain angle.

The return leg would not be complete without a stop at the mysterious Kerid Crater, mysterious because there's an ongoing debate over its creation.

The day ended with a trip to Sky Lagoon, a Geo-thermally heated spa. Get the spa treatment! After opening up all the pours in the dry sauna you cool down in a refreshing rain room. This is followed by a full body salt rub (gritty) and a stint in the steam room where all the salt melts. A shower washes it all away leaving the skin silky smooth and exhilarated. This lagoon experience is a must, and the mojito from the swim-up bar is the icing on the cake. Skol!

A visit to Iceland would not be complete without a comment or two about its capitol, Reykjavik.

This is a modern, sophisticated, art loving, fun, inclusive, green city. From street signs advising you to watch for trolls, and traffic signs projecting smiley faces when you drive at the speed limit, to sculptures, art and stunning buildings this city has it all.

The people are very friendly, happy and proud. Speaking of proud,

Pride weekend saw the parade route not only painted with the rainbow colours but the street was power washed in advance of the parade and it seemed that the whole city came out to celebrate.

Reykjavik has a fabulous electric scooter sharing program;

you find a scooter, scan its QR code, and ride it to your destination where you sign off and simply leave the two wheeled wonder for the next person. Its fast, clean and very convenient for getting around.

And then there's the food. One must absolutely taste the local cuisine, whether that be an Icelandic hot dog topped with fried onion, raw onion, honey mustard, an apple based ketchup, and remoulade sauce; or a hearty lamb and root vegetable soup; or any of the

culinary creations in the local restaurants. In one establishment I ordered the fresh fish of the day, which turned out to be catfish. Never having had catfish I was full of anticipation. It was served in a black and white garlic sauce and was full of delicate flavour; delicious!

Despite the Norwegian Star being an older ship, built in 2001 and refurbished in 2018, I loved cruising on her. It's smaller than the massive ships of today but relaxed, clean and has all the standard amenities, shows and restaurants that make Norwegian Cruise Line one of my favourite. The crew was committed to everyone having a great time, the food in the restaurants was incredible and the drinks were beautifully made.

We sailed through pods of whales on numerous occasions. Icebergs made for a stunning experience. Sunsets on a cruise are unrivalled, and oh yes, I should point out that at this latitude dusk is around midnight and morning starts around 4:00 a.m. making for a very long day. It was truly a great experience and an incredible adventure not to be missed.