Photos from Our Precruise Northern Europe and Barcelona Tour

Arriving In Reykjavik, We Started with The City Sights Including the Rainbow Colored Road That Leads

To the City’s Main Cathedral

And their Harpa Concert Hall Which Is Impressive From the Outside

And Inside

Various City Statues and Sculptures Including This One of Settlor Arnarson Under Deep Blue Skies

We Also Visited Their Rather Unusual Penis Museum.

Which Included this Interesting Display from the National  Handball Team

And Enjoyed the Charming Vistas this City Offers.

On Our Second Day, We Toured the Natural Beauty of Iceland’s “Golden Circle”

We Enjoyed Seeing the Various Waterfalls

Up Close and From Afar

We Ended Our Tour at the Famed Blue Lagoon

Which We Recommend Even For Those Who Do Not Typically Like Spa Experiences. For Those Who Do, It’s an Absolute Must.

We Spent Our Last Night Out To Dinner at A Wonderful (but pricey) Restaurant Called Apotek That Excelled At Both Entrees

And Unique Desserts Like this “Gold Bar”.

Even While Leaving Iceland, At Their Airport We Were Reminded How LGBT-Friendly The Country Is.

Arriving In Oslo Norway, We Started at their Famous Opera House and the Statue of Wagnerian Soprano Kirsten Flagstad

As Well as the Adjacent Library Which Is Creatively Designed Both Inside

and Inside

Checking Out the Library’s Collection, We Were Reminded How Certain Stories Transcend Different Cultures

We Used Oslo’s Efficient Public Transportation System to Access Their Impressive Vigeland Park.

Jonathan Checked Out the Many Sculpture Pieces From this Local Sculptor

The Sculptor Was Prolific and The Park Impressively Showcases His Work

And Includes Pieces of All Sizes

As Well as Attractive Grounds

As Fans and Figure Skating Officials We Of Course Had to Venture a Bit Further To Frogner Arena and the Statue of Norwegian Olympic Champion Sonja Henie

That Evening We Visited Oslo’s Best Known and Longest Existing LGBT Bar, the London Pub

Where Jenni Enjoyed a Festive Cocktail

The Next Morning To Fortify Us For a Long Day of Touring We Took Full Advantate of Our Hotel’s Elaborate Breakfast

We Started by Touring Oslo City Hall Including the Exterior With Its Many Poignant Reliefs

And the Interior Including This Main Room Where the Nobel Prize Ceremony Takes Place.

And Its Other Grand Rooms

We Also Toured the Nobel Prize Center Across from City Hall Which Provides Both an Up Close and Personal Look at the Award Itself

And Of Its Recipients

Venturing Slightly Outside of Oslo, We Visited the Henie-Onstad Art Museum

To See Their Collection of Both More Traditional

And More Unusual Art Pieces

As Well as the Costumes Medals and Other Memorabilia from Sonja’s Skating Career

Jenni Enjoying the Henie Photo Collection

Returning to Oslo We Made it to the Royal Palace In Time to See the Changing of the Guard and Tour the Palace Shortly Before the Unfortunate Passing of the King.

And Then Moved onto the Museum Dedicated to Norway’s Most Famous Painter, Edvard Munch.

The Munch Museum’s Collection Includes Various Versions of His Most Famous Painting, the “Scream” as Well as His Many Other Works.

And the Multi-level Museum Also Offers Great City Views

Walking Back to Our Hotel, We Were Happy to See the Costume Shop for the Opera House

As Well As an Ad Featuring Our Own Olympic Figure Skating Champion. Alysa Liu

On Our Last Night In Oslo, We Enjoyed a Meal at Oslo’s Oldest Restaurant

Which Offered Both Good Food and Service

Arriving In Barcelona, The Day Before Our Cruise, We Checked Out the Most Recent Renovations of the Sagrada Familia

And Enjoyed a Picnic With Iberian Ham and Wine While Checking Out the City Views from Our Hotel