Spinner2
June 18th, 2011, 10:48 PM
What moments of serendipity have you found on your cruises? "Serendipity" is, by definition, accidental; you can't plan it, can't look it up in a guidebook--you just find it. My DH and I look for it in every port by discreetly eavesdropping on local conversation that we hear, asking questions, and just looking around us for clues. And we usually find it if we have free time on our own (even a little) to look and ask.
For starters, here are just some of our moments of serendipity from our most recent Eurodam (Baltic/North Seas) cruise but what was a magical moment for us might not be for you--and you'll notice that serendipity for us is often unexpected food opportunities :):
London: We set out for a fish and chips dinner at a location highly praised in the local Zagat, only to discover that even though it was Friday night, it wouldn't open until 7 pm. We were getting up early the next morning to go to the cruise port so didn't want to wait that long and we'd walked a good distance from the tube station to get there. But! There were many restaurants nearby. We walked around a bit, observed which ones had lots of customers and listened for the accents that would tell us this was a place liked by the locals. And that's how we found a wonderful meal at the Coachmaker's, 88 Marylebone; about 10 minute walk from the Bond Street tube; Marylebone can be seen just past the construction outside the underground station. Fresh fish! Everything prepared from scratch! And cheap!
Copenhagen: We went to the train station and asked the information clerk where we might go on the train that would be different, fun, and we could get back in 3 hours or so. She thought and thought and then suggested the Deer Park which is at the Klampenborg Station on the "C" line from the main train station; last stop. Just follow the locals as they leave the train; you walk right into this beautiful forest (to the left) or beach (to the right) and there's a nice amusement park there as well. Rides and food cost money (you'll need Danish kroners) but there's no charge for the park.
Lillesand (Kristiansand): A "lunch on your own" 30 minutes on a HAL tour; at the first restaurant we checked out, the offering was a huge buffet which we would have no time to eat. The host there walked us outside and pointed us to Gadhe's which is about a block down from where the bus drops you, then up the hill, on the right. Fresh-baked rolls with fresh-caught little shrimps on them; wonderful hot chocolate and a delightful conversation with the young waitress who's just completed high school and will start college in the fall. We learned about her musical family, what her plans are. She had time to talk; no one else was there at that time. We'd never have found this on our own!
Stockholm: In the Old Town plaza (all tours will go there it seems) you'll see the Nobel Museum. We asked locals for a good place for a quick lunch and this museum's cafe was their suggestion; most on our tour were going to this snazzy outdoor cafe but we went with the local suggestion. That would have been enough, but while we were enjoying our sandwiches and looking around at some of the Nobel displays near the cafe we observed 3 Asian teens come in, open their guide book and take it up to the cashier. Soon she brought them 3 luscious-looking sundaes; being ice-cream lovers, we too inquired of the cashier. She explained that these are replicas of the dessert that is served at the end of many Nobel prize meals; included is a large "gold" chocolate coin with the Nobel medal embedded. Such a fun treat and if we hadn't eavesdropped on the Asian boys . . . the cashier says every Asian guidebook includes this but she's never seen it mentioned elsewhere.
So, look around, ask questions, see what you find.
What moments of serendipity have you found while cruising? Share!
For starters, here are just some of our moments of serendipity from our most recent Eurodam (Baltic/North Seas) cruise but what was a magical moment for us might not be for you--and you'll notice that serendipity for us is often unexpected food opportunities :):
London: We set out for a fish and chips dinner at a location highly praised in the local Zagat, only to discover that even though it was Friday night, it wouldn't open until 7 pm. We were getting up early the next morning to go to the cruise port so didn't want to wait that long and we'd walked a good distance from the tube station to get there. But! There were many restaurants nearby. We walked around a bit, observed which ones had lots of customers and listened for the accents that would tell us this was a place liked by the locals. And that's how we found a wonderful meal at the Coachmaker's, 88 Marylebone; about 10 minute walk from the Bond Street tube; Marylebone can be seen just past the construction outside the underground station. Fresh fish! Everything prepared from scratch! And cheap!
Copenhagen: We went to the train station and asked the information clerk where we might go on the train that would be different, fun, and we could get back in 3 hours or so. She thought and thought and then suggested the Deer Park which is at the Klampenborg Station on the "C" line from the main train station; last stop. Just follow the locals as they leave the train; you walk right into this beautiful forest (to the left) or beach (to the right) and there's a nice amusement park there as well. Rides and food cost money (you'll need Danish kroners) but there's no charge for the park.
Lillesand (Kristiansand): A "lunch on your own" 30 minutes on a HAL tour; at the first restaurant we checked out, the offering was a huge buffet which we would have no time to eat. The host there walked us outside and pointed us to Gadhe's which is about a block down from where the bus drops you, then up the hill, on the right. Fresh-baked rolls with fresh-caught little shrimps on them; wonderful hot chocolate and a delightful conversation with the young waitress who's just completed high school and will start college in the fall. We learned about her musical family, what her plans are. She had time to talk; no one else was there at that time. We'd never have found this on our own!
Stockholm: In the Old Town plaza (all tours will go there it seems) you'll see the Nobel Museum. We asked locals for a good place for a quick lunch and this museum's cafe was their suggestion; most on our tour were going to this snazzy outdoor cafe but we went with the local suggestion. That would have been enough, but while we were enjoying our sandwiches and looking around at some of the Nobel displays near the cafe we observed 3 Asian teens come in, open their guide book and take it up to the cashier. Soon she brought them 3 luscious-looking sundaes; being ice-cream lovers, we too inquired of the cashier. She explained that these are replicas of the dessert that is served at the end of many Nobel prize meals; included is a large "gold" chocolate coin with the Nobel medal embedded. Such a fun treat and if we hadn't eavesdropped on the Asian boys . . . the cashier says every Asian guidebook includes this but she's never seen it mentioned elsewhere.
So, look around, ask questions, see what you find.
What moments of serendipity have you found while cruising? Share!