Certain traits, they never leave you wherever you go. Brought up in middle class Marathi home, time management is always done in a frantic way. We were to leave Copenhagen for Oslo on a cruise at 4 PM and according to deftly charted out plans by our tour operator Sangeeta Oberai, arranger par excellence, a cab was scheduled to pick us up to take to DFDS port at 3 PM and here we were ready and worrying from 2 PM. Fortunately tea, coffee even the hot chocolate and fresh fruit juices were on the house but how much can one drink. Even after umpteen rounds from the lobby to the entrance, there was no sign of cab in the sight. By 2.45 PM our patience started wearing off. We Indians always want to be at the place well in advance as we are not sure of our services and also about ourselves. While Westerners being what they are, are always a stickler for the time, so exactly one minute before 3 PM a burly cab driver came in the lobby asking for us. We were more than ready. But he dropped a bombshell, as soon as we loaded the luggage.
'Do you know the place where we are going ?'
We were dumbstruck. 'I hope you must be knowing, some DFDS port, Copenhagen port'
He simply said 'Oh' and started driving. God knows how, but after making few mistakes we reached DFDS port at around 3.40 PM or so and we breathed a sigh of relief, naturally. As our papers were all neat and tidy, the formalities were completed in less than 10 minutes and we were in our cabin at the 15th minute.
The ship was huge with more than 16 storeys and had quite a few restaurants to cater to every taste. Bar too was well stocked, with Casino and club nearby. It practically was a floating palace. Our cabin was situated on the 14th floor, just 2 floors below the upper deck, it was picture-postcard abode. To call it a cabin was an insult, it practically was a suite( of course real suite was well beyond affordable !), with balcony facing the sea, a smallish parlour with sofas and a tub in the bathroom. It was Commodore class so had special privileges at breakfast and dinner table.
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There is always rush to catch the chairs on the upper deck when the ship leaves the port. Because it's a beautiful view. Having a good view of setting sun with the enormous sea as foreground, with a glass of foaming beer in hand, is really a moment, most cherished. Here westerners don't lag behind. As we were late by the time we reached the upper deck, every chair on the deck was occupied or was having kerchief or bag to show the reservation. Being Indians, in the end, we managed. .
And who says that apartheid has gone.! This small pool on the lower deck had many white children just playing but as soon as a Sardar from an Indian family entered the pool, one by one each child went out leaving the entire pool to the Indians. They were not bothered, of course, why should they, and went on enjoying the swim!
Denmark is a peninsula and practically juts in the Swedish seas. So on the east coast, we keep on having the company of Sweden. All these European nations have utilized alternative source of energy to the hilt so have these type of windmills all along.
And the notion in India, "All these windmills take away the wind so reduce the rainfall. So we don't want them." My maidservant was telling me, who resides near Satara where on the plateau of Kaas there are windmills in large numbers.
The bridge which we could not experience while coming to Copenhagen from Stockholm due to speed and barricades became apparent and it was a great view.
The sea between Copenhagen and Oslo is not a sea actually but is a strait known as Stagerrak joining North sea with Baltic sea through another strait known as Kattegat.
Like the North sea, the waters are absolutely crystal clear and turquoise blue. The white froth that propellers created too was a sight to watch, mesmerizing.
We lingered on the deck for quite some time but could not catch that melting sun going down in the waters to give orange hue to the already golden sea. That was the time to hit the bar. All the shots and cocktails were very inviting but the right side of the menu was fit enough to burn a big hole in the pocket. 60 ml Martini costing Rs. 2000 was abominable. We selected few, that suited our pocket but with the attitude 'Hell with the value of Rupee!' I stopped at one, Shubha ventured for more but within the limits.
Dinner was an event. Commodore class cruisers were treated at a special restaurant where the tables were very few and the patrons were limited in number, maybe around 20 or so. The spread was enormous, for a person like me who enjoys continental food, it was THE treat We were so well taken care of that it was like 'We arrived !'. Waiters were looking after every need of ours and were personally suggesting the menu. After dinner and some lazying around it was time for 'Pub Hopping'. It's a common practice in western countries that after dinner, you go from one pub to another and get dead drunk till you pass out. It was not possible, rather unthinkable for us, of course. But we tried our hand at it, without passing out. The ambience was superlative which added to the zing! In English as well as in Marathi! Rather than having the drinks after drinks, we were high on the ambience itself. Even then the last cocktail we had was at around 1 AM! It was time to hit the sack. After spending a few minutes in the balcony, we did just that, but before that let me tell you, a sea without moonlight looks absolutely eerie!
After a wonderful sleep, we were really relaxed but it was time for breakfast, so had to rush. Again the same lavish spread, personal amiable treatment, what they say in India, 'Soul was satisfied !'
Denmark is a peninsula and practically juts in the Swedish seas. So on the east coast, we keep on having the company of Sweden. All these European nations have utilized alternative source of energy to the hilt so have these type of windmills all along.
The sea between Copenhagen and Oslo is not a sea actually but is a strait known as Stagerrak joining North sea with Baltic sea through another strait known as Kattegat.
We lingered on the deck for quite some time but could not catch that melting sun going down in the waters to give orange hue to the already golden sea. That was the time to hit the bar. All the shots and cocktails were very inviting but the right side of the menu was fit enough to burn a big hole in the pocket. 60 ml Martini costing Rs. 2000 was abominable. We selected few, that suited our pocket but with the attitude 'Hell with the value of Rupee!' I stopped at one, Shubha ventured for more but within the limits.
Dinner was an event. Commodore class cruisers were treated at a special restaurant where the tables were very few and the patrons were limited in number, maybe around 20 or so. The spread was enormous, for a person like me who enjoys continental food, it was THE treat We were so well taken care of that it was like 'We arrived !'. Waiters were looking after every need of ours and were personally suggesting the menu. After dinner and some lazying around it was time for 'Pub Hopping'. It's a common practice in western countries that after dinner, you go from one pub to another and get dead drunk till you pass out. It was not possible, rather unthinkable for us, of course. But we tried our hand at it, without passing out. The ambience was superlative which added to the zing! In English as well as in Marathi! Rather than having the drinks after drinks, we were high on the ambience itself. Even then the last cocktail we had was at around 1 AM! It was time to hit the sack. After spending a few minutes in the balcony, we did just that, but before that let me tell you, a sea without moonlight looks absolutely eerie!
After a wonderful sleep, we were really relaxed but it was time for breakfast, so had to rush. Again the same lavish spread, personal amiable treatment, what they say in India, 'Soul was satisfied !'
All the Nordic countries have so many islands, I don't know how do they keep the track. By 9.30 AM our ship entered Oslo Fjord. In comparison with other fjords, those we saw later, it was a poor cousin from the country! But it too had its own beauty.
Many many islands, with few having only single bungalow, [ We were told that these are privately owned islands. And we are happy when we are in a position to buy 2 BHK flat in uptown Mumbai ! ] with a small motorboat parked beside.
The first view of Oslo port was drab, like any other industrial city. Not like the Helsinki port which is beautiful. DFDS have their separate special wharf for disembarking A taxi was waiting for us to take to the tour bus and that was an end to a beautiful memorable voyage!
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