A good beginning makes a good ending...
~ Icelandic Saying
Greetings from Iceland and hello, June! Our Arctic journey is coming to an end. From Bergen to Honningsvag on mainland Norway, the views were breathtaking.
There are so many favorites, but the visit to Longyearbyen, the northernmost town on the planet was high on my list. The midnight sun was out in full force during our visit, giving me a chance to take some great pics.
Our ship, the Viking Neptune š and morning view off the aft deck š
One of my magical parts of the trip was visiting this pristine fjord in Svalbard after we left Longyearbyen. We literally just drifted for over an hour without a wave in sight. It was like floating on mirrored glass. The views and reflections were like nothing I've seen before.
The reflections of the clouds and 'midnight sun' were mesmerizing...
After two days of sailing, we reached Iceland, pulling into the northwest village of Isafjordur. Stunning views in this fjord town...
And the ice-cold water from this waterfall... #Yummo
I'll have more pics of our final day in Reykjavik in the next post (I am obsessed with this steel Viking sculpture on the shore of the harbor). And, I might just be ready for some warmer temps now, LOL. #Gasp Have a fantastic June! It's Wednesday, time for #DearDiary:
Mayhem on a movie set and the search for a killer this week from the writers of Twitter...
Author T.A. Williams, Murder in Florence, 5 ā
When arrows are being shot at the cast and crew on a movie set, private investigator and former, London detective, Dan Armstrong is brought in to find out who is pulling the fiendish deeds. As the questioning begins, multiple motives unfold.
When the errant, arrow attacks turn deadly, Dan grows more concerned. Revenge, lover's quarrels, and anger thicken the plot. The list of suspects grows longer, including the beautiful, main star who feels her life is in danger. Will Dan be able to sort through the clues before another body falls?
Author Williams once again weaves a delightful whodunnit with a hint of romance in the Italian city of Florence. I truly enjoyed this latest tale in the Armstrong and Oscar series. A cozy treat for mystery fans, highly recommended!
Author Anthony Horowitz, The Sentence is Death, 5 ā
When a famous lawyer is found bludgeoned with a very expensive bottle of wine, the list of suspects who may be guilty of the crime grows by the day. The police call in a former colleague, now P.I., Daniel Hawthorne to help unravel the deceptions and track down the clues. He thinks it's a perfect case for his sidekick author, Anthony Horowitz, to sit in on for a new book project. Will the duo be able to manage the investigative and creative differences?
As the investigation of the lawyer's murder unfolds, ties to a tragic death years before are found. The murky ordeal reveals revenge for the tragedy may be at play. The lawyer's partner also has motives, was infidelity a motive for murder? Run-ins with the police in charge of the case places added pressure on Anthony--will he be kicked off the case?
Author Horowitz once again weaves a baffling whodunnit to solve, with the added uniquity of having a starring role in the tale, alongside his MC. A gripping story, sure to delight cozy mystery fans. I can't wait to read more of this exciting series!
Next up in the reading queue:
Author Cathleen Maza's new release, coming June 15th! #Congrats
Congratulations to Author Sue-Ellen Welfonder on her latest release!
Speaking of Longyearbyen...
In the months before this Arctic voyage, I was totally intrigued with learning more about the 'Dooms Day' seed vault that is housed in the village outskirts of Longyearbyen. My writer's mind was twirling on how to see it. Imagine my delight when our tour bus happened to do a drive by! Officially known as the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, the 'just in case' depository holds over 1.2M+ seed samples in a deep freeze. Let's hope a lack of natural disasters, nuclear blasts, and nefarious deeds keep these babies unused for a looooong time! ššš±
Find out more details on this fascinating vault here:
Welcome to my world. Until next time, have a good one! #Skol
Crowns and Kisses,
Veronica
P.S. The journeys continue, happy to say we've booked our next Viking Ocean cruise in April, 2024...Coming up, it's a Mediterranean Odyssey! Gemma and Rikkhe approve šš
Wow! What an incredible trip! The water is just gorgeous, like a precious gemstone. Safe travels back home and thank you for sharing these fantastic images with us.
Congratulations to the authors mentioned. I am impatiently waiting for āFatedā to arrive. š Canāt wait to read and also see how this trip feeds into your talented writing as well. Later taters! āØš„šŖš
We can travel by reading & we can travel IRL. You do both! And you create beautiful books! Hereās to your future travels & future stories!