Today, National Geographic Explorer made its way from Vigur Island to Siglufjordur on the northwest coast of Iceland. After docking, the Herring Girls welcomed us with singing and dancing outside the Herring Era Museum as they processed fish. We listened to the story of the Icelandic women who made Siglufjordur the herring capital of the world from 1903 to 1968. We were treated to the taste of cinnamon-salted herring and aquavit as we explored the historic village.
After lunch, we lingered in the lupines and visited the forest of Skardsdalur, which the locals are actively maintaining and cultivating. We delighted in the spruce trees, waterfalls, and abundant display of lichens, mosses, and ferns before returning aboard to be serenaded by singer-songwriter Svavar Knutur. Between his serenading, comedy, and storytelling, he applauded Lindblad Expeditions for being in a different league of ecotourism due to its reciprocal relationship with the Icelandic people- “There is a difference between a tourist and a traveler. A traveler wants to experience, explore, and be educated. A tourist wants souvenirs and to check boxes. I have never felt that energy from Lindblad Expeditions.”
