Catchy Crafts

07/06/2026

Trondheim, Norway, fully embodied the quintessential characteristics of a Norwegian city, exceeding our expectations. Strolling through the city, we were captivated by the vibrant, colourful buildings. Although it was a Sunday, which meant shops were closed, cafes and restaurants were bustling with patrons.
A notable highlight was our visit to a folk museum situated on a sprawling 75-acre property, featuring over 80 heritage buildings relocated and reassembled from Trondheim and its surrounding areas. The diverse array of structures, including mansions, farmhouses, and barns, allowed us to step back in time and gain insight into the lives of previous generations. With thousands of exhibits dispersed across the 80 buildings, some standout features included an old schoolhouse, telephone exchange, bakery, pharmacy, milliner, haberdashery shop, bank, general store, and many more. Personally, I found the dentist's rooms to be less appealing. Notably, a wealthy individual, who passed away without heirs, bequeathed his estate, including its contents and a trust fund, to the museum. That is now one of the more opulent buildings in this museum. This museum started in 1910 and openened in 1913. It is still growing with new buildings being added regularly with the most recent one being delivered in January and still being reassembled.

05/06/2026

Our Norway stops have been a total snooze fest so far - I'd say a couple weren't even worth a humble Facebook mention! It seems the best way to experience Norway is via campervan, but since our cruise ship is more like a mobile hotel that only parks for a quick dip into the uninspiring ports, we've had to rely on our wits... and overpriced tours. Case in point: Honningsvag, where we got suckered into an overhyped and pricey tour to Nordkapp (aka North Cape). Let's be real, it's all about ticking the 'I've been to Europe's northernmost point' box - and oh boy, did we tick it! The views on the bus ride were pretty nice, I'll give it that, and we even saw some freely roaming reindeer that belong to the Sami people - hundreds of them! The tour itself was basically two 45-minute bus rides with the added excitement of a couple of photo ops, followed by a thrilling 2.5-hour wait at the Cape. We were super lucky to have sunshine, which apparently decides to show up only 30% of the time, because if it hadn't, we'd have had to shell out an extra $57 each just to duck into the visitor center and grab a $11 coffee. Doug and I decided to make the best of it and actually had fun photographing the furthest north things including the furthest north portable toilet 🤣

05/06/2026

Facebook posts don't tell the whole story. I am trying to enjoy every minute of our trip but due to health issues some days it is hard to do even do the most basic tasks. On days where the planets align and the body behaves it is glorious. Today is one of those days...Let's hope it lasts for a few days

04/06/2026

Our third stop in Iceland was truly unforgettable, and it was easy to see why it stole my heart. Docking at Akureyri, it was the perfect gateway to explore the breathtaking DIAMOND circle. Although our planned excursion fell through, we have become good at car rentals and self-guided tours to uncover hidden gems. The landscape was astonishly diverse- volcanic rocks, geothermal areas, moonscape vistas stretching endlessly, majestic waterfalls thundering into life, and splendid turquoise lakes. We loved seing the stone Cairns that are navigation markers that date back to the Viking times. Obviously they have been regularly maintained 😉
Fun fact. In Akureyri, the stop red lights are hearts. Started in Covid to give a little hope

02/06/2026

Our second destination in Iceland was Isafjordur. The available tours were somewhat underwhelming and car hire was not an option at this port so we opted to explore the charming town instead. We thoroughly enjoyed strolling through the streets, taking in the picturesque colourful houses, some of which date back to the late 1800s. Had a long conversation with some high school kids who were walking the streets as part of their PE. When we asked them what they did for fun we were told that there was nothing to do other than watch TV or browse the internet. As much as it was picturesque, I could not live there.

02/06/2026

31/05/2026

Our Icelandic adventure began in Reykavik, where a cancelled tour threatened to dampen our spirits. But we refused to let setbacks hold us back 🙃. Instead, we seized the opportunity, hired a car, and leveraged the MindTrip app to craft an extraordinary self-guided tour of the Golden Circle. This empowering journey took us to:
1) The breathtaking Almannagjà gorge in Thingevellir National Park, where the rift valley vividly illustrates the dynamic boundary between the Eurasian and North American Tectonic plates which are said to still be seperating by 2cm per year.
2) The enchanting Bruarfoss Waterfall which in our opinion should be called a rapid.
3) The geothermal wonders of Geysir.
4) The majestic Gullfoss - Golden Falls which is a smaller version of Niagara falls
5) The stunning Kerid Crater, home to a serene turquoise lake which is believed to be over 6500 years old.
And off course all the amazing scenery between these points.

27/05/2026

Second stop Invergordon Scotland. We did a tour that ticked several boxes.
1) Culloden Battlefield
2) Clava Cairns
3) Cawdor Castle
4) Loch Ness
5) Visit Highland Cows (which for us was a non event as we have lots in a neighbouring farm)

27/05/2026

First stop Hamburg, a truly breathtaking destination overflowing with majestic canals, enchanting gardens, and awe-inspiring buildings that left us completely spellbound. The intricate details in the brick buildings utterly captivated us. Despite being laid low by illness during our initial 2-day visit, we're thrilled to be extending our stay by 3 extra days after the cruise, allowing us to soak up more of this incredible city's charm. Our dear friends from Hamburg will be our guides, generously sharing the authentic local experience with us. One of the highlights was visiting the miniature museum, which was nothing short of phenomenal with its hundreds of exhibits. We were particularly amazed by the exquisite miniature replica of the Philharmonic Hall, which boasted a staggering construction cost of 350,000 Euros.

13/05/2026

Catchy Crafts website will be temporarily closing down from Friday the 15th of May until the 1st of September 2026. Doug and I will be gallivanting to some new destinations. 😄