Start Of Our 2 Week Great Lakes Viking Cruise

by Ryan Markiewicz | Sep 26, 2024 | Berlin's Wall

Hi everyone,

Hallie and I are starting our two-week Great Lakes Viking Cruise. And while it is just a vacation (no work stops), I thought some of you might like to follow our travels.

We have taken several Viking cruises in Europe, Asia, and South America, which were all great, but we figured that it might be different and fun to see more of North America. This cruise goes from Duluth, Minnesota, where we are today (the blue dot on the left), and ends up in Toronto, Canada, with many stops along the way. So…if interested, happy to journal the trip.

The cruise goes from Duluth, Minnesota and ends in Toronto, Canada

Duluth is a pretty town. It has become more of a “hip” place than its past as a port city, like many port cities–reinvented a new culture to deal with the changing economy/times.

Very pretty waterfront, as you can see.

It’s also where Bob Dylan was born (as Bob Zimmerman) before moving to Hibbing, Minn., an hour and a half from here, which is where he embarked for NYC at 19 to meet his hero, Woody Guthrie, as he lay dying and began his journey to become the Bob Dylan who kind of changed the world back in the day (those of you old enough to remember will agree) 😉

Anyway, I’ll keep this updated as the cruise commences and hopefully will have some fun and interesting sites and stories to share (and hopefully no big storms so I don’t get tossed overboard again on this trip!)

Onward! -JB

Like Erie and all port cities, Duluth has a lighthouse

And as Erie has beautiful sunsets over our lake, Duluth has beautiful sunrises over Lake Superior

I’ve seen lots of drawbridges but never a lift bridge like this. The whole road rises up to let the ships through

Don’t know for sure, but I’d bet back in the day when Duluth was mostly known as an iron ore port, the water fountains here did not have ones for dogs too hahaha

The Viking Octanis. Our home for the next two weeks. Onward!