Colorful storehouses line the Nidelva, the river that cuts through Trondheim. Once the capital of Norway, Trondheim remains quite the city, with its university and tourism. This place has deep roots in history, as the site where King Olav II ruled.

After declaring himself the king in 1015, Olaf Haraldsson (King Olav II) tried to unite Norway. He ordered the killing of the five contending rulers and promoted a single religion to replace the worship of Norse gods. He funded writers to craft stories of his battles with trolls and giants. Stories grew to include him controlling the weather for better fishing and healing the sick. Within one year of his death, local bishops backed claims of Olaf’s beatification, though he did not officially become a saint until 1888.

Built over the burial site of King Olav II, Nidaros Cathedral remains a popular pilgrimage destination. While this church stood as the Roman Catholic cathedral for the area since its construction in the late eleventh century, it transitioned to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Norway in the sixteenth century. Either way, it remains the world’s northernmost cathedral.

Maritime Robotics designs autonomous drones for seafloor mapping, marine research and military purposes. Headquarted in Trondheim, they bring in engineering talent from around the globe, in addition to hiring from the local university.

After a day of walking around Trondheim, I enjoyed a vodka and tonic, along with the view, from my cabin on the ship.