Yeah! I finally got the slide show working. If the captions don't show up, just hold your mouse over the picture and there is a little box at the bottom left of the picture that looks like a text balloon. Just click on this to turn on the captions.
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To see the next page of posts, you need to click on "older posts" at the bottom of each page.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Cruise News
This is a complete version of the cruise news I sent out while on my Baltic Seas Cruise. I have added in pertinent pictures. Hope you all enjoy. Please keep in mind that the actual postings are in reverse chronological order, but the blog archive on the right is in chronological order. In order to enjoy the entire trip, please start with the oldest posting (England), which is at the end.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Copenhagen Denmark Day 3
The day started with an abrupt wake up call. I decided to take the morning off and rest my weary body while Michael was going to go find the official winter palace. We were figuring out how and when to meet up to go on a canal cruise when Michael decided to go downstairs to get a cup of coffee. I am still in bed and he comes in and says there is a canal tour leaving right from the hotel at 9 am – and it is the only trip of the day from the hotel. Well, that solved the problem of the where and when – but it was 8:30 am and I am still in bed. Didn’t take me long to figure it out – get dressed NOW and FAST – and avoid a mile walk to get another tour.
The canal boats have a very low freeboard and are narrow and long. They were designed to go under the very narrow and short canal bridges. Head clearance, when sitting in the boat, is about 6 inches. The tour lasted a little more than an hour and we saw many of the places we saw from the bus, but from the water. It was a most scenic trip and our guide was a college student on holiday who spoke three different languages on the tour. Her college education is totally paid for and she gets a monthly stipend from the government while she is a student. I told her about how we pay for our higher educational system and she was quite shocked. She said she doesn’t mind paying 50% in taxes as everything is taken care by the government.
I returned to the hotel while Michael (where he gets the energy I don’t know) continued on with a five mile self-guided walking tour. He visited Copenhagen’s famous “walking street,” which is non-stop shopping for pedestrians only. He went on to the Rosenborg Have, which is an armory where the new palace guard starts out from each day at 11:30 am. He walked through the gardens on the way to the Amaliebosrg Slotsplade, the actual winter palace, and watched the guard change. He has some great pictures. It was then on to the Resistance Museum (which was, unfortunately, closed as it was Monday). Michael finally pooped out and headed back to the hotel, with a stop at Denmark’s largest department store and a number of designer type shops, with a nice lunch stop at an outdoor café.
We ventured out once more for a meal at a Chinese restaurant, and then back to the hotel to do our final packing. It will be a short night for us as we have a 7:30 am flight from Copenhagen to London, and then home to Seattle.
The canal boats have a very low freeboard and are narrow and long. They were designed to go under the very narrow and short canal bridges. Head clearance, when sitting in the boat, is about 6 inches. The tour lasted a little more than an hour and we saw many of the places we saw from the bus, but from the water. It was a most scenic trip and our guide was a college student on holiday who spoke three different languages on the tour. Her college education is totally paid for and she gets a monthly stipend from the government while she is a student. I told her about how we pay for our higher educational system and she was quite shocked. She said she doesn’t mind paying 50% in taxes as everything is taken care by the government.
I returned to the hotel while Michael (where he gets the energy I don’t know) continued on with a five mile self-guided walking tour. He visited Copenhagen’s famous “walking street,” which is non-stop shopping for pedestrians only. He went on to the Rosenborg Have, which is an armory where the new palace guard starts out from each day at 11:30 am. He walked through the gardens on the way to the Amaliebosrg Slotsplade, the actual winter palace, and watched the guard change. He has some great pictures. It was then on to the Resistance Museum (which was, unfortunately, closed as it was Monday). Michael finally pooped out and headed back to the hotel, with a stop at Denmark’s largest department store and a number of designer type shops, with a nice lunch stop at an outdoor café.
We ventured out once more for a meal at a Chinese restaurant, and then back to the hotel to do our final packing. It will be a short night for us as we have a 7:30 am flight from Copenhagen to London, and then home to Seattle.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Copenhagen Denmark Day 1 & 2
We are landlubbers once again. Disembarked the ship this morning in Copenhagen, hailed a taxi, and checked into our hotel and unpacked – all by 10:30 am. We then hit the streets of Copenhagen. Our hotel is about a 1/2 mile walk from the hotel to the city hall and central plaza, where we purchased a 2-day pass for the hop-on-hop-off English double decker tour bus. We rode around the city on two different bus routes, just getting the feel of the city. We stayed on the bus most of the day as we were really tired. There was commentary in eight different languages (we used disposable headsets). We saw the famous little mermaid statue, and during our brief stop for photos, the heavens let loose and it poured. Two minutes later, it stopped and the sun came out. We passed by Tivoli Gardens, which we are planning on doing tomorrow. We had cool weather and brief, but intense cloudbursts all day long.
We stopped at an area called Nyhavn, a picturesque canal filled with moored sail boats and canal cruise boats. This harbor was established in 1673, and its most famous resident was Hans Christian Anderson. We walked along the sunny north side of the canal where there are outdoor cafes, restaurants, and bars. It is said to be the world’s “longest bar” (there are perhaps 100+ little establishments, one right next to the other) and the home of many tattoo parlors. It was wildly crowded and most people were sunning themselves and drinking beer, including us.
There are bicycles everywhere. The streets have special lanes just for bikes. There are bike corals everywhere. At the rail and bus stations, there are acres of bikes and they have double decker storage! They ride rain or shine; just put on a raincoat and away they go. Some bike owners put plastic bags over the seats to keep them dry.
The city of Copenhagen was founded in 1197. Much of the original buildings have been destroyed over the centuries due to various wars and fire, so much of it has been rebuilt, mostly in the 17th and 18th centuries. The new and modern buildings are right next to the old ones, making for a very stark contrast. Our hotel, the Marriott, is right on the main canal and looks over a panorama of old and new apartment buildings and a promenade along the canal.
We passed thru an area called Christiania, a free love, hippie, drug culture area where we were not allowed to take pictures. The “houses” used to be workers shacks, and have since been “creatively individualized” with colorful and bizarre facades.
The tax rate here is very high. Income tax is between 40% and 50%. VAT tax is 25% on everything, except alcohol and tobacco, which is 30%. Prices in the stores are also very high. We walked down a very crowded and narrow cobblestone pedestrian shopping street. Young ladies are wearing hightop sneakers and many have pink, purple, or orange hair. We ate really traditional Danish food for lunch and dinner: KFC and Hard Rock Café!!! I guess we needed an American fix after eating fine cuisine on the ship for two weeks. Stopped at a 7-11 to pick up some fresh bagels (they actually have a bakery display in the store!) for breakfast as the hotel restaurant is outrageously expensive and there is no convenient place for breakfast. Coffee costs $6.
Everyone we have come in contact with speaks English. Copenhagen is old but modern and is a very interesting city. We are looking forward to spending more time here.
Copenhagen – Day 2
Finally, good weather!! After eating our 7-11 bagels for breakfast (cost for 2 bagels, cream cheese and a 12 oz bottle of diet coke was $20), we headed back to the city hall plaza and boarded the double decker hop-on-hop-off bus to the Carlsberg Beer factory tour. The factory is no longer in use and is now a museum. Everything there was original equipment and buildings from the 1800s. Most impressive was the stable area with the stalls and cobble stone floors (and of course horses). At the end of the tour, there was a very modern tasting room. Most breweries give you a taste of their product; not here – they give you a whole bottle or glass! Mind you, it is 10:30 am and here we were having a beer. I even had one! Michael finished his beer and since there was no way I was going to drink my entire glass, he polished off mine. Just before he finished mine, I decided to go to the bus stop just in case it came early (and I needed a few extra minutes because, frankly, I was dragging fanny). The bus did come early and no Michael. I asked the driver to wait and he was gracious enough to do so. Michael finally comes charging up. I asked him why he was so far behind me and said he had gone up to the bartender and inquired about the beer I had. The bartender said he should try the dark blonde (I had the blonde) and so Michael had another glass. What a way to start the day.
We went back to the city hall plaza to pick up the red bus, which would take us to Nyhavn to pick up a canal boat tour. While on the bus, we met up with some folks from the cruise ship and they invited us to join them for lunch at a place they had heard about. We get to the restaurant and they are serving a buffet brunch. Since we had plans to have dinner out with other folks we had met on the ship, we decided not to eat that much. Got back on the red bus back to the plaza and had lunch at Burger King (which cost $25). We never got the canal cruise.
Then on to Tivoli Gardens. Michael was wearing shorts and he decided to go back to the hotel to change into pants as the restaurant we planned to have dinner at was somewhat upscale and once you entered Tivoli Gardens, you could not exit and then get back in without paying again. I found a bench by the restaurant to wait for him. At this point, I am functioning on fumes. I laid down on the bench for a blissful 45 minutes until Michael joined me. Tivoli Gardens was created in the 1840 to give the people something pleasant to do as a way to avoid an uprising. It consists of an amusement park, a midway, hotel, restaurants, concert hall, outdoor theatre, fabulous gardens, lakes and fountains, aquarium, royal guard marching group with horse drawn carriage – it was so quaint. It is an absolute gem in the middle of a major metropolitan area. We enjoyed a concert and pantomime theatre show. We never did eat at the restaurant that was recommended to us. It would have cost $300 per person for dinner and wine. Found an authentic Danish restaurant and had a delightful meal and good companionship at a reasonable price.
There are no Starbucks anywhere in Copenhagen; there are McDonald’s, Burger King, 7-11, and Dominos. Almost everyone smokes just about everywhere. People don’t have a cell phone glued to their ear. There is no jaywalking and people wait for the traffic lights to turn green before proceeding across the street even when there is no traffic coming. We saw babies everywhere -- lots of them -- and 90% of them were blonde. The little ones all had pacifiers and toddlers sat compliantly in carriages. No little ones running about.
We stopped at an area called Nyhavn, a picturesque canal filled with moored sail boats and canal cruise boats. This harbor was established in 1673, and its most famous resident was Hans Christian Anderson. We walked along the sunny north side of the canal where there are outdoor cafes, restaurants, and bars. It is said to be the world’s “longest bar” (there are perhaps 100+ little establishments, one right next to the other) and the home of many tattoo parlors. It was wildly crowded and most people were sunning themselves and drinking beer, including us.
There are bicycles everywhere. The streets have special lanes just for bikes. There are bike corals everywhere. At the rail and bus stations, there are acres of bikes and they have double decker storage! They ride rain or shine; just put on a raincoat and away they go. Some bike owners put plastic bags over the seats to keep them dry.
The city of Copenhagen was founded in 1197. Much of the original buildings have been destroyed over the centuries due to various wars and fire, so much of it has been rebuilt, mostly in the 17th and 18th centuries. The new and modern buildings are right next to the old ones, making for a very stark contrast. Our hotel, the Marriott, is right on the main canal and looks over a panorama of old and new apartment buildings and a promenade along the canal.
We passed thru an area called Christiania, a free love, hippie, drug culture area where we were not allowed to take pictures. The “houses” used to be workers shacks, and have since been “creatively individualized” with colorful and bizarre facades.
The tax rate here is very high. Income tax is between 40% and 50%. VAT tax is 25% on everything, except alcohol and tobacco, which is 30%. Prices in the stores are also very high. We walked down a very crowded and narrow cobblestone pedestrian shopping street. Young ladies are wearing hightop sneakers and many have pink, purple, or orange hair. We ate really traditional Danish food for lunch and dinner: KFC and Hard Rock Café!!! I guess we needed an American fix after eating fine cuisine on the ship for two weeks. Stopped at a 7-11 to pick up some fresh bagels (they actually have a bakery display in the store!) for breakfast as the hotel restaurant is outrageously expensive and there is no convenient place for breakfast. Coffee costs $6.
Everyone we have come in contact with speaks English. Copenhagen is old but modern and is a very interesting city. We are looking forward to spending more time here.
Copenhagen – Day 2
Finally, good weather!! After eating our 7-11 bagels for breakfast (cost for 2 bagels, cream cheese and a 12 oz bottle of diet coke was $20), we headed back to the city hall plaza and boarded the double decker hop-on-hop-off bus to the Carlsberg Beer factory tour. The factory is no longer in use and is now a museum. Everything there was original equipment and buildings from the 1800s. Most impressive was the stable area with the stalls and cobble stone floors (and of course horses). At the end of the tour, there was a very modern tasting room. Most breweries give you a taste of their product; not here – they give you a whole bottle or glass! Mind you, it is 10:30 am and here we were having a beer. I even had one! Michael finished his beer and since there was no way I was going to drink my entire glass, he polished off mine. Just before he finished mine, I decided to go to the bus stop just in case it came early (and I needed a few extra minutes because, frankly, I was dragging fanny). The bus did come early and no Michael. I asked the driver to wait and he was gracious enough to do so. Michael finally comes charging up. I asked him why he was so far behind me and said he had gone up to the bartender and inquired about the beer I had. The bartender said he should try the dark blonde (I had the blonde) and so Michael had another glass. What a way to start the day.
We went back to the city hall plaza to pick up the red bus, which would take us to Nyhavn to pick up a canal boat tour. While on the bus, we met up with some folks from the cruise ship and they invited us to join them for lunch at a place they had heard about. We get to the restaurant and they are serving a buffet brunch. Since we had plans to have dinner out with other folks we had met on the ship, we decided not to eat that much. Got back on the red bus back to the plaza and had lunch at Burger King (which cost $25). We never got the canal cruise.
Then on to Tivoli Gardens. Michael was wearing shorts and he decided to go back to the hotel to change into pants as the restaurant we planned to have dinner at was somewhat upscale and once you entered Tivoli Gardens, you could not exit and then get back in without paying again. I found a bench by the restaurant to wait for him. At this point, I am functioning on fumes. I laid down on the bench for a blissful 45 minutes until Michael joined me. Tivoli Gardens was created in the 1840 to give the people something pleasant to do as a way to avoid an uprising. It consists of an amusement park, a midway, hotel, restaurants, concert hall, outdoor theatre, fabulous gardens, lakes and fountains, aquarium, royal guard marching group with horse drawn carriage – it was so quaint. It is an absolute gem in the middle of a major metropolitan area. We enjoyed a concert and pantomime theatre show. We never did eat at the restaurant that was recommended to us. It would have cost $300 per person for dinner and wine. Found an authentic Danish restaurant and had a delightful meal and good companionship at a reasonable price.
There are no Starbucks anywhere in Copenhagen; there are McDonald’s, Burger King, 7-11, and Dominos. Almost everyone smokes just about everywhere. People don’t have a cell phone glued to their ear. There is no jaywalking and people wait for the traffic lights to turn green before proceeding across the street even when there is no traffic coming. We saw babies everywhere -- lots of them -- and 90% of them were blonde. The little ones all had pacifiers and toddlers sat compliantly in carriages. No little ones running about.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Stockholm Sweden
You know that the cruise is coming to an end when there is a traffic jam in the laundry room. I spent the last 2 hours washing and drying clothes; no one wants to pack dirty clothes for the trip home. Tonight is our last formal night and tomorrow we pack up. It’s hard to believe that the cruise is almost over. We have an additional 3 days in Copenhagen.
Yesterday, we had a sea day, which was what we needed to recharge our batteries (bodies). Had bridge lessons in the morning and a duplicate game in the afternoon. I had to play, and I must say it is humbling when I am paired up with a really good player. Gladly, they are happy to even play with me, who plays virtually no conventions. While we were traveling to Stockholm, our course took us through hundreds of islands, both small and big, and some had houses. It looked just like the San Juan and Gulf Islands! We could have been in the Pacific Northwest.
Yesterday, we docked in Stockholm at around 5 pm. We each had a canal excursion scheduled for the evening, but at the last minute we were scrubbed because they were overbooked and there wasn’t room for us. We can’t complain, though as we have had more excursions than we thought we would get.
Today, we each had a morning excursion to Stockholm. It was a brief tour by bus and only stopped for picture opportunities. The weather was cool, windy and overcast. The old town is a medieval city and there are hundreds of islands, rivers, bridges and canals. It is a very beautiful and clean city, mixing barocco architecture with more modern architecture. Since the ship was scheduled to depart at 3 pm, we were not able to stop and see most of the important sights. Didn’t get too much history of the town from the guide as her commentary was pretty lame. She was far and away the weakest guide we have had on this trip.
Miscellaneous thoughts: we never sat on the verandah as it was just too cold and windy. We look forward to taking another cruise on Regent as we have really enjoyed the room, the ship and the people. This has been a most enjoyable cruise; it you had asked me before this cruise if I would want to go to the Baltic countries, I would have said what for. It has been a special trip and I appreciate the people and culture of the countries we have visited. The highlight of the trip for us has been Berlin and St. Petersburg. Both Michael and I feel these are places we would like to someday visit again, and spend more time exploring.
Our next stop is Copenhagen.
Yesterday, we had a sea day, which was what we needed to recharge our batteries (bodies). Had bridge lessons in the morning and a duplicate game in the afternoon. I had to play, and I must say it is humbling when I am paired up with a really good player. Gladly, they are happy to even play with me, who plays virtually no conventions. While we were traveling to Stockholm, our course took us through hundreds of islands, both small and big, and some had houses. It looked just like the San Juan and Gulf Islands! We could have been in the Pacific Northwest.
Yesterday, we docked in Stockholm at around 5 pm. We each had a canal excursion scheduled for the evening, but at the last minute we were scrubbed because they were overbooked and there wasn’t room for us. We can’t complain, though as we have had more excursions than we thought we would get.
Today, we each had a morning excursion to Stockholm. It was a brief tour by bus and only stopped for picture opportunities. The weather was cool, windy and overcast. The old town is a medieval city and there are hundreds of islands, rivers, bridges and canals. It is a very beautiful and clean city, mixing barocco architecture with more modern architecture. Since the ship was scheduled to depart at 3 pm, we were not able to stop and see most of the important sights. Didn’t get too much history of the town from the guide as her commentary was pretty lame. She was far and away the weakest guide we have had on this trip.
Miscellaneous thoughts: we never sat on the verandah as it was just too cold and windy. We look forward to taking another cruise on Regent as we have really enjoyed the room, the ship and the people. This has been a most enjoyable cruise; it you had asked me before this cruise if I would want to go to the Baltic countries, I would have said what for. It has been a special trip and I appreciate the people and culture of the countries we have visited. The highlight of the trip for us has been Berlin and St. Petersburg. Both Michael and I feel these are places we would like to someday visit again, and spend more time exploring.
Our next stop is Copenhagen.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
St. Petersburg Day 2
From Russia with Love: Today was Day 2 in St. Petersburg. It is an amazing city. I am still awed by the size and beauty of the city. Saw more of the canals that dissect the city and learned that St. Petersburg is composed of 41 islands and the city itself it on the largest island. Again, we had good weather, which means no rain. They get about 30 cloudless days year, 120 snow days per year and the rest are rainy days. At 2 am, the 21 bridges in town all go up and stay up until 5:30 am. People line the walkways or take boats to see this sight. Young people especially do this because if you are stranded on the wrong side of the canal you have a great excuse for not getting home and missing curfew.
This morning both Michael and I had escort duty. We went to the Winter Palace and the Hermitage, one of the world’s most famous and esteemed art museums. The Winter Palace has over 1,001 rooms swathed in malachite, jasper, agate, marble and gilded mirrors. The parquet floors had intricate patterns using many varieties of woods and in some rooms, the patterns on the floor mimicked the goldleaf designs on the ceiling. There were intricate mosaic and stone tables and floors. I had the audacity to brush my hand up against the side of a magnificant malachite table and this old lady guard came up behind me and swatted me!
The Hermitage houses art work from Picasso (there are 32 pieces) to Rembrandt. Since we only had 3 ½ hours for the tour, the guides only took us to view and learn about the items of artwork that are considered the highlights. There are displays of 15th and 16th century French, Dutch, and Italian art as well as Impressionist works from Renoir, Degas, Monet, and Van Gogh. In total, we walked 2 ½ miles!
In the afternoon, I took the Jewish Experience Tour. We had a bus load of 42 people. We went to the second largest synagogue in all of Europe (the first is in Budapest). It has a Moorish design and has been fully restored. There was one couple who had seen the synagogue just before the fall of Communism and said it had been boarded up and in ruins; they were so delighted to see it had been restored. As our guide gave us the history of Jews in Russia, so many of the group could relate as most of them had relatives that came from here. Next to the Big Choral Synagogue was an old brick building called the Small Synagogue. We climbed up to the top floor and looked down onto the main floor; I was transported back a hundred years, and I could see Tevye (from Fiddler on the Roof) sitting there studying the Torah. This untouched shul is still in use today. There was a shared bond among the group and you could really see and feel it when our guide told a few jokes and everyone on board laughed. It was a wonderful experience that I am glad I didn’t miss.
Our Russian guides have been well educated and spoke excellent English. It was a bit crowded at the Hermitage as there were 9 ships in port in various harbors. They are in the process of building a new cruise terminal that will hold 12 ships at a time. The traffic is bad; add in all the tour busses and it becomes almost gridlock. Imagine narrow streets with cars parked on both sides and then imagine tour busses double parked disgorging or picking up passengers. How the busses didn’t rip off their side mirrors is a mystery to me. Tourism is a big deal here in St. Petersburg.
You are with the guides and on tour and feel good about things, and then you have to go through customs and you remember you are in Russia. The customs inspectors sit in enclosed booths and there is a little slot to slide your passport and papers through. You cannot see what they are doing. There is no eye contact, no “have a good day,” absolutely no communication. They slide it back to you. It is very eerie. If you smile at someone, like the guard ladies at the Hermitage, they look away.
Tomorrow is a sea day. We have lessons in the morning and bridge in the afternoon. We arrived in Stockholm tomorrow night at 6pm. We have a 2 hour time change tonight. My body doesn’t know what time it is on!
This morning both Michael and I had escort duty. We went to the Winter Palace and the Hermitage, one of the world’s most famous and esteemed art museums. The Winter Palace has over 1,001 rooms swathed in malachite, jasper, agate, marble and gilded mirrors. The parquet floors had intricate patterns using many varieties of woods and in some rooms, the patterns on the floor mimicked the goldleaf designs on the ceiling. There were intricate mosaic and stone tables and floors. I had the audacity to brush my hand up against the side of a magnificant malachite table and this old lady guard came up behind me and swatted me!
The Hermitage houses art work from Picasso (there are 32 pieces) to Rembrandt. Since we only had 3 ½ hours for the tour, the guides only took us to view and learn about the items of artwork that are considered the highlights. There are displays of 15th and 16th century French, Dutch, and Italian art as well as Impressionist works from Renoir, Degas, Monet, and Van Gogh. In total, we walked 2 ½ miles!
In the afternoon, I took the Jewish Experience Tour. We had a bus load of 42 people. We went to the second largest synagogue in all of Europe (the first is in Budapest). It has a Moorish design and has been fully restored. There was one couple who had seen the synagogue just before the fall of Communism and said it had been boarded up and in ruins; they were so delighted to see it had been restored. As our guide gave us the history of Jews in Russia, so many of the group could relate as most of them had relatives that came from here. Next to the Big Choral Synagogue was an old brick building called the Small Synagogue. We climbed up to the top floor and looked down onto the main floor; I was transported back a hundred years, and I could see Tevye (from Fiddler on the Roof) sitting there studying the Torah. This untouched shul is still in use today. There was a shared bond among the group and you could really see and feel it when our guide told a few jokes and everyone on board laughed. It was a wonderful experience that I am glad I didn’t miss.
Our Russian guides have been well educated and spoke excellent English. It was a bit crowded at the Hermitage as there were 9 ships in port in various harbors. They are in the process of building a new cruise terminal that will hold 12 ships at a time. The traffic is bad; add in all the tour busses and it becomes almost gridlock. Imagine narrow streets with cars parked on both sides and then imagine tour busses double parked disgorging or picking up passengers. How the busses didn’t rip off their side mirrors is a mystery to me. Tourism is a big deal here in St. Petersburg.
You are with the guides and on tour and feel good about things, and then you have to go through customs and you remember you are in Russia. The customs inspectors sit in enclosed booths and there is a little slot to slide your passport and papers through. You cannot see what they are doing. There is no eye contact, no “have a good day,” absolutely no communication. They slide it back to you. It is very eerie. If you smile at someone, like the guard ladies at the Hermitage, they look away.
Tomorrow is a sea day. We have lessons in the morning and bridge in the afternoon. We arrived in Stockholm tomorrow night at 6pm. We have a 2 hour time change tonight. My body doesn’t know what time it is on!
Monday, June 15, 2009
St. Petersburg Russia
What’s worse than a sore knee? Two sore knees. Today we experienced Russia first hand. We docked in St. Petersburg, a 300 year old city, at 8:00 am and promptly arrived in the ship’s theater to await our turn to go ashore and go through Russian customs. Michael and I had the same excursion and after a delay of 45 minutes, we finally made it to our respective buses for our tour of St. Petersburg. The skies threatened rain, but we actually got some sunshine and in the afternoon a lot of wind. The tour was 9 hours long and made 8 stops, including lunch. In and out of the bus all day viewing the sights, counting the ducklings, keeping track of the strays….. it was an exhausting day.
Everything about St. Petersburg is BIG. The buildings were four to five stories high, but covered an entire city block. One after another. There were palaces and mansions everywhere. They were adorned in every pastel co lor you can imagine with ornate cornices, gargoyles, curly Qs, doodads, and tons of gold leaf. There were bronze monuments in every park, on top of buildings, in traffic circles. Speaking of traffic – it is unreal. We spent a lot of time driving or waiting in traffic. The streets (except for the main thoroughfares) are narrow and people park anywhere and double parking is common, so streets are easily blocked making it difficult for the buses to get through. There are also several rivers running through the city, the largest is Neva. Peter the Great loved the idea of canals like in Venice, so people got around using boats. It wasn’t until 1903 that the first bridges were built across the rivers. I also noted that there were many women with badly dyed blonde hair.
Other miscellaneous notes: at this time of year, there is 19 hours of daylight and it never gets dark. They call this “white nights.” Those nesting dolls that are very popular in Russia are called “matroshka” dolls, and originally symbolized fertility. The large doll represents the mother and the smaller, nested dolls represent her children.
We drove for about an hour to Catherine’s Palace, a lavish summer residence of the imperial family until the time of the last tsar. This is a breathtaking palace full of gilded carvings, mirrors, vast ceiling paintings, and LOTS OF GOLD LEAF everywhere. There were so many rooms; each was used for a specific task. We experienced a mass of humanity as we waited in line to go through the palace. OK, maybe not that many people, but it sure was crowded with bus loads of tourists arriving all at the same time. The highlight of the tour was the Amber Room. The walls were covered in white, yellow and red amber forming intricate and ornate patterns and picture frames. Even the furniture had amber in it. It was a sight to behold and is not easily described.
We then had a typical Russian lunch at a local restaurant. They were set up for 4 bus loads of people and Michael and I even got to sit together. They didn’t serve borscht. They served a salad; creamed vegetable soup; potato pancakes; rice with chicken, peas, and carrots with a sauce over it; desert; champagne and, of course, a shot of vodka.
Then it was off to Peter and Paul Cathedral, where all the tsars and members of the royal family are buried. My bus load of people was treated to a private recital from 4 priests singing there. We also saw two magnificent cathedrals that were a wondrous sight to behold – Church on Spilled Blood and St. Isaac’s Cathedral. We also saw the Battleship Aurora that fired the first shot in the Russian Revolution of 1917. We saw so many churches, cathedrals, domes, fancy palaces and buildings that I don’t care if I see another church for a long time.
Tomorrow we do the Hermitage and after that 3 hour tour, I go on an additional 3 hour tour of Jewish heritage of St. Petersburg. I’m going to need a vacation when I get home!
Everything about St. Petersburg is BIG. The buildings were four to five stories high, but covered an entire city block. One after another. There were palaces and mansions everywhere. They were adorned in every pastel co lor you can imagine with ornate cornices, gargoyles, curly Qs, doodads, and tons of gold leaf. There were bronze monuments in every park, on top of buildings, in traffic circles. Speaking of traffic – it is unreal. We spent a lot of time driving or waiting in traffic. The streets (except for the main thoroughfares) are narrow and people park anywhere and double parking is common, so streets are easily blocked making it difficult for the buses to get through. There are also several rivers running through the city, the largest is Neva. Peter the Great loved the idea of canals like in Venice, so people got around using boats. It wasn’t until 1903 that the first bridges were built across the rivers. I also noted that there were many women with badly dyed blonde hair.
Other miscellaneous notes: at this time of year, there is 19 hours of daylight and it never gets dark. They call this “white nights.” Those nesting dolls that are very popular in Russia are called “matroshka” dolls, and originally symbolized fertility. The large doll represents the mother and the smaller, nested dolls represent her children.
We drove for about an hour to Catherine’s Palace, a lavish summer residence of the imperial family until the time of the last tsar. This is a breathtaking palace full of gilded carvings, mirrors, vast ceiling paintings, and LOTS OF GOLD LEAF everywhere. There were so many rooms; each was used for a specific task. We experienced a mass of humanity as we waited in line to go through the palace. OK, maybe not that many people, but it sure was crowded with bus loads of tourists arriving all at the same time. The highlight of the tour was the Amber Room. The walls were covered in white, yellow and red amber forming intricate and ornate patterns and picture frames. Even the furniture had amber in it. It was a sight to behold and is not easily described.
We then had a typical Russian lunch at a local restaurant. They were set up for 4 bus loads of people and Michael and I even got to sit together. They didn’t serve borscht. They served a salad; creamed vegetable soup; potato pancakes; rice with chicken, peas, and carrots with a sauce over it; desert; champagne and, of course, a shot of vodka.
Then it was off to Peter and Paul Cathedral, where all the tsars and members of the royal family are buried. My bus load of people was treated to a private recital from 4 priests singing there. We also saw two magnificent cathedrals that were a wondrous sight to behold – Church on Spilled Blood and St. Isaac’s Cathedral. We also saw the Battleship Aurora that fired the first shot in the Russian Revolution of 1917. We saw so many churches, cathedrals, domes, fancy palaces and buildings that I don’t care if I see another church for a long time.
Tomorrow we do the Hermitage and after that 3 hour tour, I go on an additional 3 hour tour of Jewish heritage of St. Petersburg. I’m going to need a vacation when I get home!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Tallin Estonia
I was almost late for Estonia. We went to bed last night and there was no envelope with escort assignments waiting for us in our mail slot. So we had a chance to sleep in for a change. Here I was blissfully in that half awake/half asleep state when Michael yells at me, “You have a tour. Get up and get ready you only have ½ hour before the tour leaves!” How could this be? They have never done such a last minute assignment before. So out of bed I jump, well not really jump as I am stiff as a board when I first get up and head for the shower. No time to do my hair. Get out of the shower and Michael feeds me a banana as I am pulling on my socks. I actually arrived at the bus in time. Actually it was very windy and overcast so it didn’t matter that I didn’t do my hair. What a way to start the day.
Michael was not so lucky. He did not get a tour, so he took the shuttle to old town and did a self-guided tour and saw much of what I saw.
At least it didn’t rain today. Tallinn is the city we visited in Estonia. They have only had their independence since 1991 from Soviet Russia. As in the other Baltic countries, the Soviet influence is still very much visible. This medieval city is surrounded by a moat and wall with tower gateways, and there are 40+ churches and cathedrals. The streets of the old upper town are twisty with ankle-wrenching cobblestone streets. At one cathedral dating back to the 1200s, there were some incredibly ornate coat of arms of wealthy families mounted on the walls of the church. The Russian orthodox church was among the most beautiful of churches we have seen so far on our journey, with four domes and lots of gold leaf decoration and intricate sculptures and carvings. We also went to an outdoor museum that displayed actual farm houses from a century ago, including the furnishings. We were treated to a folk dance show and were served refreshments. Had caraway flavored tea that was very bold tasting and unusual, and a cake that tasted like half cake/half bread. Our guide was a hoot. She should be a stand-up comedienne. Using a sense of humor, she told us tales of life under communism and how grateful they are today for their freedom even though they don’t have much in the material sense. Wages are very low and the recession has hit them hard. I have a new appreciation for the Baltic countries and admire the strength of character of these people.
Today we had a bridge game and only had 3 tables. I didn’t have to play!!!
It is now 11:30 pm and it is sunny outside. It probably won’t get all the way dark as we are pretty close to the Arctic Circle.
Tomorrow we are in St. Petersburg.
Michael was not so lucky. He did not get a tour, so he took the shuttle to old town and did a self-guided tour and saw much of what I saw.
At least it didn’t rain today. Tallinn is the city we visited in Estonia. They have only had their independence since 1991 from Soviet Russia. As in the other Baltic countries, the Soviet influence is still very much visible. This medieval city is surrounded by a moat and wall with tower gateways, and there are 40+ churches and cathedrals. The streets of the old upper town are twisty with ankle-wrenching cobblestone streets. At one cathedral dating back to the 1200s, there were some incredibly ornate coat of arms of wealthy families mounted on the walls of the church. The Russian orthodox church was among the most beautiful of churches we have seen so far on our journey, with four domes and lots of gold leaf decoration and intricate sculptures and carvings. We also went to an outdoor museum that displayed actual farm houses from a century ago, including the furnishings. We were treated to a folk dance show and were served refreshments. Had caraway flavored tea that was very bold tasting and unusual, and a cake that tasted like half cake/half bread. Our guide was a hoot. She should be a stand-up comedienne. Using a sense of humor, she told us tales of life under communism and how grateful they are today for their freedom even though they don’t have much in the material sense. Wages are very low and the recession has hit them hard. I have a new appreciation for the Baltic countries and admire the strength of character of these people.
Today we had a bridge game and only had 3 tables. I didn’t have to play!!!
It is now 11:30 pm and it is sunny outside. It probably won’t get all the way dark as we are pretty close to the Arctic Circle.
Tomorrow we are in St. Petersburg.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Riga Latvia
Cobblestone streets are murder on the knees. Our tour of Latvia was mercifully short as it involved lots of walking through the old city on narrow cobblestone streets in the rain. Riga is a large city and quite beautiful. There are wonderful parks and old churches everywhere (for which they charge to enter) and lots of flowers blooming. The architecture is predominately art nouveau style and many of them have a large number of animals sculpted from stone on the facades. The city is surrounded by what used to be a moat and is now called a canal. There are several gates to the city still standing. This is another medieval city that has seen so much war, and destruction and reconstruction by various ethnic groups at one time or another. Again, here we see a lot of the Soviet influence as well as German. When the Soviets occupied Latvia (as well as the other Baltic countries we have visited), they destroyed much of the cultural and religious icons and buildings of the cities. Churches that were built in the 1200s, for example, have since been reconstru cted or repaired. Of course, once the Soviets left most of their icons were destroyed as well. Today, 45% of Latvia is Russian speaking.
Being an escort sure has been interesting on this trip. The passengers are mostly older folks, and they like to be taken care of. And they sure do complain a lot – about everything, especially the weather. This is our third straight day of rain, and I assured them I can work miracles but not with the weather. That is beyond the scope of my job description. Again, the guides in this part of the world seem to lack the polish and sophistication of those in Berlin, although I don’t think anyone could beat the Germans in this department. After we got off the bus, someone wanted to know where the bathrooms were. I asked the guide and she indicated that public toilets would be at the next plaza but would cost 20 Latvia cents. Well, no one had any Latvia money and didn’t want to buy anything just to get change. You cannot use the bathrooms in restaurants either unless you buy something. It would have been nice to have noted this in the cruise information the passenger received at booking and if the guide had mentioned it before we left the bus (which has a toilet). Jeeesh, the things I have to do to keep the troops happy. At the plaza, some folks caved and used the toilets there. While they were occupied with that task, the guide starts walking off with half the group and the rest were standing there not knowing what to do. So I have to yell at everyone to stop and let me count the group to see how many were missing. All in a day’s work. See, nothing is totally free!!
Being on a small ship is very intimate. There are 700 passengers and everywhere you turn, there is someone you know from either bridge, dinner or a tour. Most people are very friendly. I had an interesting encounter in the laundry room yesterday. I was waiting for the washing machines to finish and since no one came to claim their clothes, I placed the just washed clothes into laundry baskets and put my stuff in. Eventually, a lady came in and was wondering if her clothes were dry yet. Now how the heck do I know? She looks in the dryer and takes the clothes out. Then she looks at the wet stuff in the laundry basket and asked me if they were her clothes! This is for real. I told her I didn’t know. She looks through the stuff and says she thinks it looks like her stuff and proceeds to tell me she had no knowledge of how it came to be in the washer. Honestly! Then she asked me if I dried it. No, it’s wet! You gotta wonder about some people.
The cruise director came up to Michael and told him that he received many complements on the bridge games and lessons. We are having social bridge today so are expecting a larger turnout. Seems a lot of bridge players on this ship are intimidated by duplicate bridge.
Tomorrow were are in Estonia.
Being an escort sure has been interesting on this trip. The passengers are mostly older folks, and they like to be taken care of. And they sure do complain a lot – about everything, especially the weather. This is our third straight day of rain, and I assured them I can work miracles but not with the weather. That is beyond the scope of my job description. Again, the guides in this part of the world seem to lack the polish and sophistication of those in Berlin, although I don’t think anyone could beat the Germans in this department. After we got off the bus, someone wanted to know where the bathrooms were. I asked the guide and she indicated that public toilets would be at the next plaza but would cost 20 Latvia cents. Well, no one had any Latvia money and didn’t want to buy anything just to get change. You cannot use the bathrooms in restaurants either unless you buy something. It would have been nice to have noted this in the cruise information the passenger received at booking and if the guide had mentioned it before we left the bus (which has a toilet). Jeeesh, the things I have to do to keep the troops happy. At the plaza, some folks caved and used the toilets there. While they were occupied with that task, the guide starts walking off with half the group and the rest were standing there not knowing what to do. So I have to yell at everyone to stop and let me count the group to see how many were missing. All in a day’s work. See, nothing is totally free!!
Being on a small ship is very intimate. There are 700 passengers and everywhere you turn, there is someone you know from either bridge, dinner or a tour. Most people are very friendly. I had an interesting encounter in the laundry room yesterday. I was waiting for the washing machines to finish and since no one came to claim their clothes, I placed the just washed clothes into laundry baskets and put my stuff in. Eventually, a lady came in and was wondering if her clothes were dry yet. Now how the heck do I know? She looks in the dryer and takes the clothes out. Then she looks at the wet stuff in the laundry basket and asked me if they were her clothes! This is for real. I told her I didn’t know. She looks through the stuff and says she thinks it looks like her stuff and proceeds to tell me she had no knowledge of how it came to be in the washer. Honestly! Then she asked me if I dried it. No, it’s wet! You gotta wonder about some people.
The cruise director came up to Michael and told him that he received many complements on the bridge games and lessons. We are having social bridge today so are expecting a larger turnout. Seems a lot of bridge players on this ship are intimidated by duplicate bridge.
Tomorrow were are in Estonia.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Klaipeda Lithuania
If it’s Friday, it must be Lithuania. Both Michael and I had escort duty on different tours. It is weird to travel together, but not go on excursions together. At least we have something to talk about when we meet up. It’s fun to compare what we have each learned and saw. Unfortunately, travelling separately with one camera is a problem (Michael has it) and next time we go on a trip, I will take my own camera.
I went to Klaipeda and went on a village tour. Our guide, who lived through Soviet rule and the conversion to democracy, was very knowledgeable and gave a detailed history of the life and turbulent times in the country’s history. It was very informative, and the people are still coming to terms with the communist invasion. They are an optimistic people. The part of the country we saw was dominated by the Soviet legacy, such as the apartment buildings and factories. The city is rather dreary looking but the country side is very bucolic.
Went to a sawmill where they were building log homes by hand. They were beautifully crafted. They assemble the house, then take it apart and put it into a kit for shipping. Then we went to a farm house and was treated to handpressed apple juice and homemade coffee cake, with a tour of the homestead and grounds. Then off to a museum where there were exhibits from people who were sent to Sibera.
Michael went to a beach resort community, an amber museum, a beautiful local church and then on to the “Old Town” for a tour and visit to a local brewery (what else?).
Back to the ship for laundry, bridge, dinner and entertainment. I wonder why I am so tired --- gee all this work is exhausting. I know that you feel sorry for me. I guess I can rest when I get home as I will probably never get to see these places again.
Tomorrow more escort duty in Latvia.
I went to Klaipeda and went on a village tour. Our guide, who lived through Soviet rule and the conversion to democracy, was very knowledgeable and gave a detailed history of the life and turbulent times in the country’s history. It was very informative, and the people are still coming to terms with the communist invasion. They are an optimistic people. The part of the country we saw was dominated by the Soviet legacy, such as the apartment buildings and factories. The city is rather dreary looking but the country side is very bucolic.
Went to a sawmill where they were building log homes by hand. They were beautifully crafted. They assemble the house, then take it apart and put it into a kit for shipping. Then we went to a farm house and was treated to handpressed apple juice and homemade coffee cake, with a tour of the homestead and grounds. Then off to a museum where there were exhibits from people who were sent to Sibera.
Michael went to a beach resort community, an amber museum, a beautiful local church and then on to the “Old Town” for a tour and visit to a local brewery (what else?).
Back to the ship for laundry, bridge, dinner and entertainment. I wonder why I am so tired --- gee all this work is exhausting. I know that you feel sorry for me. I guess I can rest when I get home as I will probably never get to see these places again.
Tomorrow more escort duty in Latvia.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Gdansk Poland
THERE WAS A MUTINY ON THE BUS! Had a very exciting day as an escort in Gdansk, Poland. We arrived a little bit late into port and there was a crush of people trying to get off the ship to get on with their tours. Little did everyone know that there would be a mad crush to get back to the ship.
My tour started with 32 people. We went to the Solidarity Museum, which detailed the struggle for democracy and the overthrow of Soviet rule. It was down a few flights of stairs from street level into what was an old bunker. The elderly and handicapped folks had a hard time and started complaining right away. The museum was very depressing and the guide was barely understandable because he didn’t make sense a lot of the time and his accent was pretty thick. As we were in one room listening to him and watching a video, another group comes in and their guide started talking right over ours and muscled her group in front of ours. Boy, the complaints from my ducklings really started. We finally got everyone up the stairs and into the bus and a bunch of them wanted to go back to the ship. Well, that wasn’t going to happen as this was just the beginning of a 5 hour tour.
We reached a dreary street near the old town. The guide said we had 2 ½ hours on our own. We were on a tour with a guide and he is just going to let us off the bus and tells us to come back at the appointed time ---- I don’t think so!!! He never said what we would see and do, and even where we were to go. That’s when the mutiny started. Someone yelled, “Where’s the shuttle back to the ship?” and they all looked at me for the answer. Now, I don’t have a clue but I certainly know how to find out – “Who has the map?” I ask. Someone gives a copy to me and I consult with the guide and driver to determine that the shuttle location was nearby. I tell everyone to sit down and wait while I figure this all out. Now I am responsible for this group of 32 and I cannot afford to lose someone. After some fast thinking, I ask how many want to go back to the ship and 15 decided to leave. That’s almost half my group!!!! So they leave with directions to the shuttle stop.
Now the rest are unsure about what they want to do, but they know for sure that they do not want to spend 2 ½ hours walking around. That’s when I started the negotiations. I TOLD the guide he will accompany us on the walking tour and guide us and that we would only stay for 1 ½ hours. He said no. I reemphasized my stand and again told him that was the way it was going to be. Period, end of story. He said he would have to call his dispatcher and get permission to do so. OK, so we waited while he did and I heard him say my name on the phone (I can imagine what he said!). So off we went and were treated to an incredible sight.
Gkansk is a medieval city, and like all cites of that era, was walled and had gates. We walked through the Green Gate and there before us lay an enormously wide cobbled stone pedestrian street that had to have been at least a mile long, with buildings on both sides. The entire city was destroyed during WWII, but the old town has been rebuilt to look like it did in medieval times. I can’t even begin to describe this sight. Building after building, abutting each other, in various colors and ornate exteriors were like an old painting. There were lots of restaurants with outdoor seating and shops selling amber. We also visited St. Mary’s church, which was built in the 1300s. It’s a shame that the 15 people missed this sight. On the way back to the ship, the people on the bus gave me a round of applause for taking care of business.
Michael went on a tour that included a water smithy. His group didn’t fare any better than mine. The smithy tour was a total zero because it was “broken,” so they really didn’t get to see it in action. He also had mass defections. Found out there were mass defections on other tours. Unlike Berlin, which was so perfect, I think the people in this part of the world have a lot to learn about tourism.
We’re off to Lithuania tomorrow where we both have escort duty again. Hope tomorrow goes better!
My tour started with 32 people. We went to the Solidarity Museum, which detailed the struggle for democracy and the overthrow of Soviet rule. It was down a few flights of stairs from street level into what was an old bunker. The elderly and handicapped folks had a hard time and started complaining right away. The museum was very depressing and the guide was barely understandable because he didn’t make sense a lot of the time and his accent was pretty thick. As we were in one room listening to him and watching a video, another group comes in and their guide started talking right over ours and muscled her group in front of ours. Boy, the complaints from my ducklings really started. We finally got everyone up the stairs and into the bus and a bunch of them wanted to go back to the ship. Well, that wasn’t going to happen as this was just the beginning of a 5 hour tour.
We reached a dreary street near the old town. The guide said we had 2 ½ hours on our own. We were on a tour with a guide and he is just going to let us off the bus and tells us to come back at the appointed time ---- I don’t think so!!! He never said what we would see and do, and even where we were to go. That’s when the mutiny started. Someone yelled, “Where’s the shuttle back to the ship?” and they all looked at me for the answer. Now, I don’t have a clue but I certainly know how to find out – “Who has the map?” I ask. Someone gives a copy to me and I consult with the guide and driver to determine that the shuttle location was nearby. I tell everyone to sit down and wait while I figure this all out. Now I am responsible for this group of 32 and I cannot afford to lose someone. After some fast thinking, I ask how many want to go back to the ship and 15 decided to leave. That’s almost half my group!!!! So they leave with directions to the shuttle stop.
Now the rest are unsure about what they want to do, but they know for sure that they do not want to spend 2 ½ hours walking around. That’s when I started the negotiations. I TOLD the guide he will accompany us on the walking tour and guide us and that we would only stay for 1 ½ hours. He said no. I reemphasized my stand and again told him that was the way it was going to be. Period, end of story. He said he would have to call his dispatcher and get permission to do so. OK, so we waited while he did and I heard him say my name on the phone (I can imagine what he said!). So off we went and were treated to an incredible sight.
Gkansk is a medieval city, and like all cites of that era, was walled and had gates. We walked through the Green Gate and there before us lay an enormously wide cobbled stone pedestrian street that had to have been at least a mile long, with buildings on both sides. The entire city was destroyed during WWII, but the old town has been rebuilt to look like it did in medieval times. I can’t even begin to describe this sight. Building after building, abutting each other, in various colors and ornate exteriors were like an old painting. There were lots of restaurants with outdoor seating and shops selling amber. We also visited St. Mary’s church, which was built in the 1300s. It’s a shame that the 15 people missed this sight. On the way back to the ship, the people on the bus gave me a round of applause for taking care of business.
Michael went on a tour that included a water smithy. His group didn’t fare any better than mine. The smithy tour was a total zero because it was “broken,” so they really didn’t get to see it in action. He also had mass defections. Found out there were mass defections on other tours. Unlike Berlin, which was so perfect, I think the people in this part of the world have a lot to learn about tourism.
We’re off to Lithuania tomorrow where we both have escort duty again. Hope tomorrow goes better!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Berlin Germany
Just returned from a marathon day: 13 hour tour to Berlin. It was a 3 hour bus ride just to get to Berlin, and of course, 3 hours home. In between, we saw so much that my mind was doing cartwheels just trying to keep up with the guide. Berlin is a mixture of old and new as much of the city was bombed out during WWII. A lot of old buildings were rebuilt to look old, and then there are the contemporary buildings that were built right next door to the old, causing a wild mixture of architectural styles. The countryside was beautiful farmland and woods.
Places of note that we visited were the Brandenburg Gate, which was part of the Berlin Wall; Checkpoint Charlie, the American crossing point between East and West Berlin; the Reichstag, which houses Germany’s parliament; the Berlin Wall, a section about a mile long that has been preserved; and numerous other memorials.
We also had a short shopping stop at Europe’s largest department store. Oh boy oh boy!!! Only had ½ hour and you couldn’t walk through one floor in that time. I went to the sixth floor, which had the food – whole sections just for teas, candies, pastries, olives, pasta, meat, bread, etc. It was HUGE. In the clothes departments, every high end name was represented.
Michael and I took different tours, but saw virtually the same things. While standing outside the department store waiting for the bus, who comes up to me but Michael! Here I am in Berlin, a huge city, and I actually run into someone I know.
Upon our return to the ship, we were welcomed by the entire crew and officers who formed 2 lines and sang and handed out drinks while we walked between them from the bus to the gangplank. It was a sight to behold. As our ship pulled away from the dock, we were serenaded with music.
Tomorrow we are off to Gdansk Poland and we have scored escort duty again. I’m going to Solidarity City while Michael goes to see the village water smithy.
Places of note that we visited were the Brandenburg Gate, which was part of the Berlin Wall; Checkpoint Charlie, the American crossing point between East and West Berlin; the Reichstag, which houses Germany’s parliament; the Berlin Wall, a section about a mile long that has been preserved; and numerous other memorials.
We also had a short shopping stop at Europe’s largest department store. Oh boy oh boy!!! Only had ½ hour and you couldn’t walk through one floor in that time. I went to the sixth floor, which had the food – whole sections just for teas, candies, pastries, olives, pasta, meat, bread, etc. It was HUGE. In the clothes departments, every high end name was represented.
Michael and I took different tours, but saw virtually the same things. While standing outside the department store waiting for the bus, who comes up to me but Michael! Here I am in Berlin, a huge city, and I actually run into someone I know.
Upon our return to the ship, we were welcomed by the entire crew and officers who formed 2 lines and sang and handed out drinks while we walked between them from the bus to the gangplank. It was a sight to behold. As our ship pulled away from the dock, we were serenaded with music.
Tomorrow we are off to Gdansk Poland and we have scored escort duty again. I’m going to Solidarity City while Michael goes to see the village water smithy.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Gothenburg Sweden
Greetings from the North Sea and Sweden. We left Great Britain and followed the channel between England and France. Have seen a lot of large container ships heading in both directions. Had some beam seas in the North Sea, which weren’t all that bad. Michael had a little mal de mer, but managed to do all his bridge duties with lots of naps between sessions. I think we both still had jet lag and as I write this at 5 am on Tuesday morning where it is already bright and sunny, I think we both have recovered from it. Just can’t sleep. Went to bed last night around midnight and it was still light out and we could see the sunset. One sorta gets the feeling you get when in Alaska – its light out, now what do we do next and it makes it hard to go to bed.
Yesterday was a sea day and there is nothing much to report. There were various activities on board, mostly lectures, bridge, and classes at the gym. The bridge lessons were sparsely attended due to overlap of the Russian lecture (there were about 8-10 students for each of the beginner and intermediate lessons), but had a really good turnout for the afternoon bridge game (6 ½ tables). As usual, people really enjoyed Michael’s teaching and directing. Most of the students were American and British. We don’t know from day to day what our schedule will be until the ship news bulletin comes out the night before. People ask us when the next game is and we tell them to read the paper and find out like we do!
The passengers that we have met are mostly Americans and Brits, with a few Canadians and Australians thrown in. It seems on the smaller ships that people take the time to chat with each other and that anonymity doesn’t apply like on the larger ships. We have met several couples from the Coachella Valley! Last night was a formal night and most people actually dress up, not like on some other ships where they wear whatever they feel like wearing. We ate in the “regular” dining room and sat a t a “shared” table. We enjoy the shared tables as we have been able to meet people from different places and have such interesting conversations.
The entertainment on board ship is crude to say the least. Smaller ships don’t have the space to have the razzle dazzle production shows. Last night’s entertainment was performed by the cruise director who did “black curtain” comedy with dolls and props of some sort and sang opera, and an English comedian who was not very cutting edge, had a dead delivery, used old jokes and picked on his wife. He would never have made it with an American crowd. Michael could have done a better job telling his jokes!! If they run out of entertainment, he should volunteer to do a set.
I do have to say, it is amusing listening to all the different types of British accents. The Brits are very interesting people; they are quite different from Americans though… …can’t quite put my finger on why this observation, but I’ll have to ponder it some more.
Today we went to Gothenburg Sweden, which is the second largest city in the country. We managed to get escort duty for a city exploration excursion and we were assigned different buses. We actually met up with each other at the botanic gardens. As escorts, we have to carry a backpack around with first aid stuff and can’t wear blue jeans – and guess what I brought to wear on excursions! We also have to keep track of the time of the stops, make sure all the stops were completed and then write a short evaluation of the excursion. The city was dense, crowded and very clean. Housing was apartment buildings; no private homes in the city. It wasn’t the most exciting tour nor did it have interesting architecture. We were only in port for 5 hours, so it was a quick tour. The people on the ship are like children sometimes. Our tour was from 11 am to 2:30 pm and no stops for lunch. They wanted to know when and where they were going to eat when the bus returned to the ship, and what time would we have breakfast tomorrow when we leave at 6:45 am for Berlin. Fortunately, I had a copy of the daily bulletin and gave them the information. Don’t they read the daily bulletin????? All in a day’s work.
I took the night off and stayed in the cabin and watched a dumb movie. Michael went to the show – opera – ugh! Then he went to the dining room for dinner. It’s early to bed tonight as we are off to an early start for our day in Berlin.
Yesterday was a sea day and there is nothing much to report. There were various activities on board, mostly lectures, bridge, and classes at the gym. The bridge lessons were sparsely attended due to overlap of the Russian lecture (there were about 8-10 students for each of the beginner and intermediate lessons), but had a really good turnout for the afternoon bridge game (6 ½ tables). As usual, people really enjoyed Michael’s teaching and directing. Most of the students were American and British. We don’t know from day to day what our schedule will be until the ship news bulletin comes out the night before. People ask us when the next game is and we tell them to read the paper and find out like we do!
The passengers that we have met are mostly Americans and Brits, with a few Canadians and Australians thrown in. It seems on the smaller ships that people take the time to chat with each other and that anonymity doesn’t apply like on the larger ships. We have met several couples from the Coachella Valley! Last night was a formal night and most people actually dress up, not like on some other ships where they wear whatever they feel like wearing. We ate in the “regular” dining room and sat a t a “shared” table. We enjoy the shared tables as we have been able to meet people from different places and have such interesting conversations.
The entertainment on board ship is crude to say the least. Smaller ships don’t have the space to have the razzle dazzle production shows. Last night’s entertainment was performed by the cruise director who did “black curtain” comedy with dolls and props of some sort and sang opera, and an English comedian who was not very cutting edge, had a dead delivery, used old jokes and picked on his wife. He would never have made it with an American crowd. Michael could have done a better job telling his jokes!! If they run out of entertainment, he should volunteer to do a set.
I do have to say, it is amusing listening to all the different types of British accents. The Brits are very interesting people; they are quite different from Americans though… …can’t quite put my finger on why this observation, but I’ll have to ponder it some more.
Today we went to Gothenburg Sweden, which is the second largest city in the country. We managed to get escort duty for a city exploration excursion and we were assigned different buses. We actually met up with each other at the botanic gardens. As escorts, we have to carry a backpack around with first aid stuff and can’t wear blue jeans – and guess what I brought to wear on excursions! We also have to keep track of the time of the stops, make sure all the stops were completed and then write a short evaluation of the excursion. The city was dense, crowded and very clean. Housing was apartment buildings; no private homes in the city. It wasn’t the most exciting tour nor did it have interesting architecture. We were only in port for 5 hours, so it was a quick tour. The people on the ship are like children sometimes. Our tour was from 11 am to 2:30 pm and no stops for lunch. They wanted to know when and where they were going to eat when the bus returned to the ship, and what time would we have breakfast tomorrow when we leave at 6:45 am for Berlin. Fortunately, I had a copy of the daily bulletin and gave them the information. Don’t they read the daily bulletin????? All in a day’s work.
I took the night off and stayed in the cabin and watched a dumb movie. Michael went to the show – opera – ugh! Then he went to the dining room for dinner. It’s early to bed tonight as we are off to an early start for our day in Berlin.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Day 1 at Sea
Hi Everyone! Today we set sail from Southampton. The weather was mostly cloudy and cool. Check in was a breeze; in fact, the easiest check in we ever had on any cruise ship. Had a wonderful buffet lunch and explored the ship while we waited for our room to be ready. When we arrived at our room, boy were we surprised -- what a beautiful and spacious room – and our luggage was already waiting in the room! We received our official name badges, met with the cruise director staff, did the lifeboat drill, and then we “hosted” a block party. That’s where everyone meets in the hallway to meet and greet their neighbors while wine is served. What a novel concept! Then ate a wonderful dinner at the steakhouse – Michael had a NY steak and I had lobster (which I gave ¾ of to Michael to eat). After dinner, we attended the welcome show and we went on stage where we were introduced (along with the rest of the entertainment staff). We lose another hour tonight.
Just a few details: Michael said the “free” wine was terrific (he had a Cline zinfandel for those who care). Our bathroom has a tub and separate stall shower. There is a huge walk-in closet. The sitting room has a huge wall unit and desk and couch and 2 chairs. There is also a separate vanity. And we have a verandah. This is the nicest room we have ever had on any ship. We applied to be escorts on the shore excursions and are hopeful that we will get plenty of them.
The ship itself is small and only holds 700 passengers. It is “petite” in its proportions compared to other ships we have been on. It is very understated. I think they put the emphasis and money in the passenger rooms rather than the common rooms.
More to come when we actually have something to report. Tomorrow is a sea day cruising the coast of Denmark. Our first actual port visit will be Gothenberg Sweden.
Just a few details: Michael said the “free” wine was terrific (he had a Cline zinfandel for those who care). Our bathroom has a tub and separate stall shower. There is a huge walk-in closet. The sitting room has a huge wall unit and desk and couch and 2 chairs. There is also a separate vanity. And we have a verandah. This is the nicest room we have ever had on any ship. We applied to be escorts on the shore excursions and are hopeful that we will get plenty of them.
The ship itself is small and only holds 700 passengers. It is “petite” in its proportions compared to other ships we have been on. It is very understated. I think they put the emphasis and money in the passenger rooms rather than the common rooms.
More to come when we actually have something to report. Tomorrow is a sea day cruising the coast of Denmark. Our first actual port visit will be Gothenberg Sweden.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
England
We have arrived in Jolly old England, right on time. We had a great flight, except for all the crying babies. I believe we had been transported to a nursery school. I even managed to snag a whole row of 4 seats across to stretch out on, took a sleeping pill and expected blissful slumber. But it was not to be; no sooner than I had fallen asleep and the crying started. Baby right behind me kicked the seat and cried and was strapped into a car seat. Finally I said to the parents, just pick the poor thing up already. Then there was another kid around 4 who cried ALL NIGHT LONG. Michael went to the back of the plane, but he didn't sleep either. Other than that, they even served a hot meal for dinner and the flight was very smooth. An interesting note: it was so cold in Calgary that they actually had to de-ice the wings before we took off and that we flew so far north close to the arctic circle and its so close to the summer solstice that it never got dark outside.
When we arrived at Heathrow, I think the plane was actually in Ireland as we walked and walked and walked to get to baggage claim. Then we walked and walked and walked to get to the bus station to catch our ride to Southampton. Only had to wait 15 minutes for the bus and passed the time with the locals. Didn't see much on the bus ride because we both fell asleep. Arrived at our hotel and took a crash nap. Michael ventured out to see the Queen Mary which was in dock, but got lost and never did see her. Had dinner at a typical English pub and now we are in the hotel for the night (which our body time says is morning). There is a 8 hour time difference.
Tomorrow, we will get on the ship.
When we arrived at Heathrow, I think the plane was actually in Ireland as we walked and walked and walked to get to baggage claim. Then we walked and walked and walked to get to the bus station to catch our ride to Southampton. Only had to wait 15 minutes for the bus and passed the time with the locals. Didn't see much on the bus ride because we both fell asleep. Arrived at our hotel and took a crash nap. Michael ventured out to see the Queen Mary which was in dock, but got lost and never did see her. Had dinner at a typical English pub and now we are in the hotel for the night (which our body time says is morning). There is a 8 hour time difference.
Tomorrow, we will get on the ship.
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