June 1 - Stockholm, Sweden                                                                                                         


Arrived in port about 7 this morning.  We are so far north that it barely got dark last night.

                                         Sunset from our balcony.  This was about 10:PM.

  The passageway we came through was beautiful, many rock islands with trees and homes.

At 8:15 we again met in the Stardust Theater where we were assigned busses to go on our tour of the city.  Our tour was cut a little short as there was a marathon in the city today and their route was most of the one we were to take.  We did keep ahead of them.  The morning was beautiful for our tour.


                                           Views as we were driving through Stockholm.

 

The building in the background is part of the Olympic

building from when they had the Olympics in the 50's.

 

Modern along with the old.

 

Many canals and bridges throughout Stockholm

 

Amusement Park

 

Winter Castle

 

There are 60 museums in Stockholm.  The most famous one is the Vasa Museum.

This museum is built around and for the sailing ship Vasa.  The king was a very proud man and wanted the best and prettiest ship on the seas.  If another ship had one row of decorations he wanted two.  For this reason the ship was very heavy and sunk just a short way out of port on its maiden voyage.  Many years later it was found and raised and this museum made around the ship and artifacts that were found and salvaged.  There is a café, gift shop, water closet, etc. in the building.

 

 

Outside of the museum

 

Our guide telling us about his favorite museum.

For this reason he is very knowledgeable about the sailing ship.

The guide knows several languages.  The next day he is to be an

translator  for a Middle East conference.  He knows a couple of the

languages but will translate in Pursian.

 

 

Starboard side of the ship

 

Back of the ship

 

Replica of the back,

The ship was very colorful. 

 

Front of the ship

 

Port side of the ship.

 

Replica of the Vasa

This

 

National Museum.

Across the street from the Vasa.

This museum was to be 3 times larger than it is but

the king would not let a building be built larger

than his castle.

 

We did not go in this building as we had to be off

the island by 11:00 as they were closing it off  then for the marathon. 

We would have been marooned there and might have missed the

sailing of our ship.

 

Towel bat on our bed

 

Field of turbines in the sea.

Would have been interesting to watch these being built.

 

Glad we are on the boat this afternoon as it is raining quite hard.  Feel sorry for the runners and those who wanted to watch them run past.

May 31 - Helsinki, Finland                                                                                                         


Up early and out on a tour of the city.  There were 45 on our bus today.  First we were taken to a touring boat for a ride out into the city and around some of the islands.  Back to the ship a little after noon,

May 30 - Day 2 in St Petersburg                                                                                        

Went sightseeing.  As we had gone through customs last night and showed a paper we had filled out about getting off the boat and returning we did not have to give them a paper again as we were in their system.  We just handed them our passport, they checked it and let us go on through.  We then boarded a bus for a tour of Scenic St Petersburg.  We had only 10 on this tour so it was really nice.  We usually have at least 40.  Many had taken a 2 day tour.  Our guide, Michael, was really good and looked out for all of us very well.

He was glad for another beautiful day as he says there are only 60 a year.  The other 300 are rain, storms, snow, cold, not very pleasant.

Will tell more about this tour when I can post pictures.

At 4:30 some of the performers from the night before came to the ship and put on a program for us. 
It was early as they had to be off the boat before we pulled out about 7PM.

At 7:30 there was a program put on by Andy Buenger who plays at least 7 different instruments.  He could really entertain us.  No picture taking was allowed.

About 7:15 the engines were started.  The announcer stated that when the "earthquake" was over we would get the show started.  By 7:30 we were pulling away from the dock heading for Helsinki, Finland and the quaking had settled down.

An interesting note is that at deck 6 you can really feel the ship wiggle.  On deck 11, where our room is located, one can feel a little movement but not much.  Enough to rock me to sleep. The sea has been very calm all trip. 

May 29 - St Petersburg, Russia                                                                                          

Spent the day on the ship relaxing and having a manicure and a pedicure.  In the evening we went to Russian Folklore Extravaganza.  We had to go through customs here showing our passports and going through security before boarding the bus for the theater.  This wasa very good performance by dancers, male singers and a band. Very lovely day both weather and sightseeing.

May 28 - Tallin, Estonia                                                                                                         

Not much power here on board the ship. Can not pull up any pictures.  Will add pictures when we get to someplace where I can, probably back in DC.

We docked in Tallin this morning about 9.  By 9:30 we were being loaded on buses to tour the city.  This was a riding/walking tour.  Tallin is a very interesting city of about 200,000 people in the north of the little country of Estonia.  The tour guide was VERY good telling us about the Medieval times as well as when behind the Iron Curtain. 




Lori walked to the castle of Peter the Great which was named for his wife Katherine.  Pictures were taken so I could see what it was like.  She said I could have made it as some who walked worse than I do made it.  Now I am sorry I stayed in the bus.  I got out at all the other stops.



The ruins of the old nunnery, Nun's Gate, were very interesting.


The walking part, through the old town, was on coble stone streets so was a little hard to walk on, but I did OK and kept up with the group.  Several cruise ships were in port so LOTS of people were walking around.

May 27 - Day at Sea                                                                                                   

The day started out very cloudy and cool.  We got up and ate breakfast at the Versailles Cafe.  This is just a regular cafe but very nice.  Yesterday we had the breakfast buffet but today we ordered.  Lori had pancakes and I had eggs benidict.  After breakfast we came back to our room and took a much needed nap, about 3 hours.

At 1 o'clock I had an appointment for a hair treatment, sure feels nice now.  Then I had a pedicure as Lori had her hair treatment.  I also needed a manicure so had that.  Lori did not need a pedicure so had a maincure.

Dinner will be at the Teppanyaki, a Brazilan steak house.

May 26 - Germany                                                                                                    

A rainy day here in Warnemuende, Germany.  We had a bus tour planned and went on it in the rain.  It was shortened a litle as some was to be outside.  The guide and driver made some changes so we could see other things.  This tour took us on a scenic tour of the main attractions within the Warnemuende/Rostock area.  This area was in the Eastern Bloc during the occupation by Russia.  Some of the buildings are still the tan color of the occupation time.  In the last 20 years people are buying their own land and homes and painting them various colors.  We stopped and got out at the old St Mary's Church.  We drove through the farming area and saw the rape fields & pasture land.  We also saw the town were the Grand Dukes had their summer homes.  (Rape is used for animal feed and the seeds crushed to make petro.)

 

Warnemuende, Germany

from ourbalcony

 

The tan Russian occupation color of houses 

 

Rape field

 

Large barn

 

Views of homes of Dukes

 

St Mary's church

 

Inside the church

 

Ivy covered tree

 

Returning to the ship we took a short nap and then went to La Bistro for dinner.  This is a French Cafe, very good food.

After dinner we went to a German Folkloric Show of musical and dancing talents of the Mecklenburg-Pommeraner Floklore Ensemble.  It was very interesting.  The performers introduced their numbers in English, you could tell that is not their native language.  We stopped for a soda and watched the sea.