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Adventure

Today began our latest adventure. I got up early and exercised. Hugh was lazy and got up just as I returned. We took care of the few things we had to do at the house and loaded the truck. We were off to Charlotte several hours before we needed to get to the airport. We stopped at South Park and looked in the stores and just walked, preparing for our flight. When we arrived at the airport I took the bags and checked us in and Hugh parked the truck. The security line was so long that we only had time for a pit stop and then we boarded. Our flight was full and the seats were cramped. We settled in with the intention of a bite to eat and sleep. Everything worked out as planned except the sleep part. The man behind me talked non-stop (not even sure he stopped to breathe) for 7 ½ hours. At the end of the flight I knew more personal details of his than I do for friends of 30 years (father has dementia, loony-bin crazy wife, small daughter, and don’t get him started on his dog). Long, long flight. Customs was a breeze, bags waiting, and off to the hotel. We were able to check-in after we finished with breakfast and by 9:15 we were showering and preparing for our day.
We caught the train into London and walked along the Thames. We visited the Tower of London for the good part of the day and we discovered we were too exhausted for much else. We went back on the train and napped before dinner (can’t handle an all-nighter like I used to). We had dinner at an oriental restaurant and I had a pumpkin and sweet potato curry from Singapore. It was delish!! After dinner we walked, showered, and slept. London pictures

We had a great night’s sleep at the Sofitel at Gatwick. We were up early and showered. Today we meet our escort to the ship. There are 10 of us from various flights on our bus. Everyone seemed to hail from Canada, Montana, or Florida. We were the only ones doing the whole 5 ½ weeks. The ride is pleasant and we traveled through Surrey, Sussex, and Kent. All had beautiful countryside. We arrived at the London Port of Tilbury and were surprised at how old it was. We quickly got checked in. It was so nice not to have to deal with any luggage. They served us coffee, juice, and fresh baked cookies. By 11:45 we were on board and having lunch while we waited on our stateroom. We explored the ship and had a reasonable idea of where everything was located. I checked out my first book and then we went to our stateroom to unpack and organize. This took longer than expected but we were set for the next 36 days (located the laundry room and it's free). We rested, showered, and went to dinner. We ate light and then walked around and made some pictures with filters in the soft evening light. We grabbed tea and went to the 9:45 show. It was an intro to all the things on the ship and all the performers from the different venues. After the show Hugh downloaded our pictures and I journaled and read.

Good Morning! In case, I did not mention it we have a lovely cabin with a wonderful shower, a comfy king bed, and a walk-in closet with lots of storage. Today we slept in, had a shower, and went for a leisurely breakfast. After eating we left the ship and took the ferry to Gravesend across the Thames. It was a warm sunny day and we had our new cameras with us. We immediately went to the St. George Church and burial place of Pocahontas. It was a fun place to photograph as there was a lovely clock tower. We then walked from one end of the town to the other and even back to the train station. It was a busy Saturday and we had fun joining in. We checked out the shopping areas, churches, etc. and even stopped at a market to buy wine, brandy, and scotch before heading back to the ferry. It was mid-afternoon before we stopped for lunch. After a light lunch we read and settled on the lido deck with our cameras for the sail away. We did not win any of the raffle prizes but enjoyed the trip up the Thames and the commentary by our travel guide, Frank Buckingham, who is an Englishman very familiar with this area. We stayed out on deck until it was dark and time for dinner. No need to change so we headed to the Lido and had a lovely, long dinner and finished just in time for the show. Tonight was an Irish comic and singer and we enjoyed him very much. We walked around the ship and then retired to our cabin to look over our pictures and checked our email. No family news today. Our pictures were good but Hugh’s were the best. Next time I will leave off the filter which was an experiment today. Focus was good but color was better without it. After a little reading, we were sound asleep!

Today we got up in time for morning stretch class. It was overcast and very cool. The class was in the Showroom at Sea and helped to work the kinks out. We ate some fruit and had coffee and then went for our Tai Chi class out by the 9th floor pool. It was very windy and started to rain. The class moved indoors and was a lot of fun. After class Hugh exercised on weights and I went to shower. I journaled while Hugh showered and we parted ways. I read while he worked on pictures. At 11 am we met for the port talks on Scotland. The speaker was very entertaining and we are both excited about our stops in Scotland. It was clear that we can see as much or as little as we like and doing it on our own will be no problem. We agreed to meet for a late lunch and I headed out to explore while Hugh finished his project. We read, attended a lecture, and showered for 7 pm reservations in the Pinnacle Restaurant. This was a formal night and we dressed up. They seated us right away and everyone was wishing Hugh happy birthday. We ordered wine to celebrate and started our meal off with lobster bisque and Caesar salad. It was a memorable meal ending with a chocolate mousse cake with candles and a happy birthday chocolate plaque. On our way to the late show we had our picture taken. The show was great, Caliente. For a small ship they have terrific entertainment.

This morning we skipped exercise, showered, and had breakfast in anticipation of our trip into Edinburough. We boarded the shuttle to the train station. At the train station we bought tickets, made it to the train and we were on our way. We had a great trip to Waverly Station conveniently located between Princes Street and the Royal Mile. We walked up the Royal Mile toward the Castle, stopping at the shops and viewpoints. We did not visit the Castle as we had been there before. We walked 1/3 of the way down the hill and turned right. We walked in this area around the art museum which looked very out of place, much too modern. We made it to the end of the mile and stopped for a visit at Holyrood House, the Queens Scottish residence. We had not visited here before because when we were here before the Queen was in residence. This was lovely with great history. The house had great stories associated with it, especially one concerning Mary Queen of Scots. It looked cold and uncomfortable for today but we, of course, only saw the formal rooms and the dining area. The Abbey connected to it was in ruins but you could tell it was grand in its time. We were lucky and made it though most of the gardens before the rain chased us inside. We turned in our audio guides and made our way up the hill to Princes Street. Here we saw a lovely park and enjoyed fantastic views of the Castle on the hill. At last it was time to get the train back to Inverkeithing and then the shuttle to the ship. It was a fun day and we stayed up top for the sail away. We sailed under the Forth bridge (I love the estuary’s name, the Firth of Forth). We were able to sail under because we were on a smaller ship (still had to lower satellite tower) but we passed a Princess ship on the other side and it had to anchor and tender in 3000 people. The sail out was lovely and then we headed to dinner. The show was a classical guitarist and he was great. Today we had a strange odor in our room and the staff had to take care of it which they did. Edinburgh Scotland pictures

Up early and we were off to our stretch class. This was a nice wake-up and after breakfast we got a tender to Scrabster, the northern most point on the Scottish mainland. This is a very small port mostly dealing with oil and ferries to the Orkney Islands, 90 minutes away. At the port we took a free shuttle into Thurso. This small town in the true Scottish highlands has fresh air, hills covered in heather, and long summer days. We walked down town and on our way to the water we found the ruins of a church from 1220. It was beautiful and we met a lovely British gentleman who was also exploring on his own. We continued on toward the River Thurso and an ancient castle ruins. This river runs through the town and is known for its leaping salmon. We continued along the river and enjoyed the views. This town is the largest in County Caithness but we could walk the whole thing with ease. It was a wonderful day with on and off sun but also a very pleasant temperature. We walked through the town, across the river, and made pictures of all the sights we could find. By early afternoon we had completed our Thurso adventure and took the shuttle back to the ship. We had a light lunch and then headed out to explore Scrabster. We walked to the lighthouse and spoke with a local who told us about a hike to the cliffs at Holborn Head. It was a fun adventure through the sheep fields. We had to cross fences and the step area reminded us of Elizabeth Bennett crossing the fields in Pride & Prejudice. It was a beautiful walk over rolling hills that continued to climb upward. When we reached the cliffs end it was a marvelously lovely sight over layer after layer of flagstone. It was a dramatic and scenic vista of windswept sculpted crags that were both rugged and beautiful. We photographed and just enjoyed this vista until it was time to trek back to the port for the last tender to the ship. Back on board, we put chairs close to the rail, and prepared for the sail away. The scenery was lovely and the commentary most interesting. Before we realized it 7 pm was a hand and we prepared for dinner. After dinner I read and journaled and Hugh sorted pictures. The maintenance staff sent us a plate of chocolates as an apology for the inconvenience of the room odor. Unfortunately, we were too filled to enjoy them tonight so into the refrigerator they went. Thurso & Scrabster pictures

Today I have no explanation but we slept in until almost 10. Why is a mystery but we did enjoy it. After a nice breakfast we left the ship to explore the town of Runavik. Today was a national holiday so shops closed at 12:30 but that did not matter as we were not inclined to shop. We did walk thru one shop and found some cool but very expensive Norwegian outdoor wear. Loved to look but resisted purchasing. We walked up the main road and continued up the hills to a football stadium and then followed a path to Lake Tofta. There was a small creek running along the path side and we saw ducks playing in the cold water. The views were spectacular and we walked until the path ended. We saw a type of sheep we had not seen before, black faces, black rears, and white bodies; some had black saddle markings. Back at harbor side we took a road up and over the mountain and ended on the other side with a glorious view of the small villages across the fjord. We continued on the low road back to the ship. After a light and very late lunch, I journaled and Hugh ran. At 5 we sailed away and the commentary was wonderful but the weather was very windy and cold. Hugh stayed on deck when I went to shower and we ended up at a late dinner. We went to the regular dining room for the first time and were seated with a lovely couple from Sydney. Graham was an audiologist and Cheryl a lovely grandmother of 5. They travelled a great deal and had wonderful stories to tell. We had a long dinner ending just in time for the 10pm show. The entertainer was a piano virtuoso from Russia. He was excellent and had a funny way of introducing each piece. When we retired to our cabin we spent time looking over our pictures before we fell into deep sleep. We only had 5 hours of time without sun so blackout drapes are a must. Sunrise 4:28 am; Sunset 10:42 pm Faroe Islands pictures

There is not a lot to write today. Slept in, ate well, and enjoyed the port talk on Iceland. We are looking forward to the unusual terrain and the fjords. Hugh got all of our pictures up to date, my journaling is done, and our evening was spent with 3 great couples from around the globe. Our service was a bit slow, so we skipped dessert and went to the variety show. Glad we did; it was great!! The sun doesn’t seem to set here but old bodies wear out. Thank heavens for black out drapes

We were up early and very excited. We were booked on our first tour of this trip and it was a photo tour of Reykjavik and surrounding areas. After breakfast we headed to our bus and met Stefan our guide. As we pulled out of port we found out he was not only a photographer but a fount of knowledge on Iceland. As we traveled to the lava fields we passed wooden drying racks for fish, mostly cod. The fish once dried were used locally but also exported to Nigeria and some to Russia. At the lava fields he showed us how to tell the ones formed after the ice age as opposed to those that formed under the ice. Then we came to a lake that has formed in the crevice between the American tectonic plate and the European plate as they are separating at one end and you can have a foot on each. The rift increases about 1 cm per year. We made lots of pictures and Hugh was particularly interested in the ground plants and lichen. He has been photographing the plants and lichens since Thurso. The lava at the lake was an old lava field that had been ground down by the glaciers. As we left this area we began to see steam rising from some areas. We also saw some farms with sheep. We then arrived at the Seltun- geothermal area. This is a hot ( greater than 212F) water area that they attempted to use for power but the water was so, mineral laden that it clogged the system. They use geothermal power for heating and industry but use the cooler areas ( less than 212F) because they are cleaner. We walked in the bubbly area on boardwalks and of course it smelled strong of sulphur. We were traveling along when we stopped at a new lava field and took pictures. We arrived at Grindavik and saw the new harbor there. It was a working fishing harbor with fishing boats that went out for 6 weeks at a time and freeze the catch on board. We saw Icelandic horses (a singular breed that is kept pure) and lovely gardens. Next we went to a geothermal generating area. They generate more electricity per capita than any place in the world, 80% of it is used by aluminum and metal smelting plants. We then went to the bird cliff area to look at Eldey, a 17 meter sheer rock island. This island has a very large Gannett colony. Hugh climbed up on the promontory to see where the old lighthouse was. It had to be torn down as its cliff foundation was eroding. We then traveled back to Grindavik to the Blue Lagoon. This originally started as a power generating plant and they dumped the excess water onto a lava field where it initially percolated down but soon it had clogged the pores of the lava and a lagoon formed. It looks blue because the long silica chains reflect the sky. It was initially open for anyone but because accidents occurred it was fenced and soon admission was charged. The water comes from 6562 feet below the ground and is 464 degrees F before it enters the generators and it is a constant 100 degrees in the lagoon. It has 200 different types of algae and 60% are unique to this place. People go there to bathe and it is known to improve the skin because of all the minerals. They have a complete line of products at their gift shop. The lava field around the Blue Lagoon is called the evil field because it looks so foreboding. We then traveled back to Reykjavik and heard some modern history; failure of the banks, 3rd longest life expectancy, and at one time 2nd in cars per person. We arrived back at the ship and had a late light lunch. We then walked along the waterfront into the city centre. On our way we saw Steve Ballmer’s, of Microsoft fame, yacht. It was huge and anchored just off shore close to the Microsoft office building. We made it into the city center and walked around the streets. It was about a 7 mile trek round trip and we made it back just in time for our sail away. We went up to the 11th floor and had hot tea and sat outside as we sailed out into the fjord. The scenery was beautiful but soon it was time to shower and rest our feet. After dinner we had a wonderful group from Reykjavik perform. They did some Viking music and it was lovely but then they did a trip down memory lane with modern music, Motown, disco, 50’s, etc. and they were fantastic. They received a much deserved standing ovation. It was time to check email but we had no service. Satellite coverage is spotty this far north. So it was off to bed!! Reykjavik & Grindavik pictures   ·   Scenic pictures from today   ·   Icelandic botanical pictures

Today we docked in the pretty fishing town of Isafjordur. It is located in the heart of the beautiful rugged West Fjords region. After breakfast, we left the ship and stopped to visit the local maritime museum which contains 4 building built between 1736 and 1785. Here we also saw some old fishing boats, anchors, etc. From the museum we walked toward town and stopped at the visitor center. We got a map of the area and decided to walk to a lovely waterfall about 4 km away. We walked on a lovely path around the harbor and on past town. This is Iceland’s most sparsely populated region apart from the central highlands. We had lovely views but did not see a lot of homes, businesses, and schools. We could see across the water other fishing villages huddled against sheer mountains. As our walk continued we saw Icelandic horses, ducks with babies, a small airport and the most interesting of all the avalanche prevention measures they had taken in the mountains. This was a national project and gave an unusual look to the area. We made our turn off the main path and headed up a small road bordered on one side by a golf course and the other with a small vacation home type community. The scenery was beautiful and before we had walked too far we saw the river and soon the falls in the distance. We continued our walk and found a very busy campground with 100’s of tents and campers and 4 very active games of swamp soccer. This was the funniest game we had ever seen. People were playing soccer on 4 fields of sloppy mud at least thigh high. Someone would fall and when they managed to get up it made a sucking sound. There were lots of teams, girls and boys, men and women, waiting to play. Great uniforms, angels (tutu’s, wings, halos), devils (horns and tails) also people in suits vs. guys in jeans. We watched in amazement. The waterfall area was lovely and we climbed up to make the best pictures. Hugh tried climbing to the very top but when he got there, there was another peak. We made our way back the same way and we were quite hungry when we arrived back in town. We had lunch (3pm) on the ship and then walked a bit on the ship, exercised a bit, and rested our sore feet until sail away. We went on the 11th deck rear and made pictures and because the scenery was so lovely we had hot tea and a cheese plate for appetizers outside. Still the scenery was great so we ate our dinner out on deck (wearing several heavy layers) and did not go in until time for the basic clean up and our 8pm show. The show was “Moment’s to Remember” and it was lively and fun. Costumes on HAL ships are done by Bob Mackie and are beautiful. We then went to hear the string trio in the Ocean Bar for a while before heading off to our cabin. Our cabin steward is wonderful and leaves us the best towel animals each night; tonight is a koala-we have had elephants, stingrays, bunnies, monkeys, dogs and a lion. Each night we look forward to his next creation. Isafjordur pictures

The name of this town sounds more Irish than Icelandic which is appropriate as it was founded by Irish Monks. It has always been associated with fishing but today it is the largest retail cooperative society in Iceland and contains the majority of Iceland’s cooperative industries, including weaving, food processing, brewing, and tourism. The town looked lovely from the ship and improved as we walked into town. This town was easy to see on foot and we started at the visitor’s center which displayed a lot of Icelandic goods as well as maps and info. We started on the lower areas and made our way along the harbor into the town center. It was Sunday and little was open early so we continued into the neighborhoods and their lovely gardens. We made our way up the first large hill and found ourselves at the Listagardur Akureyrar (the botanical gardens). This is an astonishing place for its design and its plants. The collections of plants represent samples from around the world, and while many of them are familiar, the fact that they can survive 75 miles south of the Arctic Circle is remarkable. From the botanical gardens we walked through a school campus and came upon a huge campground in the middle of town. It was filled with hundreds of tents and campers. Summer is outdoor time in Iceland and camping is one of the favorite pastimes. The campground was across the street from another popular place the community outdoor swimming pool and play area. Every town should have a complex like this; 2 large pools, a water slide for kids, putt-putt, playground including bouncing balls, and inflatable slides, trampoline, and other fun things. This area had a constant influx of people thoroughly enjoying themselves. While they were swimming, we were wearing layers of clothing including our fleece- temp was 50 degrees and windy. From here we made our way to the church. This is a very stark modern building with twin spires. It was church time and we went in. There were maybe 25 people and the sermon was in Icelandic. The church is on a hill and is the landmark for navigating. After the church we walked through town and still things were not open. We were told that a festival started at 2:30 and things would be lively. We walked back to the ship and had lunch, left raincoats and cameras, grabbed the laptop and went to a great bookstore we had seen. I looked at a book on 500 islands you must see and then 500 cities before you die. Hugh checked his email and facebook. I checked mine while Hugh had coffee. We left in time to walk through a few stores and bought beanies for our trip further north. We sat in the Lido dining room for the sail away as the wind was high and the temperature was dropping. We had a great commentary as we sailed out of the fjord (2 hours trip) and into the north Atlantic. We had a late dinner while watching the scenery and then an early show. We again listened to the trio (piano, violin, bass) and enjoyed the music very much. It was time for bed as we lose an hour tonight. Akureyri pictures

Today was a sea day and we made it count. We started with breakfast in bed and some CNN. Late in the morning it was time to do laundry. It took a while to do 2 loads but it was free and I had lots of company. Before long everything was clean, pressed, and put away. I went to the gym for a bit and then met Hugh for lunch. After lunch I checked email, went to a cooking class (excellent cinnamon buns) and read. At 4 we sailed past Jan Mayen, a volcanic island now used for a research base. It has some coal mines and a most stark coastline. We exercised late in the afternoon but the gym was crowded. It was a formal night and we showered and put on the glitz. We sat with 3 lovely couples at dinner and then we all went to the show. It was Moscow Magic and extremely well done. We could not figure out any of the tricks. We had some time before the Captains Black and White Ball and we again listened to our favorite trio. We went to the ball for a while, didn’t win any raffle prizes, and so gave up and it was time for bed.

Today we slept much later than planned. We showered and had a very light breakfast because we were invited for a luncheon at 11:30. We had to rush to get anything done before time for the Indonesian luncheon in the formal dining room. This was an invitation only affair for the collector’s cruiser participants. It was a traditional meal and all the servers were dressed in their native costumes, each different. The food and the company were excellent, with conversation and champagne flowing. This lasted into the afternoon and I finally left so I could make my 2 pm cooking class. This was fun and I stayed for the coconut shrimp and mango salsa class that followed. Hugh watched kayaking videos and met me for the port talk on Norway. Frank was very interesting and our next 2 destinations are places I never expected to go, 12 degrees south of the North Pole. After the talk, Hugh went to work out and I Wii bowled. After showers we ate in the Lido. Neither of us was very hungry and we settled on soup and salad before the show. The show was a trip around the world through music and the costumes were fantastic. Again we lose and hour tonight so we walked around a bit and then headed for our stateroom to read. The daylight makes you less sleepy and if not for the blackout drapes we would not be able to settle in. Each night ends with a Thank You to God for such a smooth sail.

Today we were docked on the island of Spitzbergen, in the town of Longyearbyen. This area is in the Svalbard archipelago of Norway. This area is glacial and stark with 7 months of darkness; this is an area with a swift population turnover. It was at one time a coal mining area and a fishing and whaling harbor. Longyearbyen has an arctic tundra climate. Many buildings are supported on pilings to keep permafrost from melting beneath the foundation. For the same reason, insulated pipes are laid above ground. Neatly aligned, local homes are brightly painted to counter the effects of the dark winter. The sun sets each year at the end of October and doesn’t rise again until mid-February and then for only one hour. Today we had layers of clothing as the weather is overcast, 41 degrees and windy. We walked into town and enjoyed looking at the homes and the types of automobiles and trucks we saw. Our first stop was Svalbard Museum. We put on blue booties and started our tour. This museum has detailed diagrams of coal mining, fishing, and hunting done is this area through the centuries. They also have a lovely display of Arctic wildlife including polar bears, walrus’s, puffins, and seals. From the museum we wandered in and out of shops. We did purchase a t-shirt for each of us because we did not expect to be this way again. We walked all over the town looking at the houses and the large parking areas for snow mobiles. We looked at a grocery store and some of the outdoor stores. There is a swimming hall, a climbing wall, a squash court, the grocery, 3 pubs, 3 hotels, 1 church, 1 night club, and a cinema that opens only on Sunday. Mid afternoon we made our way along the waterfront and back to the ship. We were cold and had hot soup and tea for a late lunch. We read for a while and then went to the Lido to secure a place for the sail away. We can usually hear the documentary from the Lido but today we donned our outerwear and headed up on deck. We didn’t last a long time but made some pictures of glaciers. Our captain took us up the fjord so we could see Barentsburg, which is the only remaining Russian Svalbard settlement. The town operated as a state owned trust mining center from 1932 and is still habituated and supplies coal to the Longyearbyen Power Station. It is very run down. We turned to exit the fjord and we go to see the settlement and glaciers as we had dinner. The show tonight was the Russian piano virtuoso doing a proper recital of only classics, Mozart, Beethoven, Debussy, and Chopin. After the show we went to check email but still had signal. We returned to our stateroom and watched the scenery, read, journaled and uploaded pictures. We were greeted in our cabin by a walrus, love those towel animals!! Longyearbyen pictures   ·   Barentsburg pictures

Today the clock went off early, 5:45, and I opened the drapes to a most fantastic view. The ship was making its arrival into Magdalena fjord; steep mountains on 3 sides with glaciers of all ages to be seen. Frank Buckingham did commentary and explained the healthiest glaciers reached the sea and accumulated more than they discharged or melted; less health ones maintained equilibrium and the sick ones were usually older and are melting faster then they grow. Everyone was out in the blustery cold with cameras and binoculars. The crew served coffee and hot chocolate. Not sure how the shots will be with the strange light. It looks gloomy but it was magnificent. Hot tea and omelets warmed us up and we went back for different views. We stayed in the fjord for several hours and the captain turned the ship on its axis so everyone got to see the whole picture. From the fjord we sailed north in hopes of reaching the pack ice from the polar ice cap. In summer this ice retreats so its location is not constant. At 12:10pm we reached the ice shelf and saw icebergs from Greenland. The captain inched the bow of the ship as close as he could and thousands of pictures were taken. It was cold, blustery, and beautiful. This ice ranges from 9-12 feet up to 66 feet thick and 28% of the Arctic remains covered year round. The water was 0 degrees centigrade and the slush in front of the shelf is called growl and the small pieces floating in front of that are called bergie bits. We reached the Polar Ice Cap at 12:52 pm and our ships position was 80 degrees 31.1023 minutes North latitude and 569 nautical miles from the Geographic North Pole. This had already been a terrific day and it was only 1:40pm. After a quick shower I went to a program on how to update your hairstyle and Hugh read and then worked out. We met for a port talk on Bergen, Norway which was great. I then went to a raffle for amber earrings in the shoppes at sea but as usual I did not win. Back in the cabin I read while Hugh showered. I did some journaling and Hugh sorted pictures. Normally we would watch CNN and have some wine but no TV reception as well as no internet or phone. We are just over 500 miles from the North Pole and the satellite coverage is nil. We headed to dinner and then the show. Tonight’s entertainer was Tom Sutton, an observational comedian. He has a great delivery and we laughed the whole time. After the show we listened to the string trio for a bit sand retired to our stateroom. We were greeted by a very cute monkey! CNN was back on and we caught up on world news and eventually pulled the drapes and went to bed!! Magdalena fjord pictures   ·   Polar Ice Cap pictures

This morning the clock went off and I jumped out of bed and opened the drapes; before me were 2 beautiful glaciers. We are at 78 degrees 55’N today and we are visiting Ny-Alesund the world’s northernmost functional public settlement, population 32 permanent residents. This is a research area all of the people work at one of the research facilities. In the summer there are more people as researchers from universities come in to work. We are tendered in from the ship with detailed maps of the area and specific instructions not to venture off the trail. It is overcast and cold. The settlement is located on Kong Fjord (Kings Bay) where 5 healthy glaciers calve into the Arctic Ocean. The weather and thus the light constantly change which makes photography challenging but fun. The scenery is dramatic and there are big building filled with research labs, a hotel that is closed, a small store, and the most northern post office in the world. We actually purchased some patches and stickers at the store. We intend to put the patches on our Antarctic jackets to show that we have been to both ends of the world. We made several loops around the area and saw different things each time. On our way back to the ship we stopped to look at the research vessels harbored here. Back on board we had lunch and warmed up. For our sail away we went up top because the sun was out more and we thought we could get better contrast in our pictures. It was cold and windy but very beautiful. The afternoon was spent listening to talks on new cruises, reading, and sleeping. We dressed for dinner and had a lovely one. The show was a tenor who was enjoyable and because it was still early we worked on pictures. We were greeted in our cabin by a turtle tonight. Ny Alesund pictures

Up late and we watched an old movie starring Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, and Frank Sinatra. We went to the Lido dining room for breakfast and sat with 2 couples, one from Bristol, Eng. and the other from Portland, OR. The English couple told us about a trip to Churchill, Manitoba that takes place in November where you can see polar bears. This sounded very interesting to all of us. We talked until lunch time and of course we were not hungry so Hugh worked on pictures and I went to see if we had internet service, no luck! Around 2 we had lunch and then sat in the library and read and looked at our pictures. Later we went to the gym and worked out. Back in the cabin Hugh napped and I finished my mystery. It is formal night and we planned to eat late. After a delicious and relaxed dinner we went to the show. It was a song and dance show and very entertaining. We listened to our favorite trio, attempted to check email, got new books from the library and a movie to watch in the morning. We were greeted by our smiling crab tonight. We filled out breakfast menu, poured our wine, grabbed our books, and it was off to bed. Tonight at 1 am we will pass the Arctic Circle as we head S to Bergen.

Today was a day of leisure. We had breakfast in bed and watched the movie Shakespeare in Love. We both enjoyed it and afterwards we went to a lecture on Kristiansand and Oslo. These made us anxious to make land. We then exercised then got in the hot tub. Hugh showered and I checked email. It took a while as we had been out of contact for 3 days; bills to pay, crisis to deal with, etc. We met for lunch and we then went on with our busy afternoon. I went to a demonstration of the towel animals and they showed us how to fold 4 different ones; more complicated than you would think. The stewards do 31-35 a night in our rooms. They make each animal in less than 90 seconds, amazing! I then joined Hugh for the lecture on the history of Holland-America. Our captain is the historian of the line and gave a 90 minute talk and everyone sat quietly and at the end even stayed to ask questions. He is a most entertaining speaker. I went to the library to journal and Hugh worked on pictures (we make a ton it seems each day). We had a late dinner and enjoyed the variety show this evening very much. We walked around the ship, checked email, and played cards after the show while waiting on tonight’s dessert extravaganza. We had planned to go and photograph it (not eat) but Hugh broke down and tried 5, yes 5, different delicacies. Good Night! Chocolate Extravaganza pictures

I couldn’t set the wake-up call last night (phone down) so we didn’t wake up until 7:45. I jumped in the shower and Hugh went up on deck to make some countryside pictures (we are in a lovely fjord) and get us some coffee. After breakfast we made city pictures from the ship and then headed out. Our dock is at the end of the Bryggen at the Bergen Haus, which is the old fortified part of the city containing the Hakenshallen (medieval Royal home, meeting house and assembly rooms) and the Rosenkrantz Tower, a 16th century tower residence. We walked around for a bit until we made the decision not to go on the funicular to Mt. Floyen because of the low clouds. This is the rainiest city in Norway but we were lucky and only had mist and low lying clouds. This area is considered tropical compared to most other areas. We walked down the Bryggen which was the main street and commercial area for centuries. We stopped in some shops and I tried on the cutest boiled wool plaid coat but it was much too warm for SC and very expensive (over $400). We made it to the fish market and found the huge Tourist Information Center. We found out about the Bryggen Walking tour and the English tour was @ 11 am. We had to run back to the Bryggen Museum for the start of the tour. Our tour guide was Sebastian and we started on the lower level of the museum where they have excavated houses dating back to 1070. The Bryggen area has been destroyed by fire many times (last 1950) and rebuilt in the same manner. From the museum we went to Maria Kirken (St. Mary’s Church). This is the oldest building in the city. It is closed until 2014 while it undergoes a 100 million kroner renovation. This was the church of the wealthy hanseatic merchants in the 12th century. Leaving the church we went into the Hanseatic Assembly rooms . This is a medieval communal house where apprentices studied, people dried out soggy clothes, cooked food, and the men drank and partied. We walked through the passage way of the Bryggen with the medieval-style double tenements, long rows of plank buildings leaning haphazardly across the narrow passage ways. We then went into the Hanseatic Museum. This museum was founded in 1900. It is located in an atmospheric old merchant house furnished with dried cod, antique ropes, and cupboard beds from the early 1700’s. That was the end of our tour and because we were close we went back to the ship for a quick lunch. 45 minutes later we were back on our city tour. We decided to explore the area behind the Maria Kirken. We walked through single lane patterned brick streets in a residential neighborhood. We went in some local (not tourist) shops, antique stores and outfitter stores. We visited St. John’s Cathedral and made pictures. We could see the steeple of this church from the ship. We also made pictures of the outside of St. Olav’s Church (Bergen Cathedral). We ended this part of our tour at the Bus and Train station. Hugh was fascinated by the trains. We visited a beautiful park with gorgeous landscaping and a huge lake with fountains. We saw the Art Museum and the theater. We made it to the town square with high-rise malls, lots of single shops, and a square with mimes’, musicians, and pigeons. We walked through one of the malls and it was 6 stories. We walked down to the fish market and walked around. The seafood was incredible but the prices were horrendous. They had produce, caviar, and the biggest lobsters I have ever seen. There was reindeer sausage and fried whale. We walked along the Bryggen toward the ship. It was almost 6 and our feet were killing us. We did foot massages and rested a bit before dinner. After dinner we watched Sherlock Holmes in the big theater and ate pop corn; a great day. A dinosaur greeted us in our room.

Today we were up early and the sun was shining. We had a quick breakfast and took off for the funicular to Mr. Floyen. We got there, bought tickets, and went right on the tram. We got to see the cutest blond children with their backpacks going on a field trip. We were fortunate to go early because later in the day 2 other cruise ships came in and it was overflowing. We made scenic pictures and decided to walk the trails. This area is well marked and I think we hit all the different paths, overlooks and lakes. It a beautiful morning and we enjoyed our time outside. We made it back to the funicular and had ice cream and Hugh even had some coffee. We again were glad we had come early because clouds were coming in and a haze was settling over the town. We rode down and again walked through some back areas with old beautiful buildings and guess what; we ended up at the train station again. I sat outside and Hugh went in again. After 45 minutes I was sure he had bought a ticket but out he came and we were on our way. We walked through the park, and went inside some of the churches we saw yesterday. We made it to the opposite side of the harbor and this was a neighborhood filled with nautical shops and outfitters. We made it back to the ship just in time to sail away. We had a quick lunch and went to watch our ship navigate the narrow fjord and the 2 bridges that make timing crucial. Our ship only fits at low tide. After we were on our way to open water, we showered and went to a cocktail party in the Crow’s Nest for the 45 of us who are continuing on the Baltic Cruise. The excitement was high and we were reminded that this was the marathon portion of our trip with something new and exciting each day. We checked email, had dinner, and then played Kings in the Corner in the Show Room at Sea until time for the show. There was a trivia contest and Hugh and I did better than usual (still would not have won). The show was a young juggler from Britain who was funny and a good juggler (under difficult circumstance-a rocking ship and a low ceiling). We went to the library and then to the cabin to look at our pictures and plan our time for tomorrow. The forecast is for wind and rain so neither of us is overly excited. Tonight a lobster greeted us. Bergen pictures   ·   The Bryggen pictures   ·   Floyen walk pictures

We slept in a bit this morning; both of us have sore feet from the past 2 days. Opened the drapes and we were surprised to see sun. After breakfast we took the city train in to give our feet a break. This is a city of 80,000 and we are here in the middle of their Summerfest. People are out everywhere, strolling babies, shopping, and watching beach volleyball. The world tour of beach volleyball is here and there are teams from all over the world. We made a complete tour of the market or shopping area with its long pedestrian only streets. We walked through some mall type areas and ended at the church square. There are beautiful flowers everywhere and as we walked through old town where the houses date back to the 1700’s, every house had flowers on the stoop or hanging by the door. One of the most interesting parts of these houses was the doors. Each was heavy, wooded, and very individual. Some were very ornate and some were more Nordic, stark and angular. From old town we made our way to the beach and found the volleyball arenas, the children’s park, and a very lovely beach. People were enjoying all the different venues, sunbathing, swimming, strolling, or rooting for their favorite team. The Christiansholm Fortress is here. It was built in 1670 and named for King Christian. The tower walls are 15 feet thick. From the fort you have a lovely view and we rested there before we continued to the marina. It was like old times looking at the sailboats and remembering our sailing adventures. As we continued along the waterfront we came to the Otterdalsparken also known as the sculpture garden. There were 3 lovely fountains with large art pieces, lots of green grass, and some sun worshippers. Further down the way we found a wonderful sand sculpture garden. These were intricate carvings of sand obviously made for a contest during Summerfest. We walked back toward town along some side streets and came to some grocery stores. We love to walk through to see the regional products. Then it was off to the train station. Hugh has to check out the station in each city. After all the pictures are made we headed back to the pedestrian street and before we arrived it was starting to get windy and cloudy. Since it was after 3 we decided to take the train back to the ship. After a late lunch we rested a bit then went up for the sail away. As we sailed out of the harbor we also left the clouds and wind behind. It was lovely! We went to the gym to exercise and then had a dip in the hot tub. After we showered we headed to dinner. Tonight we were seated with the blue man (a Norwegian dude who dressed in a blue tarp with a nice leather belt complete with pad lock and dress shoes) and it was tedious. We ate quickly and headed to the Showroom at Sea to play cards. I won 2 games before it was time for the show. It was Dancing Under the Stars and it was exceptionally good. Off to the cabin at 10 to plan our big day in Oslo. Tonight’s greeter was a swan! Kristiansand pictures

We had an early wake-up call today, but it didn’t matter, it was a sleepless night for me. Our plan was to be out as soon as the ship clears as there are 2 very large ships docking alongside us. We planned to get to the ferry and the Viking Ship Museum before the rest of the cruisers. It is a cloudy day but not raining so the raincoats are in the bag. After a quick breakfast we waited for the all clear and we were off the ship at a gallop. When we got to the ferry dock a couple for the ship told us to get our ticket at the 7eleven (they were cheaper). So off we went and returned with tickets very quickly. We made it on the first ferry of the morning and we got off at the first stop which was the Viking Ship Museum on Bygdoy peninsula. It was a 10 minute walk to the museum and we were disappointed we had not beaten the bus tours. As it turned out we made it in easily and there was room to enjoy the exhibits. This was a surprising museum. The displays were well done and the size of the ships astounded us. These ships were found in burial mounds completely outfitted to provide transportation in the next life. The size and condition was impressive as well as the other things found on the ships such as sled made of wood and wagons, and cooking supplies. From the Viking Ship Museum we had a 15 minute walk to the Fram Museum (Maritime Museum-Arctic Explorer) and the Kon-Tiki Museum. We decided to go into the Kon-Tiki museum because we remember reading about it and seeing the documentary and then following his Ra I and Ra II explorations in the early 70’s. This too was a well done museum and the Ra II is the first thing you see when you walk in and we are amazed at the size and construction of this ship and that it crossed the Atlantic Ocean (Ra I disintegrated). This exhibit was wonderful and we made lots of pictures before we went upstairs to see the Kon-Tiki. Kon-Tiki crossed from Peru to the Society Islands. When looking at the raft and knowing the size of the waves in the Pacific, this was truly astounding. On the lower level you see the bottom of the raft and the fish they encountered. What a wonderful morning!! At the ferry dock we saw a traditional reed boat from Myanmar. It had been transported part way and then sailed into Oslo this morning. It is a scientific experiment and all the news agencies were there to interview the captain. We took the ferry back to the public dock. From there we walked up the square past the city hall and the Nobel Peace Center. At the Franz Joseph Gate we headed toward the palace. We went to the National Theater and past the first University of Oslo building. We continued to the Royal Palace. The royal family is held in high esteem in Norway and they are most likely the richest of all the monarchies. At the palace we saw the changing of the guards and walked around the gardens. This is a public area and many people were walking dogs, strolling babies, or jogging. We started our walk back toward the train station but we were side tracked when we saw a beautiful building and had to explore. It was the Four Seasons Hotel in a lovely old building that was huge. Back on the Franz Joseph Gate we came to the Grand Hotel which is beautiful and houses the Grand Café which is one of the premier eateries in the city. This hotel is where the Nobel Peace Prize recipients stay. We walked to the Parliament with its huge rotunda and lovely gardens. Next we came to the Oslo Cathedral and its wonderful interior. Hugh was anxious to move on to the train station. This one was not as exciting as some other as it was a very modern station and it was difficult to see the entire layout and actually get to the trains. The station had a huge multi-story shopping complex connected with it but we just walked through. We had been told of a wine and liquor store called a vinoplast which is the only place you can buy alcohol in Norway. We found it but the prices were so high we decided that alcoholism must not be a big problem in Norway. No purchases for us. We walked along some side streets until we were at the fort. We make a quick walk through but plan to visit it in detail on our next trip in 2 weeks. We walked back toward the ship along the wharf and marveled at the huge sailing vessels we saw. Back on board ship we secured our table outside for sail away. We ate some soup and waited to get under way. Our leaving was delayed as someone did not make it back on time. Once underway we turned and headed out the fjord which was long and picturesque. We stayed up top until we got cold and then listened to the commentary as we looked out our cabin window. There is a tunnel under the fjord which I thought was interesting. A lot of the commentary was about the Norwegian Resistance Movement and the German battleship they sank as it came up the fjord in their final act of resistance to the Nazi invasion. We rested our tired feet and later showered and dressed for formal night. After dinner we played cards and went to the show. It was a violinist we had heard before and we left after 2 songs (just not our cup of tea). We went to our cabin where very large swan awaited us. Good Night! Oslo pictures   ·   Bygdoy pictures   ·   Oslo harbor pictures   ·   Kon-Tiki Museum pictures   ·   Viking Ship Museum pictures

Today we slept in. After breakfast Hugh worked on pictures and I did laundry. We now have clean clothes for the next part of our journey. After laundry I did my email and checked out a new mystery. We had a late lunch, more pictures, reading, etc. We exercised, gym was empty, and then got in the hot tub. It was a glorious day with blue skies and smooth sailing. We showered, went to the late dinner, and show. A perfect sea day!!

Today we woke up in Amsterdam. Most everyone was getting off today, but we have 2 more weeks of exciting places. It was warm and sunny and we cleared customs very easily. We walked down the water front and saw some river boats from Viking River Cruises and we decided to have a look. From there we followed the crowd to the Central Train Station. Hugh had to look around a bit and from there we headed to the main part of the city, the square. We took a side street and were amazed at how many people were out and about even though it was early. We didn’t have anything special to do so we just wandered. There were a lot more cranes and construction than our last visit 2 years ago. We made the complete circle of the city from the train station to the flower market. We love looking at the beautiful flowers and walking along the canals. I bought some art from a local artist and we stopped in some shops to just look. We continued our journey past the museums, where lines were over a block long,; glad we saw all of them last time. We walked slowly up the main street and could hardly move for all the people. We slowly made our way back to the ship and had enough time to grab a quick late lunch and then go into the terminal and check email for free. We worked on journals and pictures until the lifeboat drill (this went smoothly as everyone actually showed up) and then went to the Lido for the sail away. Sail away was a big party and they gave away prizes and drinks. I won a 30 minute session with a personal trainer, yippee more ice cream. This is a very appropriate prize after 5 weeks of cruising. Frank did his commentary and we saw swans, sailing ships, and lots of industrial areas. We also passed through some small towns where we were the local attraction. We made it to the lock or “dam” that we had to traverse as we passed from the canal out of Amsterdam and passed into the North Sea. Tomorrow is the Kiel Canal and we move into the Baltic Sea. We had dinner as we cleared the canal. It was a great day and there are a lot of new faces. Now on to the Baltic Capitals! Amsterdam pictures

Today we cruised through the 60-mile long Kiel Canal. This canal is 338 feet wide and 37 feet deep. There are 7 bridges that span the busy channel. Connecting Brunsbuttel on the Elbe River with Kiel, gateway to the Baltic Sea, the canal traverses fairly flat farm land. We are the only ship in the HAL fleet that is “little” enough to clear the bridges. It was slightly cloudy today and the North Sea had a good chop. We dressed to spend the day on deck with our cameras. We had a relaxed breakfast and went on deck as we entered the canal. It was lovely to see people on the banks and at the locks waving to us and making our picture. We were blessed with good weather and since it is Sunday there are lots of people out. We traversed the lock with other ships. Ours is the largest ship that can cruise the canal so we are the oddity to people. The countryside is rolling farmland with cows and kids. There is a pathway along both sides and lots of strollers, runners, and bikers. There are ferry stations all along the way with boats just making the trip back and forth across the canal. We spent most of our morning on top with cameras with only brief reprieves from the wind in the Crows Nest, Hugh organizing pictures and me reading or journaling. Lunch was out on deck because we did not want to miss the scenery. As the afternoon progressed we made it to some larger towns and villages. We saw lovely spires, thatched cottages, and Hugh was most interested in some tall ships heading toward Amsterdam. We finally took a break and showered and dressed for dinner. We ate so we could look out and constantly run outside to make pictures. Hugh made pictures of a shipyard building Americas Cup yachts and the next building was a factory making train engines. We made it back up top for clearing the last lock and entering the Baltic Sea. For our whole canal trip we had 2 guys with flags, one USA and one Dutch, who waved and regaled us at each ferry station and again at the end. We rushed to the show, Moscow Magic, and enjoyed it every bit as much as we did the first time. After the show we walked a bit and then it was off to the stateroom. Tonight we set our clocks forward an hour and after reading about Tallinn it was lights out! Kiel Canal pictures

We were up late today and after a leisurely breakfast we went to Franks port talk on St. Petersburg. The talk was exciting but we had to leave to go to a special luncheon for those of us who have been on 2 tours together (Collectors Cruises). We were sent an invitation to join the Captain at his table. We had a great time with 2 other couples and the captain and his wife. It was an Indonesian luncheon and the servers were dressed in Indonesian dress. The Captain and his wife are both very personable and we enjoyed his stories and knowledge of the ship. His wife told us about her experiences onboard and also that they have the largest cabin on the sea. Having eaten way too much we changed into exercise clothes and did a mile on the promenade deck and then went to the gym. We did another lap to cool down and I went to check email and Hugh to nap. Tonight was a formal night and we dressed and went to the main dining room. We had a lovely dinner with 3 couples, 1 from Canada, 1 from New Zealand, and 1 from New Jersey. We made it to the show, Europa, and it was great. We went back to our stateroom and read about Tallinn, and also looked at our pictures from Norway and the Kiel Canal.

We were up early today and had breakfast in our cabin. We planned on being the first off and we were very close. Today we planned our tour by our using our Rick Steve’s Scandanavia guide book. We walked from the port to the old town and started our tour at Fat Margaret’s Tower which guarded the entry gate of the town in medieval times. We headed up “Pikk” which means a long street, past the medieval merchant’s homes and warehouses. Our first stop (besides souvenir shops) was Oleviste Kirk (St. Olav’s church) which is a Baptist church today. This church once had the tallest spire in Scandinavia. The KGB used this tower to block Finnish radio signals. We then saw the Great Guild Hall which was the epitome of wealth, with its wide (highly taxed) front and windows. Across the street is the Sweet Tooth Coffee Shop and Bakery. Our next visit was to the Church of the Holy Ghost. This church sports a clock from 1633 and retains its 14th-century design. After the church we came to the town Hall Square, a marketplace from past centuries. Once this was the scene of criminals chained for public humiliation or Knights showing off in tournaments; today it’s filled with restaurants and people. The Town Hall, from the 15th-century, dominates the square. It’s an art museum today. The pharmacy (Raeapteek) in the corner dates from 1422 and claims to be the oldest in Europe. We went in and the ceiling had beautiful painted beams and there were lovely old display cases. It is still operating today. As we were walking to St. Nicholas Church we passed the wheel well from the 15th-century, given this name because of the wheel that made fetching water easier. We walked around the wall and up to the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. This is a very used church built in 1900 as a crass attempt to flex Russian muscle. The inside is classic Russian Orthodoxy and we made some pictures before we realized the sign said NO Pictures-not No Flash! Hugh bought his mom an icon in the church store. When we left the church it was thundering and as we crossed the street to the pink palace the rains came. We stood under some trees in the courtyard huddled in our raincoats. The worst of the front passed and it continued to sprinkle but on we went. The pink palace is an 18th-century addition by the Russians to the Toompa Castle. It is the home of Estonia’s parliament. We covered the upper Toompa area including the Dome Church and with a few stops in shops to dry off we made our way back to the Square. We made our way out of old town and investigated the southern part of the new town, shopping in antique shops, checking out the Estonian Drama Theater and people watching. The area we skipped had all the high end shops you would find in any large city! We made our way back into the Old Town via Tall Herman Tower and explored areas we had missed. We found several lookout areas with great views before we finally made our way out. We then passed the Estonia Ferry Disaster Memorial on our way to the train station. It was much farther than we expected and was very small. The trains and trolleys were very old but ran regularly. We saw some of the way people live, the stores and restaurants they use as opposed to the more tourist type areas with Hugo Boss, Armani, and Gucci. We made it back to the ship just at sail away time (although this was delayed because of a medical evacuation). We had a very late lunch (4:45) and went to rest our very tired feet. We were up and showered in time for a private cocktail party given by the Captain. This was very enjoyable but we missed dinner. I had ice cream and Hugh got a cheese plate and crackers. We went to the show to see the harmonica virtuoso (he really was quite good). Then it was off to bed because we lost another hour and have to be up by 6:30 for our St. Petersburg adventure! Talinn pictures

Today we were up very early and had breakfast in bed. We were dressed and out the door as soon as the ship cleared. Getting through customs was easy and our tour operator met us and took us to our bus. There were 16 of us and our guide Nadya was a fount of information. We had found DenRus Ltd. online and booked our tour in advance and were not disappointed. We had a busy day and below are the highlights.

1. We traveled around Vasilesvsky Island which is where our ship is docked. This is the largest of the St. Petersburg Islands and was the vision of Peter the Great as the center of his new capital and was the site of several major building projects during his lifetime. From here we could see a few Naval ships and across the Neva the dome of St. Isaacs.

2. We then crossed the Palace Bridge the most famous in St. Petersburg. It was opened in 1916 and is a tourist attraction in summer when it opens each night for large boat traffic. We then travelled toward the Winter Palace which we will see tomorrow passing huge palaces, to the Admiralty Arch. The Admiralty was Russia’s Naval Headquarters until 1917 and now serves as a naval college.

3. Next we stopped at St. Isaac’s Cathedral. The dome of this church dominates the skyline and its gilded cupola can be seen glistening from all over the city. The church took 40 years to build and can accommodate 14,000 worshipers but is now a museum and services are held only on significant ecclesiastical holidays. From here we saw the “Bronze Horseman”, a statue of Peter the Great built by order of Catherine the Great. Just across the square we saw the Mariinsky Palace, a wedding gift for the Grand Duchess Maria from her father Emperor Nicholas I. It is now the city council.

4. From the square we drove around the city and admired all the beautiful building including the Stroganov Palace, the Grand Hotel and the Singer Sewing Company (one of the grandest in the city).

5. Our next stop was at the Summer Gardens and the Peter the Great Monument. This park was commissioned by Peter the Great to mimic the royal parks he had seen all over Europe. It is filled with marvelous marble statues and a pond with white swans. The small Summer Palace in the center has been carefully restored with many artifacts of Peter the Great. We were offered tea and coffee and the WC in a little gift shop off the gardens.

6. We travelled down the Nevsky Prospect, St. Petersburg’s main avenue and we saw the Kazan Cathedral and Gostiny Dvor which is reported to be the world’s first shopping mall. It takes up a complete city block. We were on our way to Catherine’s Palace and lunch. This was a 50 minute trip through the countryside.

7. Then it was off to the impressive baroque Catherine’s Palace, where Empress Catherine the Great lived and died. Here we were greeted by a band playing Dixie and the Battle Hymn of the Republic. The palace was almost totally destroyed during WW II by the Nazis but has risen from the ashes due to an extensive restoration program undertaken since the war. The floors are original and quite beautiful and there are over 300 rooms with the highlight being the Amber Room. The meeting rooms are filled with gold and are extremely ornate. The living quarters are more colorful with lots of blue which matched the eyes of Catherine’s daughter Elizabeth who used this palace the most.

8. Our next stop was Peterhof. When we arrived we stopped to eat at the Summer Palace Restaurant and the food was lovely including the borscht. From there we went to Peterhof to see the gardens and fountains. Built in 1710 by Peter the Great, this magnificent estate on the shore of the Gulf of Finland. This place was chosen because of its proximity to inland water supplies. The fountains are all gravity fed and there are no pumps at all. We had a complete tour including the trick fountains hidden in benches and pavilions (Peter was a jokester). Peter did not like the large palace and lived in a small palace right on the shoreline of the gulf called My Pleasure. It was lovely and very intimate. Peterhof was built by the same architect who designed and built Catherine’s. It was much smaller originally but Elizabeth added the wings and upper floor. The gardens are the highlight and the focal point of them is the Grand Cascade which flows from beneath the Palace towards the Baltic Sea and is one of the largest founts in the world. It is decorated with a gold statue of Samson battling with the lion.

9. On our way back into St. Petersburg we saw the summer homes of the rich and stopped to ride the metro. The system opened in 1955 and exhibits many typical Soviet designs but also features exquisite decorations and artwork making it one of the most attractive and elegant metros in the world. Hugh loved this and we made two stops and got to see 3 stations all with different décor including chandeliers, crystal columns, bas-reliefs, mosaics and statuary. The whole area and all the trains were spotlessly clean! 10. We were back at the ship by 5:30, tired but very happy. We rested a bit, and then had a late dinner. We went to the library for a while and then back to the room to look at our pictures. We have another early day tomorrow. St. Petersburg first day pictures   ·   Catherine's Palace pictures   ·   Peterhoff pictures

Up early today and again we had breakfast in our room. We were in the terminal before 8 and had time to look in the shops. Nadya and Peter picked us up on time and we were off for another exciting day.

1. We drove around Vasilesvsky Island to the east end. On our way we saw sailing ships that were period looking but in actuality there were reproduction and Pectopahs (restaurants). The major development of the 19th century was the Strelka which stands right opposite the Winter Palace and was our first stop. Here we saw the St. Petersburg Stock Exchange built in the 1800’s and now houses the Central Naval Museum and we also saw the Rostral Columns which serve as elegant navigational beacons. We had a lovely view of the Winter Palace across the Neva.

2. From the columns we drove around the Peter and Paul Fortress and the Armament Museum. This museum is a little boys dream and a big boy’s nightmare. It is filled with all sorts of guns, cannons, trucks, and missiles. We then came to the Cruiser Aurora. This ship played an important role in the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. On the night of October 25, 1917 it fired a blank shot at the Winter Palace, giving the signal to the rebellious workers, soldier, and sailors of the city to storm the palace. Today it is maintained by cadets from the Nakhimov Navy School across the street.

3. We drove along the Neva and across the Trinity Bridge to Peter the Greats Log Cabin. The first residential building in the newly founded city, it is enclosed now for preservation. It is filled with artifacts of Peter and is still open to the public at certain times. We stopped here for a WC break and for some shopping at an indoor bazaar.

4. Our next stop was a fun one, a boat tour through the canals of the city. From the boat we could see full vista of the Buildings, churches, and palaces that line the waterways. It was easier to photograph from water level that from the street. It was windy on the Neva and cold but calmer and warmer on the other canals. We had great commentary from Nadya. We ended our tour at the Peter and Paul Fortress built to protect the area from Swedish attack. The Swedes were defeated before the fort was completed, and for that reason from 1721 onwards the fortress housed part of the city’s garrison and served as a high security political jail. Among the inmates was Peter’s son Alexei, Dostoyevsky, Trotsky and Lenin’s brother, Alexander. The main site here is the impressive Peter and Paul Cathedral, the burial place of all the Russian Emperors and Empresses for Peter the Great to Alexander III, Alexandria, and 3 of their children. The remains of the other 2 will soon be interred here. The gilded spire holds a magnificent golden angel holding a cross. This weathervane is one of the most prominent symbols of St. Petersburg and at 404 feet is the highest building in the city. The one cannon on the wall of the fort is still fired on Sundays at noon. The St. Petersburg Mint is located here also. There is a small building with a replica of Peter the Greats boat that we visited on our way out.

5. From here we travelled to the Church of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ aka church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood or Church on the Spilled Blood as it marks the spot where Alexander II was fatally wounded in an assassination attempt. One of the most impressive elements of the church is the extravagant shrine constructed on the spot where Alexander II was mortally wounded. The monument is done in Jasper and has the pavement showing through. The church is done in mosaics and is the most beautiful in St. Petersburg and possibly anywhere. It has an outstanding and varied collection of mosaic icons but because the iconoclasty is not complete the church has not been consecrated. For this reason we were allowed to make pictures. After our church visit we had a few minutes to walk through an open air market before we had lunch. On our way to the restaurant Hugh saw a line of very decorated, very old limousines and had to take pictures. These were transporting bridal parties that were making pictures at the church. We had a great lunch at the Russian Club and I personally was disappointed we did not have borscht.

6. Our afternoon was spent at the Winter Palace and Hermitage. When we joined the line for tour groups it was at least 1 ½ blocks long so Nadya made some phone calls and we walked right in. Her comment was “sometimes corruption pays”. The museum was incredible and we were told that it would take 25 years to see it if you were there 8 hours a day and spent 1 minute at each exhibit. It was nice to have a guide take you through and hit all the highlights. It took us 4 hours and we saw a lot and really enjoyed it. The rooms themselves were spectacular and the art work fantastic.

7. We made it back to the ship just in time for sail away. We freshened up and went to the Lido for hot soup and a table on deck. We stretched dinner out over several hours watching our sail out of St. Petersburg. We went to the show, a Romanian concert pianist who also played the accordion. Not Bad!! Tomorrow we will be in Helsinki. St. Petersburg second day pictures   ·   Hermitage pictures   ·   Peter Paul Fortress pictures

Today we docked early in Helsinki. We had breakfast in our stateroom and left the ship as soon as she cleared. We used our map and Rick Steves’ Scandanavia guide to plan our day. From the ship we walked toward the Russian Orthodox Church that was on the same island we had docked on. We walked through a nice park with children playing and up the hill to a very beautiful church that would look at home in Russia. Uspenski Cathedral was built in 1868 for the Russian military back when Finland belonged to Russia. The church was closed until 10 so we planned to go back later. Another walk through the park and across the bridge brought us to the market square, marked by an obelisk known as the Czarina’s stone with its double headed eagle. All around the market are the docks for the ferry lines, Viking and Silja, which are like floating hotels between Helsinki and Stockholm. The market itself was colorful and part fruits, veggies, and fish and part souvenirs and crafts. To the left of the market is a fountain with a statue called Havis Amanda. The voluptuous figure, modeled after the artist’s mistress, was a bit racy for the conservatives and the artist, Vollgreen, had trouble getting paid. He had the last laugh because for the last hundred years the budget office has seen only her backside. We continued up walk up the right side of the Esplanade (park) and looked in shops and eventually made our way to Stockman’s, Helsinki’s Harrods. We strolled through and when we exited we were in front of the 3 Blacksmiths statue. From here we made our way to the railroad station with its façade of figures symbolizing peasant farmers with lamps. After Hugh had an opportunity to walk through and ogle the trains (photo them) we headed out. We made our way to the equestrian statue of Field Marshall Carl Mannerheim and walked up the street named in his honor, Mannerheimentie. This street is filled with things to see; Finlandia Hall, The National Museum (looked like a church) and Parliament. At the National Museum we navigated narrow streets in a neighborhood on our way to the Church in the Rock. Several times we were not sure we were on the right street as they were not on our map. We found it and it was closed for a funeral (again we will come back later). After looking at our map we decided to venture further and walk to Sibelius Park. This was a bit further than we anticipated but we made it and the park was on the water and quite lovely. Six hundred stainless-steel pipes called “Love Music” are built on solid rock and honor Finland’s greatest composer, Jean Sibelius, who wrote Finlandia. From Sibelius Park we again made a decision to go a bit further and see the Olympic Stadium, left from the summer games of 1952. When we arrived at the stadium it looked like a circus was setting up on the grounds, but it was not a circus but U2 getting ready for tonight’s concert. The green spider web dome over the stage was huge and they were setting the sound system when we were there. This was a huge production. It sprinkled rain on us but no heavy rain so on we went back to the Church in the Rock. We were able to go in this time and it was serene and reverent. We sat and listened to Handel’s Messiah and rested. Lovely!! On our way back to the center of the city we walked through a lovely seaside park and past the Opera House. When we arrived back in the city we walked down the middle of the Esplanade and it was a beautiful park with lovely statuary, flowers, trees, and coffee shops including Café Kappeli which is an old fashioned gazebo-like oasis. This shop has been the favorite hangout since the 19th century. There was quite a scene on one of the streets just off the Esplanade when thousands of people gathered to wait for U2 to come out of their hotel. Police and news reporters were everywhere. We decided not to join the fray and made our way to some back streets and did some shopping. We ended our journey back at the Uspensky Cathedral and it was open but they were having a wedding. We got to watch part of a Russian Orthodox ceremony and it was different but lovely. After another walk through the market we made our way to the ship and back on board for sail away. We had a light snack and went on deck as we cast off. We were delayed because of medical issues and we were told that Frank had fallen and had to have stitches and that a passenger was being taken to a hospital. The wind was so strong broadside that our ship had trouble getting away from the dock. They eventually swung the stern out and backed until the bow cleared, made a turn and off we went. We made time to rest our weary feet, shower and dress before going to dinner at the last minute. Our show tonight was the ships singers and dancers and they were excellent. After a quick check of email we went to bed. Helsinki pictures

We were up early again today and had breakfast in our stateroom. We were still trying to plan our day when Hugh got the urge to check our tour tickets for this part of the trip. Thank goodness he did as we had tickets for a Stockholm tour we had forgotten about. We had 15 minutes to make it to the bus and we did it. Our guide was Annelise and our driver was Sven. We started in the Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s historic island core which was very photogenic and filled with antique shops and colorful buildings. Here we saw the Royal Palace with its statue of King Gustav. Gustav was into the arts and is credited for bringing the city the sophistication of other European cities. We saw the obelisk, the cathedral and the Finnish Church. We found the Iron Boy, the fist sized statue that is the smallest in Stockholm. I rubbed his head for good luck. Next we saw the cathedral and found the coolest phone booth (Rikstelefon). We loved this area and wandered the cobblestone streets and made lots of pictures. Next we went to the Vasa Museum, home to the ill-fated 17th century warship dredged from the sea floor. Stockholm turned a titanic flop in to one of Europe’s great sight-seeing attractions. This ship was top heavy with an extra cannon deck and sank 20 minutes into her 1628 maiden voyage. It was salvaged 333 years later in 1961. For nearly half a century it has been slowly, deliberately, and painstakingly restored to a state approaching its original glory. The 3 masts on the roof outside the specially built museum show the height of the original masts. After our museum visit we had time to walk around the Nordic Museum next door and it was a beautiful old building. We also had a great view across the water to Stockholm. From the museum we drove toward the smallest town in Sweden, Sigtuna. Before we stopped for lunch we drove around the embassy area on the saw and saw some lovely and very large embassies. We saw the amusement park and then stopped for a great lunch complete with sodas, beer, and coffee. From the restaurant we went to the lake resort of Sigtuna with its one street. Sigtuna was founded on the shore of Lake Malaren just over 1000 years ago. It was a royal and commercial centre for some 250 years and one of Sweden’s most important cities. It is now a resort town and our first stop was at an old church of the Dominican order built in the 13th century. After the church we just wandered around and looked in the shops and I was able to get a Pippy Longstocking book in English for Hudson. We took a slow trip back to the ship stopping for photo opportunities at scenic areas. We were stopping for our last time when the sky opened up. By the time we got to the ship the sun was shining one minute and it was pouring the next. We dropped off jackets and headed to the upper decks for the sail out through the Swedish Archipelago which is supposed to be one of the worlds loveliest. The islands stretch 80 miles from Stockholm out to the open Baltic Sea. We sat on the deck and watched all the ships passing and enjoying the landscape. It was dress up night so we did and went to a great show and a light dinner. Off to bed! Stockholm pictures   ·   Vasa Museum pictures   ·   Sigtura pictures   ·   Stockholm sail in & out pictures

Today was a day to relax and that is what we did. Hugh organized pictures, I journaled, and we stayed off our feet. With my email caught up and bills paid, I got in some good reading. Late in the evening we saw a double rainbow and that was the highlight of our day. Before we went to bed we packed for Berlin because we had to be up and on the train by 6 a.m.!

Today we were up at 5 and had breakfast in our stateroom. We are docked at Warnemunde so we took the train form the dock to Berlin. This was handled nicely by our tour group leader. There were 3 couples in each compartment. Ours was a good group as we had another nurse and a pharmacist for me to talk to and 2 guys that were interested in photography for Hugh. They served us a snack ½ way through the journey and the time (2 hours) passed quickly. In Berlin we were met by our local guide, Brandn, and shown to our bus. Barbara, a very cute girl from Poland was our escort. The day was overcast and the city looked gloomy.

1. The Brandenburg Gate was our first stop. A symbol of division during the Cold War, this landmark now epitomizes German reunification. The 1791 structure by Carl Gotthard Langhans is the only surviving one of 18 city gates and is crowned by the Quadriga sculpture, a horse-drawn chariot piloted by the winged goddess of victory. We walked through it east to west.

2. Our next stop was the Eastside Gallery portion of the Berlin Wall. The Eastside Gallery is an open-air exhibition of art painted (106 paintings by artist from all over the world) directly on one of the last existing portions of the Berlin Wall. It is the largest remaining evidence of the city’s historical division. It has recently undergone a restoration. Across the street was the O2 center which seats 17,000.

3. As we drove we were given lots of information. Berlin has the largest zoo in the world, the largest department store, KaDeWe, in Europe, and the largest train station in the world. We drove past the station and it was very modern. It was built in 2006 for the World Cup.

4. Next stop was the Reichstag. This is the original home of the parliament of the German empire. It fell into disrepair during WWII and was only restored after the reunification in 1999. Contrary to what a lot of people think, Hitler never set foot in this building and it now houses the modern German parliament, the Bundestag. It has a beautiful glass dome with a lovely view of the city.

5. We drove through old Berlin and saw homes from the 1700’s that had a small top floor built especially to house soldiers. Everyone was encouraged to house a soldier and this is how the leaders of the time saved money.

6. Our next stop was Checkpoint Charlie (Checkpoint C) the name given by the Western Allies to the best-known crossing point between East and West Germany during the Cold War. This was more a shed than a permanent structure and today you can even get your passport stamped Checkpoint Charlie, Germany. You could see clearly where the wall was in the middle of the street.

7. We had lunch downtown at Maximillans, a German buffet restaurant. It was very good and we really liked the sauerkraut and pretzels.

8. From lunch we drove to the Schloss Charlottenburg a baroque Prussian royal palace. Built at the end of the 17th century it was greatly damaged during the Second World War but has since been reconstructed.

9. We then stopped at the memorial to the Nazi Book burning in Babelplatz. This is an underground library with empty shelves that would hold 20,000 books. It is viewed through a glass window in the ground. Very moving.

10. The Holocaust Memorial was our next stop. Built between April 2003 and December, 2004 the site is covered with 2711 concrete slabs, one for each page of the Talmud and arranged in a grid pattern on a sloping field. It covers 4.7 acres. It is controversial in Germany because it commemorates only the Jewish victims of the Holocaust.

11. Our next stop was at a portion of the wall that had both eth east and west side intact with the guard tower in the no-man’s land between. This gave us a good idea how secure the wall was. The area between the 2 would have been impossible to negotiate without being seen.

12. We were taken to the center of Berlin for some sightseeing and shopping. Hugh and I did not have any shopping to do so we started our visit with the Protestant Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial church that was built in the 1890s and badly damaged during a bombing raid in 1943. The damaged spire of the old church has been retained and its ground floor has been made into a memorial. We then crossed over to the new church. The new building is constructed of concrete and glass with the predominate color being blue.

13. We walked around looking for cold medicine for me but had no luck. We visited a great model train store and Hugh got a catalogue. We stopped for drinks and then it was back on the bus.

14. On our way to the train station (hoping it was the new one) the guide told us that Berlin is the most liberal of cities for gays and lesbians and has a growing population, causing some problems-anything goes. At the train station Barbara quickly got us in our same compartments and we were on our way. We had a great time and the men made pictures from the window the whole trip. The countryside was lovely with rolling fields, quaint villages, and lots of trains for Hugh. We saw rainbows, deer, cows but no sheep or goats. There were a lot of windmill farms. When we arrived back at the ship it was 9:30 pm and everyone was tired. Something caused me to have a runny nose and a headache, probably air quality. I decided to shower and journal and Hugh went to the German buffet. What a great day but Berlin holds no appeal for a 2nd visit. Berlin pictures

Up early today and breakfast in our stateroom (becoming a very enjoyable habit). We had a afternoon tour so we took off walking for the morning. The ship was docked at Langelinie Pier which had some great sights close by. We walked down the water’s edge to the sight of the Little Mermaid; unfortunately she is on vacation in Shanghai for the World Expo. The merchants on the dock have erected a more voluptuous version in front of the mall. At the actual sight is a screen with satellite picture of the actual statue in Shanghai with the Chinese filing past. From the harbor we walked to some lovely park areas and overviews. We saw the Royal Yacht moored in the harbor. We eventually go to Kastellet Park and saw the famous Gefion Fountain, which illustrates the myth of he goddess who was given one night to carve a hunk out of Sweden to make into Denmark’s mainland. Gefion turned her 4 sons into oxen to do the job and the chunk removed is supposedly Sweden’s largest lake. From the fountain we saw the St. Alban’s Anglican Church which is built of flint. We walked toward the busy part of the town we could see and came to a train station. It was very windy and sprinkling rain so went in. Hugh made some pictures and when we came out the rain was gone but the wind was so strong it was blowing over tables and displays at the market. We made our way back to Kastellet Park and decided to walk around the rampart for the views which were terrific. We played on the cannons and then walked through the interior to see the brightly colored buildings. This is a working area. We made our way wharf side and back to the ship in time for a bowl of soup and then our 12:15 tour. On the bus we met our guide Mikkel (Michael) and we started on our way. We saw the Resistance Museum with its handmade armored trucks and then we made a stop at the waterside for some nice views and information. Here we saw the Royal Pavilion where the royal family waits to board the royal yacht. We walked around the Amaliehaven Park and saw the modern fountains. Immediately across the canal was the new Opera House which was a gift from Mr. Moller of MAS shipping. From this area we walked through the park to Amalienborg Palace and Square. Queen Margrethe and her husband live in the mansion to the left (4 identical mansions make up the square). Her son and heir lives across the street. The guards are located at each corner of the 4 mansions and do not hesitate to shoo people away who get too close. There is an equestrian statue of Frederick V in the center of the square. From here we drove along the Nyhavn waterfront district, a favorite haunt for sailors. The canal is filled with glamorous old sailboats of all sizes. Today the canal district is lined with 500 year-old gabled houses, sidewalk cafes, and bars. Author Hans Christian Andersen lived at 3 different addresses along the Nyhavn canal. From the canal we headed to Tivoli Gardens. Founded in 1843, Tivoli is a beautiful, romantic park with lanterns in the trees and flowers everywhere. Walt Disney drew inspiration for Disneyland from this park. There are no neon lights here but 110,000 lanterns and bulbs. We saw the Chinese playhouse, the beautiful lagoon with ducks, and an old sailing ship. We were served refreshment in the reception hall and to our amazement there was a lovely aquarium in the basement. We had lots of time to wander around and this was a place for all ages to enjoy-lots of exciting rides, all different kinds of restaurants and coffee shops, ice cream stands, and a few souvenir shops. There was a Build a Bear and a Hard Rock Café at the entrance. It was very cool and overcast but we had fun. On our way back to the ship we saw the Danish Parliament, the city hall square, the central terrain station, and the Rosenberg Castle. We made it back to the ship just in time to sail out. We dropped our stuff in our stateroom and headed to the Lido for a table at the window. As we sailed out the narrow channel we passed small villages, industrial sights, and eventually we came to Hamlets Castle or the fortress at Helsingborg (Elsinore). This is an imposing 13th century castle first named Castle Krogen. It has an ornate façade. It was so windy that t all deck chairs on the ship had to be stored and NO ONE was outside. We took our time eating dinner and just enjoyed the view. We played cards, went to the show, and off to bed after a great day! Copenhagen pictures   ·   Tivoli pictures   ·   Copenhagen train pictures

We slept in this morning and I woke up not feeling well, upset stomach and a cold. We explored Oslo thoroughly on our visit 2 weeks ago and shopping is way too expensive so we stayed on the ship-me in bed with my iPod. Hugh worked out and then decided to go to the train station. We are docked very close to it this trip. We were docked across from the Opera House and it was very beautiful. We had not seen it before. Hugh was gone for an hour or so and then we had a late lunch. Pictures were sorted and I listened to my mystery and dozed. Hugh went to dinner and brought me back some treats. We read and enjoyed being in our stateroom as the North Sea had some chop. It was a quiet day but that was OK as we did not miss a thing. Oslo pictures

We were up early today and I was feeling much better. After breakfast we went to our disembarkation party (champagne, songs and crew farewell). From there we journaled, read, and worked on pictures. We thought about packing but it progressed no further than recycling daily programs. We had a late lunch and then attended a lecture on London. As usual Frank was verbose but informative. Again we read and worked on pictures. Late in the day Hugh worked out while I showered. Tonight is formal night and I was glad because my formal clothes are about all that are clean. We had a lovely dinner, and played some kings in the corner while we waited for the show. The show was the Prinsendam cast in “Dancing under the Stars”; very entertaining. We sat with drinks after the show, playing cards and talking to new friends. Finally we were off to our cabin and we reviewed our pictures and settled in for the night.

We were up early today but it was raining and very foggy. No sights to hold our attention during breakfast. Fortunately the sea was calm. Hugh went to the gym while I showered and dressed. While he finished I sat in the library and looked up the spelling of some German sight s we had seen. We went for our last eggs Benedict for this trip and had a great time just reminiscing about our favorite places. After 51/2 weeks, cities are starting to look alike. Now I know why tours can be called ABC tours (another bloody church/castle). It has been a terrific and diversified trip. We are now traveling with our pilot for the 41/2 hour up the Thames to our docking sight in Tilbury. The sky is lighter but rain is still with us. This was a slow trip because of the tidal changes in the Thames. We spent time cleaning out our stateroom and packing our checked suitcases. It is pretty easy to pack because most everything is dirty. We had to continue to weed through papers, maps, advertisements, etc. so that our bags would not be overloaded. At last the stateroom is clean and bags are stored in the closet. We had to clear British customs on board and this went very smoothly. I caught up with my journaling and Hugh’s picture work is progressing; we made so many pictures he is having a hard time picking favorites. The new D90 Nikons that we both have were wonderful and the pictures testify to this. We had a late dinner and went to the last show which was a variety affair. It was good and we played cards until bedtime. We put our bags out and said goodnight.

We were up early and had breakfast. We exited the ship at 7 and we were on the bus to the airport very quickly. We arrived at our terminal, and checked our bags quickly. We walked to immigration and made it through then we had security and this took a little while. We made it to the gate, boarded our plane and we were Charlotte bound. We had a great flight and our luggage came through quickly but immigration and customs was slow. Hugh went to get the truck while I waited for the bags. We had a nice surprise; we did not have to pay for parking (not sure why) but the lot was empty and they waved Hugh through. What a great way to end the trip. We had a safe trip to Spartanburg and we were home and unpacked with most of the washing done before dinner. We ate lightly and pooped out very early; 7pm. What a wonderful experience and we will not soon forget it!! /susan