Saturday, June 29, 2013, Stockholm, Sweden

Saturday, June 29, 2013, Stockholm, Sweden

The day began with mimosas on the balcony as we made our way through an archipelago of 24,000 islands and islets. This is another popular area for holidays and there are about 50,000 summer homes and chalets along the way. There were these great little gazebos on some of the properties, and some of the little islets had only one summer home; just imagine spending the weekends in these beautiful places! It took us three hours to make it through the distance and it was an amazing, relaxing time.

We went into Gamia Stan which is the oldest part of Stockholm. The narrow cobblestone streets were lined with beautiful buildings dating back to the 14th century. We learned that Stockholm actually spans 14 islands, from the very tiny to larger islands. There are 57 bridges to connect these islands. We had lunch and continued our beers of the Baltic's tour at this little restaurant/bar in the square. The open faced sandwich I has was the best I have ever eaten!! It was on an airy toasted/crunchy bread, topped with ham, cheeses, tomatoes, and grilled to perfection.  We later learned that the cash conversion we did at the restaurant was accurate (we were sure we did not have it right); those sandwiches and beers cost us ~$100!  Good thing they were that amazing! At the restaurant, I asked to use the 'wash closet' and was given a wire whisk with a key on the end, directed around the corner, down the alley, first black door on the left. I don't think I can adequately describe this experience. The first door was this tiny medieval looking door - sure this was not the right location, I tried the key anyway. The door opened to a very dark stone hallway and staircase, down into the dungeon! I did find the WC at the bottom, but it was both interesting and scary getting there!

There are these small symbols above the door of many homes. It's a Phoenix rising up from the flames and has a crown on top. This meant you had purchased fire insurance. If your home caught fire and you had no insurance, they would leave if burn. Of course, it no longer works that way.

In the afternoon we did the Rooftop tour. This consisted of traversing across narrow (maybe 15-18 inch) catwalks, without railings, on the roof to the 8 story courthouse building. WOW, what an adrenaline rush! There was one span that went from one end of the building to the other at the peak of the roof; very scary! There are only two rooftop tours in the world and both are in Sweden. Glenn fought back a few demons and I almost chickened out at the beginning. At each tie down for the catwalk, you had to use one foot to guide your harness through the intersection, you had to maintain your balance on one foot while keeping your composure on this tiny walkway far up.

I don't want to sound paranoid or anything, but yesterday it felt like we were being followed, today we are pretty sure that is true. We ducked into alleyways (where the beers of the Baltic's tour continued) and we heard these words of whispering in Russian behind us. Though we have continued to keep moose and squirrel safe so far, the KGB is only one step behind us.

It's so sad for me that this vacation is coming to an end. It has truly been an amazing experience. We have stood on the edge of a volcano, toured palaces and museums, strolled through tiny fishing villages, experienced a beers of the Baltic's tour, got wet in the Baltic Sea, stood on the spot where all of our past and present leaders have spoken, walked through medieval sites, and profoundly experienced the scope and the impact of WWII on the people of these countries and the rawness that still exists today. This was an absolutely unforgettable experience!

Helsinki, Finland

Friday, June 28, 2013 Helsinki, Finland. 

The day started out as another beautiful weather day, slightly cool and breezy with a temperature of about 68 degrees. We booked the exclusive Helsinki and Porvoo tour through AAA and it did not disappoint. There were only 4 people along with the guide and bus/van driver. I knew it was going to be great when we stepped into the luxury mini bus. 



Helsinki is the capital of Finland and has about 590,000 inhabitants. It is predominately a modern city because the first buildings were made of wood and over time, fires and the ravages of war destroyed the wooden structures. In Helsinki, like most of the cities and countries we visited, the most common mode of transportation is the bicycle or walking. Though more families own cars here than any of the other places we've visited, bikes still dominate the streets. I also find it interesting and very disturbing to see the way in which these countries were destroyed in WWII. Most all of the historic buildings and sites we've visited on this trip have been rebuilt or restored back to the original appearances. We are so fortunate to live in America. 



First off to Porvoo which is about 30 miles east of Finland and the second oldest town in Finland established in 1346 by King Magnus Eriksson. The old part of the town is extremely charming with quaint wooden buildings and winding cobblestone streets with very narrow alleys. The streets were full of antique shops and other tourist shops. I found it very funny that any of the Russian antiques were very low priced because the Finnish people have no value or interest in Russia or their antiquities. We went looking for a pharmacy and strolled over to a marketplace. Standing on the corner between the 'old and new' Porvoo provided us with a unique dichotomy. The street border we stood on was a bustling Main Street like any other in the Baltic while one block away in the other direction the cobblestone and narrow streets go back to the 12th century. 



Next stop was Temppeliaukio Church, also known as rock church. This church was carved out of solid rock. The dome is massive and is covered on the interior by 15 miles of copper wire. We were not able to enter the church since it is a working church and a funeral was in progress. 



Senate Square was our next stop to view the Government Palace and other buildings surrounding the square. We had a nice walk around the area and naturally stopped somewhere to enjoy a few local beers. 



There are also almost as many summer houses as residents in most of these countries. It seems as though every family has a summer house in the wood or on a shoreline in which to spend their summer weekends.



We've been warned repeatedly about pickpockets on this trip and several of the people we've met on board or on tours have been victims. Today's tour guide indicated these are mafia run (first time we had heard that) throughout Scandinavia and they are after money and credit cards; American passports and exceptionally desirable. 

St. Petersburg, Russia - Day 3

Thursday, June 27, 2013

St. Petersburg, Russia - day 3

We were up early again today but headed into St. Petersburg for a day on our own. We had about 5-6 hours to wander around the historic area and it was a really nice time. We went in search of moose and squirrel, with a few sightings in various pubs along the way. They seem to enjoy pubs.

We hung around in the Alexander Pushkin park for a bit, wandered through stores and stopped at interesting locations for a few beers. Though I have thoroughly enjoyed the museums and palaces over the past two days, this was a great culmination of our stay, immersing ourselves in the interesting culture and history of this city - overall an awesome day!

'That voice. Where have I heard that voice before?' 'In about 365 other episodes. But I don't know who it is either.' They are securely onboard and headed back to America!

St. Petersburg, Russia - day 2

Wednesday, June 26, 2013



St. Petersburg, Russia - day 2



We started the day at Catherine's Palace which was built for the wife of Peter the Great in Pushkin, about a 45 minute drive from St. Petersburg. The exterior facade extends for about 1,000 feet. I asked our mean tour guide (many good stories about her) why the statues were all looking down, she said can't you tell, it's because they are holding up the palace. The interior was another amazing display of extreme opulence. Built in the grand Baroque style, this palace closely resembled the extreme gilding and decoration of the Peterhof Palace from yesterday, but it far exceeded the size. We toured the "lost Amber room" where pictures were not allowed. This room was covered in amber mosaics, floor to ceiling. It is believed that amber has healing powers and the amber room was used for healing. There was room after room of gold and ceiling paintings all of which are completely unbelievable. We had lunch in the palace which was interesting and fun. 



Peter and Paul Fortress and Cathedral were the next stop in our tour and it was a fairly quick stop since we all wanted to get to the Hermitage. Peter and Paul fortress was built in 1703 to protect the area from Swedish invasion and the first site chosen by Peter the Great to build his new city. Inside were the impressive Citadel and the former Royal Mint and the Peter and Paul Cathedral, with its tall golden spire. The cathedral is the burial place of all the Russian Czars and their wives and children, including Peter the Great and Catherine. 



Our final stop was at the Hermitage Museum is located on Palace Square in the former winter palace. This is one of the world’s largest exhibits of treasures of fine art and applied art with over 3 million exhibits. This enormous collection is in direct competition with the impressive palace and its furnishings. Unfortunately we were 1.5 hours late arriving at the museum so we practically raced through and saw only a tiny portion of the rooms.  

It’s been two days, but we believe we are close to finding moose and squirrel. At the Hermitage we found squirrel and maybe moose, but it looked more like a deer (I have photos to prove it).

St. Petersburg, Russia - Day 1

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

St. Petersburg, Russia - day 1

Today we hit Russia. It was just 5 minutes off the ship, standing in the passport control line with all our paperwork and our 'migration' cards and we’re surrounded by armed security.  Glenn decided to share with the guy behind us that "Putin is nuts!" Really, you gotta be kidding me!

Must say I was a little disappointed by the number of people on tour, I thought there were no more than 20 but it turned out to be 30 people. Not as bad as a RCCL tour, but still a lot. Traffic was super crazy, with a free for all everywhere...imagine NYC with no traffic lanes/painted lines. WOW!

Anyway, our first stop was Peterhof Palace, the summer palace of Peter the Great and his wife Catherine. Photos were not allowed in the interior, but it was absolutely stunning. Never before have we seen such opulence. Gilded rooms, with gold gilding on intricate carvings nearly covered all of the walls. Each room of the palace was themed differently than the next, yet not so differently that the themes themselves clashed with one another. There are tons of pictures on the internet of the interior; they do not do the place justice.  During the 2006 G8 summit, the world leaders had dinner in the palace. The dining room display was full table setting. Under the dinner plates were bowls that were used to hold hot water and keep the foods warm because dinner typically lasted for 3-4 hours. After the interior visit you stroll through the Grand Cascade which is an amazing display of a series of fountains, each more stunning than the next.

We drove back to downtown and had an authentic Russian lunch which was quite good. We had a beautiful salad followed by a creamed chicken with rice and fresh veggies. Dessert was a jelly roll with a raspberry filling...yummy!

Next stop was St Isaac's Cathedral. This was commissioned in 1818 and took more than three decades to complete. It has a massive gold dome, one of the largest in the world and it’s covered by 220 pounds of pure gold. All of the paintings were mosaics with the exception of those they removed and replaced with actual paintings in order to display the mosaics close up. It was exceptional artistry to create these masterpieces; in the pictures it is impossible to determine these are mosaics.

Then on to the Church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood which was built on the site of where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated. It's built in the Russian revival style with the onion domes. This was absolutely stunning inside and out. The mosaics inside were built in the traditional style so a little less painting looking.

What an amazing day...even got Glenn back on board with no arrests!

June 24, 2013 - Tallin, Eastonia

We ventured into town this morning to find ourselves a beer and a wifi hot spot and ended up at this little place just outside of the old town area. There was a really, really drunk guy who moved our camera bag and sat down with us. Not sure what he was drinking but it was only 11 a.m. He gave us hell for playing on the Internet and not touring the town and told us multiple times how much he likes women. Needless to say, the visit to that establishment was cut way short. The waitress yelled at him but they continued to serve him and he kept moving from table to table. It's midsummer celebration all over this area and each country seems to celebrate it on a different day, we've been following it through the Baltic where every day has been a holiday since Visby.

We did a great tour today with a small group that I booked through AAA. We were joined by a family from NCL (Norwegian star I believe), what a bunch of uptight assholes, they were traveling with Mom, Dad, kids and grandparents - nobody seemed to care that though Grandpa was in great shape all the walking and cobblestones and step were a pretty hard on him. Our tour girl was a skinny blonde and she kept saying 'so, yea' during every story she was sharing. She gave us great information and neat little stories.

The tour started at the presidential home (white house) which is actually pink. The flag of the President of Estonia flies whenever the President is in Estonia, it was flying today. Behind the presidential home is Catherine's Valley which is an English garden founded by Peter the Great and contains Kadroirg Palace built in 1718 as one of the summer palaces. Unfortunately, the palace was getting a face lift and not easily viewed.

Stopped by the amphitheater where many American musicians have performed....Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, and many more. Next was a stop by the Olympic village and a dip in the Baltic Sea!! The water temperature was 19 degrees centigrade, and though I only dipped my toes in, I was wading in the Baltic Sea!

Old city was definitely our favorite with many old and interesting buildings and stories. Maidens Tower next to the Dutch Kings Garden dates to the 14th Century. Naming it Maidens or Virgins tower is another example of the wacky Medieval irony because this building used to house a prison for prostitutes.

We walked up the 158 steps up the side of the cliff to visit the upper side of town where we had a fabulous view of both old and new Tallinn.

We toured numerous old churches including the cathedral of St. Mary which has an incredible display of coats of arms from the wealthy residents. Pictures were not allowed inside the churches but there were dozens of beautiful displays.

Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral was built by the Russians in the 1900's when they were occupying that area. This was a traditional looking onion dome church that was absolutely gilded in gold inside. What a site!

The oldest business in Tallinn is a pharmacy from 1422 and is still in business today. Nearby, tombstones from 14th and 15th century St. Catherine's Dominican Friary were on display along the one walkway. Interesting to see that rebuilding from WWII devastation is still in process throughout the Baltic region.

June 23, 2013 Riga, Latvia

Riga, founded in 1201, is the geographical center of the Baltic States.  Tourism is just now beginning to boom so it does not feel like a tourist town...where is Diamonds International?!?!.

The city of 800,000 on the Daugava River is the capital of Latvia, a country finding its place in a new world after being occupied for 50 years (1941 to 1991), first by the Nazis and then by the Soviet Union. Today, school kids are learning English as a second language instead of Russian. Most intriguing is how the city still feels like a bridge between what I would imagine the Old Soviet feels like and modern Europe. The old women were shuffling down the street, on the way to church and we stumbled upon an old man using a very crude broom to sweep the church steps - this reminded me of the Billy Joel song, Vienna.

We spent hours exploring the twisting cobblestone streets and alleyways, viewing historic buildings that have for the most part been restored from bombings during World War II. We ventured out today on our own with no tours scheduled. 

Old Riga was the Center of commerce during the middle ages. We entered Dome Square in the very middle of Old Riga. The massive 13th century red brick Dome Cathedral is situated on the square.  We also looked at House of Cats which is famous for the cat sculptures perched on the roof as well as the story that is associated with them. Not only did the beasts curse their first sculptor, he fatally fell while putting them up, but their purpose was to cause trouble. As legend has it, roughly 100 years ago, the Latvian owner of the building was excluded from the powerful Big Guild across the road by its ethnocentric German occupants. He ordered the cats to be turned around, backside up, as an insult to his enemies. They were turned around after a lengthy court battle and he was eventually admitted to the Guild.

It was an awesome day wondering through these areas. We stopped for a little wifi (and pizza and beer) at one of the beautiful sidewalk eateries. The weather was perfect for relaxing in the cafe.