Stockholm, Sweden from Baltic Capitals Cruise

This was our last port of call on our 7-country itinerary. I decided to take the NCL Stockholm by Land & Sea Tour (my 1st ship tour) because the logistics of going to Stockholm (using buses and trains) are complicated and time-consuming.

I met the group at 7:30AM for our 25 minute tender to the port of Nynashamn. From there, we took an hour drive to the city of Stockholm.

Stockholm is a beautiful city on 14 islands linked by 40 bridges. We began our day at The Royal Palace where we saw the changing of the guards. Then, we took a walking tour of Gamla Stan, the historic old town with cobblestone streets and buildings dating back 500 years. The narrow streets brim with bookstores and antiques and souvenir shops, and medieval cellars are now restaurants and cafés. The streets are so narrow that bicycles could barely pass through. The Noble Museum (of Noble Prize fame is located here).

I munched on a muffin and banana I brought from the ship (for lunch).

Next, the coach took us to another island to see Stockholm’s most popular museum, The Vasa Museum. The warship Vasa was the pride of the Swedish Navy. Commissioned by the King to hold two floors of guns, its maiden voyage was to be a celebration for the entire city. Instead, minutes into the voyage, it sank to the bottom of the harbor. It was 333 years before it was salvaged by a determined archeologist. The whole lifting of the Vasa in 1961, was televised live for the world to witness. More than 1200 objects including weapons, shoes, pottery, and tools. It is considered to be one of the most important events in marine archeology. I watched a 25 minute film on the lifting of the Vasa. I wish we had more time to explore this engaging interactive (new:1990) museum.

We completed our tour with a boat cruise along Stockholm’s picturesque waterways. The weather and sites were perfect!

I was impressed to read that Sweden is one of the most generous countries in the world, donating billions in monetary aid and training to nations in need as well as rewarding achievements in science, literature, medicine, and world peace. Her economy is considered Europe’s 2nd most competitive behind Denmark’s. Sweden is so aggressively developing renewable energy that it hopes to be petroleum-free by 2020.

Stockholm is clean, modern, and the people are very pleasant. Yes, they are very blonde.

Helsinki from Baltic Capitals Cruise

Article coming soon

St Petersbug, Russia Day #2

I asked our tour guide, Maria, if tourism was a leading industry in St Petersburg. She responded NO because of the stringent Visa requirements. Not only does a foreigner require a Visa, but they are required to have the Visa registered. Because I took a tour from a cruise ship AND with a local company, the tour company provided the registered Visa, in advance. Otherwise, it would have cost minimally $175+ recommendations from a Russian authority for entry. We had to show our tour ticket and go through passport control upon entering and exiting, both days of our tour.

Our tour group met outside of customs earlier today at 7:45. We headed to the center of town where we boarded boats for our guided canal tour of St Petersburg’s waterways. We covered all the major sites from palaces, to churches, to museums, to monuments, to parks, to famous boulevards. It was a perfect morning for a canal tour. St Petes 4th sunny day—in a row. (This is unheard of!)

Next we went directly to Peterhoff, Peter the Great’s dream “garden of paradise”, complete with gilded palace, a variety of fountains (they have lost count), lushly landscaped parks, and monuments to great leaders, (and even statues of Adam&Eve). When Peter designed it, he ensured he could travel by boat from St Pete directly to the Palace. He lived and traveled on the water as much as possible. The most loved section is the vast lower garden. The Great Cascade Fountain comprises 3 waterfalls, 64 fountains, and 37 gilded statues. Many other fountains are contained in the lower gardens including “trick fountains” that are turned on by “magic” stones.

It is hard to believe that when the Nazis were finally driven out of this area, toward the end of WWII, that almost everything was in ruins. Much was restored years later.

We took the hydrofoil back to the city.

Lunch was a traditional pickled soup with meat&vegetables and blinis with ham and cheese. Dessert was pistachio ice cream.

Our final stop was The Church on Spilled Blood, constructed to commemorate Tsar Alexander II on the very spot where he was assassinated. This church is my favorite because of the beautiful, multicolored, mosaic onion domes. Inside more than 20 types of minerals, including jasper, rhodonite, and Italian marvel are lavished on the mosaics of the icons, canopy, and floor. Religious scenes created in mosaics blanket the interior and even inside the domes. It is an impressive structure and reminds me of St Basils in Moscow. The (atheist) Soviets had scheduled the bombing of this church but plans got delayed. In the meantime, it was used as a storage facility for vegetables, for years, while it fell into disrepair. Fortunately, the government undertook its restoration so the world can now enjoy this magnificent structure.

Our tour ended at 5:00. We were back on the ship in time for our 7PM departure.

It was sad saying goodbye to Russia who surpassed my expectations on all accounts.

St Petersburg, Russia Day#1

St Petersburg from cruise—Day#1. The Venice of the North (July 4, 2010)

Here is a primer on St Petersburg.

Tsar Peter the Great hated Moscow (traumatized as a child by attempted coup). He loved the sea. He embarked on a lengthy tour of Western Europe where he learned their “modern ways and culture”. He sharpened his knowledge of ship building in the Netherlands, and learned about naval and military affairs from England. 300 years ago, he decided to build a new, modern capital city—a paradise on earth---on the water. He built it on the swampy Neva River. His goal was to build a city with European grandeur: imperial gold palaces, canals, attractive bridges, broad boulevards, candlelit cathedrals, lush gardens and parks, and impressive monuments that rivaled the best of the Netherlands, Great Britain, France, Germany, Austria and others. The city covers more than 40 islands, many connected by bridges adorned with sculptures and wrought iron. Peter also transformed society so that it conformed to more modern western standards. For example, he banned the boyars from wearing beards. The result: A stunning planned city of opulence, beauty, and order.


Day #1 St Petersburg
Instead of taking the ships tours, I explored private tour options with reputable local tour companies.

I selected SPB Tours, the company with whom I toured Berlin. I would hire them again! I prefer touring in small groups and the price is typically 1/3 to ½ less than the cruise ship’s tours.

The itinerary was packed with important city highlights. The tour guide, Maria Malakhova, m.malakhova@gmail.net, was excellent. (her English was impeccable although she had never studied outside of Russia and she was certified to give tours on many topics, including 8-hour tours of the Hermitage). She kept us on track, shared valuable information, and was very professional.

We crammed into 1 day what many others would include in a 3-day visit. The same was in store for us Day#2.

--Ist we took a Subway ride. (Tech Institute stop) Because it was Sunday, it was not very crowded. I would never survive here alone because the Russian Alphabet is not recognizable to me. She took us into modern, beautifully-adorned stations.

--Next, we toured the opulent Catherine’s Palace with the famed Amber Room—a room completely covered in amber, even the ceiling. Unfortunately, the Nazis raided most of Russia’s treasured palaces and had even bombed Catherine’s Palace. After WWII, futile attempts were made to locate the amber panels; eventually, Russia restored them in a decade’s long project.

--Lunch-buffet lunch with lots of potatoes and pickled items. Nothing to write home about.

--Hermitage Museum--Known for its Rembrandts, Leonardos, Goyas, Raphaels and others, it is a vast museum that holds 3 million exhibits from paintings and sculpture to archeological finds. Our tour guide whisked us past the 3-hour long line right into The Hermitage. It is a collection of buildings on the Neva that include the original Winter Palace (it out-does Versailles). Every room was meticulously designed to complement the works it holds.

--Peter and Paul Fortress and Cathedral of Peter and Paul—the date on which construction began (1703) is celebrated as the birth date of St Petersburg. The fortress served primarily as a political prison. Even Peter’s son (Alexi, who was later executed for treason) was imprisoned here.

The Peter and Paul Cathedral is adorned by single, gilded spire whose height made the church the city’s tallest building for more than 2 centuries. Apparently, the pulpit was used only once-- to excommunicate Leo Tolstoy for his denouncement of the Russian Orthodox Church. The cathedral houses the tombs of all the Russian Tsars. They are tastefully laid out inside marble and gilded tombs
Next to the church is a boat house that holds a model of Peter’s childhood boat.

What a busy, enlightening day, in a city that is a feast for the eyes. We had record-breaking sunshine and warm temperatures (in the 80s). Russians were lying out sunbathing all along the P&P Fortress. The sunshine had everyone smiling. It was the 3rd continuous day of sunshine in St Petersburg. Maria told us this NEVER happens.

I must say: I did not feel I was in an oppressive environment. I also realize I was receiving VIP treatment as a welcomed (and Visa-registered) tourist.

I couldn’t wait for day#2 of our St Petersburg journey.

Tallin, Estonia from Cruise

If you are not familiar with Estonia, one of the Baltic States, you are not alone.

Estonia, along with Latvia and Lithuania, has been largely ignored by the West. Only Germany and Russia took notice as they played violent tug-of-war with these nations. Ravaged by WWII, they were first invaded by the Russia, then Germany, then were forced into the Soviet Union. They waited patiently to be rescued by NATO-- who pledged to fight back against encroaching communism—but NATO never came. The Baltic States eventually had to rescue themselves.

As soon as these nations threw off the Soviets, they all declared independence in 1991. Soon after, they quickly joined both the EU and NATO to help with economic stability and defense.

They are best known for:
Estonia---The well preserved medieval town of Tallinn—one of the best preserved in Europe. It’s tradition of Song.
Latvia—Beachfront vacation getaways; Riga, (it’s lively capital full of artists, chic restaurants, and a wild nightlife); and Mikhail Baryshnikov
Lithuania—Once co-ruled much of Europe with Poland. Black Markets and Mafia presence. Spirited resisters of the Soviet occupation.


Ethnicities, languages, and culture vary greatly among The Baltic States. The languages are so dissimilar that if an Estonian speaks with a Latvian or a Latvian speaks with a Lithuanian, they must rely on their English or Russian language skills.

Famous Estonian Saying There really is no summer here; just 3 bad months for skiing. (not for us today. It felt like at least 80° by midday).

Estonia is the smallest and most northern of the Baltic States with a population of 1.4 million.

It is internet savvy, has a high HIV positive rate, and like the Finns, they have wife-carrying contests.LOL!

Of note, Estonia is the first country to establish a flat tax of 26%.

My Tallinn visit—July 3, 2010

What struck me as our ship approached Tallinn was how picturesque this town of churches, towers, and a hill is. It took my breath away. I photographed it obsessively.

Today, after a nice breakfast, I headed into the beautiful town of Tallinn, Estonia. A bazaar of local vendors selling a variety of wares (sweater, metal works, woolens, symbols of Estonia, leather goods, ceramics, amber (very popular in Northern Europe), furry hats/gloves,etc) was there to greet us. I purchased a beautiful guide book ($12US) with excellent photos (to accompany all my maps and book chapters) I was surprised they were ready to accept ALL currencies. I paid in $US.

Just as I was heading to town on foot, in search of the famous old town, I saw the HopOnHopOff HOHO buses. For 12Euros, I hopped on and connected the headset. I toured stops 1-6 that included the modern downtown area, some suburbs, and the park with the Song Festival band shell, etc. (I would never have scene modern Tallinn had I not taken this tour.)

By the time I descended in the Upper Town near the Toompea Castle, at 1020AM, it was 75° and sunny. Perfect. (We have had perfect warm and sunny weather so far on our cruise).

Old town is divided into upper and lower town. The lower town was inhabited by craftsmen and free citizens. The upper town housed the knights, gentry, and clergy. Each city had its own laws and the two rarely mixed except in conflict. Both are designed with an intricate labyrinth of red-roofed buildings and cobblestoned streets, some of which lead up to Toompea Hill or down to the Town Hall Square. First I visited the upper town sites of the magnificent Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Toompea Castle, Holy Ghost Church, and Kiek in de Kok Tower.

I took the Pikk yalg (long leg path) down to the Town Hall Square passing numerous crafts shops, restaurants, cafes, and souvenir shops along the way. The town takes “re-living medieval times” seriously. Vendors everywhere are dressed in ye olde garments. It is quite funny. I bought a little Viking for my collection of miniatures from around the world. I felt perfectly comfortable in town.

I took a delightful visit of the City Museum (Venne street) that houses artifacts from the 14th century till present, including tools, clothing, coats of arms, pottery, and replicas of scenes from everyday life complete with sound effects. There were life-size models of crafts folk, families, clergy, and nautical men. There are also interactive maps and videos contemporary videos demonstrating Estonian solidarity against Soviet Rule. I read it was the best museum, so I went. It was the first place I encountered that only takes Estonian currency. So I paid the $5 (or so) with a credit card.

After 4 hours (total) I headed for my HOHO bus to take me back to the ship.

What a delightful visit to a picture perfect town.

Baltic Capitals Berlin Day 3 of cruise

What a thought provoking visit to East and West Berlin today. I am blown away by the complexity of this city’s history. It is probably the most schizophrenic major city because for 42 years, it held two distinctly different cultures and served at least two masters. One with a thriving, modern economy, and citizens who were free to move around; the other, oppressed, repressed, and a wing of the Soviet Union. Yet, neither had full civil rights as part of Germany.

Everywhere there are markers of its dark Nazi past, its occupation by Russia, the devastation of war, and the massive abuses of power. At the same time, hope shines today, in this city of renovation, creation, and construction cranes. Guilt-ridden by the shame of Nazi Germany’s horrors, Berlin has attempted to shed its past by demolishing most sites associated with that era, and rebuilding using the latest advances in technology and the most contemporary architectural styles.

What struck me is how pivotal a role Berlin played as a pawn between the US and Russia during the cold War. One perceived misstep by one side and one overreaction by the other could have easily led to WWIII. The Checkpoint Charlie incident in 1961, is one such example of American and Russian tanks coming head to head in a stand-off that had the world’s attention. There was posturing on both sides, but the Potsdam agreement intervened to prevent an irrevocable and fatal move.

Our Agenda

After breakfast at 7, I met my small, private tour group for our 3 hour coach ride into the city. The ship docked at (Warnemunde).

Our first stops were visits to Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Potsdamer Platz, Tiergarten, and Ku Damn. Then we went to the Brandenburg Gate and WALKED THRU IT, the Reichstag, Sections of the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie (more people visited this than Rome in 2009), The Book Burning Memorial, The site of Hitler’s Bunker (and where he committed suicide as Russian tanks pulled into Berlin), and the moving Memorial to The Murdered Jews.

1/3 of the city is covered by natural attractions---gardens, lakes, woodlands, and parks.

Our tour guide, Dereck from Toronto was knowledgeable and passion about his subject.

We heard lots of stories of the building of the wall, gripping tales of ingenious escape attempts, and scenes of ecstatic Berliners poring thru the gates and tearing down the wall in 1989.

We even saw the buildings were the Valkerie Plot was conceived and where Hitler drafted his first plans for world domination, (long before the start of WWII).

We were thoroughly satisfied with our tour. The weather was pleasant—warm, and sunny.

We had traditional Bavarian fare for lunch. (my pretzel was good, my veal sausage was edible).

Some things I learned

Angela Merkel grew up in East Germany under Soviet rule. (first German ruler to grow up in under communism)

Hitler likely used the fire at the Reichstag as an excuse to launch his assault on Jews and communists and to broaden the Aryan empire. Shortly after that incident, he transformed Germany from a democracy to a dictatorship where all civil rights were expunged.

The US airlifted supplies into Germany for more than a year when Stalin attempted a blockade of West Berlin. West Berlin was such a potent symbol—the Allies fought to hold onto it. Stalin eventually reopened the roadways giving access.

There were two walls: an inner wall that separated East and West Berlin and an outer wall that surrounded the entire city to control the flow in and out of Soviet East Berlin.

We made it back to the ship before 9, for a 10PM departure.

I love standing out on deck watching this ship pull away. The townspeople of Warnemunde waved us goodbye.

It is still light outside!

Tomorrow: a day at sea

Have not watched the news since ship left London

Will upload photos when I get faser connection