Trip Update June 2009 Part 1 Dover to Tallinn

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Copenhagen’s Little Mermaid

Copenhagen waterfront

Lunch with Don and Patty

Bike built by committee

Before we got on NCL’s Jewel, we met another couple named Don and Patty, and they had owned a Rialta. We quickly became friends and toured several cities together. We left Dover and after a day at sea, we stopped at Copenhagen. A statue of the Little Mermaid greeted us before we started our walked through town. It’s a pretty harbor town. We managed to find a little local eatery where (we found out after we got the bill) they didn’t take dollars, pounds, euro or credit cards. Don and Patty bailed us out with Danish Kroners after a trip to the ATM.
Our next stop was Warnemunde, Germany, a fishing village which grew into a seaside resort. The water was too cold for swimming, but each incoming train was loaded with Germans looking for a Holiday break. After a walk around the small town, we took the train into Rostock, a historic city with a very crowded pedestrian shopping district. Portions of the old town’s wall and gates remain standing.
After another day at sea, we stopped at Tallinn, Estonia. This turned out to be the most beautiful day of the cruise (and the month for that matter). We enjoyed walking around this old, walled town.

Trip Update June 2009 Part 2 St Petersburg Day 1

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The State Hermitage Museum

Interior of the Hermitage

The Church on the Spilled Blood

Russian Folk Entertainment

We landed in St Petersburg and had to wait 2.5 hours to get through customs. We took NCL tours here because you need an expensive Russian Visa to tour on your own. Our first stop was the Hermitage, which was established as a museum in 1764 when Catherine II made a major purchase of works of art from Western European masters. They say if you spent one minute at each work of art, it would take over 5 years (24 hr/day) to see the entire museum. Huge and awesome don’t do justice to describe it. After lunch we visited the Church on the Spilled Blood. There just could not be a more decorative church in the world! Inside there is not a single painting - the walls are almost entirely covered with mosaics. After dinner we attended a Folklore Dance Performance. The singing and dancing were outstanding - a very entertaining performance.

Trip Update June 2009 Part 3 Peterhof Palace

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Chessboard Hill (Dragon Cascade)

Grand Cascade

“Sampson Tearing Open the Jaws of the Lion”

Monplaisir Palace

The next day we toured the Peterhof Palace and gardens. It is hard to imagine that this beautiful building was destroyed in WWII, and rebuilt over the next 30 years. During the war, much of the artwork was sent to Siberia for safe keeping. On par with the interior are the sculpture gardens and fountains surrounding the Peterhof. From here we took a hydrofoil back to the city. Next we toured the Peter and Paul Cathedral which contains the burial vaults of all the Emperors and Grand Dukes of Russia.
We were certainly impressed with the sights of St Petersburg. It’s amazing what you can do with free labor (serfs) and apparently an unlimited cash supply for art. This imperial display of wealth contrasted sharply with the condition of the Russian people where it is common for several families to share an apartment.

Trip Update June 2009 Part 4 Helsinki and Stockholm

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Working women in Helsinki

Native geese and goslings

Pat makes a new friend

Absolut Ice Bar

The next day we were in Helsinki, Denmark. Since we docked a ways from town, we took the Hop-on, Hop-off bus around town. We visited the Rock Church, the Sibelius Monument and other interesting sights.
Our last stop was Stockholm. Since I had been involved with the Stockholm Junior Water Prize for many years, I was anxious to see the city. I wasn’t disappointed. I just wish we had more than 7 hours to see a city full of interesting sights. We spent the morning at the Royal Palace, watching the changing of the Guard and a military parade. We saw the royal jewels and several museums. Pat wanted to go to an Ice Bar. It was cool! After two more days at sea, we were back in Dover.

Trip Update June 2009 Part 5 UK to NB

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Flower of Pitcher Plant

Hopewell Rocks “Flower Pots”

Wildflower in New Brunswick

Woodchucks in Fundy NP

Other than a 7 hour wait at Heathrow, our return flight was uneventful. Russ and Shirley picked us up at the airport and took us back to our RV, which was stored at Susan and Windsor’s place. After spending a couple of nights at Tom and Julie’s, we celebrated Father’s Day early with my family. We headed to York and camped out in Linda and Rick’s driveway. The next day we followed them to Hills Creek State Park, for the Annual Potter Family Camping Trip. Most of the family attended, camping in the rain and mud. In between showers we managed to see a parade and craft fair in Wellsboro, PA.
After the family returned home, Pat and I started our trip to Newfoundland. We took the scenic route through the Adirondacks, where we saw a cow moose and her newborn. A few days later we were in New Brunswick. We took the ferry to Grand Manan Island, but we didn’t know the island stays fogged in most of the summer. September apparently is the best time to visit. From Fundy NP we saw the “flower pots” rock formations carved by the famous huge tides.