OR . . . Keeping it Positive!!
This once-in-a-lifetime trip was almost two years in the making... airfare, transportation, and a 12-day cruise aboard Holland America's Zuiderdam through the Baltic with our good friends, the Trapps.
Zuiderdam peeking out aside the pier in Kiel, Germany
We saw some of the most impressive historical sights, art and history museums, palaces of royalty, churches and basilicas, along with a few cultural hot-spots. We tried blood sausage and sushi pork in Kiel, munched heartily on plates of fresh and fried herring in several countries, shared the biggest pretzel and beer sampler ever in Talinn, enjoyed Fika (coffee & a sweet) in Stockholm, and sampled local beer and chocolate everywhere we wandered.
Kiel Zoological Museum
Whale Skeleton Collection
Orca
Hiroshima Memorial Park in Kiel
We also visited the Old Botanical Garden on the Fjord, St. Nikolai Church, and the
Kieler Brauerei too.
Fat Margaret Tower in Talinn, Estonia
Entryway to Old Town in Talinn, Estonia
Old Town of Talinn, Estonia
Russian Orthodox Church on the hill
Catherine's Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia
Who is this guy??
The Peterhof Palace and Gardens in St. Petersburg
Water show every day at noon.
A lovely lady in the Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia
The Church of the Spilled Blood of our Saviour in St. Petersburg, Russia
Inside The Church - every square inch was covered with hand-pressed tiles.
Literally... every single square inch!
The Palaces were breathtakingly beautiful and the Hermitage was immense.
It would be lovely to spend an entire day at the Hermitage enjoying the fine art.
Hot Cocoa in Helsinki, Finland - Yes, it's Starbucks.
You can't stop me, it's an addiction.
Street Performer in Helsinki, Finland.
You should have heard those bottles sing!
Photography in Helsinki, Finland
Sonny & Cher in their early years.
National Day in Helsinki, Finland
We felt pretty safe with all those tanks parading through town!
Love Locks Bridge in Helsinki, Finland
We also visited the Lutheran Church and Orthodox Church in town.
Beware a Sunday visit - most everything is closed.
Next time!
One other good thing about Helsinki ~ We got our luggage delivered here!!
Changing of the Palace Guard in Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholm was our very favorite stop.
We loved the food, and the warmth of the Swedish people.
The Fotografiska Museum and The Nobel Peace Prize Museum
were both highlights as well.
Did I mention the food??? Yum.
Cardamom ice cream cones, Fresh Sorbetto in said cone, home-style
Split Pea Soup, and fresh fish for days.
Chapel of the Palace in Stockholm, Sweden
St. George & the Dragon in Stockholm, Sweden
A local cemetery in Stockholm, Sweden
You're not surprised, are you??
The Teepot Building in Warnemunde, Germany
There's the Lighthouse...
Midway up the Lighthouse - Warnemunde, Germany
The Strand in Warnemunde, Germany
Some of our favorite beers in Warnemunde, Germany
We love when they put the beer in its intended glass.
Just tastes right!
Warnemunde, Germany was a big surprise. This tiny seaside port was loaded
with shops and craftspeople and eateries. We had one of the best lunches of the trip at a
little place on the strand with fresh herring and fresh place. I had never had place before
and can't wait to try it again.
Do they have it in the states I wonder???
Graffiti & Bikes in Copenhagen, Denmark
Palace Courtyard in Copenhagen, Denmark
Along the waterfront in Copenhagen, Denmark
Life Preserver Art Installation along the waterfront
in Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen, Denmark tied St. Petersburg, Russia for the biggest crowds.
We visited a wonderful art museum here and popped into a few wonderful
pubs and chatted with locals, enjoying our visit immensely.
The Not-So Positive Part of the Trip...
OR - Why I don't want to fly long-distance anymore.
We found a steal of a deal on British Airways for a round-trip ticket to Copenhagen through London for just $900. Comfort in the economy/coach section of the plan is iffy, especially if you are 6'6" tall! Customer service was adequate until we reached London's Heathrow Airport. British Airways was in the midst of an IT meltdown and our connecting flight was cancelled. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that all they said was, "Get out of the airport, you are not getting your bags." This tailspin of poor customer service and lack of communication forced us to book on SAS to get to Copenhagen two days later! Lucky for us, Mr. Smith is Marriott Platinum and he found a lovely JW Marriott to cool our jets (literally) for two nights. I wouldn't stay anywhere else in London - fabulous customer service, with a gorgeous property smack dab in the center of the shopping district.
Gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous!!
Check out the JW Marriott Grosvenor House at www.marriott.com to book your holiday.
Stopped over in London, we did what we had to do with no luggage, facing a 12-day cruise.
We went shopping!! We needed a host of essentials from undies to shoes to medications and socks.
We literally had no idea when we would receive our luggage and what condition it may be in when we received it.
We shared hard-luck stories with a woman traveling with her two pre-teens looking forward to a Disney cruise (they probably didn't make it.) A group of 15 Seton High School students were on their way to Ireland for a sister-city trip; no idea how they got there. There were 15 other couples like us boarding the cruise ship in Copenhagen, fighting for airfare and hoping for luggage.
It was a mess!
But we did what we like to do, which is enjoy life. Travel is an adventure and we made the best of it.
We now know that we can travel even lighter than we already do.
My favorite coffee barista on the ship mentioned she had seen me in the same top three different days. I have to take that as a compliment that she noticed me at all!
From now on... We carry on!!!
Holland America could not have been nicer. Their customer service was spot-on in every way.
They went searching for our luggage (got it on Day 9), they gave us free laundry service, and kept us informed every step of the way. Their professionalism and courteousness made all the difference.
We now await our reimbursement from British Airways, but aren't holding our breath.
Friends Traveling Lightly!!
Enjoy Yourselves & Be Flexible, Whatever You Do!!
:) Deb
