This is a long one folks...
This past Spring, a few good friends of mine, who I like to travel with, started discussing what our plans for the summer would be. There are so many places I still want to visit…the African plains, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand, even Antarctica is on the list. So I started thinking, which one of these places would be a nice summer destination? Me being me, the first thing I thought about was the weather. I don’t know why I am so affected by the weather, but living where I live, I've realized it’s just the way I am. So, climates that are super-hot in the summer were off the list. I then suggested Russia, and the girls agreed that they have also always wanted to visit this historically important area of the world. We started looking at tours for this huge land mass that makes up the former Soviet Union. Now, I pick and choose which places require a tour. Some have such historical, architectural or cultural significance that either a day tour or even extended overnight tours are really the best introduction to that particular area. When I was backpacking years ago, I would usually research and tour the city on my own, or with others if they could join me. But even then, we would do walking or day tours. The trick is finding one that includes activities or options that allow you to get off that beaten path which can be clogged by an overabundance of tourists.
We chose Carnival Cruises as our carrier and to be honest, I was very happy with their service. They helped whenever they could; they were professional and tried their best to make sure you enjoyed yourself. It was nice. Unfortunately, I was just getting over a cold/flu when I boarded, so I had a few earaches and sinus issues to deal with in the beginning. Luckily they had a doctor and nurse on staff, which after some pretty bad ear pain, I decided to pay a visit to. The prices were pretty crazy for a visit, but I couldn’t deal with the pain anymore. Luckily the nurse looked at my ears when I walked in, before recommending me to the Doctor. She told me they looked congested and to continue taking the Advil Cold & Sinus I started earlier in the day. It cleared up in a few days and I was ready to go. Our cruise included all meals, which were okay. The dining room wasn’t really anything special. The food wasn’t horrible, but the food up in Lido deck (which was more like a cafeteria) was equally as good and we didn’t have to get dressed up…so that is usually where we ate. By the way, when I say ‘we’, I mean myself, Natasha and Kamaya (who I have taken several trips with) and Maria, a friend of Natasha’s. The staff also made sure that there were a lot of activities during our down time. There weren’t usually activities I was interested in, but I did go to a few shows and karaoke nights (I didn’t sing). Most activities were either for a ‘different crowd’ or they required more money than I was willing to spend for Bingo. Which was the only downfall to the cruise…they charge for everything! I have to say, I did pretty good, though. The excursions were paid for ahead of time (they were pricey), so it was just incidentals, mostly coffee and little treats. No spa treatments, alcohol or any of the ‘Rodeo Drive’ gifts.
Now, on to the destinations! The great thing about this trip is that I go to visit 6 different countries…4 that I had never visited before. The unfortunate thing was that we only got to spend one day in each place (Russia was two days). It is difficult to do really see a country in one day. Some cities you can see in a day, but not a country’s true essence. So, I tried to make the most of each city I visited and really observe and watch the people. I think I got a good introduction to several countries and was happy with my short but valuable time in each place.
Which reminds me…I forgot to mention the bicycles in Copenhagen and Helsinki. They are a two wheeled society! There are people on bikes everywhere. There was even a woman who had on, what looked like a cocktail dress in 4 inch heels riding a bike (I couldn’t grab my camera fast enough). Kids are riding, people on their way to work, others probably just heading over to the local supermarket. It was sooo nice to see. As a tourist, I believe you can even take a bicycle tour of many cities throughout Europe. The other great thing was that everyone was sharing the road. Now, I’ve witnessed that this is a new concept for many Americans…sharing the road with cyclists. I am making an assumption right now, but I think it is more common in the Northwest America, as well as parts of the West. The East is slowly marking off designated bike lanes in their cities and suburbs. The South, I’ve not had the pleasure of visiting extensively so I do not know. But the thing was, was that not only were the motorists respecting and obeying the cyclists right of way, but the cyclists were also adhering to their lanes and signals. It was nice. I enjoyed seeing that in this part of the world.
Anyway, back to Helsinki. After we enjoyed a ride around Helsinki, taking in the more historical sites, we hopped off and started our hunt for Kamaya’s vintage shop number 2. Luckily after only a few minutes of walking around the quiet streets, we found it! Woohoo! It was a very small vintage clothing store that sold old Chanel and Gucci clothing, shoes, scarves and anything else you can think of. Even those adorable small head pieces many stylish women would wear out to a show. As expected (I’ve been in similar vintage shops before), the prices were pretty high, but I enjoyed seeing a lot of old handcrafted pieces of fashion. Kamaya purchased a beautiful silk scarf and we started walking back towards the waterfront. Thank goodness we did, because we found the most adorable outdoor market. It was packed with people (in a good way) purchasing hot fried variations of fish, fresh vegetables that would make your heart swoon (funny side note: I purchased a bag of fresh pea pods and ended up eating them all night, leaving me feeling not to good the next day). The berries!! Oh my goodness the berries. In shades of red, purple and blue like I’ve never seen. We stopped for a doughnut at a little place that was packed with locals (good sign). We waited for about 10 minutes, since the owner had another batch of freshly made doughnuts coming in from his shop…nice guy. It was cute, he asked where we were from and then informed us that he likes America because we helped Finland when they were having troubles with Russia. I responded with, ‘Good, I’m glad to hear someone likes us’. Haha It can be challenging to find people who actually like the states, sometimes. It is usually an issue they have with our government (Republican or Democrat), not necessarily the people. Anyway, there were a lot of tables at this fantastic outdoor market that sold handmade goods. So, I picked up a few things for myself, my mom and my niece before going back to the ship. I sadly waved goodbye to Helsinki and held on tight for our premier stop, St. Petersburg, Russia…
Now, in order for Americans to get in to Russia, you have to have a visa…and it is a pricey visa at that. The cruise ship was offering all day tours during the two days we were there, and the visas were included in this. So, our best way of getting in to and seeing the basic tourist points in St. Petersburg was going to have to be a 2 day tour. I’m glad I participated in this tour, because I got to see some interesting sites, and also because I it gave me a chance to enjoy the rainy weather…we were also told it is usually overcast most days.
Our two days were filled with many historically important stops. One of those was The State Hermitage Museum, which contains some of the most prized collections (3 million pieces of art) next to the Louvre in France and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It is one of the largest and oldest art museums, founded by Catherine the Great…just an example of the opulence of this time period and area of Russia. St. Petersburg itself contains hundreds of palaces, some of which were very rarely used and were occupied only for parties maybe once a year. Now that is money… There are six parts to the museum, but the public is only allowed to partially visit four of those areas. (SIDE NOTE: I have been traveling for quite some time now. I’ve seen and visited a good number of places. I’ve seen many a museum and church…probably enough to hold me over for three lifetimes. So, the idea of spending two days visiting museums and churches was not as appealing as it would have been to a regular person, haha, that is, someone who has a little less travel experience. I’m at the point where I like to sit in a café and people watch, or visit a friend who lives in a foreign land and interact with the people and everyday life. I’ve become more interested in participating in a city, rather than looking at what its occupants of 100 years ago accomplished. I know this may sound ridiculous, especially since getting a glimpse into the great events and people of the past are an honor. Plus, I’m not going to complain about being able to visit faraway cultures and places that some people may never get a chance to visit. I just get tired of museum and churches…that’s all...thanks for listening)
After seeing the mind-boggling State Hermitage Museum (the best part was the DaVinci paintings…by far…no complaints here), we got back on the bus and continued around the city. As I mentioned, I’ve seen many churches in my lifetime. There were two that I thought were worth seeing. The first one was the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. This incredible church was built on the site where Tsar Alexander II was killed. It is not a functioning church (I don’t think it was ever ‘reconsecrated’). It is mainly used as a museum. It is really amazing. There are Biblical figures throughout the entire church with bits and pieces brushed in gold leaf. The floors even appear to be an ornate inlaid marble. I find that Russian Orthodox (as are many Orthodox/Coptic sects) is similar to Catholicism. I believe that the three main differences are the Holy Trinity, the role of the Pope and purgatory. But, too much beyond that, I’m not totally sure. I think also that the Western church was of Latin background and the eastern Orthodox was Greek. I’ve found that although both are quite lavish in their places of worship (altars, gold chalices, Biblical figures imprinted throughout the church, other ornate displays). A difference I also see, is that the Orthodox figures have a larger gold halo around their heads, and the cross usually has two lines crossing through the top of the vertical line. Anyway, it definitely shows off the opulence the royals thought was important. The second church was also a grand site, but what I found to be the most interesting part of Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral, was that the last royal family, The Romanov family, was buried here. The Romanov family was led by Tsar Nicholas II. Many people remember the family for their unfortunate death. Nicholas II was relieved of his monarchy in 1917 and he, and his entire family were shot/stabbed to death in a basement of a home they were staying in. It was believed that Anastasia (Disney movie) had escaped, but after extension DNA testing in the U.K. and the U.S., it was proven that she had in fact died. The family was ‘reunited’ in the Cathedral of Peter and Paul in 2008 and a state funeral was held. Their royal honors were also restored in 2010 (I think). It was written that the Bolsheviks ordered and killed the family, but many believe that Lenin gave the order. Also, I did not realize that the British Royal family and the family of the Tsars are related. In fact, after reading some information about royal families marrying one another, it seems as though almost all European royal families are related in some way (Dutch, Finish, Russian, British, etc.).
Another site that really stuck with me was St. Catherine’s Palace. Again, there are hundreds of palaces throughout St. Petersburg, and after a while it’s kind of like, you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. But this opulent, old building was a true testament to the grand lives the royal family wanted to show people they were a part of. The rooms were decorated in gold leaf (remember, they wanted to appearance of wealth), they even had a heating system in place, for the long cold Russian winters. It was glorious and surprisingly breathtaking.
After getting back on the bus, we were dropped off at the airport. Kamaya and I still had about 8 hours before our flight left, so into London we went. We spent some time at Harrods, and Kamaya got her fish and chips. Luckily we got some great seats on the plane and were happy to be headed back home. Kamaya was fortunate enough to be going back to the states a few days after arriving in the UAE. I, on the other hand, made the not too smart decision of staying in the UAE for ending of Ramadan and the long, Hades-like, UAE summer. Note to self….not doing that again! haha
This past Spring, a few good friends of mine, who I like to travel with, started discussing what our plans for the summer would be. There are so many places I still want to visit…the African plains, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand, even Antarctica is on the list. So I started thinking, which one of these places would be a nice summer destination? Me being me, the first thing I thought about was the weather. I don’t know why I am so affected by the weather, but living where I live, I've realized it’s just the way I am. So, climates that are super-hot in the summer were off the list. I then suggested Russia, and the girls agreed that they have also always wanted to visit this historically important area of the world. We started looking at tours for this huge land mass that makes up the former Soviet Union. Now, I pick and choose which places require a tour. Some have such historical, architectural or cultural significance that either a day tour or even extended overnight tours are really the best introduction to that particular area. When I was backpacking years ago, I would usually research and tour the city on my own, or with others if they could join me. But even then, we would do walking or day tours. The trick is finding one that includes activities or options that allow you to get off that beaten path which can be clogged by an overabundance of tourists.
Our Choice
As we looked around for Russian tours, we seemed to come across the same tour idea, the Trans-Mongolian or Trans-Siberian railway. How cool would that be?? Travelling across Russia through Mongolia and ending in China? There was just one catch…it was REALLY expensive for what we all have budgeted. We may have a few extra bucks to throw around, working out here in the sandbox, but many of the girls had plans to also go home or travel to other countries. So, $6000 was really just not an option. We all (except for one) ended up forgoing that idea and looked around for another idea. After a month or two of not really finding anything else that appealed to us, we met back up and discussed what each other had found. Natasha, told us all that she decided to still stick with Russia, but do it as a cruise which also included Scandinavia and the Baltic areas. I looked into it; it seemed financially doable; I asked Kamaya if she’d like to join and we booked.The Cruise
The cruise departed London. Our stops along the way were Denmark, Germany, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Holland and then back to England. What an itinerary, huh? I was excited but anxious about being on a boat for 12 days (did I mention I get motion sickness? haha I know). I spoke to Natasha and she talked to me about the ins and outs of cruising, since she’s been several times. I also looked a few things up on the internet and got even more excited to experience my first cruise.We chose Carnival Cruises as our carrier and to be honest, I was very happy with their service. They helped whenever they could; they were professional and tried their best to make sure you enjoyed yourself. It was nice. Unfortunately, I was just getting over a cold/flu when I boarded, so I had a few earaches and sinus issues to deal with in the beginning. Luckily they had a doctor and nurse on staff, which after some pretty bad ear pain, I decided to pay a visit to. The prices were pretty crazy for a visit, but I couldn’t deal with the pain anymore. Luckily the nurse looked at my ears when I walked in, before recommending me to the Doctor. She told me they looked congested and to continue taking the Advil Cold & Sinus I started earlier in the day. It cleared up in a few days and I was ready to go. Our cruise included all meals, which were okay. The dining room wasn’t really anything special. The food wasn’t horrible, but the food up in Lido deck (which was more like a cafeteria) was equally as good and we didn’t have to get dressed up…so that is usually where we ate. By the way, when I say ‘we’, I mean myself, Natasha and Kamaya (who I have taken several trips with) and Maria, a friend of Natasha’s. The staff also made sure that there were a lot of activities during our down time. There weren’t usually activities I was interested in, but I did go to a few shows and karaoke nights (I didn’t sing). Most activities were either for a ‘different crowd’ or they required more money than I was willing to spend for Bingo. Which was the only downfall to the cruise…they charge for everything! I have to say, I did pretty good, though. The excursions were paid for ahead of time (they were pricey), so it was just incidentals, mostly coffee and little treats. No spa treatments, alcohol or any of the ‘Rodeo Drive’ gifts.
Now, on to the destinations! The great thing about this trip is that I go to visit 6 different countries…4 that I had never visited before. The unfortunate thing was that we only got to spend one day in each place (Russia was two days). It is difficult to do really see a country in one day. Some cities you can see in a day, but not a country’s true essence. So, I tried to make the most of each city I visited and really observe and watch the people. I think I got a good introduction to several countries and was happy with my short but valuable time in each place.
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| Front of boat |
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| Kamaya enjoying a smoke |
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| Natasha enjoying a smoke |
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| Going under a bridge |
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| Up on the deck |
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| Back of the boat |
Copenhagen, Denmark
As I mentioned, we did not have a lot of time to get out of the city, so we decided the best way to get in as much as we could, was to take a bus tour of Copenhagen. Plus, the bus had Wi-Fi and the idea of getting some free Wi-Fi was nice (the Wi-Fi on the boat was super expensive). The weather in Copenhagen was just perfect…a little overcast and 65-69 degrees. I couldn’t have been happier, coming from 115 degree desert heat. The city was beautiful. The architecture was unique, with a lot of spires shooting up from government buildings and churches. There were even a few buildings that looked like works of art. In fact, I believe a few of those masterpieces won awards from the Royal Institute of British Architects. We also got a chance to check out a few bustling streets filled with shoppers popping in and out of the cutest cafés, stores and galleries. Kamaya was on a hunt for a vintage couture shop she found in a shopping book of hers. We stopped in a delicious looking pastry café for a sandwich and although the vintage store she was looking for was closed, we did get lucky with an adorable jewelry store. They made their own jewelry or sold pieces from local artists. We each bought something and headed back to the ship, which brings me to the timeliness of boarding this vessel. Tip: be on time. They ask that you return a half an hour before they are scheduled to depart. And they depart exactly at their scheduled time…literally. In just about every city, we had to leave people behind who did not get back on time. They will not wait even one minute, I’m sure this has something to do with maritime law or the rules of the ports. Anyway, it was on to the next port…Warnemunde, Germany. |
| Angel of the Seas |
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| Bicycles everywhere!! |
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| The 'Little Mermaid' |
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| Copenhagen cruise port |
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| Copenhagen has a lot of spires throughout the city |
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| Hans Christen Andersen Blvd. |
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| Men's Toilet |
Warnemunde (Berlin), Germany
Now, the main purpose of this stop was for people to take a train into Berlin, from the port city of Warnemunde. Natasha and I have already been to Berlin, so Kamaya and Maria went to Berlin. I love Berlin…the history, the people, the craziness. Berlin is quite unique. Unfortunately the train ride was 1-2 hours, so I decided to check out the quaint town of Warnemunde. To be honest, I’m glad I did stay. It was a really cute German town. It wasn’t too crowded with people; the shops were nice to pop in and out of. Overall, it was a nice chance to get off the boat and take an hour or two stroll around and old port city. Most streets were cobblestone, the houses were decorated with flowers and the cafés were dotted with customers sitting outside people watching. After a nice walk around, we headed back to the boat; I grabbed a bite to eat and sat by the pool for a few hours. On to Finland!
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| Canal in Warnemunde |
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| Cute shopping area |
Helsinki, Finland
I’ve decided I love this city…if I had to live in Northern Europe, it would hard to say no to Helsinki. The only deterrent would be that for several months a year they have very little sunlight (leading to a very high depression and suicide rate), which might be tough. But otherwise, it was beautiful. The skies were crystal blue dotted with puffy white clouds, the temperature was about 65 degrees, the people were nice and helpful, the architecture was also quite similar to Copenhagen.Which reminds me…I forgot to mention the bicycles in Copenhagen and Helsinki. They are a two wheeled society! There are people on bikes everywhere. There was even a woman who had on, what looked like a cocktail dress in 4 inch heels riding a bike (I couldn’t grab my camera fast enough). Kids are riding, people on their way to work, others probably just heading over to the local supermarket. It was sooo nice to see. As a tourist, I believe you can even take a bicycle tour of many cities throughout Europe. The other great thing was that everyone was sharing the road. Now, I’ve witnessed that this is a new concept for many Americans…sharing the road with cyclists. I am making an assumption right now, but I think it is more common in the Northwest America, as well as parts of the West. The East is slowly marking off designated bike lanes in their cities and suburbs. The South, I’ve not had the pleasure of visiting extensively so I do not know. But the thing was, was that not only were the motorists respecting and obeying the cyclists right of way, but the cyclists were also adhering to their lanes and signals. It was nice. I enjoyed seeing that in this part of the world.
Anyway, back to Helsinki. After we enjoyed a ride around Helsinki, taking in the more historical sites, we hopped off and started our hunt for Kamaya’s vintage shop number 2. Luckily after only a few minutes of walking around the quiet streets, we found it! Woohoo! It was a very small vintage clothing store that sold old Chanel and Gucci clothing, shoes, scarves and anything else you can think of. Even those adorable small head pieces many stylish women would wear out to a show. As expected (I’ve been in similar vintage shops before), the prices were pretty high, but I enjoyed seeing a lot of old handcrafted pieces of fashion. Kamaya purchased a beautiful silk scarf and we started walking back towards the waterfront. Thank goodness we did, because we found the most adorable outdoor market. It was packed with people (in a good way) purchasing hot fried variations of fish, fresh vegetables that would make your heart swoon (funny side note: I purchased a bag of fresh pea pods and ended up eating them all night, leaving me feeling not to good the next day). The berries!! Oh my goodness the berries. In shades of red, purple and blue like I’ve never seen. We stopped for a doughnut at a little place that was packed with locals (good sign). We waited for about 10 minutes, since the owner had another batch of freshly made doughnuts coming in from his shop…nice guy. It was cute, he asked where we were from and then informed us that he likes America because we helped Finland when they were having troubles with Russia. I responded with, ‘Good, I’m glad to hear someone likes us’. Haha It can be challenging to find people who actually like the states, sometimes. It is usually an issue they have with our government (Republican or Democrat), not necessarily the people. Anyway, there were a lot of tables at this fantastic outdoor market that sold handmade goods. So, I picked up a few things for myself, my mom and my niece before going back to the ship. I sadly waved goodbye to Helsinki and held on tight for our premier stop, St. Petersburg, Russia…
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| The world's best homemade jelly doghnut |
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| Cruise port |
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| Outdoor Market |
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| The most delicious berries!! |
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| Park |
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| Outdoor Market |
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| Tram stop |
St. Petersburg, Russia
Mother Russia. What can I say? I’ve met a few women from Russia, and found that those are not women you want to mess with. I adored them, laughed with them (very unique sense of humor) and even learned a few bad words, as any good foreign friend should teach you. My mother always enjoyed having a few of the Russian counselors back to our house each summer. My mother took a fond interest in Anna Korolyova, in particular. This remarkable woman went on to finish school, get married, have a beautiful child, and is now living in Maryland. I think that she’ll agree that people of Russia are very proud, and although they may seem a little tough on the outside, once you break through, they are kind-hearted people that enjoy life.Now, in order for Americans to get in to Russia, you have to have a visa…and it is a pricey visa at that. The cruise ship was offering all day tours during the two days we were there, and the visas were included in this. So, our best way of getting in to and seeing the basic tourist points in St. Petersburg was going to have to be a 2 day tour. I’m glad I participated in this tour, because I got to see some interesting sites, and also because I it gave me a chance to enjoy the rainy weather…we were also told it is usually overcast most days.
Our two days were filled with many historically important stops. One of those was The State Hermitage Museum, which contains some of the most prized collections (3 million pieces of art) next to the Louvre in France and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It is one of the largest and oldest art museums, founded by Catherine the Great…just an example of the opulence of this time period and area of Russia. St. Petersburg itself contains hundreds of palaces, some of which were very rarely used and were occupied only for parties maybe once a year. Now that is money… There are six parts to the museum, but the public is only allowed to partially visit four of those areas. (SIDE NOTE: I have been traveling for quite some time now. I’ve seen and visited a good number of places. I’ve seen many a museum and church…probably enough to hold me over for three lifetimes. So, the idea of spending two days visiting museums and churches was not as appealing as it would have been to a regular person, haha, that is, someone who has a little less travel experience. I’m at the point where I like to sit in a café and people watch, or visit a friend who lives in a foreign land and interact with the people and everyday life. I’ve become more interested in participating in a city, rather than looking at what its occupants of 100 years ago accomplished. I know this may sound ridiculous, especially since getting a glimpse into the great events and people of the past are an honor. Plus, I’m not going to complain about being able to visit faraway cultures and places that some people may never get a chance to visit. I just get tired of museum and churches…that’s all...thanks for listening)
After seeing the mind-boggling State Hermitage Museum (the best part was the DaVinci paintings…by far…no complaints here), we got back on the bus and continued around the city. As I mentioned, I’ve seen many churches in my lifetime. There were two that I thought were worth seeing. The first one was the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. This incredible church was built on the site where Tsar Alexander II was killed. It is not a functioning church (I don’t think it was ever ‘reconsecrated’). It is mainly used as a museum. It is really amazing. There are Biblical figures throughout the entire church with bits and pieces brushed in gold leaf. The floors even appear to be an ornate inlaid marble. I find that Russian Orthodox (as are many Orthodox/Coptic sects) is similar to Catholicism. I believe that the three main differences are the Holy Trinity, the role of the Pope and purgatory. But, too much beyond that, I’m not totally sure. I think also that the Western church was of Latin background and the eastern Orthodox was Greek. I’ve found that although both are quite lavish in their places of worship (altars, gold chalices, Biblical figures imprinted throughout the church, other ornate displays). A difference I also see, is that the Orthodox figures have a larger gold halo around their heads, and the cross usually has two lines crossing through the top of the vertical line. Anyway, it definitely shows off the opulence the royals thought was important. The second church was also a grand site, but what I found to be the most interesting part of Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral, was that the last royal family, The Romanov family, was buried here. The Romanov family was led by Tsar Nicholas II. Many people remember the family for their unfortunate death. Nicholas II was relieved of his monarchy in 1917 and he, and his entire family were shot/stabbed to death in a basement of a home they were staying in. It was believed that Anastasia (Disney movie) had escaped, but after extension DNA testing in the U.K. and the U.S., it was proven that she had in fact died. The family was ‘reunited’ in the Cathedral of Peter and Paul in 2008 and a state funeral was held. Their royal honors were also restored in 2010 (I think). It was written that the Bolsheviks ordered and killed the family, but many believe that Lenin gave the order. Also, I did not realize that the British Royal family and the family of the Tsars are related. In fact, after reading some information about royal families marrying one another, it seems as though almost all European royal families are related in some way (Dutch, Finish, Russian, British, etc.).
Another site that really stuck with me was St. Catherine’s Palace. Again, there are hundreds of palaces throughout St. Petersburg, and after a while it’s kind of like, you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. But this opulent, old building was a true testament to the grand lives the royal family wanted to show people they were a part of. The rooms were decorated in gold leaf (remember, they wanted to appearance of wealth), they even had a heating system in place, for the long cold Russian winters. It was glorious and surprisingly breathtaking.
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| The Amber room in The Catherine Palace (had to sneak this picture) |
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| Auguste Renoir, Woman on a Stair |
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| Hermitage Museum |
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| Monument to Nicholas Romanov II, the last Czar of Russia |
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| Ceiling in the Hermitage |
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| Church of Spilled Blood |
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| Church of Spilled Blood |
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| Church of Spilled Blood |
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| Claude Monet, Garden in Bordighera |
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| Edgar Degas, The Dancer |
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| Egyptian Artifacts in The Hermitage Museum |
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| Egyptian artifacts that Princess Catherine purchased |
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| Hermitage entryway |
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| Hermitage Entryway |
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| 'Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss' (I saw this at the Louvre and here, at The Hermitage) |
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| Doors at Catherine's Palace |
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| Inlaid floor at Catherine's Palace |
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| The State Hermitage Museum |
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| Jupiter, king of the gods and the god of sky and thunder |
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| Leonardo DaVinci Madonna and Child (Madonna Benois) |
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| Leonardo DaVinci Madonna and Child (The Litta Madonna) |
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| Museum hallway exact replica of The Vatican Museum hallways |
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| Tapestry |
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| Russian Naval Academy |
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| Our fearless tour guide |
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| One of many, many palaces |
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| Peter and Paul Fort |
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| Roadway in St. Petersburg |
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| Graves of the Czars |
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| Russian Wedding |
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| Horse armour in Hermitage |
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| Catherine's Palace dining room used once a year for officers |
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| Catherine's Palace gardens |
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| Catherine's Palace ballroom |
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| Catherine's Palace heating system (heat from ovens in basement go up the porcelain tunnels throughout the palace) |
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| Catherine's dress |
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| Catherine's dining room |
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| Catherine's Harpsicord |
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| The State Hermitage Museum |
Poor Estonia…
Estonia really got the brunt end of the deal. We were only docked for a few hours and Kamaya and I spent it at the, oh so adorable, internet café at the port. Haha! Yes, you heard me right…we did not even venture in to the city. Between wanting to touch base with our loved ones, buying some handmade gifts at the small outdoor market and just needing a break tours, we hung out, seaside. It really was the cutest port with a fun outdoor market and free Wi-Fi café. We walked around and sat for a few hours enjoying the relaxed atmosphere.Amsterdam, Holland
I’ve been to Amsterdam before…and I liked it. It was with friends years ago that were high the entire time, me not included. Luckily there was one girl who wanted to get out and we saw all of the major sites the city had to offer. So, years later I wanted to make sure that I got to see some ‘back door’ sites. Maria and Kamaya did a tour, so Natasha and I set off on a mission to find…beer. We took a cab over to the Heineken factory. It was only 10 minutes from the dock and the weather was fantastic, to boot! We got out of the cab and I just stood there taking in the sun peeking through the trees that lined the busy street. People were heading in to the entrance so we went in as well and got our tickets. They had free Wi-Fi and a self-tour app you could down for free on our phone. We walked through the building, stopping every few minutes to listen about the beginnings, hurdles and successes of the Heineken family. They went through a lot, but managed to keep the business in the family and treat their employees with respect…something that does not happen too often, nowadays. The best part? Two free beers at the end of the tour in their factory bar. Man, was that good beer. I was never a big Heineken fan, but it was delicious. Glad we went. I posted on Facebook that Natasha and I were at the Heineken factory and my Dutch friend Miriam contacted me. She gave me a recommendation for a place to grab an authentic bit to eat, and man, was I happy she did that! We walked 500 feet from the factory and found this ‘carousel’ café that served delicious Dutch pancakes smothered in butter and powdered sugar. Lord, was that good. After a sweet indulgence and a drink, we grabbed a cab back to the boat with tummies full of beer and sinful Dutch treats….so happy. |
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| Leaving Holland |
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| Coming into port |
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| Very cool apartment building |
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| Yummm |
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| Heineken Brewery |
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| Heineken Stables (horses still ride around Amsterdam) |
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| Wind Turbine (they are everywhere around this part of the world) |
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| Heineken anyone? |
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| People waving 'hello' while we sit and wait for the slip fills with water |
A stop a the Windsor Castle, before heading home (or so we thought)
After Holland, we spent a day or two at sea while the boat set its sights on Dover, England. It was a lazy two days. Not a whole lot went on. We went to a show at the theater, enjoyed our last few hours of perfect sea weather and just relaxed. When we arrived in Dover, we departed the boat and boarded our bus that was going to take us to the Royal Windsor Palace, before dropping us off at Heathrow International Airport. The drive was long, but the quirky tour guide offered up some interesting British history about the towns we crossed through along the way. The cliffs of Dover were beautiful and the English summer, countryside landscape was so peaceful. Upon arriving in Windsor, we walked up to the main part of town, mazing through upscale shops filled with tourists. Kamaya saw an adorable whited dress along the way, which she ended up running back and buying. I walked around the town and enjoyed people watching. We watched the changing of the guard, which took place through the middle of town and searched for our tour group. We stood in the designated spot, but managed to miss them. After some searching, we finally located where they were and it wasn’t pretty…they were standing in the mile long line, which lead to the entrance of the castle. We stood in line, for what must have been an hour and a half. With only being allotted 2 hours for the castle walk-through, this was getting to be a ‘royal’ pain in the ass. By the time we actually made it up to the entrance we had 20 minutes to walk around the entire castle grounds. This is no small feat…the grounds were gorgeous, decorated meticulously with the most beautiful flowers and ornate fashions, but it was just so much to see in the 20 minutes that we actually ended up having. I think at this point, Kamaya and was so disappointed; we ended up taking a casual stroll around and walked back to the bus…such a shame. It looked like it really would have been a sight to see, but I guess next time. |
| Canal through Windsor |
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| English countryside |
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| White Cliffs of Dover |
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| Windsor Castle |
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| Windsor Towers |
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| Windsor |
After getting back on the bus, we were dropped off at the airport. Kamaya and I still had about 8 hours before our flight left, so into London we went. We spent some time at Harrods, and Kamaya got her fish and chips. Luckily we got some great seats on the plane and were happy to be headed back home. Kamaya was fortunate enough to be going back to the states a few days after arriving in the UAE. I, on the other hand, made the not too smart decision of staying in the UAE for ending of Ramadan and the long, Hades-like, UAE summer. Note to self….not doing that again! haha
