London to London: The Baltic

Our trip started off in London. The night we arrived the sun was shining and it appeared our vacation was off to a bright start. The following morning we woke to the gloom of dark rain clouds hanging overhead. We grabbed some inexpensive umbrellas and headed on our way. After navigating the London Underground, a fantastic network of subways, we were ready to explore the city. We made the rounds and hit most of the touristy areas including Buckingham Palace, where we watched the changing of the guards, Big Ben, Hyde Park, the London Eye as well as Downing Street. Our feet were soaked and had shriveled like prunes by the time the sun was setting and after dinner we got some rest before our big day in the morning.

We got an early start and with a little searching we found the bus station and started our two and a half hour scenic drive to Dover. We couldn’t help but comment on how the countryside reminded us both of Oregon. The Castle of Dover sat upon white cliffs and both were equally breathtaking. The Norwegian Jewel was truly an enormous vessel, much larger than I have envisioned. The first few days I have to be honest and say that Justin and I were wondering what we may have gotten ourselves into. We quickly realized that it was going to be very easy to be nickel and dimed to death. I love shuffleboard, bridge and bingo as much as the next person, but with our combined ages being smaller than the number of years most of the couples had been married, I was beginning to wonder if we were the youngest couple onboard? Fortunately before we knew it we where having a blast and found that we just needed to soak everything in to see how much fun there was to be had.

Our first port of call was Copenhagen, Denmark. It really was a cute coastal town; canals were lined with sailboats and colorful quaint shops. The weather was wonderful and we spent the day visiting historic sites and simply taking in the scenery.

As we approached Warnemunde, Germany the next morning the shore was lined with early risers with fishing poles in hand ready for their next big catch. We were lucky enough to arrive on the day a festival was taking place. The streets were filled with dancers, musicians and enticing food. There was a beautiful beach nearby packed with kite surfers, which I thought looked so fun. As most of you know I love to cook and each summer as a child my family would bake a German pastry by the name of Streuselkuchen. As soon as I spotted it in a bakery a told Justin we just had to buy some. What a true treat, and believe it or not, we actually had it just about right back in those summer days. We made room for some hearty local cuisine and found our way back to the ship.

If Estonia did one thing, it really made you feel like you were stepping back into medieval times. We imagined the town was probably quite depressing when the boat pulled away from the harbor; most likely somewhat of a ghost town. The aged buildings seemed near collapse even though I suspect they had looked that way for hundreds of years, yet still they remain. Maneuvering through narrow uneven cobblestone streets with steep inclines often lead to amazing views of the city. All this worked up an appetite and if you can recall the old Flintstones cartoons where an oversized drumstick was devoured by Fred than you have a pretty good idea of what our lunch looked like. I think the people next to us had an entire animal on their table. Our dinner rolls had chunks of pork fat inside. With menu items titled Witch’s Brew, I wondered if it would be smart to ask if that came with “eye of newt” before selecting it. But, to our pleasure the food was both fantastic and entertaining.

Since we booked this cruise from India we were unable to obtain a Russian Visa in time for the cruise and would not be able to visit St. Petersburg unless we participated in one of the ship’s shore excursions. Despite this minor hang up we actually had an enjoyable time. We spent one evening watching Swan Lake performed by the Russian Ballet. We also traveled through the city and truthfully I was thankful to have a guide; with so much history, we both felt that without a doubt we got a lot more out of our ventures. Plus, after witnessing a women get mugged for her purse it appeared we were better off not traveling alone anyway. We also attended a local folk dancing performance. It was so hilarious. I was laughing and pointing out different guys on stage to Justin and before I knew it one of them came down into the audience and I was pulled me onto the stage. I laughed without reservation and tried my best to master the moves. Justin was dying, so was I, it was a real workout; hats off to all the performers. Phew, back to the boat for a tall glass of ice water.

Upon arrival to Finland it was clear that the chilidog Justin had the night before wasn’t setting well and I suspected food poisoning. Well our boat actually had over 300 passengers that were already quarantined due to an outbreak of norovirus. So despite his similar symptoms I didn’t want to report it unless I really had to. I know it sounds bad, but I was feeling fine and didn’t want to spend the rest of our trip as a prisoner to our stateroom. We tried to get out and about in Helsinki, but it was soon obvious Justin wasn’t doing well, and considering you have to pay anywhere from one to two dollars each time you need to use the restroom, heading back to the boat was a necessity. That day Justin recovered while I checked out all the amazing performances and activities around the ship. Contortionist, violinist, standup comics, magic shows; the boat really did offer terrific entertainment.

Fortunately Justin had fully recuperated by the following day and we were still free to move without restraint about the ship. Our last destination was to Stockholm, Sweden. We both picked this stop as our favorite. It was a magnificently picturesque area and reminded us both of Alaska and the Puget Sound. Sweden has hundred of thousands of islands which is really a sight to behold. As we were leaving the port on its way back to Dover Justin and I sat in the lounge at the forward of the boat and took in the stunning view until long after the sunset. We spent the next two days out at sea. I tend to feel a sense of calm come over me when gazing into the expanse of the ocean. It was a truly peaceful ending to a delightful trip, and after half a day in Dover we were on a bus starting our long journey back to India.

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