 |
|
Cruising the Baltic
Amsterdam, Netherlands – This was my “pre-cruise” stop. The city is built around a series of canals that are not only beautiful, but are also used as a practical means of transportation. The streets are narrow, but they suffice, as most people use bicycles as their primary means of transportation. It was quite interesting to see men and women in business attire cycling to and from work. Points of Interest: The Anne Frank House - A must-see. Here is where Anne Frank and her family hid after the Germans invaded Amsterdam. You can actually see how the family was forced to live during this horrible time. Bloemenmarkt - This flower market consists of streets of flowers, bulbs, seeds and other delights for any gardener. Rijksmuseum - A collection of art including masterpieces from Frans Hals, Rembrandt and Johannes Vermeer. One of the hop-on-hop-off canal tours is a great way to see many of the city’s highlights, and the tickets are usually good for a 24 hour period.
Points of Interest: Stroget - This is a group of five pedestrian streets that run through the center of the city, chock full of galleries, restaurants and boutiques. Tivoli Gardens – Open since 1843, Tivoli is a park consisting of twenty acres of restaurants, amusement rides, gardens and sparkling lights. Tivoli puts on over 150 concerts per year, and makes a fun night out. Stockholm, Sweden - The first port that the Crown Princess visited is the capital of Sweden and the home of the Nobel Prize. Stockholm has been referred to as the “Venice of the North.” It is built across fourteen distinct islands, boasting many parks and panoramas. Points of Interest: City Hall - This is the home of the civic government, best known as the home of the Nobel Prize. The elegant interior includes the Golden Hall, with stunning mosaics, and the Blue Hall, where the Nobel banquets are held. Vasa Museum - This museum houses the Swedish warship Vasa. This ship was to be the most powerful ship of its day, but in 1628, on its maiden voyage, it sank. Surprisingly, it was well preserved by the harbor mud. The Vasa was found in 1956, raised, and preserved, and has become a time capsule of thousands of items from another age. Helsinki, Finland – Helsinki is said to be the origin of the first saunas, and was the second stop of this cruise. The Summer Olympic Games of 1952 were held here. Points of Interest: Senate Square - 19th century neoclassical buildings surround an impressive city square. Temppeliaukio Rock Church - This innovative church was completed in 1969 and built into bedrock. Only its copper cupola rises above the curved rock walls. Sibelius Monument - A very unusual tubular monument to the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, made of stainless steel. The design and shapes remind one of pipe organs. St. Petersburg, Russia - This stop was definitely one of the highlights of the trip! St. Petersburg, founded in 1703, is actually younger than New York City, and has become a symbol of Russian resistance to Nazi invasion. Points of Interest: Peterhof Palace - Built to rival Versailles, Peter the Great’s palace boasts a classical façade and stunning fountains and gardens. Hermitage Museum - The tsar’s former Winter Palace and four adjacent buildings house one of the finest collections of art in the world. Over three million works of art are housed here, including paintings by DaVinci, Rafael, Monet, Rembrandt and Renoir. Yusupov Palace - In 1916, Russian nobles murdered the monk Rasputin on the palace grounds. Tallinn, Estonia – This hidden gem is one of Northern Europe’s best-preserved medieval towns. The town can be traced back as far as 800 A.D. Points of Interest: Town Hall Square - The center of Old Tallinn’s “Lower Town” since the 12th century, the square is home to Town Hall, as well as cafes, restaurants and boutiques. Gdansk, Poland - This city is where the first bombs of World War II were dropped, which left the city in ruins. It has been rebuilt, mostly from pictures, and there are still areas fenced off and left as a reminder of the tragedy the citizens experienced. Points of Interest: St. Mary’s Church - This Gothic Church is the largest brick church in the world and can accommodate 25,000 worshippers. It houses a unique 15th century astronomical clock, complete with a Zodiac and a church calendar. Neptune’s Fountain - This fountain dates back to 1633 and stands in front of town hall. Oslo, Norway - This is Scandinavia’s oldest and least populous capital city. Points of Interest: Holmenkollen - This is the cradle of Olympic ski jumping and the site of the 1952 Winter Olympic competition. Vigeland Sculpture Park - This park is home to the stone, iron and bronze sculptures by Gustav Vigeland. The sculptures depict the cycle of human life from birth to death. Viking Ship Museum - Oslo’s most famous attraction consists of the three Viking ships unearthed near the Oslofjord. The vessels date back to 800-900 A.D. The above merely touches on the highlights of my adventures. Eating, drinking and shopping were great. In each city, the people I met were very pleasant and friendly. It was a trip of a lifetime…and I would love to experience it again! If you are thinking of traveling to any of the destinations above, please feel free to contact me for more details. Please sign up for emails through our website so you can get information regarding trips we have planned. For those who read our last article, “Traveling Transatlantic in the Queen Mary 2,” we have planned a transatlantic crossing leaving Redhook terminal in Brooklyn on April 14, 2009. Please contact us for complete information. |
|
All Rights Reserved 2012
|
In July, I experienced a two week getaway to the Baltic region, including a ten day cruise on the Crown Princess (Princess Cruises). So much was packed into this trip, that I will just give you the highlights. I took over 3,000 pictures and took away even more memories - definitely too much to share in one article.
Copenhagen, Denmark – My cruise started in “Wonderful Copenhagen,” as the song goes. It is the largest city in Scandinavia, and is the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen, famous for such fairy tales as “The Little Mermaid” and “The Ugly Duckling.”