The Yetkes' Cruises

Trip Log #30: Copenhagen, Denmark Aug. 19

2009-08-29T07:29:00.001-07:00

Hello all,

So, here we are in Copenhagen. Denmark's known history began 250,000 years ago when nomadic hunters began to travel across Jylland (Jutland). By the 7th century, the "Dane" tribe crossed the Kattegat from Sweden and adopted Denmark ("Dane's land") as their new home. It was the age of the Viking, and tribes consantly battled other Western European clans for control of the strategic North Sea. The Skagerrak that separates Denmark from Norway and the Baltic region were naval battlegrounds.

During the following centuries, Denmark struggled to maintain a window on the world, and by the 14th century, King Valdemar IV united Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands from his Danish base. Sweden broke ranks and fought for several centuries while Norway remained under Danish rule until 1814. Iceland did not gain independence until 1948, and Greenland and the Faroe Islands are still autonomous Danish provinces.

Copenhagen was a fishing village until the middle of the 12th century. Because of its harbor, it soon became a place of commercial importance. During World War II, Copenhagen was occupied by German troops from April 1940 until May 1945. Today, Copenhagen is the principal seaport and commercial center of Denmark, and a large proportion of the country's foreign and domestic trade passes through its port. The population of the metropolitan area is over 1,350,000. Copenhagen, long noted internationally for the manufacture of fine porcelain ware, is also famous for the production of hand-wrought silverware. When most Americans think of Denmark, they think of Hans Christian Andersen, the Danish writer of fairy tales in the 19th century. His adopted city, Copenhagen, erected a statue of one of his most beloved characters, the Little Mermaid, at the entrance to the harbor. Made of cast bronze, the statue reflects the Danish love of simple, fluid line and form.

Here we did the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus again. They had two routes and we did both of them. Of course, we got off and walked to the Little Mermaid statue to take a photo. She was just down the pier a little ways from our ship. It is a very nice city. One place we went by was called Christiania which is a little community of Hippies. It was developed back in the 60s by the hippie crowd and still exists as a "free spirit" place of living. They said that a great deal of pot is smoked there even though it is illegal in Copenhagen. The city is trying to close down this community.

Hope you enjoy our photos. Most all of them were taken from the bus. The pier where we docked was very nice and had a long row of shops that were fun to explore.

Jan and Dick

Trip Log #29: Visby, Sweden Aug. 18

2009-08-29T07:25:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

I will tell you all about Visby. Sounds like a wonderful and very interesting place. However, we never got to go on shore there. It was to be a tender port. When the captain arrived at the designated anchorage, it was quite rough. And the prediction for afternoon was increasing winds and waves that would make it really bad for getting on and off the tenders. Therefore, the captain decided to cancel the stop at Visby. I took a few photos from the ship as soon as I realized we had turned around and were leaving but we were already kind of far away. And as you can see, it was a cloudy, kind of rainy day. Oh well, next time.

The town of Visby is located on the northwest coast of Gotland island. Hoards of coins and other treasures found on the island indicate its importance in maritime trade as far back as the Bronze Age. The Vikings were both a warrior and farming society from this region now known as Scandinavia. In the middle ages, Visby had many splendid churches and elaborate fortified walls. It was a rich and important member of the Hanseatic League, a commercial federation of European cities. The Vikings also displayed an ability to mobilize economic resources and to dominate a hostile landscape. These abilities can bve seen in their great fortified camps, like that at Visby, where hundreds of soldiers and traders lived.

A living historical showcase, Visby's magnificent St. Mary's Cathedral dates from the 12th century when the port was the center of the Hanseatic League. In 1470, it was expelled, however and a bitter feud between Visby and Lubeck merchants ensued. Security only really returned when Sweden assumed control of Gotland in the 18th century.

An excellent example of a fortified medieval commercial city, Visby retains many historic buildings. Age and fine architecture have elevated the old city to be inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage site.

So, I think it would have been a very nice city to walk around.

Jan and Dick

Trip Log #28: Stockholm, Sweden Aug. 17

2009-08-28T06:36:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

The history of Stockholm begins with a legend from the era of the Vikings. It's said that Agne, a warrior king of the Ynglinga dynasty, married a chieftain's daughter named Skjalf after overcoming her father and fleeing with his friends. Stopping to celebrate, he and his friends drank too much and Skjalf freed herself. Help arrived and Agne was captured nd hanged, supposedly at the place which is known as Stockholm. Legend aside, it is known that a castle and church were built here in the 13th century. The church was dedicated to St. Nicholas, the Patron Saint of shipping and is referred to today as the Great Church. In the 18th century Stockholm attracted many scientists and scholars. It became a cultural, musical and dramatic capital. During the last 100 years of Stockholm's history, the city has become industrialized, and the government has changed from a monarchy to a full parliamentary democracy. Stockholm is built on fourteen small islands. This 700-year old capital is one of the world's most attractive. A green city, nearly a third of the Swedish capital is park land. The name refers to the town beween the bridges. Early homes were wooden buildings. It was a crowded city, and after a few fires, combustible building materials were abandoned. Styles remained much the same though, so old city's narrow streets and high buildings are still medieval in tone. The city offers amusement parks, shopping, museums and fine architecture. The layout of the city has been carefully protected by tthe town fathers, keeping thte town full of tree-lined streets, parks, lively squares, boulevards and playgrounds.

The beautiful water approach to Stockholm passes through the beautiful archipelago that lines the Swedish coast. More than 24,000 islands and islets, the chain stretches for miles along he Swedish seaboard. Some of the islands are no more than cragy rocks jutting above the surface of the sea, while others are just large enough for a single cottage. It really was a beautiful sail in and sail out. I am sending a few photos of the archipelago.

We took a ship's tour that was to the Vasa Museum and then a bit around the old city with a stop on a high overlook. Since it was a morning tour, we stayed in town at the end of it rather than going back to the ship. We were dropped off at the castle just prior to the changing of the guard. This was a really beautiful ceremony that lasted an hour. There were guards on foot, guards on horseback, and a band on horseback. I am sending a few photos of that also. After the ceremony, we started walking back to the center of Old Town. Unfortunately it began to pour rain. We decided to go into the Grand Hotel which was nearby and "the" hotel in Stockholm. They had a beautiful sidewalk restaurant that was glass enclosed so we got a table right next to the sidewalk. It also overlooked the harbor. There were 8 cruise ships in Stockholm that day. One was anchored right downtown in the harbor, a few others were able to dock downtown, and the rest were at docks a couple miles away (as were we). No problem though since they provide shuttle service from the ship to the town. It rained off and on the rest of the afternoon. After our lunch, it was time to go back to the ship so we walked over to the shuttle bus and got back to the ship. A great city!!!

On 10 August 1628 the "unsinkable" Royal warship Vasa set sail on her maiden voyage and sank in the Stockholm harbor. The most expensive and perhaps most lavishly decorated naval vessel Sweden had ever built, King Gustavus Adolphus' pride and joy, was to be the mightiest naval ship of the day. Unfortunately, pride and a rush to get the ship afloat seems to have led to the disaster. (Many of you may remember that our daughter, Kristin, went to Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota. Yes, it was named after this king as I recall.) Maritime and engineering knowledge were simply limited at the time. The experience with the Vasa was a lesson that led to better subsequent design. It was later learned that the engineers and others in the know had warned the King that it was not built correctly and was not seaworthy, but he wanted it and by a certain date, so he said GO. Oops!!! It had a way to tall stern castle and with all the wooden carved statues around it was way too top heavy!!! Also, there were two rows of cannon ports that were open. So, when it got out in the harbor and was hit by a big wind that rolled it on its side, the water rushed in the first row of cannon ports and filled the ship. In 1956 Anders Franzen discovered the ancient ship and initiated one of Sweden's largest historical undertakings in marine archaeology. It had been under the sea there in the harbor for 333 years but since the water was brackish it was preserved. The Vasa was found almost completely intact on the seabed. The antique is one of the world's best preserved ships from that period. The reconstructed vessel, 95 percent original, is splendidly adorned with hundreds of carved sculptures. They even found sails in bags that have been taken out and are on display. This was a really fascinating exhibit that we really enjoyed!! As you can see from the photos, the ship is inside a building. The mast tops are outside on display but we didn't see them. I have a photo from afar. The only thing on the ship inside are the lower sections of the masts.

Enjoy!!

Jan and Dick

Trip Log #27: Vaasa, Finland Aug. 16

2009-08-28T06:33:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Sorry for the delay! Since you have been following our itinerary, you know that we got off the ship last Sunday, Aug. 23. We have been spending the week in London. I thought I would have all these done by now. Oh well, having too good a time here in London. But not to worry, I will finish the trip for you!!!!

Vaasa (Swedish: Vasa) is a city on the west coast of Finland. It received its charter in 1606, during the reign of Charles IX of Sweden and is named after the Royal House of Vasa. Vaasa was an important place of governance when Finland was part of Sweden. It started in the 14th Century when Korsholm castle was built near the village of Mustasaari. Thanks to the sea connections, ship building and trade, especially tar trade, Vaasa flourished in the 17th Century and most of the inhabitants earned their living from it. During the Finnish War, fought between Sweden and Russia in 1808-1809, Vaasa suffered more than any other city. Ironically, the war ended with the Treaty of Fredrikshamn (September 17, 1809) - Vaasa became a part of the new Grand Duchy of Finland in the Russian Empire. In 1852, a disastrous fire claimed nearly the entire wooden town, so residents had to rebuild. The ruins of the church (belfry), school, and town hall tuin were left in tribute, but the new Vaasa was moved a few miles away. In its new location Vaasa became an important sea-faring city. It had been renamed Nikolainkaupunki in honor or the Russian Czar Nikolai I. When Finland proclaimed its independence in 1917 the name of the town was again reverted to Vaasa.

As you can see from the few photos, it was a very cloudy, cold, rainy day. It was sad since this was a "maiden call" for the Prinsendam to Vaasa. In nice weather, there would have been probably a band and other welcome ceremonies. Due to bad weather, there was nothing. After we docked, we had intended to go ashore and walk around. By the time we went to get off the ship, it was pouring rain. So, we took a pass and stayed on the ship. Many of our friends, including Wrenne and her sister, did go ashore and walk around. They said it was a nice place, worth coming back to on a better day. However, it was also Sunday so everything was closed.

Interesting note: the engines used on almost all Holland America ships are made here in Vaasa.

Jan and Dick

Fwd: Trip Log #26: Helsinki, Finland Aug. 14

2009-08-24T07:01:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

It was a beautiful day in Helsinki - high 60s - some rain later in afternoon. Well, that is summer there!!! This was our first time ever to Finland.

Comprised of 60,000 lakes and bordered by water and land, Finland's history has been largely affected by its neighbors; Norway to the north, Sweden too the northwest, and Russia to the east. Only independent since 1917, Finland has been ruled for hundreds of years by imperial powers; first by the Swedes and then the Russian Czars. As early as the 12th century, the King of Sweden had annexed two large sections of Finland and by 1634 it was fully incorporated into the Swedish empire. The decline of Sweden as a world power brought Russia into the picture. At the conclusion of the Great Northern War in the 18th century, Russia ceded part of the Finnish territory. Following another invasion by Russia in the late 1930's, the Finns were forced to sue for peach. Helsinki, located along the southern coast of Finland, makes up the most populated, industrialized and richest part of the country. A city of a half million people, Helsinki has a character quite different from the other Scandinavian capitals.

Founded by King Gustav Wasa in 1550, the regal city was targeted to be a viable competitor against Tallinn as a favored Baltic port. Dutch merchants had built up the Estonian city to capture lucrative St. Petersburg trade, and generations of Finnish merchants looked on with envy as their neighbor across the sea grew more prosperous. When a tragic fire swept the Finnish port in 1808, the citizens seized the chance to modernize.

In 1812, Czar Alexander II moved the capital to Helsinki after a fire struck Turku. Without its crowded pre-blaze wooden buildings, Helsinki was completely rebuilt. The czar engaged German designer Carl Ludwig Engel to planhis new Helsinki as a spacious and elegant city. Noted for his parks and squares, many of which display magnificent sculptures, Engel had a keen eye for the elegant lines of Eastern and Slavic architecture that Alexander favored. Note the distinctive Russian influence in local design - Helsinki has often represented a "typical Russian town" in modern movies.

The city center is breathtaking. From Senate Square, Helsinki Cathedral's landmark green domes can be seen for miles (I have photos of this cathedral). It is a huge Lutheran cathedral. In the middle of the square a statue of Alexander is a symbol of an otherwise unhappy historical period. Movie fans will find the expansive square and its monuments familiar. They were featured in the films: Reds, Gorky Park, and White Knights.

In the morning, Dick did a Helsinki by Bike tour. I should have done it but was worried that it would be too hard. It was not at all he said - mostly all flat and they stopped along the way quite a bit since it was a sightseeing tour. I sent him with our little camera so he got some really great photos you will see. The bikes were called Jopo - a Finnish-designed bike. Created in the 1960s and designed as a simple, practical transportation that could be adjusted to fit a wide range of people, this bike has become an important part of Finnish culture. Known as "everyone's bicycle", Jopos once were found in almost every Finnish family home and are now making a popular comeback. They toured all thru the city, parks, waterfront, residential and commercial areas. They then went to Sibelius Park, a magnificent monument fashioned from steel pipes. The work honors Jean Sibelius, Finland's most famous composer. Sibelius was a tragic figure and lived much of his life fighting debt and addiction, but he also rallied Finnish nationalism and is remembered as a hero. He had a great time on his bike trip. At the end, I took photos of their return.

In the afternoon we took a ship's tour called: Helsinki Highlights & Country Home Visit. We drove around the city a little seeing the highlights. In winter, the harbor is frozen and is much of the Baltic, so Helsinki has huge ice breakers. There is a photo of those ships tied up in the harbor. We then headed out to the farming community of Sipoo. There we stopped at St. Sigfrid's, the oldest church in the community, dating back to the 15th century. We then continued our drive through the forest to a Finnish countryside home beside a beautiful lake. We spent about an hour and 15 mins. there. The lady of the house spoke beautiful English. The home and grounds had been in her family. All Finnish homes have at least one sauna but they had one outside in a little separate building next to a little pond. It was called a "smoker" sauna. They use them every day year round. In the winter, her husband cuts a hole in the ice at the bottom of the steps and she comes out of the sauna and takes a dip in the lake and then goes back into the sauna. She was showing us. They served us tea, coffee, and some typical Finnish sweets-berry pie with homemade ice cream. The home was beautiful. They raised 4 children there and now their one son has a new home just on the next lot and they have one grandson. We also had a lovely walk thru the woods and around the big lake there. After returning to Helsinki, we stopped at the Rock Church (Temppeliaukio Church), which was magnificent. It is a Lutheran church (85% of the people in Finland are Lutheran). There was a natural, huge rock pile, that they dynamited out the center of. The roof was made of copper wires in circles which is a fantastic acoustic conductor. It was very quiet and peaceful to go in and sit down. They were playing some beautiful music which allowed for us to experience the wonderful acoustics!!! After the church, we stopped at Senate Square where we viewed the beautiful big cathedral and the statue of Alexander. Unfortunately we did experience rain in the afternoon, so some of the photos that I took thru the bus windows do have raindrops on them. Sorry.

Enjoy!

Jan and Dick

Fwd: Trip Log #25: St. Petersburg Aug. 13

2009-08-22T14:39:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

Here we are for the second day in St. Petersburg. Founded by Peter the Great in 1703, this city was first known as Saint Petersburg, later changed to Petrograd (1914-1924) and then to Leningrad from 1927-1991. St. Petersburg, as it is known today, is the second largest city in Russia (after Moscow), and was the capital of the Russian Empire for two centuries, from 1712 until 1918. Today the city is an important seaport, cultural, and industrial center. Because the site of the city is on low marsh land, an area prone to flooding, canals were built to assist in drainage, giving the city the reputation of being the "Venice of the North." St. Petersburg owes much of its economy to manufacturing. Foremost industries include production of armaments, electrical and power machinery and ship building. St. Petersburg is also the largest port in Russia with major import/export traffic in commercial and industrial products. Points of interest in St. Petersburg include: the Peter and Paul Fortress, the Summer Palace, the Winter Palace (Hermitage) and Saint Isaac's Cathedral.

Today we took an all day tour called: Imperial St. Petersburg.

We drove around the city to see some of the beautiful buildings. Then we headed out to see Peter the Great's fabulous Summer Palace at Peterhof. We walked thru the beautiful interior where we were not allowed to take any photos. However, as beautiful as this place is inside, the real beauty in our opinion was in the gardens with all the magnificent fountains that were designed in the 18th century by Peter the Great. We had a beautiful walk thru the gardens and saw lots of different types of fountains.

After our ride back to St. Petersburg in the hydrofoil, and a nice lunch, we drove to the Church of the Resurrection (Church on the Spilled Blood). The mushroom type domes on the top are gorgeous. And the inside is covered with all mosaic icon pictures. It is truly amazing to see!!!

We were tired after our two full days plus the evening of sightseeing in St. Petersburg, but it truly was amazing and well worth seeing!!!

Enjoy.

Jan and Dick

Fwd: Trip Log #24: St. Petersburg Ballet Aug. 12

2009-08-22T14:37:00.000-07:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <JYETKE@aol.com>
Date: Sat, Aug 22, 2009 at 3:29 AM
Subject: Trip Log #24: St. Petersburg Ballet Aug. 12
To: JYETKE@aol.com

Dear Friends,

Tonight we went to the Ballet. As many of you may remember, our daughters both danced all thru high school. They were in the dance companies as well including pointe (toe). And most importantly, the method of ballet and toe that they learned and danced was the Vaganova method which is the Russian method. So, of course, we really wanted to see a ballet in Russia.

We were so excited when we found out that what we would be seeing was Swan Lake - you can't get much more traditional than that we think!!!

It was a magnificent performance! The dancing was superb.

I did not take with me my really good camera that has the 20x optical zoom since I didn't think I wanted to carry it with me. So, I took the small one that fit in my purse but it only has a 3x optical zoom. I am sorry since obviously my photos would have been much better if I had taken the big camera. Also, obviously, we were not allowed to use flash which wouldn't have been any good anyway. We were seated about 2/3 of the way back so I had to zoom in all the way. Therefore, you will see some blurriness. Sorry. I just had to send some photos anyway.

Enjoy.

Jan and Dick

Fwd: Trip Log #23: St. Petersburg, Russia Aug. 12

2009-08-21T06:07:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

We were in St. Petersburg, Russia for two days. What a city!!! As most of you know, there are many beautiful things to see there. I think we managed to see the most important in the two days we were there. In order to avoid having to get our own Russian visas, we were required by the authorities to take ship's tours. Well, this was a no-brainer since we probably would have done it anyway. So, we took two all day tours and the night we were there we went to the Ballet - wow, Swan Lake (classic ballet) performed in Russia - can't get much better than that we think!!! I am going to send our separate emails for each day!!!

Just a little history first. On May 17, 1703 (Russian calendar), during the Great Northern War, Peter the Great captured the Swedish fortress of Nyenskans on the Neva river in Ingria. A few weeks later, on May 27, 1703 (May 16, Old Style), lower on the river, on Zayachy (Hare) Island, three miles inland from the gulf, he built the Peter and Paul Fortress, whichh became the first brick and stone building of the new city. He named the city after his patron saint, the Apostle Peter. The original name was meant to sound Dutch due to Peter's obsession with the Dutch culture. St. Petersburg, known as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, is noted for its lavish palaces and grand cathedrals, as well as its waterways. More than 300 bridges connect the various parts of the city. Catherine (the Great), who succeeded Peter after his death, built most of the palaces and brought works of art.

Our tour today was called: Glories of St. Petersburg. First we drove out of St. Petersburg for about 50 minutes to the town of Pushkin where we visited Catherine's Palace, whose grandiose white, blue and gold facade stretches 978 feet. This is a Russian baroque style palace that was built in the first part of the 18th century. The luxurious structure was rebuilt by Rastrelli and is now a showcase for period art, architecture, and landscaping. During WWII, the Palace sustained severe damage but has been restored to its original glory. The Palace's magnificent rooms include the famous Picture Gallery and the Great Hall, as well as the unforgettable Amber Room which sparkles in unparalleled, breathtaking splendor. The park-like grounds are embellished with a number of charming pavilions. After a nice lunch at the restaurant there on the grounds, we headed back to St. Petersburg where we toured the Hermitage Museum. The Hermitage, or Winter Palace, was built for Elizabeth, one of Peter the Great's daughters, but she died before the lavish mansion was completed. Her nephew, Peter III, was the first Russian Czar to take up residence in the great palace. The gold-trimmed, green and white palace houses one of the world's most massive art collections (more than 2.7 million works), begun when Katherine bought 225 paintings from a Berlin art dealer. Its collection of Western European art is second to none. The Hermitage occupies five buildings: the Winter Palace, Old Hermitage, New Hermitage, the Small Hermitage, and Theater. Its collection of French Impressionist art is unmatched.

These two places were incredibly lavish. Hope you get an idea of what we saw from our photos. I have only included a few of the famous art works. I do have photos of many more. It was a really amazing place. Just to walk among all these beautiful things was spectacular. And to see that they really don't do anything to keep you away from the valuable and famous things - you can walk right up and next to it all.

Enjoy.

Jan and Dick

Fwd: Trip Log #22: Tallinn, Estonia Aug. 11, 20009

2009-08-21T06:05:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

Of the three Baltic States, Estonia is the smallest, with over 50% of its population being Russian. This is sharp contract to the other Baltic States, Latvia and the largest state, Lithuania, whose population is over 80% native Lithuanians. Tallinn is the flagship of Baltic reformation. During the Soviet era, Estonians spent their free time listening to either Finish radio or watching television, which was beamed over the Gulf of Finland. Consequently, when independence came, Estonians were very much aware of what a "Western" economy should look like. Since 1991 these hardy people have been putting together a prosperous economy as fast as possible. Estonians consider themselves a Nordic nation of solid, hard-working Protestants willing to go the extra mile in order to enjoy the comforts that many Scandinavian countries take for granted. One can trace these strong ties to Finland going back to when both Finland and Estonia gained independence from Russia after World War I. As late as 1938, Estonian living standards were equal to Finland's; Estonians would have liked to keep this up had it not been for a couple of hundred Russian tanks. The story of Tallinn is a saga of three cities: an ancient citadel, the old town and the new, modern city. Tallinn owes its existence to Toompea, the citadel, sitting on a hill where the city's Upper Town lies. Here you will find traces of history dating back to the 9th century when Talinn was ravaged by the Bikings, as well as he Great Northern War when Peter the Great gained conrol of Estonia, all mixed with a new modern era that is gaining a strong economic foothold on the city.

Estonian and Latvian history are intertwined, but there are also big differences between the neighbors - most notably among the people themselves. Estonians and Finns are both related to the Hungarian people. No other people in the region share this ancestry. Human relics date back 10,000 years, although little detail is known until the arrival of the Germanic Goths who ravaged Europe during the first century AD. By that time, Estonians had organized themselves into a clannish society, but they were no match for fierce warrior-neighbors, so they were forced to retreat northward. They settled in what is now Estonia. Some continued across the Gulf of Finland.

On October 21, 1976, Estonia's organized nationalists wrote a letter to US Congress formally protesting Soviet rule. A decade later, in the revolutionary atmosphere of Russian glasnost and the velvet revolution in the Czech Republic, Estonia declared independence (August 20, 1991). Estonian independence and strong ties to its Finnish sister aided stability across the Gulf and admission to the EU in 2004 was cause for celebration. Although many pacts were signed with the US and EU shortly after Estonia gained autonomy, one agreement overshadowed all others. On January 16, 1988 all three Baltic presidents signed the US-Baltic Charter, a military co-operation pact designed to bring NATO membership and Estonia joined the military league in 2004. Estonia's Prime Minister Andrus Ansip, leader of the Reform Party, has led his nation into prosperity.

We four had a wonderful day there. The weather was very pretty - sunny and warm. We took a taxi up to the top of the hill - the Toompea area. We walked around up there, found a beautiful little look out garden which gave us beautiful views over the city and harbor. Our sights were immediately drawn to the beautiful wind vanes on tops of many buildings and churches. Dick wanted me to take many pictures of them. So, I dubbed this the "wind vane tour" and that is why I am sending you pictures of them. Hope you enjoy. After walking around on the top of the hill, we walked down to the old town and found the Town Hall Square. There were many wonderful outdoor cafes all around the square. We walked thru many of the side streets and always ended back up at the main square. We did eat lunch at one of the outdoor cafes - had dumplings and soup which were typical Estonian food.

Around 2 pm or so we headed down to the lower town which is the modern part of the city, and followed the coast road back around to where the ship was docked. It was a really neat little city around which we thoroughly enjoyed walking!!!!

Enjoy.

Jan and Dick

Fwd: Trip Log #21: Warnemunde/Berlin, Germany Aug. 9, 2009

2009-08-21T06:04:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

What a day this was!!! We were docked in Warnemunde by 7 am. We found out on the way there that there was a Tall Ships Festival going on there that weekend. Wow, how exciting!! It is called the Hanse Sail festival and takes place every year on the second weekend in August. Tall ships, traditional sailing boats and museum ships from all over the world meet in Rostock and Warnemunde for this maritime festival, attacting hundreds of thousands of visitors. This festival has been going on since 1991. However, we were scheduled to take an all day excursion in to Berlin so we did not get to participate in any of the festivities around town for the festival. We heard it was lots of fun, but there were thousands of people around for that. In the afternoon, there was a show at an outdoor stage and the local organizers asked our ship to provide some performers - so they sent a group of Indonesians and a group of Philippinos. Each group does a show on our ship so it was natural for them to send a couple acts. It was very well received we are told. When we got back to the ship, there was a live band playing at the outdoor cafe at the dock and lots of merriment and partying going on. There were many tall ships all around as well as a few cruise ships and some ferries. When it got time to leave, there were exchanges of ships horns being blown to add to the festivities.

The ship docked at 7 am and we were off by 7:30 am for our adventure to Berlin. Dick and I were last in Berlin in 1965. As you know, the Berlin Wall had just gone up in 1961 so there was East Berlin and West Berlin, a very tense situation!! There was East Germany, West Germany, the Communist Soviet Union was in full force with all of its Eastern European block of countries, and we were in the middle of the Cold War with the Soviet Union. We had stood up on the platform to look over the Wall into Platzdammer Platz into East Berlin. There was a large space called NoMans Land on the other side of the Wall filled with concrete barricades and lots of barbed chicken wire and many guard towers filled with armed soldiers. And one of our days there, my Dad, Dick and I took a tour into East Berlin, therefore

going thru Checkpoint Charlie. It was a very serious and rather scarey experience. And East Berlin was a really drab, sad place. We had picked up an East Berlin guide who did all the talking. Our West Berlin guide was not allowed to talk during that time we were in East Berlin. We had been told that most of the government buildings and all the pretty parks, etc., ended up in what was East Berlin. Nothing was being taken care of and much was demolished. People didn't have much of anything and all the buildings were very drab!! Needless to say, it was going to be a very different experience this time. We have all heard so much about the German reunification and the Berlin reunification as a city, that we were really looking forward to seeing it first hand. We have two ladies at our table who are German and live in Munich so we have had very interesting conversations about the war times, separation times, and the reunification. We boarded a private, standard train for the 2 1/2 to 3 hour ride one way to Berlin. We were fortunate to have join us in our train cabin a really nice couple from Goteborg, Sweden. The six of us had a great time visiting on the two train trips.

Yesterday, the capital of Prussia and cultural center of the Golden Twenties; today, the gateway to eastern Europe, Berlin is once again making a new beginning. Berlin is not as beautiful as Paris, as large as New York, as busy as London, or as venerable as Rome, but is full of tumultuous history that will intrigue every visitor. During our short visit to Berlin, we enjoyed some of the plazas and buildings but did not get a sense of the city as a whole which appears full of contradictions - at times attractive, at times ugly, in parts cosmopolitan, in parts provincial, full of history and signs of progress. Since the fall of the Wall in 1989, Berlin has visibly flourished. The city is once again in transition and no one can say just how it will turn out.

When we arrived at the train station, we were greeted by our guide. She was very interesting since she was a little girl when the Wall (that of course had taken several years to build) was closed in 1961 and ended up on the East Berlin side. Along the way, she was able to tell us what it was like living in East Berlin and she related the joy of the night the Wall came down and they had freedom to come and go everywhere in the city. The train station we came to was in what had been East Berlin. We started our driving tour. It is now 20 years since the Wall came down. They have been rebuilding Berlin to get it back to the city it was prior to the Wall and Soviet rule. They are trying to get the center of the city back to where it was before the Wall, since the center of Berlin ended up mostly in East Berlin. We did see some of the very drab apartment buildings we had seen in 1965, but many of them have been torn down and new apartment buildings are in place. As you might imagine, there is still much building going on in Berlin and will be for a while. It took Dick and I a while to figure out the situation since we were not seeing what we had seen when visiting in 1965. About half way thru the day we finally figured out that what they were showing us was Berlin as it had been and will be (not the new, vibrant area of what had been West Berlin that we remembered). It was now one city and the center of the city was being put back to the way it had been before the Wall.

First we stopped at Checkpoint Charlie, which is the border crossing where spies and everyone crossed between the American and Soviet sectors during the Cold War. You will see photos of it now - the building they have there is a small model of what was there. The large Checkpoint Charlie building that we went thru is in a museum somewhere. Where the Wall had been, there is now a double row of stone blocks and a plaque saying Berliner Mauer 1961-1989 (Berlin Wall 1961-1989). It does wind around a bit too. And of course, there are memorials along the way where people tried to escape during those times.

Remember, Berlin had been the capital of Germany prior to Soviet occupation. After the split of Germany, the capital was moved to Bonn. After the Wall came down and Germany was reunited, the capital was moved back to Berlin.

We were driven thru lots of parts of Berlin and saw a great deal of construction!!! Pottsdammer Platz which had been totally demolished during the war and was no mans land during the split is now a beautiful new modern area of the city. In central Berlin, we boarded a private riverboat on the Spree River for a cruise on this charming waterway past the parliament buildings and many of the museums. We saw the new Berlin main trains station which had just opened. There is a photo of the new Chancellery which is where the prime minister lives and works from. The Reichstag building was not operable during the division, but is now the head of German government again. After the cruise, we stopped at a pub for a German lunch. We went to the Brandenburg Gate which is a gateway symbol of Berlin, but was standing alone in No Mans Land during the Wall era. When we were in Berlin in 1965, we could not get close to the Gate. On both sides, there was nothing around the Gate and you could just stop and look at it from the distance. Now we were standing right next to it in what had been East Berlin. The US Embassy is right next to it. The luxurious Adlon Hotel stands just back from the Gate and is the place where dignitaries and famous people stay. That hotel had been there before but badly damaged during the war and not operable during the occupation, so what is there now is the new Adlon Hotel. We actually walked thru the central arch of the Brandenburg Gate to what had been the western side, and walked down the street to the Reichstag parliament building where we went out on the roof and went up into the glass dome. Beautiful views of the city from there!!! Nearby that is the concert hall named by the Germans as Pregnant Oyster (see photo). This is where Kennedy gave a speech from. After that we finally got to drive thru the Kurfurstendamm, Berlin's version of the Champs Elysees, which is what had been built and developed as the center of West Berlin. We had been in this area in 1965. This is also where the only saved ruin from WWII is - the tower of the church, called the "compact and lipstick" as a nickname. There is a new baptistry and tower built around it now. We finally saw what we had remembered most about Berlin from our visit there in 1965. Even though there is a great deal of building in the center city now to get it back to being their beautiful hub, it has a long way to go. When we finally drove thru the Kurfurstendamm area we could see this since this is where the beautiful modern buildings were with shopping malls, fancy stores, etc. We did enjoy our visit to Berlin again. There is still a long way to go. And as we were told, and as our table mates confirmed, the East German people were so very oppressed living under the Communist system, that they are kind of lost when it comes to dealing with a free enterprise system where you have to make it on your own, work hard, take care of yourself, have lots of choices of goods, etc., etc. Of course, the West Germans and West Berliners are paying heavily still to get the country reunited as it once was. But it was very thrilling when the Wall went down and families could freely visit each other once again, and then when the Soviet Union dissolved and the two Germany's were reunited. It definitely is an ongoing project.

We arrived back at Warnemunde about 10:15 pm and re-boarded our "home". The ship sailed at 11:00 pm. Like I said, it was a very festive departure with lots of partying going on by the restaurant at the dock and all along the way out!!!

Enjoy!!!

Jan and Dick

PS: Hope you don't mind so many photos - I did cut several times but just had to send these.

Fwd: Trip Log #20: Kiel Canal Aug. 8, 2009

2009-08-17T07:22:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Today was a beautiful day - weather and scenery!!! It was very relaxing - just sitting on the balcony and watching the world go by. The German people along the canal were so very friendly - it is a big event for them to come out to the canal and wave to ships passing by. However, there are very few cruise ships since they can't be too big or too tall. We even had to lower our mast. (I sent you a photo of that in the Amsterdam group of photos.)

First we went thru the lock near the beginning of the canal. There was a couple there with a large WELCOME flag they were waving. As it turned out, they got in their car and followed us the whole day thru the canal and would show up on the bank waving the flag at each ferry crossing they could get to. It was really neat to just travel on the canal thru the north German countryside!!! Hopefully you will get the feel of what we experienced. And was so neat having so many people there enjoying waving to us. As you can see, there was a path (dirt road) all along the side of the canal so there were people riding their bikes all along and walking too. One time we did pass some pretty large freighters. Well actually one was passing us at the same time one was coming the other way towards us. Obviously that was at a wider place where there was room for several vessels across. The canal goes across northern Germany connecting the North Sea to the Baltic. If you cannot go thru the canal, you must go up and around Denmark and then back down into the Baltic. Check it out on a map!!!

At the Baltic end of the canal is the city of Kiel. We were supposed to stop there at night from about 8pm to 11pm. However, when we exited the canal at about 7:30pm the captain determined it was too late to go there and still make it to Warnemunde the next morning. So, they canceled the stop at Kiel.

Kiel, one of Germany's key ports, hosted Olympic Sailing Events in both 1936 and 1972. Unfortunately, little of the medieval harbor escaped the ravages of WWII, but a few buildings, including City Hall, were partially salvaged.

The 60-mile long Kiel Canal is 338 feet wide and 37 feet deep and seven high bridges span the busy channel. Initially built for military purposes, the canal was enlarged prior to WWI to accommodate larger modern ships. Connecting Brunsbuttel on the Elbe River with Kiel, gateway to the Baltic Sea, it traverses fairly flat farmland. The interesting spiral rail viaduct was incorporated to allow passage for large vessels.

Most people have never heard anything about the Eiderkanal (Eider Canal), but it was the Kiel Canal's predecessor. The idea of building a channel across the Jutland Peninsula first came during the period of the Hanseatic League. The Danish king had begun imposing exorbitant taxes on ships navigating the narrow (10-mile wide) Oresund Strait at Copenhagen. Hanseatic merchants, especially those who controlled Hamburg and Lubeck complained bitterly about the excessive tax, but had no choice in the matter. After meeting to discuss the problem they decided to avoid the problem by building a small canal between the Kiel and Eider Rivers. The 27-mile channel, completed in 1784, essentially extended the existing Eider River to the Kiel Fjord.

We hope you enjoy the journey thru our photos. We really loved the trip!!!

Jan and Dick

Fwd: Trip Log #19: Amsterdam, The Netherlands Aug. 7, 2009

2009-08-17T07:20:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

Well, if you have been following our itinerary, you have noticed that we arrived into Amsterdam on the evening of Aug. 6 at about 7:30pm. The sail in thru the canal they dug was beautiful. There is one lock we had to go thru near the beginning of the canal. The natural river, which was the way to the sea from the city of Amsterdam, was not straight so they dug a canal to provide a more stable and direct route to and from the sea. So you will see some photos of this sail in. There are many of the new windmills in Holland, some in farms off shore and of course the rest on land.

The Netherlands is a delta of Europe, located where the great Rhine and Maas rivers and their tributaries empty into the North Sea. Near the coast, it is a land of flat fields and interconnnecting canals; in the center it is surprisingly wooded, and in the far south are rolling hills. About half of the Netherlands is below sea level. As one of the smallest European nations, the Netherlands is also one of the world's most densely populated countries. Formerly home to the most successful seafaring merchants, tthe country is still one of the world's most important disribution and transport hubs, and the banks have invested this wealth around the world, as well as within its own borders. Because of its continual investment in culture and the arts, the Netherlands houses 10 major art museums and several smaller ones that together contain the world's richest and most comprehensive collection of Western art masterpieces from the 15th to the 20th centuries.

During Holland's prosperous colonial era, wealthy merchants dug the city's signature canals using proceeds from overseas ventures. Distinctive narrow side-by-side homes line them. Hooks on the top were used to hoist goods to and from the waterways. Known appropriately as "Venice of the North," Amsterdam's nearly 100 islands and 60 miles of canals are crossed by 400 stone bridges. There are also 2500 house boats along the canals. People live permanently on them and they pay taxes based on their dockage space.

As you may remember, in many cities we have taken the double-decker Hop on Hop off busses as our means of sightseeing around the city. Well, here in Amsterdam, we took the Canal-Bus which were the hop on hop off canal cruise boats. This was a fun way to see the city!!! We did get off at the Rijksmuseum/Van Gogh Museum stop. We didn't have a lot of time so chose to go into the Van Gogh museum which houses the world's largest collection of works by van Gogh, more than 200 paintings, including many of his very famous masterpieces. It was very crowded but we were able to get close to most of the famous paintings we wanted to see.

There were three different routes of the canal bus and we rode them all. We didn't have time to get off and go inside the Anne Frank house but I have included a photo of the outside. You can see the fairly long line to get in.

We really enjoyed the city of Amsterdam. It was so fascinating due to the many, many canals. Also, the huge number of bicycles was totally amazing. They had separate bike lanes which had their own traffic lights. And you had to really pay attention to the bicyclists and not get in their way or they might run into you. Everyone rode bikes everywhere - people dressed up going to work, women with high heels on, women with babies on their backs or in front pouches, etc., etc. Note the photo of the bike parking lots - thousands and thousands of bikes.

Our good friends, Wrenne and Ray Jakubiak, from Naperville arrived and boarded the ship in Amsterdam to sail the next cruise with us. Actually, Ray has to leave the ship in Helsinki to go home and back to work but Wrenne's sister, Dorothy, will be joining in Helsinki to sail the rest of the cruise with her.

Enjoy!

Jan and Dick

Fwd: Trip Log#18: Edinburgh, Scotland Aug. 5, 2009

2009-08-12T08:46:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

Edinburgh (pronounced eh din burr uh) is one of the most magically appealing cities in the kingdom. Known to early Scots as Dineidin ("hilltop castle"), fairytale Gothic spires and an imposing castle make it seem as though a talented set designer created it.

Edinburgh is the second largest city in Scotland after the industrial center of Glasgow. It is, however, Scotland's financial, cultural, educational, and service-industry hub. Among the city's manufacturers are paper, whisky, electrical and electronic equipment, food products, and chemicals. The printing and publishing industry was well established here by the 16th century. The principal imports are petroleum products, grain, ores, and wood; exports include whisky, steel, and fertilizer. The city is also one of Britain's major tourist centers. Edinburgh's central dominating landmark is Edinburgh Castle, rising on sheer cliffs above the city. Located here is the 11th century Chapel of Saint Margaret, the city's oldest structure. The Castle Rock is connected to the 16th-century royal Scottish residence of Holyrood Palace by a road known as the Royal Mile, the main thoroughfare of the Old Town district of the city. Other notable buildings in Old Town include Saint Giles, the national Church of Scotland (largely 15th century) and the Parliament House.

In August, during the Edinburgh Festival, the spectacular Military Tattoo is featured each evening on the grounds in front of the castle. The tartan uniforms and bagpipes add a distinctive Scottish air to the otherwise staid pomp and circumstance procession. This wasn't starting until Aug. 7 this year. I have always heard about this and some year would love to come and see it. However, it has to be reserved far ahead.

The ship was docked in Rosyth which was a 45 min. bus ride away from the city. They did provide a complimentary shuttle bus which was good. We took this into the city and then road the Hop-On-Hop-Off busses to tour the city. There are four different routes around the city but we only had time to do two of them. Since we have been to Edinburgh before and done the castle tour, etc., we didn't need to go into the main sites again.

Also, Dick had first come here in 1962 when he was a cadet at the US Coast Guard Academy and sailed from New London, CT to Edinburgh on the tall sailing ship, Eagle. He loves to tell the story of how they set the sails just after leaving New London harbor and sailed all the way across the Atlantic, around the top of Scotland, down the east coast and into the Firth of Forth. They drew circles on the chart around their anchorage and as they passed each circle, they took in some sails. He was third navigator when they made landfall, then moved to 2nd navigator as they sailed along the coast line, and was 1st navigator when they entered the Firth of Forth. When they approached the selected anchorage, they took in the last sail and dropped the hook. They had never used power. For him, it was a really thrilling adventure to have participated in. Last time we were in Edinburgh, we went to see the Leith Docks where the Eagle went in to dock the next day and Prince Phillip came aboard to welcome them. However, Leith had become all luxury condos so it looked quite different. Our table mates, and anyone who will listen, get to hear this story many, many times over the years, but especially when we come to Edinburgh.

Since it was a beautiful, sunny day and during the Festival season in Edinburgh, the city was very crowded.

We loved seeing it once again.

Jan and Dick

Fwd: Trip Log #13: Akureyri, Iceland July 30, 2009

2009-08-11T08:03:00.000-07:00

Dear friends,

We have now started to have a little decrease in brightness at night. Temp was still only about 55F.

Akureyri, the main seaport and chief town of northern Iceland, is situated 160 miles northeast of Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. The harbour, at the south end of the 36 mile Eyja Fjord and near the mouth of the Eyjafjardara River, is sheltered by a gravel pit to the north and by mountains on the other three sides. Akureyri began as a trading center just before the Danish Trade Monopoly of 1602 came ino effect. The town was used for commercial enterprises, but no one lived there. By the late 18th Century the town had accumulated 10 residents, all Danish traders. By 1900, Akureyri numbered 1370 people. It was the herring fisheries that contributed significantly to the cities growth. Fishing is still imporant, but the emphasis is now on trawling, canning and freezing large fish. Akureyri has the largest retail cooperative society in Iceland and contains the majority of Iceland's cooperative industries, including weaving, food processing, brewing and tourism.

"Iceland" is not a complete misnomer - the island is a generally cold place - but since it is an active geothermal zone, nature gives it plenty of heat. The unusual geography spawns geysers and the vast tundra is prime nesting ground for some of the world's rarest birds. Iceland is a leader in conservation and ecological stewardship - often leading the world in responsible environmental policy. Even contemporary Akureyri's industrial port is clean. With a population of just over 15,000, the community enjoys a surprisingly mild climate due to the small nation's natural geothermal heat.

The welcome center with flags up, including a courtesy US flag, is always nice to see when we arrive at a port.

The 4 hour tour we took today was called "Akureyri Falls and Farmland. It is always interesting to get out of the city and see some of the countryside. Leaving Akureyri, we crossed the waters of he fjord and traveled along the slopes of Vadlaheidi Mountain, via the Fnjoskadalur Valley to Vaglaskogur Forest - one of Iceland's rare woodlands which is part of an extensive soil and vegetation reclamation project. You will see in a photo the extreme fog we travelled in for a while. Fortunately it did burn off after we got thru the "mountain" pass.

From Fnjoskadalur, we traveled to the historic Godafoss - waterfall of the heathen gods - which figures prominently in Iceland's 12-century Book of Settlement. History tells us that in the year 1000, Porgeir, chieftain of Ljosavatn district, and lawspeaker of the Althing, was entrusted with the momentous task of deciding whether Icelanders should adopt the Christian faith. When his decision was formally accepted, he went home and threw his statues of the pagan gods into the waterfall. Godafoss (Waterfall of the Gods) is said to derive its name from this event. It is 12 metres high. We were dropped off up near the falls and then had a nice little walk along he path above the river and across the pedestrian bridge to the bus which had moved down by the hotel/restaurant/gift shop area. It was really beautiful along there. All along the route we saw many waterfalls coming down the mountains. For a short drive we got off the main highway and drove on a dirt road where we encountered the sheep crossing the road. Almost thought we had somehow transferred to New Zealand.

After this drive thru the country, we came to Laufas, a 19th century farmhouse built in the traditional Icelandic style of stone and turf - now one of the last turf farms in the country. The interesting regional museum, which is set up inside the turf buildings which are also in the process of being remodeled, has the original implements and equipment so essential to life in former centuries, and a beautiful country chuch (1865).

We then returned to Akureyri for a short panoramic sightseeing tour of the city, including an outside view of the modern church and a stop at the Botanical Gardens. We had a lovely walk thru the gardens.

Hope you enjoy the photos.

Jan and Dick

Fwd: Trip Log#17: Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland Aug. 4, 2009

2009-08-04T08:07:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Just north of Scotland is a group of islands called the Orkney Islands. Scotland's Orkney Archipelago includes more than 90 islands and crags, but only 20 of them have permanent communities. It takes a hearty soul to brave life in the far-flung North Atlantic region, but steadfast islanders claim they would live nowhere else. The islands got their modern name when early sailors mistook the smaller cliffs for whales, but evidence of colonization dates from prehistoric times. Stone villages (some of them extremely well preserved) date from around 4500BC. Later (Iron and Bronze Age) relics have also been found, along with Scotland's enigmatic stone brochs.

Kirkwall, first established by Norse invaders on the island referred to as "Mainland", has been the capital of the Orknery Islands for at least 900 years. Formerly known as Kirkjuvagr (Church Bay), it was named after a church built approximately 1040 to honor the memory of King Olaf Harraldsson, who later became the patron saint of Norway. Currently, stately St. Magnus Cathedral dominates the town. The Old Norse streets of Kirkwall are very narrow, to protect the buildings from gale-like winds. But don't get the idea that they're pedestrian walkways. That myth is dispelled when a car comes roaring down the street. This bustling market town with its paved main street, and outstanding attractions is one of Scotland's most engaging districts. The magnificent St. Magnus Cathedral takes pride of place in the town center, while the nearby Earl's and Bishop's Palaces are definitely worth the venture. So whether you're in the mood for a simple sroll through town or an adventurous history lesson, Kirkwall is able to please all of its visitors and will leave you with a gratifying experience of Scotland.

Today we took a tour called Leisurely North Coastal Drive.

It was really a beautiful drive thru the countryside and we did see some very interesting sights. First we passed by the waters of Scapa Flow - the scene of the momentous happenings during World War I. This is a huge bay where, at the end of the First World War, the German High Seas fleet was interned, pending Armistice negotiations. More than 70 German battleships, cruisers and destroyers were deliberately scuttled rather than allowed to fall into British hands, turning Scapa Flow into an area of immense interest.

We first stopped at the Stones of Stenness, thought to be a ceremonial burial site or a lunar observatory. I have included a photo of a seal out on a rock that was nearby these Stones.

Next we stopped at a small country hotel in the northern part of Orkney where we had morning tea and scones. After that, on to the Brough of Birsay. This is an old Viking settlement whose structures date from the 9th to the 13th centuries. In the photos you will see that the Brough where the lighthouse and the structures are was at the time we were there separated from the mainland because the tide was up and the "causeway" was under water. Dick did walk down to the beach and onto the rocks but could not go out onto the little island.

We then drove out to a point overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. It was called Yesnaby. You will notice the spectacular high cliffs there. The wind was blowing off the land so the waves were not as high as they would have been had the wind been blowing in from the sea. Nevertheless, it was an amazing sight.

We then passed by mysterious Ring of Brodgar, a perfect stone circle which retains 27 of its original 60 stones, erected with mathematical precision some 5,000 years ago.

On the way back to the ship, we were given a quick drive thru the city of Kirkwall. This was not on the original tour description but the guide decided we had time. That was nice so we at least got to see what it looks like. We were docked about a 15 minute bus ride from town so would not have time to go back there.

We thought the countryside was really pretty here.

Enjoy!

Jan and Dick

Fwd: Trip Log #15: Reykjavik, Iceland Aug. 1, 2009

2009-08-01T08:05:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Well, here we are in Reykjavik, Iceland. Since the late 19th Century, Denmark has allowed some autonomy, but it was not until 1944 that the official Republic of Iceland was established. Disputes with the EU over fishing rights continue to divide the small nation from that body and many Icelanders want to continue whaling in the face of world opposition to the practice.

Reykjavik was first settled in AD 874, when Ingolflur Arnarson threw the carved pillars from his Viking high seat over the side of his boat and vowed to settle wherever they washed up on the shore. This happened to be at the site of modern-day Reykjavik. Reykjavik, or "Smoky Bay", was named after the steam rising from the geothermal vents in the surrounding countryside. At first glance, Reykjavik can seem more like a small town than a capital city, but by Icelandic standards, this is a teeming metropolis. More than 62% of Iceland's entire population resides here and the city is expanding rapidly; swallowing up towns and cities in every direction. However, Reykjavik was a second tier city all the way through the end of the 19th Century, with only 2,000 inhabitants. Upon Icelandic Independence in 1944, this number swelled to 45,000. Generations of young architects have filled the capital with intriguing modern buildings, which sit neatly against the ancient wooden houses of the old town. Now Reykjavik is upbeat, with a vibrant art and music scene, great restaurants, and a famously uninhibited nightlife. During the long summer nights the streets are packed with young people who spill out from the bars and clubs into the "midnight sun".

Here we got off the ship and got on the double decker hop-on-hop-off City Sightseeing bus. It was about an hour tour around the city. One of the things Iceland has done is harness it's geothermal steam to use for heating and power. They are able to take care of about 50% of their needs this way and hope in the future to build up to 100% self-sufficiency in this area. We ended up not getting off the bus anywhere, since this bus only came around every hour. It was a very interesting city in that it all seemed rather new and modern. One interesting thing we saw (and I have included a photo of it) was the John Lennon memorial skylight tower. Yoko Ono did this in his memory. We were told that there is a strong beam of light coming out of the top of this tower that shines to the heavens.

When we returned from the city, there was a beautiful bouquet of flowers in our room that were sent from our good friend and Customer Relations Manager, Susana Beleo. That was so very nice of her and so unexpected of course. I am sending a photo of how they looked when delivered and the second one is how they look now after all the beautiful yellow lillies have opened.

That night at dinner, since it was our 45th anniversary, they brought us a beautiful and delicious cake and sang their Indonisian "congrats" song to us. And as many of you know, Dick does tricks at the table each night (all card tricks these days), so that is why he is holding up his cards in the one photo.

Enjoy.

Jan and Dick

Fwd: Trip Log #14: Isafjordur, Iceland July 31, 2009

2009-07-31T08:04:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Well, here we are in the northwest corner of Iceland in an area that is like a peninsula jutting out from the big island but is full of fjords. Really interesting if you see it on a map of Iceland. We were told it was kind of a sleep little town that we could just walk around in, so we didn't book any tour. Turned out that was kind of a mistake since the pretty scenery and interesting stuff to see was outside of town. This is called the Westfjords region and is dramatically beautiful. A landscape of extremes with valleys separating mountains from fjords, it is isolated, only connected to the main island by a narrow isthmus. The 9600 inhabitants of the Westfjords rely on fishing. With 2900 residents, Isafjordur is the largest population center in the Westfjords.

Irish monks were already living in Iceland by the time Scandinavian sailors arrived in the 9th century. How they managed to reach it is nott clear, but they surely set out in their primitive boats armed with lots of faith. Between 870AD and 930AD, masses of Icelandic emigres came from Scandinavia, Ireland, Scotland, and Britain.

Europe's second largest island, contemporary Iceland also has one of the smallest population densities (three residents per square mile). The young nation is a place of volcanoes, lava beds, and glaciers. It is also seismically active. Only 20% of the land is habitable annd most people live near the sea. Iceland is a social-democracy. The cost for the arrangement is a 50% income tax ceiling, but all citizens are entitled to free health care, free education, and enjoy a high living standard. Main industries are tourism, fishing and geothermal power generation.

The pleasant and prosperous town of Isafjordur is the commercial center of the Westfjords and is home to more than half the population of the Westfjords. Despite its relative isolation, Isafjordur is surprisingly cosmopolitan; however parts of the old town center have barely changed since the harbor was full of tall ships in the 18th century. Under the Danish Trade Monopoly of 1602, Isafjordur developed as a fishing and trading center. In the centuries to follow Isafjordur became a logistical center for Norwegian whaling ships, although Icelanders themselves took up commercial whaling only in the 1950's. Isafjordur was the setting for some of the battles between whalers and environmental campaigners that eventually led to the world-wide ban on commercial whaling in 1989. The recent decision by the Icelandic government to resume limited whaling has brought Isafjordur back into the media spotlight and continues to be one of the most controversial topics, not only in Isafjordur, but in all of Iceland.

So, off we went for a walk around town. Just down the dock was the Maritime Museum. There were several little buildings there as well as some old boats and implements used. Then we walked around the dock to see some of the fishing vessels docked there. That took us into the little town. We walked down the main street and thru the central square. Considering it was a Friday, it was a sleepy, little, quiet town - not many locals around. It was a nice day and we had a nice walk.

Jan and Dick

Fwd: Trip Log #12: scenic cruising by Jan Mayan Island July 29, 2009

2009-07-29T08:03:00.000-07:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <JYETKE@aol.com>
Date: Mon, Aug 3, 2009 at 3:26 PM
Subject: Trip Log #12: scenic cruising by Jan Mayan Island July 29, 2009
To: JYETKE@aol.com

Dear Friends,

This little island is between Norway and Iceland. We were to have a "scenic" cruise by between 7am and 9am. We had coffee delivered to our cabin at 6:45am, got up, opened the curtains to enjoy the view. Oh dear, mostly all fog!!! Ship's fog horn was blowing all the time. We did get a glimpse of the highest mountain (see in photo) and a few more glimpses before it was totally engulfed in fog. So much for scenic cruising that day.

Jan Mayen Island has two parts: larger northest Nord-Jan and smaller Sor-Jan, linked by an isthmus. It lies 400 miles northeast of Iceland and 300 miles east of central Greenland. It is part of the Kingdom of Norway and is an integral part of the country. Since 1995, it has been administered by the County Governor of the northern Norwegian county of Nordland; however, some authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian Defense Logistics Organization, a branch of the Norwegian Armed Forces. The only inhabitants on the island are personnel working for the Norwegian Armed Forces or the Norwegian Meteorological Institute. There are 18 people who spend the winter on the island, but the population may double (35) during the summer. Personnel serve either six months or one year, and are exchanged twice a year in April and October. The meterorological station is located a short distance from the settlement, Olonkinbyen, where everyone lives! The first known discovery of the island was in 1614. The first meterorological sation was opened in 1921 by the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, who annexed the island in 1922 for Norway. During WWII continental Norway was invaded and occupied by Germany in the spring of 1940. The four-man team on Jan Mayen stayed at their posts and in an act of defiance began sending their weather reports to Great Britain instead of Norway. We also learned that the USCG built a Loran Station there. (Any of our Coast Guard friends know more about that?)

We continued to have heavy fog for the rest of that day and night.

Jan and Dick

Fwd: Trip Log #11: Spitsbergen, Norway July 27, 2009

2009-07-27T08:02:00.000-07:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <JYETKE@aol.com>
Date: Mon, Aug 3, 2009 at 8:56 AM
Subject: Trip Log #11: Spitsbergen, Norway July 27, 2009
To: JYETKE@aol.com

Dear Friends,

We had a beautiful sail in to Spitsbergen and docked about 11am. It is a very small little town with only one dock for a ship. Remember the cruise ship we saw up in the Magdelenafjord? Well, she was at the dock here in the morning and we had to wait for her to leave the dock so we could go in. Amazing how we can be up in this desolate place and have a "cruise ship traffic jam". She went out and anchored and her passengers had to tender the rest of the day while we enjoyed the use of the dock for the afternoon.

Longyearbyen is located on Svalbard's largest island, Spitsbergen. It is one of the world's northernmost towns. The settlement was founded in 1906 by the American mining entrepreneur John M. Longyear, the principle owner of the Arctic Coal Company of Boston. "Byen" is Norwegian for "the city". The town is a coal-mining hub, the chief port and administrative center for the isolated island group. Longyearbyen, the largest settlement in Spitsbergen and its capital, is locaated at 78degrees13'N 15degrees33'E. It has approvimately 1800 residents, most of them Norwegian, some Russian and is also the home of the Governor of Svalbard. Destroyed during WWII, the town was completely rebuilt after 1945. Due to its location so far north of the Arctic Circle, it remains polar night from the end of October through mid February and polar day from mid April until August. Longyearbyen has an arctic tundra climate. Until the early 1990s the coal mining industry was the major employer in Longyearbyen and daily life circled only around this business. Today, the community offers a wide range of activities and facilities. here is a swimming hall, a climbing wall, a Squash court, a big sports hall, a grocery store, three pubs, three hotels, one church, several tourist shops, a cinema (open on Sundays only) and one night club. Thrilling place, huh!!!! We also were told it is a place for young people to live - no seniors live there.

You will notice that many buildings are supported on pilings to keep permafrost from melting beneath the foundation. For the same reason, insulated pipes are laid above ground. Neatly aligned, local homes are brightly painted to counter the effects of the dark winter. After all, the sun sets each year at the end of October and doesn't rise again until mid-February (and then for only about an hour).

The Svalbard Archipelago is comprised of many islands with one main island. There are deep fjords and many towering mountains with the interior consisting of large glaciers. The geological conditions are of great interest and all formations are from the Pre-cambrian period and forward. The large coal layers date mainly from the Tertiary Era. The fauna and flora are unexpectedly rich - reindeer, polar fox, walrus, seals and, of course, polar bears. One of the rules is that when you are out of the town, you MUST carry a loaded rifle with you. Also, around the schools, they have a high fence to keep out the polar bears. At this time of year we were not likely to encounter any polar bears but in the winter they do. We did see, however, many people carrying their rifles around with them.

We took a tour that first took us out of town about 5 miles or so to the area called Adventdalen Valley. We visited the Svalbard Villmarkssenter (Svalbard Wilderness Center) which is a Huskie dog farm. We walked around and were given a demonstration on how they hook up the dogs to a sled and lots of info about the dogs. They were beautiful!! There are 4 types of huskies and they use them all. They start training a dog at about 9 months to be a team dog. There were many little puppies running around. They also treated us to coffee and a small pancake.

On the way back to town, we spotted four reindeer along a little lake.

In town we were shown the homes and told about life there. Then we got out and spent about 1/2 hour inside the museum. It was really interesting. The photos of the animals that I have included were actually real at one time. Huge polar bear!!!

This was our last stop in Norway. Now we head out to Iceland.

Enjoy!

Jan and Dick

Fwd: Trip Log #10: Scenic Cruising-Magdelenafjord, Polar Ice Cap July 26, 2009

2009-07-26T08:01:00.000-07:00

No Sunset - More Midnight Sun!! Cold - Cloudy

Dear Friends,

Today was a beautiful day of scenic cruising!!! Yes, it was cold.

But it was bright, not raining.

During the night, we had sailed up along the west coast of Spitsbergen, an island north of Norway, but part of Norway. In the morning for about an hour or so, we cruised into and back out of the Magdalena Fjord where we saw beautiful glaciers and scenery. It was glassy calm and quiet in this fjord. Hope you can kind of get the feeling thru the photos. Please note the two sailboats anchored in a little cove at the bottom of a glacier!!! Well, you can be sure you will not be seeing us sailing up here. What in the world are they doing there we said to ourselves!!!

There are 10 photos in this beautiful fjord.

After coming out of the fjord, we headed north to look for the ICE - outer edge of the Polar Ice Cap. The name of this cruise is "Top of the World" Voyage. We reached the Polar Ice Cap at 12:29pm, ship's position was 80degrees20.8653' North Latitude (579 Nautical Miles from the Geographical North Pole). Our longitude was 10degrees28.6479' East Longitude. The captain slowly nudged the nose of the ship into the ice field. They assembled the crew out onto the bow for a crew photo. Captain did not show up - he felt he should remain on the bridge. It was rather magical to be there!! There was no wind so it was calm and beautiful, very bright. I was right out on the front of deck 10 taking photos. I am attaching 6 photos from the Polar Ice.

Polar ice packs are large areas of packed ice formed from seawter in the Earth's polar regions, known as polar ice caps: the Arctic ice pack (or Arctic ice cap) of the Arctic Ocean and the Antarctic ice pack of the Southern Ocean, fringing the Antarctic ice sheet. Polar packs grow and retreat in size significantly during seasonal changes. However, underlying this seasonal variation, there is a fundamental trend of melting as part of a more general process of Arctic shrinkage. In spring and summer, when melting occurs, the boundaries of the sea ice retreat. The bulk of the world's sea ice formsw in the Arctic ocean and the Southern Ocean, around Antarctica. The Antarctic ice cover is highly seasonal, with very little ice in the austral summer, expanding to an area roughly equal to that of Antarctica in winter. Consequently, most Antarctic sea ice is first year ice, up to three feet thick. The conditions in the Arctic are very different (a polar sea surrounded by land, as opposed to a polar continent surrounded by sea) and the seasonal variation much less, currently 28% of Arctic basin sea ice is multi-year ice and much thicker than seaonsl: ranging from 9-12 feet thick over large areas, with ridges up to 66 feet thick. On August 27, 2008, both the Northwest Passage and the Northeast Passage were ice-free. This was the first time in recorded history that both passages were open at the same time. At that point, tthe North Pole could have been circumnavigated, although the icebreaker Polarstern was the only ship to actually do it.

An icecap is an ice mass that covers less han 19,000 square miles of land area. Masses of ice covering more than 19,000 square miles are termed an "ice sheet". Icecaps are not constrained by topographical features but their dome is usually centered on the highest point of a massif.

After leaving the ice field, we headed south again along the coast of northern Spitsbergen. You will see a few shots of cruising along northern Spitsbergen. There are 4 more photos from this.

Enjoy all the photos of glaciers, ice, and snow! Dick is still looking for the sun and the warm Caribbean. Not up here.

Jan and Dick

Hot Deals at Dell on Popular Laptops perfect for Back to School

Fwd: Trip Log #9: Scenic Cruising southwestern coast of Spitsbergen July 25, 2009

2009-07-25T08:01:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Today was wonderful day of cruising! Once again we were having 24 hour light.

While on sea days, we have had some great Explorations Speakers talking about living with the Inuit in northern Canada in the ice, Plate Tectonics, ice fields and glaciers, etc., etc.

Also, there are wonderful cooking demonstrations, art sales, Trivia, Sports of Call events, talks by the Port Lecturer on what to see and do in the ports, fitness classes, talks about jewelry, etc., etc. Or you can just relax and do nothing - watch movies, read, listen to music. There is bingo every day as well as the casino is open for those who like that. They have a table in the library (Explorations Cafe) set up with a huge jigsaw puzzle on it and you can just sit there and do some of that as you wish also. And the lounges on board have live music of all types playing that you can enjoy-some for just listening, some for dancing, some for sing-a-long, etc.. Oh, I almost forgot, there is always a bridge option for those who like to play bridge.

And as we have said before, after dinner each night there is a show in the show lounge - ie singers, flautists, guitarists, comedians, jugglers, ventriloquists, etc., etc. And one of our favorites are the singers and dancers who are the cast on board and do production numbers.

The photos you will see with this email are of the southwestern coast of Spitsbergen. Hope you got out your world atlas and looked at Norway to see where we are. We are way up above the Arctic Circle and Spitsbergen is an island way north of the mainland of Norway. This day was freezing cold!!! The temp was 39-40F but the wind was really blowing so with wind chill factored in it was about 30F or less. We all had on many layers as well as gloves, hats, and scarves. And we didn't stay outside too long.

Enjoy!

Jan and Dick

Fwd: Trip Log #7: Cross Arctic Circle and Midnight Sun July 23, 2009

2009-07-23T07:54:00.000-07:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <JYETKE@aol.com>
Date: Tue, Jul 28, 2009 at 5:55 PM
Subject: Trip Log #7: Cross Arctic Circle and Midnight Sun July 23, 2009
To: JYETKE@aol.com

NO SUNSET!!!

Dear Friends,

Today was a very interesting day!

At about 7am we crossed the Arctic Circle latitude which is 66 degrees 33' North. To celebrate this event, they offered a chance to take a dip in the Arctic - but it was really the pool on Lido deck. Dick and I did not get up for this event.

Sorry, no photos of this. It was a cold day however. We were told there were about 40 people there along with the cruise director and staff. Brave souls!!!

We did all receive in our staterooms later, however, an Arctic Circle Crossing Certificate, from Neptune Rex, Ruler of the Raging Main.

The next phenomenon was that of being in the land of the Midnight Sun. We will be in this for about the next 6 or 7 days - 24 hour light!!! The reason the sun can be seen at night at these latitudes is due to the fact that the axis of the earth slants in relation to the earth's elliptic course around the sun. In summer the earth's axis slants towards the sun and its rays fall over the North Pole and down on parts of the earth that lie in shadow. At midnight on June 21, the sun's rays reach all the way down to the Arctic Circle, at the lattitude 66degrees33' north where the midnight sun can be seen one night per year. The North Cape (Nordkapp) is situated much further to the north than the Arctic Circle. Here the sun is above the horizon for 77 days and nights. The actual dates are May 15th until July 31st. As we go north from Nordkapp the dates become extended. These actual dates indicate the first and last days the upper part of the sundial is visible at midnight. In winter the northern part of the earth turns away from the sun. The dark period at the North Cape lasts from November 19th until January 23rd. During this period, the sundial is under the horizon day and night. However, as "compensation", you have another phenomenon...the spectacular Northern Lights (aurora borealis).

You will see in the photos Dick's GPS showing the short distances between sunrise and sunset and eventually where it was the same at 6:18pm and we were at 69 degrees 17' latitude. Also, one photo is of the bright sky at 6:21pm (it is the one with the ship bridge wing in it). The others are of the sky at midnight - looking like a sunset but it never did. After a minute or two it started to go up again. The cloud cover made it look a little darker in the photos than it was but it was always light - all night long.

It is very interesting to be closing the curtains to block out the light when you are going to bed at night - never gets dark!!!

Jan and Dick

Fwd: Trip Log #6: Kristiansund, Norway July 22, 2009

2009-07-22T07:54:00.000-07:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <JYETKE@aol.com>
Date: Tue, Jul 28, 2009 at 4:49 PM
Subject: Trip Log #6: Kristiansund, Norway July 22, 2009
To: JYETKE@aol.com

Forecast: overcast 53F Sunrise: 5:14am Sunset: 11:56pm

Dear Friends,

Norway's western region is laced with breathtaking fjords that cut deeply into the coast. The channels are lined with fertile farms, and until fairly recently the fjords themselves were the only connection with the outside world for many residents.

Built across three linked islands, the charming town of Kristiansund has changed very litle since it was first established. The pier leads into the small town center. Mountains surround the port. Known as Norway's dried salted cod capital (klippfisk), the fresh local catch is just as tasty. Although roads link several of the islands, the northern fjords region is a watery place. Sundbatene, Kristiansund's municipal ferry system (links the municipality's four main islands), has been operational since 1876.

Today we took an all day tour to Averoy island, the Atlantic Ocean Road, and Haholmen island. From the town of Kristiansund we took the 20 min. ferry ride across to Averoy island. They are constructing a tunnel to go there which will open by the end of 2009, at which time they will discontinue the ferry. About 5500 people live on Averoy, many of whom commute daily to their work in Kristiansund. The island also has many salmon farms as well as regular land farms. You will see in one of the photos some white rounded mounds. These are bales of hay/grass that are covered and just left there to be used during the winter for feed since the ground is all covered with snow.

Our first stop was the Kvernes Stave Church built around 1350. Stave churches are typical to this country - the "staves" being the pillars that are an important part of the construction, as they carry the whole weight of the roof. This particular stave church is not typical as it has been altered during the centuries. The state religion in Norway is Lutheran. In all the churches you will see a ship model hanging from the ceiling. Being as Norway is a sea-oriented culture historically, this signifies our journey thru life to the hereafter on a ship being driven by and kept safe by God. Inside this church, the men sat on the right and women on the left. The new church was constructed next door to the old church. I have included some photos of the new church as well-inside and outside. I especially like the stained glass oval window in the new church above the altar depicting the sea, midnight sun, and seagull.

From here we drove around and over onto Goats Island, where we sailed in a replica Viking ship, like the Saga Siglar, to the small island of Haholmen. (Note that in the photo of Dick next to the captain on the sailing ship, he has his GPS in his hand.) The old fishing village Haholmen has been a meeting place, home and workplace for fishermen, seamen, traders and travellers formany centuries. Today, Haholmen is a cosy island with thirty-odd buildings and an idyllic atmosphere. We watched a film about Ragnar Thorseth's voyages in the three Viking ships he built and saw his old ship that has been reconstructed in a building. We then were treated to a lovely Norwegian buffet lunch. When walking back to get the boat, we came across Captain Ragnar Thorseth himself. He was just visiting the island for the day. He is of course quite a bit older now but very friendly and very nice to chat with. Twenty five or so years ago one of the voyages he made in his open Viking ship was to the United States, visiting the major east coast cities.

After getting back on the bus, we continued on our drive across the Atlantic Ocean Road which is 8,274 metres lond and was completed in 1989. Its eight bridges stretch across islands, islets and skerries and are conntected by daring stretches of road solidly anchored to the rock. It is a beautiful drive along the Atlantic Ocean.

We ended back in Kristiansund by mid afternoon. It was a beautiful sailaway with many people on their balconies waving as we passed by.

On all these cruises, Dick uses his GPS to get fixes and plots them on his World Map on the computer. So we have a record of our voyage. I have a Blackberry with the built in GPS and it works really well with Google Maps in always pinpointing exactly where we are!!! So we each have our "toy". But, seriously, the technology now a days is awesome!

Enjoy!!!

Jan and Dick

Fwd: Trip Log #5: Bergen, Norway July 21, 2009

2009-07-21T07:53:00.000-07:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <JYETKE@aol.com>
Date: Tue, Jul 28, 2009 at 4:27 PM
Subject: Trip Log #5: Bergen, Norway July 21, 2009
To: JYETKE@aol.com

Forecast: rain-clearing 63F Sunrise: 5:30am Sunset: 11:21pm

Dear Friends,

Bergen, a UNESCO World Heritage City, is the nation's second largest port. "Gateway to the Fjords," its charm disguises the fact that it is a bustling commercial harbor. Ringed by forested peaks that tower at more than 2,000 feet, attractive old wooden houses hug the lower slopes. Despite the northern latitude, ocean currents keep things warm. Set on a peninsula and surrounded by seven mountains, Bergen's history is closely tied to the sea. The harbor area is the town center, and the old waterfront is lined with brightly colored buildings and warehouses (restored as shops, restaurants, and art studios) that date back to the era of the Hanseatic League. Founded in 1070, Bergen ws the largest and most important town in medieval Norway and also the capital in the 12th and 13th Century. A central port of the Hanseatic League (an association of towns for the protection of trading interests), the town's own tradesmen were completely ousted by this league. One of the oldest and best preserved buildings in Bergen is the Hanseatic Museum, located in the old medieval quarter, known as Bryggen. Although it is Norway's second largest city and it's rainiest, Bergen offers to its visitors, a pleasant, slow paced ambiance. The market on the harbor is active with trade year round, attracting visitors and natives alike, adding to the character of Bergen.

Edvard Grieg, Bergen's favorite son, was born to a successful merchant family on Srandgaten in 1843. The city does not conceal its pride in the man, who once said, "My inspiration comes from my immediate surroundings - nature in Bergen, Bergen streat life, the achievements and enterprise of Bergensers. All kinds of things have inspired me."

In Bergen, we took an all day tour entitled Hardanger: Queen of the Fjords. Hardangerfjord is without a doubt one of Norway's favorite fjords. After leaving the ship, we had a brief tour thru the city of Bergen seeing many of the highlights. Then we left the city and passed thru the community of Os, near where we boarded a ferry to cross the Fusafjord. The ferry ride ended in Venjaneset which was the first of many small communities we saw during the day trip thru the countryside. We made a stop at a tiny, old Stave (wooden) church called Holdhus. Eventually we hooked up with the shoreline along the beautiful Hardangerfjord, Queen of the Fjords, as named by the Norwegians. We drove along the coast for about an hour enjoying the majestic mountains on the opposite, many with snow-covered peaks still. We had a typical Norwegian buffet lunch at the Hardangerfjord Hotel. A short drive after lunch, we stopped at the Fossatun waterfall. Here we climbed up the path and were able to walk under the waterfall (behind it actually) without getting wet. We then ascended the Tokagjel gorge via a series of tunnels before reaching the mountain plateau Kvamskogen, which is a popular recreation and winter ski resort area for the people of Bergen. We really enjoyed this day of sightseeing and touring outside the city of Bergen.

Jan and Dick

Fwd: Trip Log #4: scenic cruising Lysefjord,Pulpit Rock,and Stavanger July 20,2009

2009-07-20T07:52:00.000-07:00

NOTE: We have been up in the Arctic and into the Polar Ice Cap for a couple days so no internet. Now you get a barrage of my trip logs!! Sorry. Oh well, that's how it works here on a ship.

Dear Friends,

Today was a beautiful day!! And it was a day of scenic cruising thru some beautiful fjords.

The little town of Stavanger, Norway is a popular one but was not on our itinerary this cruise. However, as an unexpected treat, the Captain took the ship into the fjord and into the harbor for the town so we could see it. Then he did a 180 and left. There were two cruise ships tied up at the dock there.

Then we went into the Lysefjord which was beautiful. As you will see in the photos, we went under a beautiful bridge and continued up into the fjord. The place we were to see is called Pulpit Rock. It is a flat top rock and on the top has a viewing platform for people to go out on and look down. Was a breathtaking site and we did see many people up there as you can see in the photos. They of course got there by land and were looking down on us.

Hope you enjoy these photos and can appreciate the beauty.

Jan and Dick

Fwd: Trip Log #3: Oslo, Norway July 19, 2009

2009-07-19T07:50:00.000-07:00

Fwd: Trip Log #2: southeastern England up to Dover

2009-07-18T07:47:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Friday morning, July 17, we got up, packed, ate breakfast, checked out of the hotel, and started driving. Dick did not want to go directly to the ship in Dover so we headed east and then south out to a point on the map called, Dungeness. You can look it up. It is a bleak point of land sticking out into the sea. We went thru a town called Lydd, then headed south across an open plain. When we got to the end of the road, we found two huge nuclear power plants, two lighthouses, a small cafe/gift shop, and some little houses. Also, there is a little narrow gauge tourist train that comes down the coast from Hythe (south of Dover) and ends there at the little cafe. Dungeness has one of the largest areas of vegetated shingle in Europe and is internationally important. (Haven't looked up yet the definition of a "vegetated shingle" but it is obviously some sort of land.) It is a unique and easily damaged landscape. It is unlawful to drive on it. But along the seaside are little boats and huts that fishermen spend the day in. The old lighthouse was built in 1904 and the new lighthouse which is out closer to the point was built in 1961. The Romney, Hythe, Dymchurch railway was extended to Dungeness from New Romney in 1928 by railway enthusiast by Captain Howey who made his fortune in land estate in the centre of Melbourne, Australia. The narrow gauge railway brings around 100,000 tourists to the area each year. (Why we do not know!!!) The nearest power station, building A, was built in the 1950s and 1960s and is being decommissioned from early 2007. The B station was built during the 1980s and still generates electricity.

From there we drove north up the coast road going thru several tiny towns along the seacoast. Went thru Greatstone, Littlestone, St. Mary's Bay, Dymchurch, and Hythe on our way to Dover. It was a cold and gray day so no people out on the beach, etc. Not many people out at all.

We drove into Dover and came upon the cruise terminal right away. Dick dropped me and the luggage off and he went to return the car. By 2:30pm we had boarded the ship, our home for the next 37 days. It is great to be back on this ship again. We were on Prinsendam for the 2006 World Cruise!!! We have run into some of the crew who we know from past cruises which is really fun for us!!! For those of you who were with us on that 2006 WC, you will know Susana Beleo, the Customer Service Representative. We were so excited to see her and she us!! We have always enjoyed her.

It is pretty to sail away from Dover since you see the "white cliffs of Dover". These landmark cliffs are chalk rocks. They have guided mariners for centuries and were responsible for saving Britain during two world wars. Composed of fossilized shells (limestone), the iconic cliffs were once underwater. Compressed by the weight of the water, they became sediment on the seabed some 80 million years ago.

Dover is one of England's "Cinque Ports", selected centuries ago to define the fledgling unified kingdom. Just 22 miles from France, the port has seen its share of troubles, don't forget that the two nations were at war for most of the 13th, 14th, and 15th cenuries. Dover's landmark castle towers 400 feet above the port atop the White Cliffs. Among the oldest and bestknown castles in England, William (the Conqueror) built the fortress in 1066 to secure the coastal approach. During the Napoleonic Wars, a network of tunnels was built into the cliffs. The passages were barracks, but were later expanded. Laid out in three underground levels, they played an important role in WWII.

We had a lovely sailaway and the Strait of Dover and North Sea were both calm. We headed north and east - first port to be Oslo, Norway, two days later. It was nice to have the first day as a sea day in order to finish unpacking and just relaxing!!!

By the way, this is a relatively cold weather cruise. Warmest temps to be up to 70 degrees. Spending most of the time in long pants, long sleeve shirts, fleeces, coats!!!

Enjoy!!!

Jan and Dick

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