Baltic capitals (with Russia and Berlin) cruise

Land of windmills, bicycles, canals, and Hansa

I find the Baltic capitals 12 day cruise to be one of the most interesting cruise itineraries of all because it is rich in history, beauty, variety, and it includes visits to the hub of activity and seat of government of several northern European countries.  It is also an affordable means of visiting expensive cities.  I enjoyed my second visit to this impressive region of the world even more because I travelled on Celebrity Cruise Line in a concierge class room. The itinerary included visits to six ports of call, including an overnight stay in St. Petersburg, Russia, and four much-needed sea days.  If I had to do it over again, I would've spent time in Amsterdam, the departure city, prior to the cruise.

 

Here are the highlights of the trip:

A visit to Berlin, Germany a city that I still find to be one of the most interesting in the world. Not only is it the birth place of Nazism and rise to power of Hitler, but it served as the epicenter of the 40+ year Cold War. The remnants of our recent history, especially of World War II and Berlin's role, abound-- from the war-torn Kaiser Wilhelm Cathedral to the monument to the murdered Jews, to the iconic East Berlin traffic signals, to Check Point Charlie, to the Reichstag , to the memorial of the book burning, to the Brandenburg  gate, to remaining segments of the Berlin wall scattered throughout the city -- there's always something to stimulate the mind about horror, war, duty, paranoia, denial, resistance, heart break, and resilience.  What's most impressive is how the Germans take full responsibility for the horrors of the Nazi regime.  In this effort, they continue to build monuments to commemorate and enlighten about what happened.  I could go back time and time again, to explore all its museums, monuments, public places, and memorials. 

Our tour included visits of Museum Island, The Brandenburg Gate, The Reichstag, Charlottenburg Palace, the Holocaust Memorial, and everything listed in the previous sentences.  Bratwurst for lunch was delicious.

This time, I spent more time at the Topography of Terror Museum (comprehensive indoor and outdoor exhibits detailing the history of repression under the Nazis) and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews.

It is well worth the 3 Hour drive. from Port city of Warnemunde.  Both times I took a full day tour with SPB, a company that provides excellent tours of Russia and Baltic capital cities. 

Brandenburg Gate

 

Berlin Wall

Charlottenburg Palace

My second two-day visit to St. Petersburg, Russia was as enjoyable as the first.  This fabulous city, patterned after the great capital cities of Western Europe with royal palaces and gardens mirroring Versailles, should be placed on everyone’s bucket list.  Highlights included visits to Catherine’s Palace, Peterhoff, Peter and Paul Fortress and Cathedral, Senate Square, a Hydrofoil ride, the Palace where Rasputin spent his final hours (Yusopov), a canal cruise, the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, typical Russian meals, and the piece de resistance: The Hermitage, the world's second largest art museum behind the Louvre.

Prior to my visit, again, I studied the lives of the Tsars, with a focus on Peter the Great, Catherine the great, and the downfall of the Romanov dynasty.

Hermitage and St Issac's across The Neva River

Peterhoff Gardens and Fountains

Matryoshka Dolls

Bronze Horseman

 

Sunrise and sunset cruising through the Stockholm archipelago of 30,000 islands and islets. 

Vasa Museum in Stockholm.  This was my second visit to one of my favorite museums in the world.  The museum actually houses the 384year-old war ship that sank during its maiden voyage in 1628, along with informative-interactive exhibits describing the raising of the ship in 1961, life on board the ship, naval warfare, life in Sweden in the 1600s, skeletal remains, and more.  There are even facial reconstructions of victims onboard the sunken ship, enhanced by modern technology, created from skeletal remains.  See http://www.vasamuseet.se/en/

 

View of Tallinn’s OldTown from the ship

Tours in St Petersburg, Berlin, Tallinn, and Stockholm.  HOHO bus tour in Copenhagen and Helsinki

Nyhavn

 

Little Mermaid-Mascot of Copenhagen

On the Stroget

Helsinki-Market Square

Tallinn, Estonia-City Walls

 

Life onboard the Celebrity Constellation.  It is a beautiful ship, newly refurbished, and decorated with eclectic, thought-provoking artwork throughout.  The food was well above average.  I had escargots EVERY NIGHT!  We loved the ship’s song and dance cast!

 

Escargots every night

Excellent guest lecturers.  There was a naturalist, Karen Dodd and a Harry Murphy, a doctor of Education.  They lectured on the Romanovs, The Berlin Wall, Alfred Nobel, WW II, Russian, Viking, Prussian, and Hanseatic history and culture, Amber, and even The History of Hollywood.  Karen Dodd delivered such impassioned and interesting talks that I would listen to her lecture on toothpicks.  She even invited everyone to join her from 5AM-9AM, up on deck, as we cruised through the Stockholm archipelago.  I learned so much from her about the Hanseatic League, the development of German vs. Viking societies, whales, and more.  Her lectures truly enhanced my experience. We replayed both speakers’ lectures several times in our room, on the Celebrity channel.

Our wonderful dinner mates.  Agnes and Richard from Ohio; Juanita and Ross from Portland, OR; and Jane, Don, and their 12-yr old grandson, Anakin, from Portland, OR

Don, Jane,Anakin, Karla, Joel, Juanita, Ross,Agnes, Richard

As before, the weather was pleasant everywhere--we only had rain in Stockholm and at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews (15 minutes, in Berlin).

What Russian Brides and Grooms Do on Their Wedding Day

During both of my visits to St Petersburg, Russia,I observed wedding couples celebrating near all the key monuments and buildings including The Bronze Horseman in Senate Square, The Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood, and The Rostral Columns

Here is an article describing this Russian wedding tradition.:

What Russian Brides and Grooms Do on Their Wedding Day

By Susan Breslow Sardone,

Senate Square near Bronze Horseman August 30, 2012

 

Russian brides and grooms celebrate their wedding day much like romantic couples the world over although they do have certain traditions unique to their country.

Russian brides seek out the fanciest dress their budget can afford (usually an elaborate white confection) while Russian grooms arrange for an appointment at a civil office where the ceremony and marriage registration can take place. The cost is approximately 60 Euros.

Traditions Among Russian Brides and Grooms

Before the wedding, it’s tradition for Russian grooms to accomplish a few tasks. For instance, when he comes to pick up his bride, the groom may be handed a napkin with lipstick prints of the bride and her attendants on it. If he can’t pick out his bride’s kiss, he must pay a tribute. Grooms who guess wrong may have to cover a shawl with rubles.

Once the Russian bride and groom exit the civil marriage registration office, it’s time for picture taking to commemorate the occasion. Friends and family members toss flower petals, coins, and sometimes release butterflies to wish the couple good luck.

And before they leave, it’s tradition for the groom to sweep the bride up in his arms and kiss her in front of all assembled.

A City Wedding Tour for Russian Brides and Grooms

It’s also tradition for Russian brides and grooms in St. Petersburg to visit three to five places around the city that hold special meaning for citizens. There they have post-wedding photos snapped.

To transport themselves and their guests to the locations in style, Russian brides and grooms hire a limousine bedecked with gold rings and flowers. Sometimes the couple’s names are painted on a side window. If the couple cannot afford a limo, any car suitably tricked out will do.

For Russian brides and grooms it’s not only a matter of showing up in a specific and often scenic location, it’s also a matter of performing a simple act to symbolically assure a long and happy marriage.

St. Petersburg Wedding Picture Locales

Out of tradition, Russian brides and grooms in St. Petersburg typically pay a visit to three to five of the following places:

·         The eternal flame of the heroes of World War II and the Bronze Horseman statue and monument to Peter the Great dominating Senate Square.

·         To the sphinx embankment on Peter Vassilevsky Island to pet the 4,000-year-old Egyptian statues and stone griffons for luck.

·         To the Rostrum Column, decorated with ship prows and surrounded by an iron-link railing. Side by side, couples pose for photos with their hands fitted inside the links to symbolize their new bond.

·         A few steps away, fountains gush in the shadow of the Peter and Paul Cathedral. And it’s tradition for couples to toast with champagne then smash their glasses against a large concrete sphere.

·         To the New Hermitage Portico along the city’s Millionaires’ Row, where giant marble Atlanti statues act as columns. Here Russian brides rub the huge marble toes for luck and pose between the statues.

·         To emphasize the purity of their love, Russian brides and grooms sometimes simultaneously release white doves beside the waterfront.

·         Couples have themselves photographed beside spectacularly beautiful and religiously meaningful structures such as the onion-domed Church of Spilled Blood.

 

7-country, 12-night Russia & Scandinavia cruise on Aug 24-Sept 5, 2012:

In 50 days, I will take a 7-country, 12-night Russia & Scandinavia cruise.   Of note, I took this same cruise on NCL two years ago.  I will use the same great tour companies for visits to St Petersburg and Berlin.

12 nights departing August 24, 2012 on Celebrity's Celebrity Constellation
ITINERARY
DAY DATE PORT ARRIVE DEPART Fri Aug 24 Amsterdam, Holland 4:30pm Sat Aug 25 At Sea Sun Aug 26 Berlin (Warnemunde), Germany 9:30am Midnight Mon Aug 27 At Sea Tue Aug 28 Tallinn, Estonia 10:00am 5:00pm Wed Aug 29 St. Petersburg, Russia 7:00am Thu Aug 30 St. Petersburg, Russia 6:00pm Fri Aug 31 Helsinki, Finland 8:00am 5:00pm Sat Sep 1 Stockholm, Sweden 9:00am 4:00pm Sun Sep 2 At Sea Mon Sep 3 Copenhagen, Denmark 10:00am 6:00pm Tue Sep 4 At Sea Wed Sep 5 Amsterdam, Holland 5:00am

St Petersbug, Russia Day #2

I asked our tour guide, Maria, if tourism was a leading industry in St Petersburg. She responded NO because of the stringent Visa requirements. Not only does a foreigner require a Visa, but they are required to have the Visa registered. Because I took a tour from a cruise ship AND with a local company, the tour company provided the registered Visa, in advance. Otherwise, it would have cost minimally $175+ recommendations from a Russian authority for entry. We had to show our tour ticket and go through passport control upon entering and exiting, both days of our tour.

Our tour group met outside of customs earlier today at 7:45. We headed to the center of town where we boarded boats for our guided canal tour of St Petersburg’s waterways. We covered all the major sites from palaces, to churches, to museums, to monuments, to parks, to famous boulevards. It was a perfect morning for a canal tour. St Petes 4th sunny day—in a row. (This is unheard of!)

Next we went directly to Peterhoff, Peter the Great’s dream “garden of paradise”, complete with gilded palace, a variety of fountains (they have lost count), lushly landscaped parks, and monuments to great leaders, (and even statues of Adam&Eve). When Peter designed it, he ensured he could travel by boat from St Pete directly to the Palace. He lived and traveled on the water as much as possible. The most loved section is the vast lower garden. The Great Cascade Fountain comprises 3 waterfalls, 64 fountains, and 37 gilded statues. Many other fountains are contained in the lower gardens including “trick fountains” that are turned on by “magic” stones.

It is hard to believe that when the Nazis were finally driven out of this area, toward the end of WWII, that almost everything was in ruins. Much was restored years later.

We took the hydrofoil back to the city.

Lunch was a traditional pickled soup with meat&vegetables and blinis with ham and cheese. Dessert was pistachio ice cream.

Our final stop was The Church on Spilled Blood, constructed to commemorate Tsar Alexander II on the very spot where he was assassinated. This church is my favorite because of the beautiful, multicolored, mosaic onion domes. Inside more than 20 types of minerals, including jasper, rhodonite, and Italian marvel are lavished on the mosaics of the icons, canopy, and floor. Religious scenes created in mosaics blanket the interior and even inside the domes. It is an impressive structure and reminds me of St Basils in Moscow. The (atheist) Soviets had scheduled the bombing of this church but plans got delayed. In the meantime, it was used as a storage facility for vegetables, for years, while it fell into disrepair. Fortunately, the government undertook its restoration so the world can now enjoy this magnificent structure.

Our tour ended at 5:00. We were back on the ship in time for our 7PM departure.

It was sad saying goodbye to Russia who surpassed my expectations on all accounts.

St Petersburg Russia Day#1

St Petersburg from cruise—Day#1. The Venice of the North July 4, 2010

Here is a primer on St Petersburg.

Tsar Peter the Great hated Moscow (traumatized as a child by attempted coup). He loved the sea. He embarked on a lengthy tour of Western Europe where he learned their “modern ways and culture”. He sharpened his knowledge of ship building in the Netherlands, and learned about naval and military affairs from England. 300 years ago, he decided to build a new, modern capital city—a paradise on earth---on the water. He built it on the swampy Neva River. His goal was to build a city with European grandeur: imperial gold palaces, canals, attractive bridges, broad boulevards, candlelit cathedrals, lush gardens and parks, and impressive monuments that rivaled the best of the Netherlands, Great Britain, France, Germany, Austria and others. The city covers more than 40 islands, many connected by bridges adorned with sculptures and wrought iron. Peter also transformed society so that it conformed to more modern western standards. For example, he banned the boyars from wearing beards. The result: A stunning planned city of opulence, beauty, and order.


Day #1 St Petersburg
Instead of taking the ships tours, I explored private tour options with reputable local tour companies.

I selected SPB Tours, the company with whom I toured Berlin. I would hire them again! I prefer touring in small groups and the price is typically 1/3 to ½ less than the cruise ship’s tours.

The itinerary was packed with important city highlights. The tour guide, Maria Malakhova, m.malakhova@gmail.net, was excellent. (her English was impeccable although she had never studied outside of Russia and she was certified to give tours on many topics, including 8-hour tours of the Hermitage). She kept us on track, shared valuable information, and was very professional.

We crammed into 1 day what many others would include in a 3-day visit. The same was in store for us Day#2.

--Ist we took a Subway ride. (Tech Institute stop) Because it was Sunday, it was not very crowded. I would never survive here alone because the Russian Alphabet is not recognizable to me. She took us into modern, beautifully-adorned stations.

--Next, we toured the opulent Catherine’s Palace with the famed Amber Room—a room completely covered in amber, even the ceiling. Unfortunately, the Nazis raided most of Russia’s treasured palaces and had even bombed Catherine’s Palace. After WWII, futile attempts were made to locate the amber panels; eventually, Russia restored them in a decade’s long project.

--Lunch-buffet lunch with lots of potatoes and pickled items. Nothing to write home about.

--Hermitage Museum--Known for its Rembrandts, Leonardos, Goyas, Raphaels and others, it is a vast museum that holds 3 million exhibits from paintings and sculpture to archeological finds. Our tour guide whisked us past the 3-hour long line right into The Hermitage. It is a collection of buildings on the Neva that include the original Winter Palace (it out-does Versailles). Every room was meticulously designed to complement the works it holds.

--Peter and Paul Fortress and Cathedral of Peter and Paul—the date on which construction began (1703) is celebrated as the birth date of St Petersburg. The fortress served primarily as a political prison. Even Peter’s son (Alexi, who was later executed for treason) was imprisoned here.

The Peter and Paul Cathedral is adorned by single, gilded spire whose height made the church the city’s tallest building for more than 2 centuries. Apparently, the pulpit was used only once-- to excommunicate Leo Tolstoy for his denouncement of the Russian Orthodox Church. The cathedral houses the tombs of all the Russian Tsars. They are tastefully laid out inside marble and gilded tombs
Next to the church is a boat house that holds a model of Peter’s childhood boat.

What a busy, enlightening day, in a city that is a feast for the eyes. We had record-breaking sunshine and warm temperatures (in the 80s). Russians were lying out sunbathing all along the P&P Fortress. The sunshine had everyone smiling. It was the 3rd continuous day of sunshine in St Petersburg. Maria told us this NEVER happens.

I must say: I did not feel I was in an oppressive environment. I also realize I was receiving VIP treatment as a welcomed (and Visa-registered) tourist.

I couldn’t wait for day#2 of our St Petersburg journey.