The Baltic Sea was carved out by glacial action about 10,000 years ago.  It is a semi-enclosed arm of the northern Atlantic Ocean, approximately 1,000 miles long and 125 miles wide.  In ancient times, this region was inhabited by a variety of tribal groups, primarily Vikings to the north and Germanic peoples to the south.  By the 13th century, most Baltic Sea people had converted to Christianity, but as trade brought wealth to the area, conflicts became the norm.  Struggles among cities and nations saw power shifting from the Dutch and Germans in the 13th-14th century to Denmark, Sweden and Poland in the 16th century and to Russia in the 18th century.  The Crimean War, WWI and WWII all spilled over into the Baltic region.  Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the region has seen the re-emergence of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the unification of Germany, and the beginning of an era of unprecedented peaceful co-existence.

We visited the area with Overseas Adventure Travel, on the small ship M/V Clio.  Our traveling companions were Dale Bundrick, Deborah Huff, LaDene Larsen, Tim and Mary Rogers, and Dennis and Vicky Shepard.  Ports of call included Copenhagen and Ronne, Denmark; Visby, Sigtuna and Stockholm, Sweden; Gdansk, Poland; Riga, Latvia; Tallinn, Estonia; St. Petersburg, Russia; and Helsinki, Finland.  We hope you enjoy the words and photos describing the highlights of this most excellent adventure. 

DENMARK

Denmark is the smallest of the Scandinavian countries, about half the size of the state of Maine.  It is made up of over 400 islands, many of which are reclaimed land.  Its population is 5.6 Million and about 90% Lutheran.  Denmark has been populated for about 10,000 years – since the end of the past ice age.  Queen Margretta II, the present monarch, can trace her lineage back to the Viking kings, making the Monarchy of Denmark the oldest in Europe. During World War II, Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany, but was liberated in 1945, after which it joined the United Nations, NATO, and later, the European Union.  Today it is one of the world’s happiest and most peaceful societies.  It also is the greenest country in the world and aims to be carbon-neutral by 2025.

COPENHAGEN

Copenhagen’s entire history has been related to its strategic location by the sea, guarding the entrance to the Baltic Sea.  Founded in 1160 by Bishop Absalon, Copenhagen today it has no fears of military invasion and enjoys its role as the grand old city of Scandinavia.   It is a city of colorful houses, picturesque canals, charming pedestrian squares and innovative architectural designs. 

Public transportation is plentiful – we took a harbor tour, rode the water bus and the regular city bus, and walked … dodging bicycles, the transport mode of 70% of the city’s population.  Our stay here was only a few days, but – with the help of our excellent trip leader and the harbor front location of our hotel (the Admiral) – we covered a lot of territory.

 

Alexander Nevsky Russian Orthodox Church is the only Russian Orthodox Church in Copenhagen.  It was built by the Russian government after the marriage of the Danish Princess Dagmar to the Russian Tsar Alexander III.

The Royal Palace of Amalienborg is the home of the Royal Family.  This is a complex of four identical palaces around an octagonal courtyard.  There is also a museum covering the royal history of Danish kings and queens.  Amalienborg is famous for its Royal Guard, with its traditional changing of the guard daily at noon. 

 

The Royal Yacht was moored nearby, with signs of life aboard.  Alas, it was too far way to claim that we spotted any members of the Royal Family.

The Danish Royal Library is a black, cube-shaped building, the largest library in Scandinavia.  Its quasi-official nickname is the Black Diamond, a reference to its polished black granite exterior and irregular angles. 

BLOX is the home of the Dutch Architecture Center; it contains exhibition spaces, offices, workspaces, a café, bookstore, fitness center, apartments and underground parking.  The city’s Ring Road runs through the building. 

Christiansborg Palace, located on the tiny island of Slotsholmen, was the royal court’s main residence from the 1400s until 1794.  It is now the home of the Danish Parliament, as well as the Supreme Court and the Ministry of State.  Its tower is the highest in Copenhagen. 

The Marble Bridge is a rococo-style bridge crossing the Frederiksholms Canal and leading into the vast courtyard of Christiansborg.  It was built at the same time as the palace. 

Copenhagen Opera House is the national opera house of Denmark and among the most modern opera houses in the world.  It is also one of the most expensive opera houses ever built, with construction costs well over $500 million.  It seats 1,700.

Frederik’s Church, popularly known as the Marble Church for its rococo architecture, is an Evangelical Lutheran church. The foundation stone for this impressive copper-domed church was laid in 1749.  It was finally completed in 1894 – nearly 150 years later.  Around the church there are 14 bronze statues of many prominent Danish church figures. 

The Church of Our Lady/Copenhagen Cathedral was built in neoclassical style and was completed in 1829.  Construction of the original church began around 1187; the church was Catholic until the Reformation – it now is Lutheran.  Royal weddings and coronations take place here. 

The Church of Our Savior/St. Savior’s Church is a baroque church most famous for its helix spire with an external winding staircase that can be climbed to the top for a grand view of central Copenhagen.  It was built in 1696, with its serpentine spire completed in 1752.

The Kastelette/Citadel is a well-preserved star fortress that once protected Copenhagen; it is surrounded by a moat and high grass-covered ramparts.  Inside there are several structures, including a church, a windmill, a prison and garrison buildings from Renaissance times. 

Gefion Fountain is a large fountain on the harbor front, next to Kastelette. It features four large oxen being driven by the legendary Norse goddess Gefjon.  It sits directly in front of St. Albans Church.

St. Albans Anglican Church is generally known simply as the English Church.  It was built in Gothic Revival style, completed in 1887.  It is situated in a peaceful park setting.

Inner Harbor Bridge, completed in 2006, is the final link of the Harbor Circle, an eight-mile bike/walk route through the city’s waterways.  The bridge spans the past and the future:  on one side is historic Nyhavn with its colorful rowhouses and 17th-century canal; on the other side are modern landmarks including the Opera House and the Royal Library.  The bridge is known locally as the “Kissing Bridge” because of the way the two sides come together. 

King’s New Square/Kongen Nytorv is the largest square in the city, laid out by King Christian V in 1670; there is an equestrian statue of him at its center. 

The Royal Danish Theater was founded in 1748, first serving as the theater of the king.  It is housed in a beautiful building on the King’s New Square.

Magazin du Nord in Copenhagen is the flagship of the Danish chain of department stores.  The company traces its roots back to 1868.   

The Little Mermaid is a bronze statue based on the story written by Hans Christian Andersen; it is located along the waterfront just opposite the Kastelette.   The iconic statue is only 4 feet tall.

National Museum of Denmark is the largest cultural and historical museum in Denmark.  It has exhibitions from the Stone Age, the Viking Age, the Middles Ages, the Renaissance, and Modern Danish History.  It is located in central part of city, in the Prince’s Palace, built in 1743 and once the home of the Danish Crown Prince, Frederik V.   

Nyhaven/New Harbor, a bustling port in the 17th and 18th centuries, is today a well-preserved waterfront district; its canal is lined by old colorful townhouses, the earliest of which dates back to 1681.  The local bars were once a hangout for fishermen and sailors as well as writer Hans Christian Anderson, who lived here in the mid-1800s. 

The Old Stock Exchange/Borsen dates back to 1624 and is one of the oldest buildings in Copenhagen. King Christian IV saw the importance of increased trade and commerce, and so he had this grand building erected next to Christiansborg Palace.  It was originally a simple market hall, but evolved into a majestic trading house.  The spire was added in 1625; it is composed of four interwoven dragon tails.

Rosenborg Palace is a Renaissance castle originally built as a pleasure palace or country summer house in 1606 by King Christian IV.  It quickly became the king’s favorite residence.  Today it is home to the Danish crown jewels and is surrounded by the beautifully landscaped King’s Gardens. 

 

The Round Tower/Rundetaarn is a 17th-century tower built as an astronomical observatory by King Christian IV.  When the tower was built, Denmark was quite famous for its astronomical achievements thanks to the astronomer Tycho Brahe.  It is the oldest functioning observatory in Europe and is notable for its internal architecture – it contains no stairs, just a spiral brick path that winds around a central column 7.5 times.  It is 650 feet to the top of the 118-foot-tall tower. 

The Sixtus Battery is an impressive guardhouse that was once part of the Royal Dutch Naval Base.  The cannons here once protected the fleet at anchor; today they are fired for flag ceremonies and special events.

Nearby, the Masting Crane/Mastokranen is an 18th-century structure used to erect masts on ships.  It was used by the naval base and the shipyard. 

Across the harbor, the world headquarters of the shipping company Maersk is known locally as the house with the 1000 blue eyes, or simply, the Blue-Eyed Building. 

St. Peter’s (Lutheran) Church is the parish church of the German-speaking community in Copenhagen.  Built as a single-nave church in the mid-15th century, it is the oldest building in the city.

Stroget is Copenhagen’s main pedestrian street and home to its two major department stores.  It runs between Kongens Nytorv and the Radhus main square.  And there are plenty of pedestrians - even some horses.

 

 

Royal Copenhagen, officially the Royal Pordelain Factory, was founded in 1775 under the protection of the Queen.  Today its main store, on the Stroget pedestrian street, is housed in a 3-story Renaissance house dating back to 1616. 

 

The Tivoli Gardens were founded in 1843; it is one of the oldest and most popular amusement parks in the world.   The gardens combine the beauty of neatly landscaped grounds with amusement rides, restaurants and outdoor entertainment, such as bands and fireworks.  It even has its own exotic white hotel - very expensive to stay there, but the rates include admission to the park.  

Torvehallerne is the city’s first covered food market, featuring over 80 shops and stalls with local produce, gourmet foods, beverages and desserts.  It’s a good place to sample some cheese, beer and chocolate – even a Danish pizza! 

Town Hall/Radhus is the old and beautiful town hall built in 1892-1905 in the National Romantic style.  Its 350-foot-tall tower features a unique world clock with 14,000 moving pieces, displaying lunar and solar eclipses, as well as stellar bodies.

FREETOWN CHRISTIANA is Copenhagen’s alternative neighborhood that is home to about 1,000 residents.  This mix of homemade houses, workshops, art galleries, music venues, cheap and organic eateries is a resilient bastion of hippie life, a thorn in the side of politicians, and a place like no other. 

Christiania is an old military base that was established in 1971 by squatters who proclaimed it to be an autonomous enclave within Copenhagen. The commune is an ongoing source of controversy, as well as one of the city’s biggest tourist attractions.  

 

 

Christiania is known for its ingenious D-I-Y houses, cargo bikes, weed stalls, police raids, and Copenhagen’s efforts to “normalize” the place.

DRAGOR is located on the island of Amager, about an hour from Copenhagen, but this the quaint fishing town feels far away in distance and time. With its wooden fishing boats, cobbled streets, small squares, and well-preserved thatched-roof houses, the town presents a sharp contrast to contemporary Copenhagen. 

 

 

 

One of the residents, a woman named Elizabeth, invited us into her home and told us about the joys of living in this small town.  She was busy packing for a two-week holiday in Greenland. 

The harbor here was once the heart of the herring fishing industry, and in the 1700s, Dragor was Denmark’s second largest shipping town.  We tried the local fish and chips down by the water – a bit of local color!

 

NOTEWORTHY DINING EXPERIENCES IN DENMARK

Smorrebrod is a traditional open-face sandwich with buttered rye bread.  Toppings are mostly fishy, but include many other meat choices.  This is as close as the Danes come to fast food, so we had the chance to try it several times.  Best part was the bread and butter!

 

Danish pastry is a multi-layered sweet pastry, originally brought to Denmark from Vienna.  La Glace is the oldest confectionery shop in Copenhagen, founded in 1870.  Here we tried the house specialty, sportskage, crushed nougat in whipped cream, macaroon base and decorated with caramelized pastry. 

BORNHOLM is a large island located in the western Baltic Sea, at a point nearly midway between Denmark, Sweden and Germany. 

RONNE is known as the “Pearl of the Baltic Sea” because of its beautiful scenery.  It is a town of cobblestone streets, half-timbered houses, and brightly painted buildings.  Many of the houses are post-WWII because of the bombing; these are primarily built of brick.  Older houses that survived the war are constructed of plaster with wood trim, in styles that date back two or more centuries.  Many of the older houses are painted yellow, a tradition across rural Denmark. 

St. Nicholas Church, with its distinctive tower, is the parish church of Ronne.  The oldest part of the building dates to the 13th-century.

Ronne Lighthouse was built in 1880 and stands closed to the waterfront, near St. Nicholas Church.  It is a tapered, octagonal tower, made of cast iron and painted white.   

Old Town Ronne is behind the church, an area of quiet cobblestone streets.  Behind the half-timbered houses and walls, there many gardens – hard to see.  In the windows, many people display their porcelain figures, handmade glass or other knick-knacks.   

There many old half-timbered houses, but in between there are the more recent “bomb houses” of red or yellow bricks.  These were built as replacement for the many houses which the Russian bombed in May 1945.  While the rest of Denmark was celebrating the liberation in 1945, Bornholm was still occupied by the Germans and the Russians bombed the town so badly that every tenth house was destroyed. A major reconstruction replaced the destroyed houses with the new so-called bomb houses.

 

 

NYKER is a small town, population of 703, located northeast of Rønne. Nyker is known for having one of one of Bornholm's four round churches and for being the home of the designer, Bente Hammer. 

Ny Kirke means "new church" – it was erected around 1150 AD and is regarded as the youngest of the round stone churches on the island.  It is surrounded by a cemetery enclosed within a stone wall.  In the porch area there are runic stones, as well as a tablet of names of the vicars since the Reformation.  Inside the church there are remnants of several beautiful frescoes. 

 

 

Bente Hammer’s Textile Workshop is located in an old smithy, now transformed into a workshop and store.  Here the textile artist and fashion designer Bente Hammer designs one-of-a-kind clothing made of hand-printed textiles, using many different materials in her works.  Hammer has designed dresses for clients such as Queen Margrethe and we enjoyed listening to her story and watching the process unfold during demonstrations.

SVANEKE is a charming maritime town on the east coast of Bornholm Island. The town is known for its many craftsmen, charming cottages, and smoked fish. 

 

 

 

Little known to the outside world, the favorite sport of the locals is Chicken Poop Bingo.  A recently-fed chicken is released onto a fenced-in “bingo” card painted on the square.  Human participants place a bet on the number of the square where they think the chicken will leave its calling card.  Sooner or later, the chicken poops and the lucky winner takes home the cash. Go ahead - pick a number ...

POLAND

Poland is one of the largest and most important nations on the Baltic Sea.  Despite its present-day economic and political significance, Poland’s history has been a story of here today, gone tomorrow.  Throughout the history of Europe, Poland has appeared on the map for a time, only to later be carved up by its more aggressive neighbors.  Finally, in 1990, Communism was defeated and the modern Polish state emerged as one of the leading nations of the former East European bloc.  It is now a member of the European Union and NATO.

GDANSK is one of northern Europe’s most historic and picturesque cities.  The city was established in the 980s to give the newly founded Polish state access to Baltic Sea trade routes.  As a key part of the Hanseatic League, Gdansk blossomed, with palatial homes built by wealthy merchants.  The old town center boasts block after block of red-brick churches and narrow, colorful, ornately decorated merchants’ mansions.  The city is where the first shots of World War II were fired and it was the home of the Solidarity movement, which brought about the beginning of the end of the Soviet Union and its dominance over Eastern Europe.   

Upland Gate/Upper Gate, built in the 16th century, was the main entrance into the Old Town. It sits in front of the Golden Gate; it was here that the Polish King was welcomed and given the keys to the city.

The Golden Gate, built in 1610, is the arched entrance to Old Town from the landward side.  It is a grand piece of Hanseatic architecture in a string of fortifications around the city. The arch has a two-story colonnade and is topped with eight allegorical statues.

The Torture House and Prison Tower were once housed in this medieval gate that was part of the city’s fortifications in the 14th century.  In the 1600s, the smaller building became a courthouse and torture chamber, while the larger tower became the prison.  It was here that executions were carried out until the middle of the 19th century. 

 

The Great Armory was built in 1600-1609 on the medieval line of the city walls.  It was a working arsenal until the 1800s, and it remains the best example of Renaissance architecture in the city.  Today it is the home of the Gdansk Academy of Fine Arts. 

Basilica of St. Mary/Kosciol Mariacki is one of the city’s old cathedrals reflecting the impact of the Roman Catholic faith on the Polish culture.  Its formal name is the Basilica of St. Mary of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Its construction took 200 years; it was completed in 1542 and is said to be the world’s largest brick church.  The building can hold 25,000 worshipers; the interior vault features 37 windows, 300 tombstones, 31 chapels, and one huge wooden 15th-century astrological clock. 

Town Hall/Ratusz is a fine example of Gothic-Renaissance architecture dating to the middle of the 16th century.  There’s a life-sized statue of King Augustus atop the clock/bell tower, 275 feet above street level.  The interior has sumptuous state rooms with gilded stucco, coffered ceilings, marble floors, frescoes, sculptures and tapestries.  

 

Long Street/Long Market starts at the Golden Gate and ends at the Green Gate.  This was once home to the richest residences in Gdansk, and many of the buildings date back to medieval times.  The architecture here features narrow facades and steep gables and parapets atop each building. 

Neptune’s Fountain, cast in bronze in 1615 and erected 18 years later, represents the great god Neptune, ruler of the sea.  The fountain is rumored to have spouted Goldwasser, Gdansk’s trademark liqueur.  It stands in front of Artus Court, the grandest building in the heart of Gdansk, where the aristocracy and shipping merchants mingled.  Mighty Neptune with trident in hand, was depicted with his head bowed to show humility before the Polish kings – the message being that Poland had tamed the ocean. 

The 1618 Golden House, located in Long Market near the Neptune Fountain, has the richest façade in the city.  It features 12 elaborately carved historical scenes interspersed with busts of famous figures.  The four statues at the top are Cleopatra, Oedipus, Achilles, and Antigone. 

The Fahrenheit Monument is an antique thermometer honoring the creator of the first universal temperature scale.  Daniel Fahrenheit (1686-1736), physicist and inventor, was born just a block away from this recreation of his “Mercury in Glass” thermometer.  Only the USA and a few other nations continue to use the Fahrenheit scale today. 

The Green Gate is a four-arched building that provides the gateway into the Old Town from the river side.  It was once an aristocratic residence, but today it is the primary entry into town. Views here from both sides.

 

The Long Embankment/Dlugie Pobrzeze is a pedestrian-only area on the bank of the Motlawa River.  Before the port was relocated, this was where ships were loaded and unloaded.  There is a ‘water gate’ defending the entry to each of the streets running perpendicular to the river.  These seven gates, the old warehouses on the opposite bank, and the narrow, gabled houses overlooking the water make for a quaint maritime scene.

The Gdansk Crane/Zuraw, built in the mid-1300s, is a massive piece of engineering rising 90 feet above the water and flanked by brick towers.  The wooden crane was outfitted with enormous interior wheels to act as pulleys for lifting heavy cargo and for setting masts in place on ships.  The wheels were actually treadmills – big enough for four men to step inside and walk, their footsteps turning the wheel and lifting the pulley. 

Westerplatte Peninsula was the site of a Polish garrison overlooking the free port of Gdansk (then known as Danzig).  It was here that German naval guns fired on the city on the morning of September 1, 1939 - the first shots of what would become World War II.  The heavily outnumbered Polish troops made a heroic stand before the fort finally fell.  The spot is now marked with the Monument to the Coast Defenders, an abstract rendition of a bayonet plunged into the earth. The monument is 82 feet high, composed of more than 200 stones weighing six to twelve tons each.    

LATVIA

Latvia’s pre-history can be traced back to ancient hunting people over 9,000 years ago.  It was not until the 13th century that Germanic armies conquered the country and forced its ways, including Christianity, upon the tribal people.  Starting in the mid-1500s, Latvia faced invasions and take-overs by its larger, more powerful neighbors – Lithuania and Poland, Sweden, Russia, Germany and the Soviet Union.  Finally, in 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union, Latvia re-gained full independence.  It is a member of NATO and the European Union and is enjoying new freedoms and economic prosperity. 

RIGA began to develop as a trade center in the early part of the middle ages, and by 1282, the city was a member of the Hanseatic League and involved economically with the entire Baltic region. It is the capital city of Latvia and the cultural heart of the nation.  It is a beautiful city, Germanic and Polish in flavor with many large and imposing old churches, palatial homes and a massive castle.  It also has one of Europe’s richest concentrations of Art Nouveau architecture.  The main part of the city is situated on the Daugava River and spreads out from there. 

Art Nouveau apartment blocks found in the NW part of the city; they date to the early 20th century. The area is quite unusual in that so many Art Nouveau structures are grouped together in one neighborhood.  Many of these are a distinctive style not seen in other cities.   

Riga Castle has stood on the River Daugava for over 700 years.  The foundation stone was laid in 1330, and it has been destroyed and reconstructed several times.  Today it houses the residence of the President of Latvia.

The old City Walls and Swedish Gate represent the oldest remaining portion of the Old Town fortifications.  This fragment was built between the 13th and 16th centuries and restored during Soviet times.  The 7th-century Swedish Gate is the only remaining entrance to the Old Riga.

 

The Powder Tower was originally part of the defensive system of the town. It was restructured in 1937 when it was included as part of the Latvian War Museum.

The Three Brothers are three houses that represent different stages in the architectural development of Riga, from Medieval to Baroque.  This oldest housing complex in Riga is a mini-timeline of architectural trends. Supposedly, they were all built by descendants of the same family.

The first brother, built in the late 15th century, is among the oldest dwellings in the city; it features Gothic and Dutch influences, all crowned by an intricate set of crow-stepped gables.  The middle brother, arguably the architecturally grandest and most eye-catching one, was built in the mid-17th century.  It boasts intricate details including an engraving above the door.  The youngest brother came along shortly after the middle one; it was built in the latter half of the 17th century and is the thinnest of the trio.

The Riga Cathedral/Dome Cathedral is the Evangelical Lutheran Cathedral in Riga; it is the seat of the Archbishop.  The church’s foundation stone was laid in 1211; it was completed some 300 years later; the last large-scale restoration took place in the late 1800s.  It has Romanesque, early Gothic, Baroque and Art Nouveau features and is considered the largest Medieval church in Latvia and the Baltic States.  Its organ is one of the biggest in Europe. 

Latvian Riflemen Monument stands near the edge of Old Riga.  This controversial red granite statue was originally dedicated to the Latvian Red Riflemen, some of whom became Lenin's personal bodyguards. Many people view the monument as a symbol of the old communist system and would love to tear it down.

Old Town Square/Doma laukums is the main square, the heart of Old Town since the 13th century.  It is surrounded by beautiful medieval and Hanseatic architecture and is the home of the “new” Town Hall, across the square from the old town hall, the House of the Blackheads. 

The House of the Blackheads is the most iconic building in Riga.  It was built in 1334, during the height of the Hanseatic League’s role in the city.  Membership was limited to bachelor merchants, who pledged to assist in defending the city against enemy attackers.

 

St. Peter’s Church is the main Lutheran church of Old Town; it has the city’s tallest spire (403 feet) and is one of the Baltic’s oldest monumental structures from the Middle Ages, though much of what can be seen today dates from the 15th and 17th centuries.

St. John’s Church is the parish church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia.  It is the oldest house of worship in Riga.   In 1297, it served as the chapel of a Dominican abbey, the monastery and church were closed during the Reformation; the church re-opened as a Lutheran church in 1582.

The Town Musicians of Bremen is a bronze statue located near St. Peter’s and St. John’s churches.  The statue is from a folktale recorded by the Brothers Grimm; it depicts the four animals (donkey, dog, cat and rooster) in the story standing on each other's backs peering into a house of feasting robbers.

Old Town Riga, the oldest section and heart of the city, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The buildings of Old Town are diverse, with architecture representing various periods – Romantic, Gothic, Baroque, Classic and Modern.  Old Town is a showcase of well-preserved medieval architecture and narrow cobblestone streets.

 

The Freedom Monument has been Riga’s central landmark for almost a century.  This 138-foot-tall granite and copper tower is a symbol of Latvia’s strife for freedom and independence.  The motto, “For the Fatherland and Freedom,” is inscribed on the base. 

Bastejkalna, one of Riga's loveliest parks, is near the Freedom Monument.  There is a peaceful canal running through it, as well as winding pathways, tiny bridges, blooming flowers and plenty of benches. 

The Latvian National Opera and Ballet, Riga’s White House, was opened in 1923.  It hosts over 200 performances each season, about equally balanced between opera and ballet. 

The Nativity of Christ Cathedral is the largest Russian Orthodox church in the city.  It was built in the late 1800s in Neo-Byzantine style, during the time when Latvia was part of the Russian Empire.  Having served as a planetarium and a restaurant during the Soviet era, the restored building is seen as a symbol of the country’s newfound stability.   

Other signs of Latvia’s link to Russia are nesting dolls and other crafts sold in many shops and stalls around the city. 

The Holocaust Memorial honors the Latvian people who sheltered Jews during World War II.  It stands on the location of the former Synagogue of Riga, which was destroyed by the Nazis in 1941. 

 

Central Market is the largest indoor market in Europe; it is located in former Zeppelin hangars.  The market is packed with displays of meats, seafood, cheese, breads, condiments, fruits, vegetables and baked goods.

NOTEWORTHY DRINKING EXPERIENCE

Riga Black Balzam liqueur is Latvia’s favorite alcoholic drink.  It is made from 24 different plants, but the recipe is a well-kept secret.  According to legend, the Empress Catherine the Great of Russia was cured after drinking Riga Black Balzam, and now folks used it to treat all manner of ailments – it is especially useful in combating colds.  It comes in 3 flavors (original, cherry, and black current) and two strengths (30% and 45% alcohol).  All work well as an after-dinner drink or mixed in cocktails.

NOTEWORTHY DINING EXPERIENCE

We enjoyed a delightful and delicious meal at the home of Inese Rosenthal, a florist living in a small, secluded neighborhood in Riga.  She has three daughters, but all were out for the evening.  Fortunately, one of her neighbors helped her with dinner while Tim helped with the Black Balzam. 

 

ESTONIA

Estonia is a very small country, covering about 17,000 square miles, with a population of only 1.4 million.  Its history is linked to that of its neighbors, Latvia and Lithuania.  All three have spent the greater part of their existence dominated by the larger powers surrounding them, including Denmark, Sweden, Russia, Germany and the former Soviet Union.  The people of Estonia, who have lived in their homeland for at least 5,000 years, finally gained their independence in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union.  There is still some friction between native Estonians and Russian residents, but the little nation is thriving economically.  Through all the changing of hands, Estonia’s Baltic culture never died. 

TALLINN is the national capital, with over one-third of the country’s population residing here.  It occupies a relatively level area around a wide bay.  The one hill near the shoreline is the place where the original town started to develop in medieval times.  This is what today is called Old Tallinn, a wonderfully preserved city of the old Hanseatic League.   New Tallinn spreads out both east and west from here.

Our first stop was to see the TV Tower that was the focal point of the 1991 restoration of Estonian independence from the Soviet Union.  While 2 brave radio operators risked their lives to protect Estonia’s free media, thousands of citizens held hands and circled the based of the tower, singing Estonian folk songs in the face of Soviet troops.  Our group help hands around the memorial plaque recognizing the incredible bravery displayed that day. 

Tallinn’s Old Town is divided into two areas – the lower town and the upper town.  The two towns were once separated by gates, almost like two different cities.  Today, the two parts combine their twisting cobblestone lanes, iron street lamps, Gothic spires, Medieval markets, gabled houses, half-hidden courtyards, and grandiose churches to create a place of fairytale charm.   The Old Town is still encircled by city walls, with stone towers rising above red-tiled roofs.

The City Wall’s oldest sections were built in the 13^th century, and over the next three centuries, it became one of the largest and strongest defense systems in Northern Europe.  About half of this system has been preserved – this includes about a mile of the wall, 26 towers, 2 gates and fragments of the two front gates.

 

The Lower Old Town occupies the small hill overlooking the harbor.  It was heavily damaged during World War II, but has been fully restored with loving care.  The Lower Town is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe and, as such, it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  

The Church of the Holy Spirit is a medieval Lutheran church just off Town Hall Square.  This bright white building, with its distinctive octagonal tower, is one of the oldest buildings in Tallinn.  The elaborate painted clock on its façade is Tallinn’s oldest public timepiece. The interior features much carved wood, including a 15th-century altar and one of the oldest pulpits in Estonia, dating to 1597.

 

St Catherine’s Passage winds its way from Vene Street past the old Dominican Monastery to St. Catherine’s Church, which was built here over 700 years ago.  There are cobblestones on the narrow street, some handicraft shops along the way, and old tombstones on the walls.  Very medieval. 

St. Nicholas Orthodox Church/Niguliste Kirik is a beautiful neo-classical building constructed in 1820-27, but a Russian Orthodox church stood here in the early 1400s.  The church has twin bell towers and a copper dome; inside there are many objects of artistic value – most impressive is the iconostasis from the 16th century. 

Town Hall was built in 1402 as a meeting place for the ruling burgomeisters; it has been a showpiece of the city ever since.  It is an impressive Gothic building that dominates the main square, but nowadays is used mainly for concerts or entertaining visiting dignitaries. The Old Thomas weathervane has been standing atop the spire since 1530.  Town Hall’s interior is impressive, with colorful meeting halls, vaulted ceilings, intricate wood carvings, and many prized art treasures. 

The Town Hall Pharmacy is the oldest continuously running pharmacy in Europe.  Ten generations of the Burchart family operated it from 1581 to 1911; even the Russian tsar ordered medicine from here.  The historic site still operates as a pharmacy today. 

 

Town Hall Square/Raekoja Plats has been the heart of Old Town for the last eight centuries.  Surrounded by elaborate merchant houses and cafes, it historically has served as a venue for meetings, concerts, fairs and markets.  In the middle of the square, there is a round stone marked with a compass rose; from this spot one can see the tops of all five of Old Town’s church spires.

RUSSIA

Ever since the expansions brought about by Tsar Peter the Great in the early 1700s, Russia has been the world’s largest nation in physical size.  When in 1991 the former Soviet Union split into 15 individual nations, Russia itself still remained as the world’s largest country in land area.  Modern Russia contains 6.6 million square miles, making it about the size of the USA and Canada combined.  It’s about 10,000 miles from St. Petersburg to Siberia!  Only a tiny piece of this huge nation borders on the Baltic Sea, but it contains the city that embodies the grand era of the Tsars.

ST. PETERSBURG was founded in 1703 by Tsar Peter the Great.  This old imperial capital of the Tsarist Empire was the Russian jewel designed to rival the great capital cities of Western Europe.    This showcase city covers 150 square miles, with architectural elements of both East and West. With over 40 islands, 60+ canals, and hundreds of lovely bridges, St. Petersburg is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.  It is rich in monumental architecture representative of the power of Tsarist Russia, but after the Communist Revolution of 1917, the city was renamed Leningrad and its grand old buildings were allowed to deteriorate.  Since 1991 and the emergence of the “new” Russia, St. Petersburg has become the country’s showplace.

The Admiralty Building is the former headquarters of the Imperial Russian Navy and the current headquarter of the Russian Navy.  It was re-built in the 19th century in grand Art Nouveau style.   

The Bronze Horseman is an equestrian statue of Peter the Great.  It was a gift to the city by Catherine the Great to honor her predecessor, the founder of St. Petersburg.  The imposing statue was the first equestrian statue in the city; it depicts Peter as a determined leader, guiding his country toward the future.   The statue is located in Senate Square/Senatskaya Ploshchad, the oldest square in St. Petersburg. This was one of the first squares in St. Petersburg, dating from 1704.

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood was built to memorialize Tsar Alexander II, who was assassinated on this site in 1881.  Tsar Alexander III, who ordered the church to be built, wanted it to make a statement that would speak to the “true” Russia.  The building, with its colorful domes and glazed tiles is reminiscent of the famous St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow.   It is covered inside and out with mosaics of precious and semi-precious stones and has become the most iconic landmark in the city.  Today it is covered with scaffolding as it undergoes a much-needed restoration.  Hopefully, we will return one day to see it in all its glory.

The Cathedral of Lady of Kazan is a massive Russian Orthodox Church located on Nevsky Prospekt.  It has a Romanesque exterior, but the interior is pure Russian Orthodox.  It was built between 1801-1811 and boasts an impressive stone colonnade, encircling a small garden and central fountain.  The cathedral was inspired by the Basilica of St. Peter’s in Rome and was intended to be the country’s main Orthodox church. 

Opposite the Kazan Cathedral is the Singer Building that once housed the Singer Manufacturing Company, the world-famous maker of sewing machines.  Dom Knigi, the main state bookseller, was opened in the building in 1938; it has been St. Petersburg's most popular bookshop for over seventy years.

Mariinsky Palace, also known as the Marie Palace, was built in 1839-1844, the last Neoclassical imperial palace to be constructed in St. Petersburg.  It is located in the city center, across St. Isaac’s Square and the Blue Bridge from St. Isaac’s Cathedral. 

The Mariinsky Theater is St. Petersburg’s historic house of opera and ballet.  Opened in 1860, it became the preeminent music theater of late 19th-century Russia, where many Russian masterpieces received their premieres. Today, it is home to the Mariinsky Ballet, Mariinsky Opera and Mariinsky Orchestra. 

Nevsky Prospekt is the city’s main boulevard, extending southeast from Palace Square.  It is known for its fine architecture and famous residents.  Palaces, churches and monuments, along with shops and restaurants, line the street. 

St. Catherine's Armenian Church is an Armenian Apostolic Church on Nevsky Prospect, in central Saint Petersburg. Built in the 1770s, it is one of the earliest Armenian churches in Russia.

The Stroganov Palace was the home of one of St. Petersburg’s most influential families.  It was constructed in the mid-18th century by the Tsar's court architect.   In the west, the fame of the Stroganov family largely revolves around their christening of a dish comprised of beef, cream and brandy.

Palace Square, facing the Neva River, is the most striking feature of the old city center.  In its center stands the Alexander Column, which commemorates Russia’s victory against Napoleon in 1812.  The square is surrounded by magnificent buildings; the grandest of all is Tsar’s Winter Palace.  It was from Palace Square in October 1917 that the Bolsheviks stormed the palace, bringing the provisional government to an end and setting in motion the era of Communist domination. 

 

Peterhof Palace, on the Baltic Sea west of St. Petersburg, was the summer estate of Peter the Great.   The Great Palace sits on a hill overlooking the Gulf of Finland.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is famous for its vast gardens and 250 fountains.  The Grand Cascade is a fountain ensemble made of up three waterfalls, nearly 100 fountains, and over 160 gold statues. The palace is surrounded by a large park dotted with numerous fountains, statues and cascades.  

The drive to Peterhof was a sightseeing adventure itself.  We passed impressive monuments, such as the Navra Triumphal Gate, and beautiful churches, including Trinity Cathedral and the Church of St. Isadore. 

 

The suburbs were a parade of gigantic apartment blocks, most of which included space set aside for a school, shops and other community needs.  These were interspersed with ornate metro stations. 

 

The Russian Museum was established in 1895 by Tsar Nicholas II as the first state museum of Russian fine art.  The original collection numbered 445 pieces; today there are over 400,000 works in the permanent collection.

 

Alexander Pushkin, Russia’s greatest poet, is memorialized in a statue on Arts Square, in front of the Russian National Museum. 

Spit of Vasilievsky Island/Strelka offers a grand view across Neva River to see Winter Palace on the other side and Peter and Paul Fortress on the other. 

 


The two Rostral Columns, also located on Vasilevsky Island, depict the rivers of Russia and served as lighthouses.  The two columns stand on either side of the white, colonnaded Stock Exchange Building. 

 

The Peter and Paul Fortress, occupying its own island across the Neva River from the Winter Palace, is the city’s birthplace, built by Tsar Peter the Great in 1703.  It is home to the Peter and Paul Cathedral, which houses the tombs of every czar since Peter the Great, as well as the Imperial Prison, where infamous rebels were jailed. 

St. Isaac’s Cathedral, with its golden dome, is one of the world’s largest cathedrals.  It has room for 14,000 worshipers.  Its exterior features the architecture of Western Europe, but its interior is truly Russian Orthodox.  Gold is used lavishly; the dome, which rises to a height of 333 feet, is gilded with more than 200 pounds of gold.  The interior is decorated with icons and mosaics made of hand-cut glass.  The iconostasis has columns of malachite and lapis lazuli.

The Winter Palace was the principal home base of the Romanov Tsars, the royalty of Imperial Russia from 1762 until the Revolution of 1917.  Built by the Empress Elizabeth, daughter of Peter I, it is a magnificent example of Russian baroque architecture, a massive structure with 1,057 rooms and 117 separate staircases.  The rooms themselves are gigantic, as if built for a race of super mortals – which is how the royals were seen in their day.  Royalty was believed to be divinely ordained to lead the nation, thus justifying pouring huge amounts of wealth into every detail of this enormous, magnificent structure. 

 

 Catherine the Great is credited with having brought the palace to its full grandeur through lavish spending on the building and its interior furnishings, as well as its great art collection.  When she bought 225 paintings by European masters in 1764, she built a private museum here.  Five years later, she had collected 2,500 paintings and named her expanding museum the Hermitage – or ‘Place of Solitude’ – because it was for her and her alone.  Today the Hermitage is the world’s second largest museum, with 3 million pieces and 719,480 square feet; the Louvre in Paris is the largest with 782,910 square feet, but only 380,000 pieces.  It’s been estimated that to look at all the Hermitage’s pieces, allowing a minute for each, would take 11 years.  Only one-fifth of the huge collection can be displayed at any one time. 

The Hermitage is vast, opulent and ornate to the extent of sensory overload; it is both a superlative art museum and a spectacular historical site. 

FINLAND

Finland is one of Europe’s largest countries and is known as the “Daughter of the Baltic.”  Until 1917, Finland was dominated by its nearest neighbors, Sweden and Russia, who fought over it for centuries.  After World War II, Finland became a neutral nation, careful not to offend the Soviet Union.  Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Finland has allied itself with the rest of Scandinavia and the European Union.  Today known for saunas and Sibelius, Finland has one of the five highest standards of living in the world. 

HELSINKI, the capital of Finland, was founded by King Gustav I of Sweden, who had it established under the Swedish name of Helsingfors to be a rival city to the Hanseatic League port of Tallinn, located just across the Gulf of Finland.  In 1748, the Swedish began construction of an island fortress at the entrance of the harbor, hoping to deter Russian intervention.  The fortress was captured by the Russians in 1809, ended Swedish control of Finland.  Helsinki grew into a significant city under the Russians and much of its public architecture is more Russian than Swedish.  The Finnish revolted against Russia in 1917 and became the first continental European city to host the post-WWII summer Olympic games. 

The city is surrounded by water and there are many small islands throughout the area.  Some are uninhabited, but many feature summer cottages – complete with saunas.  Our local guide for the morning sailed into town from her summer home on one of the nearby islands. 

The Parliament of Finland/Edustkuntatalo is the unicameral supreme legislature of Finland, founded in 1906. According to the Constitution of Finland, sovereignty belongs to the people, and that power is vested in the Parliament.  It is housed in a building that somewhat resembles Soviet Era government buildings, but with pink columns and marble staircases.

The Helsinki Cathedral, or Lutheran Cathedral, is a striking white building with a sweeping staircase that rises up from Senate Square.  The cathedral was built as a tribute to the Grand Duke, Nicholas I, the Tsar of Russia, and was called St. Nicholas' Church until the independence of Finland in 1917. The statues atop the outer façade are the result of Russian Tsar Alexander II’s demand that the building be decorated in keeping with Russian Orthodox Cathedral.  The story is that, while on a visit to Helsinki, he was offended by the simplicity of the building. 

The Helsinki Music Center/Musiikkitalo is the 1700-seat concert hall that is home to the Sibelius Academy and two symphony orchestras, the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra.  During the season from September to May, it hosts 70 to 100 concerts and other events every month.

Senate Square is the city’s main square, the heart of central Helsinki.  The square is dominated by the Helsinki Cathedral, with a Statue of Alexander II (1894) standing in the middle of the Square. 

Sibelius Park and Monument is dedicated to the world-famous Finnish composer whose epic work “Finlandia” portrays the very soul of the nation.  Finns have a great love for Sibelius and this is a special monument, a collection of 600 steel pipes arranged into a wave-like structure.

Uspenski Cathedral, completed in 1868, is the main cathedral of the Orthodox Church of Finland.  This massive red brick cathedral with its golden cupolas is said to be the largest Orthodox church in Western Europe.  It sits atop a granite outcropping just above the outdoor Waterfront Marketplace. 

Waterfront Market and Old Market Hall, at the foot of the Esplandi, is the large public market area where fresh produce, fish and prepared foods are available along with handicraft items. 

 

The Old Market Hall also provided a meeting place for two old friends from Eau Claire High School.  Helsinki is the home of Harri Holma, who attended Eau Claire in 1964 as a foreign exchange student.  He and Fran were friends then and have stayed in touch for 50+ years – they met at the market for a visit – a long overdue reunion!

SWEDEN

Sweden is about the size of California and has a population of around 9 Million people.  It is a highly industrialized nation, specializing in high tech products and known for Saab automobiles and jet fighters, Ikea home furnishings, and Orrefors crystal.  The Swedes are descendants of the ancient Vikings, with their rich history of warfare and conquest.  Since the mid-1800s, Sweden has remained a neutral nation.  It’s most noted citizen was Alfred Nobel, who developed prizes to be awarded for major humanitarian and literary accomplishments.  Sweden is consistently among the top five nations of the world in quality of life; all citizens receive cradle-to-grave coverage in health care, education and other social services.  There are no slums.

GOTLAND is the largest island in the Baltic Sea; it lies about 40 miles off the coast of Sweden.  In prehistoric times, the island was home to a hunting and fishing tribe that came to be known as the Goths.  Their descendants ultimately spread outward across northern Europe.   

The island is also known for its own breed of sheep, the Gotland sheep.  The breed is much-loved for its long, curly locks of wool; their fleece can grow over 10 inches in one year.  Their clean black faces and legs make it easier to care for them in winter.  Their image is seen on flags, traffic control devices, and manhole covers.

VISBY is the Gotland's island’s old walled town and the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia.  It has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  It is known as the “City of Roses and Ruins,” and its old warehouses, church ruins and merchant homes tell the story of Visby’s days as a major Baltic seaport for the Hanseatic League.

Gotlands Museum/Fornsalen is an excellent collection of exhibits and artifacts that help explain the long and often bloody history of Gotland.  Highlights include pre-Viking picture stones, human skeletons from chambered tombs, medieval wooden sculptures, and the legendary Spillings Hoard (154 pounds of Viking silver). 

 

The Visby Ringwall is a medieval defense wall surrounding the town of Visby; it is the strongest, most extensive and best-reserved city wall in Scandinavia.   Most (36) of its battlement towers are intact, and there are several gates that penetrate the wall from both the water’s edge and the inland side.  These impressive city walls are one of the reasons that Visby was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

The Botanical Garden of DBW/Botaniska Tradgardens has been situated close to the beach in Visby, protected by the city wall from the storms and salty sprays of the Baltic Sea for more than 150 years.  Fig, mulberry, and walnut trees are here, but also more exotic ones such as the tulip tree, empress tree, pride of India, handkerchief tree and magnolias.

In the southern end is the ruined Church of St. Olof, covered by Swedish ivy.  Visby has the mildest climate in Sweden, and many unusual plants grow here. 

Church of the Holy Spirit/Helge Ands Kyrka is a medieval church ruin, dating from 1200 AD.  The ruins of the stone-built church consist of an octagonal two-story nave and a portion of the choir section. 

The Ruins of St. Drotten and St. Lars stand side by side, all that remains of the two sister churches – the smallest in Visby.  St. Lars was a Russian church built in the 12th century by merchants from Novgorod. The church of Drotten was built in the 13th century to honor the Holy Trinity, but it is usually called Drotten - an Old Norse name for ruler or God.

 

St. Clement Church Ruins are the remains of the Romanesque church of St Clement, built in the middle of the 13th century. Excavations have uncovered the foundations of three earlier churches. The oldest, dating from the 12th century, was probably one of the first stone-built churches in Visby.

The St. Karin Cathedral Ruins are what remain of the largest Gothic church in Visby.  Located right on the main town square, it was the church of a Franciscan convent founded in 1233.  The abbey was disbanded in the 1520s, and all that remains is the dramatic shell of the church. 

St. Mary’s Cathedral/Santa Maria Domkyrka, locally known as the Visby Cathedral, is the center of Swedish Lutheran worship in the city.  Originating in the 12th century, this Gothic-style cathedral has beautiful stained-glass windows, carved floor slabs and towers topped by Baroque cupolas.    Today, it is the only Medieval church still being used in the city; the rest are in ruins. 

 

The St. Nicholas Church Ruins are the largest of the 13th century church ruins found here.  It was founded in 1230 as the church of a Dominican Abbey.  The church and much of the city were destroyed when Denmark invaded the island in 1361. 

The Ruins of St. Hans and St. Peter are the remains of what was once the biggest church in Visby.  St. Peter’s dates from the 12th century, and when it became too small, St. Hans was built next to it – the two church shared a wall.  Runestones and petroglyphs have been found in St. Hans Church.

SIGTUNA was Sweden’s first town built as a political and religious center of power over 1000 years ago.  Around 970 AD, King Erik the Victorious declared a town to be built to form a new kingdom, ruled by one God and one King. Tradesmen and landowners became his allies as he traded land plots for loyalty.

The town, is located about an hour from Stockholm, easily accessible via public transportation.  It is situated on the shore on Lake Malaren, a large freshwater lake west of Stockholm. 

Sigtuna’s Town Hall is probably the smallest town hall in Sweden, perhaps even in all of Europe.  It was designed in the 1740s.  It is a popular wedding venue today. 

The town’s Information Center is another favored spot for weddings – the gardens out back are quite spectacular. 

Nearby is Tant Bruns Kaffestuga, a charming café and perfect spot to engage in the Swedish tradition of fika, or coffee break.  We now have a whole new appreciation of the joys of Danish pastries and cinnamon buns.

 

We also checked out the local candy shop and the grocery store.  Both featured amazing displays of products and produce.

Sigtuna was established as a Christian community and during the Middle Ages there were four stone churches in the town.  Three are still standing as ruins and one is still in service today.

St. Olaf’s Church was built around 1100 AD. The ruins seen today rest on an even older church foundation. 

St. Lawrence Church was another Medieval church in the town parish.  Like the others, it was in use until the Reformation and was then left to deteriorate.  

St. Mary’s Church was built by Dominican friars in the 13th century; it is the oldest brick building in the area.  The church had an adjoining convent and was used until the Reformation in the mid-16th century when it was closed down.  The church itself was built in a Gothic style and has stood for over 750 years; it is still used by the local congregation today.

No other place in the world is as rich in rune stones as Sigtuna, nearly 200 have been found in this area.  Fortunately, we didn’t have to search very hard to find some – most of them are Christian (as shown by the cross on the stones) and found near old church sites.

STOCKHOLM is both the capital city of Sweden and the largest city in Scandinavia.  Sometimes called the ‘Venice of the North’ because of its many waterways and island; the city comprises 40 islands and 57 bridges.  It’s not a bit like Venice, but it is a beautiful city located not on the Baltic Sea, but at the upper end of a glacially—scoured bay that is filled with over a thousand rocky islands.  Stockholm’s origins date back to the year 1000 and the city figures prominently in old Viking stories.  

City Hall/Stadshuset was built in the early 20th century in Italian Renaissance style.  It is a working city hall, but its public rooms would rival any royal residence.  These facilities are used for a variety of events, the most notable being the annual Nobel Prize banquet.  The Gold Hall contains massive wall murals done in Byzantine-style mosaic tiles, most containing gold leaf.  The building features a 348-foot tower topped with three gold crowns, representing Sweden’s coast of arms. 

 

 

We found Stockholm to be a very walkable city, but we had to take a "tour" of the subway stations near our hotel.  Some are historical, some are educational, some are cynical, and some are just colorful.  Never a dull moment.

 

The National Historical Museum has collections spanning 10,000 years from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages.  The museum features Viking artifacts, ancient textiles, a Gothic collection, and a Gold Room housing 114 pounds of gold objects. 

The National Theater, also known as the Royal Dramatic Theater, is Sweden's national stage for "spoken drama." Founded in 1788, about one thousand shows are put on annually on the theatre's eight running stages. The theater has been at its present location in the Art Nouveau building since 1908.

The Church of Saint Clara is located in central Stockholm and operates under the cathedral, located in the old town. A Church has existed in this location since the 1280s. Its copper spire, on top of this brick 16th century church, is visible from all over town. 

Old Town/Gamla Stan is the heart of the original city and contains the oldest buildings in Stockholm.  Today, it is a maze of narrow alleyways and staircases, museums, statues, churches and the Swedish Royal Palace.  Stockholm’s Old Town is one of the largest and best-reserved medieval city centers in Europe.

 

The Swedish Royal Palace/Kungliga Slottet/Royal Palace of Stockholm, located in Gamla Stan/Old Town, is said to be one of the largest in all of Europe.  This is where the Crown offices are housed, as well as the offices of the Royal Court.  It is the ‘official’ residence of the monarch, with over 600 rooms.  Drottningholm Palace, west of the city center, is the private/permanent home of the Swedish royal family.

Stockholm Cathedral/Storkyrkan/Great Church is officially named the Church of St. Nicolai and informally known as the domkyrka.  It is the oldest church in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden.  The cathedral was built in 1279 and houses many old and unique objects.  Since 1527, the cathedral has been a Lutheran church. 

Central Square/Stortorget is the main public square in Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s old town.  It is the oldest square in Stockholm, the historical center on which the medieval city gradually came into being.  The brightly-colored square is home to several cafes, the Stock Exchange, and an annual Christmas market.  It is also known as the Nobel Square.

Parliament House/Riksdagshuset is the home of the Swedish National Parliament, located just north of Gamla Stan on its own little island.  The building is a beautiful example of 19th century architecture.  The oldest part has an impressive façade, two wings with Corinthian columns and an enormous Swedish coat of arms over the central bronze doorway.  The newer addition is a giant semi-circular building.  

The Old Haymarket is now the site of a colorful open-air market – lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, including all manner of delicious mushrooms.  It’s hard to miss the huge bronze statue of Orpheus, by sculptor Carl Milles, located close to the entrance of the Royal Philharmonic Concert Hall.

Skansen, founded in 1891, is the oldest continually-operating outdoor museum in the world.  It is a combination amusement park and 19th-century village in which living history performers demonstrated activities of rural Swedish life over the past centuries.   The village also hosts performances of traditional music and dance, as well as a collection of Nordic animals found in this part of the world. 

The Nordic Museum is Sweden’s largest museum of cultural history.  It is dedicated to the cultural history and ethnography of Sweden from the early times to the contemporary.

The Vasa Museum was created to exhibit the wreck of the spectacular ship called the Vasa, an enormous, cumbersome and heavily-armed battleship built to order for the king of Sweden.  The ship was one of the world’s largest 17th century wooden warships ever constructed.  On its maiden voyage in 1628, the Vasa sailed 1300 meters, then rolled to one side, weighted down by its gun ports. It was top heavy and when it keeled over, water poured in the gun ports and took the Vasa to the bottom, 30 meters below. It had lasted only 20 minutes.  The ship sat on the ocean floor for 333 years. Then in 1961, bolts were put in to hold it together and it was hauled up from the sea floor and restored.  It was a fascinating thing to see, and an apt conclusion to our Baltic Sea voyage.

 

NOTABLE DINING EXPERIENCE

Vete–Katten is a Stockholm institution –from Great Garbo’s time to the current day.  It is one of Stockholm’s few remaining authentic patisseries – it’s a bit like a time capsule, stepping back into a time when the pace was slower, the cream was sweet, and the coffee was drunk from porcelain.  It’s also the home of the Princess Cake – the royal cake with a secret recipe that gives it a unique taste and creaminess.  The sponge bases are layered with custard and raspberries and covered by whipped cream; all is encased in green marzipan powdered with icing sugar.  Very tasty!

M/V CLIO

The ocean-cruising M/V Clio is 328 ft. long and carries 85 passengers and 58 crew.  All cabins are outside-facing; ours had a sliding glass door and balcony.  Because of our long history with Grand Circle Travel and Overseas Adventure Travel, we were greeted with flowers, wine and candies.

We were also greeted by some familiar faces, as four crew members served on the M/V Corinthian for our trip to Antarctica.  Here are Larss Regenberg, Executive Chef from Germany; Sergii Krizanovski, Restaurant Waiter from Ukraine; Cliff Cardoza, Restaurant Manager from India; and Melina Mikolova, Restaurant Waiter from Bulgaria. 

Another face we’ll not soon forget was our charming Captain, Orsat Luetic from Croatia.  We had the pleasure of dining with him on our first night aboard ship – he was a bit nervous because this was his first voyage as the master of the ship, but he soon had everyone laughing at stories of his adventures on the high seas.  We saw his smiling face at the gangplank as he came to see us off at each port of call. 

All of the crew went to great lengths to keep everyone smiling aboard the Clio.  The food was good – especially the Baked Alaska – and the service was outstanding. 

And then there was karaoke night.  Each group had to perform - our group chose "The Leader of the Pack."  It was pretty awful, but not the worst of the night ...


















The crew show was even sillier and ended with everyone dancing instead of packing for the dreaded day of departure.

TRIP LEADER

Our trip leader was Natasha Zhilina, a thirty-something year-old from Russia.  She was one of four trip leaders on this cruise, and she was by far the best of the bunch, perhaps the best we’ve ever had.  Her home is in northwestern Russia, in the Republic of Karelia; she has been with OAT since 2006.  We visited seven countries, and her knowledge of each place was encyclopedic.  Her energy was boundless, her patience was endless, and her personality was huge!  If she ever gives up guiding, she could have a great career as a stand-up comic.  She was terrific!