CRUISING THE BALTIC
A review of our trip on the Baltic Sea aboard the Emerald Princess by Ronald Rosenberg Viv and I had always wanted to see the Scandinavian countries and when we saw the option of a cruise to these as well as Germany, Estonia, Russia and Finland we could not resist. We had made plans for a cruise this year but had thought of going to the Eastern Med. This idea was soon replaced by the excitement of visiting the design centers we had always dreamed of but never thought of cruising to. We booked and left for Copenhagen on the 18th. of August, boarded the Emerald Princess on the 19th. and our adventure began. Our first stop was Oslo and we were absolutely enchanted by the sculpture gardens and friendly people. It is probably one of the most beautiful cities we had seen. Approaching Oslo by sea along the Oslo fjord was an experience we shall not forget, and the summer holiday homes reaching down to the waters edge just made one want to stay forever.
Our next stop was Aarhus in Denmark , the oldest city in Scandinavia, and then on to Warnemunde, a seaside resort of Rostock, one of the medieval city states that formed the Hanseatic League. Sailing overnight we reached Tallinn the next day, a town with a rich history from the turbulent times of medieval Europe to the present, when it gained it's freedom and is now part of the Baltic Republics. Tallinn is the political, commercial and cultural center of Estonia. The highlight of the tour was of course St. Petersburg, where we spent two days m a r ve l i n g at t h e w i d e r a n g e o f architectural styles and the magnificent collections of art in the Hermitage Museum. The collection consists of over three million works and includes the likes of Da Vinci, Monet, Rembrandt and Renoir. One would think you could not better this experience until you arrive in Helsinki. The city is a vibrant and modern example of contemporary design and has nurtured some of the best architects and designers
of the 20th. century. Anyone who has studied art and design will recognize the names of Eero Saarinen and Alvar Aalto, two giants of the modern era. Helsinki is a modern graceful city, with spacious boulevards and many squares and parks, an absolute delight to explore. There is a Lutheran church which has been carved out of the rock and blends into the surrounding environment, natural light pours in from the church's glazed dome and contains the rough rock interior. The last city we visited was Stockholm, and it was as if we had kept the best to last. The approach to Stockholm is through the breathtaking archipelago, fifty eight miles of small islands now used for summer holiday homes. Built on a number of islands, Stockholm is connected by waterways and bays, and if there was one city we would love to live in, other than Cape Town, it would be Stockholm
The start aboard the Emerald Princess
Vigeland sculpture park Oslo
Happy travelers with cyclist in Aarhus Denmark
A formal evening for a young Japanese girl.
A private courtyard in the old part of .Tallinn
Alexander Nevsky Cathedra Tallinn
The church of the Savior on Spilled Blood St.Petersburg
Street scene and restaurant in the old village of Tallinn.
Market place and spire in Tallinn.
The magnificent Singer Building in St. Petersburg.
One of the many islands of the archipelago leading to the stunning city of Stockholm. They are now used as holiday getaways.
The end of another magnificent day cruising on the Baltic Sea returning to Copenhagen.