topic Re: Trip Report - Baltic Sea Cruise (Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Denmark) in Travel

Trip Report - Baltic Sea Cruise (Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, and Denmark)

World Traveler — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 06:36:33 GMT

I am traveling to seven countries whose capitals are by the Baltic. Having just finished visiting England, Scotland, and Wales, flying in to Sweden I was happy to see the same beautiful green landscape I had in the prior countries.

The flight from Great Britain tried my patience a bit because I was surrounded by babies crying, three of whom were in my immediate vicinity. I did ask to be moved, but my only choice would have been in the very back row by the toilets, so I stayed put!

The temperature is between 66-72 in Stockholm, with nights in the 50's. Really nice! Evidently this is hot for the Swedes, because I saw so many locals wearing shorts and T-shirts.

I am staying at the Grand Central Hotel, located downtown and close to so many things. I was a little dismayed to see the old familiar USA fast food places so close to the hotel (Burger King, 7-Eleven, Subway, etc.). I don't want to have what I can get at home, except Starbucks, which, I might add, did not taste as good as at home while in Britain. Really believe the difference must be in the milk they use, because I always ask for the same thing as I have at home. Will see how it is in Sweden if I come across one.

I am in Stockholm for five nights before going on the cruise and will spend additional days in Denmark after the cruise.

Wednesday - July 12 - Stockholm

The first thing that I notice in Sweden is, of course, the fair skin and lots more blonde-headed people than I see back home. The people appear to be so healthy and keep up a good clip when walking down the streets. I also see a lot of bicycle riders, so far mainly females.

The change from the Scottish accent I had become accustomed to, to the Swedish accent is quite jarring. I don't know any other way to explain it. It is at a faster clip and nothing I have heard so far sounds remotely close to an American word. I've been asking where is this and where is that, and unless they point in a direction, I am totally lost in what they are saying.

My first breakfast in Sweden this morning was quite a contrast from the British food I was getting used to. Many more choices of breads here and a big variety of cheeses to personally cut from the cheese blocks supplied. More choices in yogurts were provided and pancakes seem to rule around here, so far! The pancakes are thin and very good with various choices of fresh berries to top it off.

As many of you probably already know, Sweden is not the cheapest place to visit. I picked up a few snacks this morning and found it quickly came to more than I thought it should.

Which reminds me.....the currency for this trip involves five different types of money. Sweden has the Krona, Russia has its Rubles, Poland has the Zloty, Denmark has the Krone (different from the Krona), and Latvia, Estonia, and Finland deal with the Euro. And I needed to exchange my British Sterling to something usable on this leg of my trip. That is probably the only thing I am not too excited about, because it is much easier to get used to the rates if you are only going to one country.

When I get to the cruise part of this trip, all meals will be on board the ship, if I choose to not eat at ports. Since I have paid for it in the cruise price, I will most likely arrange to be on board for the meals if I can.

The ship is not one of the big cruise ships, which I am glad of. It can handle around 90 passengers, and any land excursions I participate in will be broken up into no more than 25 travelers to a bus. So there are several group leaders.

I have already met my group leader. She is Russian and I had a pleasant chat with her. Her accent is very thick and she reminds me of the very stoic Russians I met while in their country many years ago. She did not crack a smile and she is very cut and dry, very matter of fact.

When I told her that one of the things I remember about the Russians is that they did not smile much, and when I had asked them why they did not smile more, they said: "We have had hard times. We save our smiles for our families." The guide said: "That is true," without smiling. Ha!

I also mentioned that the locals I talked with in Russia said that they feared the USA, and I told them that the people in the USA feared Russia. But they agreed that what they believe is what they are told by the government. When I repeated that conversation to the guide, she said that was the way it used to be, but she said now Russia mostly reports the news as it happens and not that much editorializing. I find that hard to believe, but maybe that is because our news in the USA is usually followed by people giving their opinions instead of just telling the facts and letting us decide what it all means.

At any rate, I believe being on time for all activities I want to be involved in is going to be strictly adhered to! She appears to be a tough cookie! It will be my goal to get her to smile, or maybe laugh! If so, I hope I get a picture of it!

Of the possible 90 people on the ship, the final count is 86. Of that 86, only 22 are coming in early like me for extra days in Stockholm. And for the extra time in Denmark, only 16 of us will be staying after the cruise.

I like the smaller size because you can get to know people better, but this should be interesting. I have been on big cruise ships of around 2,000 people, so this will be much nicer, I think. @Alter Ego you would not like this! You are such an independent person when it comes to traveling, preferring to make your own arrangements for where you stay and where you eat.

Tonight we meet for the first time. I am glad I came in a day early. The rest of the people are going to look and feel jet lagged. I'll be the only perky one! Ha!

Here is a photo of the ship I will be on. I didn't take it with my camera, it is from the Internet. Hopefully, I will be able to post photos of this trip, unlike the prior trip to Great Britain, where I kept getting the error message that the photo files were too big. I am trying to check the settings and see what I can do to make it work with my camera and to make it more interesting for all of you when I post daily.

Re: Trip Report - Baltic Sea Cruise (Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Denmark)

Alter Ego — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 11:17:08 GMT

Omigosh - you are too funny! After reading how you go off on your own from the tour group and eat with locals (you ate haggis!), I wouldn't call me the independent person! I'm actually quite timid. I've also never done these northern cruises, but do cruise and may eventually find myself on one to these areas at some point - I believe they are very popular and sell out often. So much to see - do you overnight in Russia?

I can't imagine what small ship does this itinerary? That is strange to me because I am so used to (very) large ships - Empress with 1,600 passengers was tiny. I do wonder what the percent is of Americans on your boat. Was this also done through OAT?

edited to add - I wonder if there is anyone on board you can ask about your photo size issue? I imagine there will be some serious photographers on board - although they may be too serious too, if that makes sense! Since you've been on safari, you may know the people I'm talking about! Ha ha.

Re: Trip Report - Baltic Sea Cruise (Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Denmark)

World Traveler — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 11:51:59 GMT

@Alter Ego LOL! Yea, well, I really do like to be independent like you, but the older I get the more I am tending to let everyone else do stuff for me and just pay them, and then I just show up.

Used to be like you and check all over the place for the best price for flights, places to go see and not book ahead, just winging it! Was fun to do it that way. Very carefree. But I have gotten very comfortable with a couple of tour companies who reward me for sticking with them. And they have no problem me going off and doing my own thing while with them. Although, that will not be as easy to do while on a ship!

So, for now I am quite content with how I am doing things. This cruise may not work for me. Am eager to see how it works and whether I would want to do another one.

It is GCT I am going with and I edited the post to include a photo of the ship I will be on.

Good idea about checking with someone about my camera. I have had it for years and never had problems; and as you know, I was able to post ONE photo of the Royal Guard Horses while in London. So, something is amiss and I probably clicked or hit some button I shouldn't have.

What I have done, though, is set everything to default and maybe that resetting will fix the problem. I also changed the setting to a quality level that is not so many pixels. Hate to do that because I always make Apple online books of my trips and I like the highest possible pixel count for the best resolution. I'll take some photos tomorrow and try to post them with the lower pixel count. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Re: Trip Report - Baltic Sea Cruise (Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Denmark)

World Traveler — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 03:37:21 GMT

@Alter Ego Forgot to answer your question about Russia. I will be there two days, but not sure if the ship gets in at night or during the day, I plan to see St. Isaac's Cathedral, the Hermitage museum (which I thoroughly enjoyed the last time I went), and of course I want to see Peterhof again because I just love the grounds.

Re: Trip Report - Baltic Sea Cruise (Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Denmark)

Meowingkitty — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 12:32:33 GMT

We did the same cruise a few years ago except we went to Germany instead of Poland. Loved Estonia but didn't get to stay long enough. The Hermitage in Russia is very very crowded and the tour operators push you along pretty quickly. If you can see the Russian ballet.

Re: Trip Report - Baltic Sea Cruise (Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Denmark)

World Traveler — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 13:23:55 GMT

@Meowingkitty You are so right! I remember being at the Hermitage and all I could see were these long poles that the tour directors were holding up so their people could see them and figure out where to go. It is a shame that it is so busy, but understandable. Last time I was shoved into a room I had already seen, just because the crowds overtake you and you just try the best you can to shuffle along with the throngs! Hopefully in the direction you want to go!

But what a showcase that place is!

Re: Trip Report - Baltic Sea Cruise (Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Denmark)

lulu2 — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 20:51:07 GMT

@World Traveler

You know how much I enjoy your (detailed) travel diaries.

A few years ago we did a Baltic with St. Petersburg, Globus Tour. We began in Copenhagen and ended in Helsinki. In Stockhohm we boarded a ship, not unlike the one pictured, for an overnight cruise to Finland. It was remarkable to see passengers sun bathing in the middle of the night.

In St. Petersburg we stayed at a hotel (Angleterre) across from St. Issac's. Our local guide told us, during Communism, the Cathedral was used as a military horse stable. Whether this is true , who knows. The most ornate church we visted was the Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood. The colorful domes and spires are beautiful.

Enjoy your journey; I'll enjoy reading about it.

Our Globus guide was an extremely tall middle aged Russian lady named Anya. It was days before any expression on her face, but by the end of the trip she was hugging and kissing all of us. (hope it had nothing to do with her tips) She gave each of us stacking dolls, signing her name on the bottom

Re: Trip Report - Baltic Sea Cruise (Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Denmark)

CHIP62 — Thu, 13 Jul 2017 03:33:51 GMT

Dear World Traveler,

What a journey! If you have time I would do the cruise in the Nieva River it is in Russian however they give you a map with all the landmarcs and with some imagination...you will see St. Petersburg from a digferent perspective. We were very lucky and went twice to the Hermitage before it was open to the public, that was some 5 years ago, the guide was very nice and even let us free to wonder around the museum for a while. Everything was super controlled very few people spoke English but we loved it. All Northern Europe is very homogeneous and yes Sweden is pricey 25% tax is a lot of tax🌻

Re: Trip Report - Baltic Sea Cruise (Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Denmark)

World Traveler — Thu, 13 Jul 2017 04:01:38 GMT

@lulu2 Hi! That is very interesting about the cathedral being used as a horse stable. I did not know that.

And the spilled blood church.......the last time I was in Russia I saw that and walked all around the outside to see from which angle was the best way to get a photo. It is so very colorful and I loved just sitting across the street from it and looking at it. Hard to get a photo without a whole bunch of people in front of it. Have to go early in the morning.

The other one that is very famous in photos is over by the Kremlin. I would love to see that one in person when it has snowed. Saw a photo of it that a friend took when it had just snowed and it was gorgeous! Think it is called St. Basil's Cathedral.

Re: Trip Report - Baltic Sea Cruise (Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Denmark)

World Traveler — Thu, 13 Jul 2017 04:04:43 GMT

@CHIP62 Thanks for the suggestion. I will not know if I have time until I am there. Right now the itinerary does not say what time the ship gets into each port. Hopefully, the daily news while on the ship will mention port docking times in advance so I can do some planning.

Re: Trip Report - Baltic Sea Cruise (Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Denmark)

World Traveler — Thu, 13 Jul 2017 16:57:41 GMT

Thursday - July 13 - Stockholm

First of all, let me say that this nice hotel has a terrible gym. Just saying. I really need to do some workouts for the upper body. The trip is taking care of the lower body by all the walking I can get in. Am so glad that I brought along my Body Gym, the one that Marie Osmond sells on QVC. It is lightweight, easy to carry, and it can be used when some of these hotels have poor gyms. Am hoping that there will be something nice on the ship in the way of exercise equipment.

Secondly, last night our group met for dinner at a local restaurant, the Milano Cafe. There are 20 in our group and it will be the same 20 throughout the cruise when we go on excursions. It is a mix of married couples and others like me traveling alone. No young ones; we are all over 60.

However, on the ship there will be a total of 83 people, and there will be four groups, each with their own guide. We have the least amount in our group. YAY!!! And when we get to Denmark and stay for a few days after the cruise, there will only be 16 of us because most people are going home after the cruise.

Thirdly, we have all pronounced our guide a real hoot! LOL! On my first meeting with her, I detected no sense of humor, but that has all changed. She had us laughing most of the evening. She started out by saying: "I am Russian, we are everywhere, and yes, we have hacked your emails!" Although we laughed really hard at that, we knew that quite possibly could be true! She has worked for this company for 15 years and she must have learned by now that a sense of humor is important with Americans. However, I must say, she did not smile the whole time she was talking with us.

She went on to make jokes about the KGB and at one point said: "There are two things you will find that I don't do.....I don't lie and I don't wait for anyone. If you are late for the time I have designated you to be somewhere, I will leave you." And she meant it! All of us must be great at being on time, because every single one said out loud YES!!! We love that she will be that way. And the other thing she said when we asked about the weather we will have, she said: "There is no bad weather, just bad clothing choices!" I thought that was good. Again, no smiling.

After the meal and the desert of ice cream came, she brought hers over to me! I am going to love this woman!!! Ha! She already knew I have a weakness when it comes to ice cream. When she saw my eyes light up, she smiled, not big or for long, but it was there! I saw it! So, she can if she wants to.

I was fascinated to know that Stockholm is a city built on top of a sprawling archipelago.....a cluster of 14 islands floating among 24,000 other islands that make up a 60-mile chain. More than 50 bridges help tie them together. First of all, I don't think of islands as floating, and the fact that there are 24,000 other islands just seems so unbelievable.

Stockholm is the capital of Sweden. The cobblestone streets and ochre-colored buildings of Gamla Stan (the old town) are home to the 13th-century Storkyrkan Cathedral, the Kungliga Slottet Royal Palace, and the Nobel Museum, which focuses on the Nobel Prize.

Ferries and sightseeing boats shuttle passengers between the islands.

After breakfast this morning, we enjoyed a morning tour of the palace. Located in the city's Old Town, the Royal Palace is the official residence of the Swedish Royal Family, although King Carl XVI Gustaf and his wife Queen Silvia live at the Drottningholm Palace on the island of Lovon.

We entered the palace, with most of our group doing the guided tour by a palace official. I did my own thing and just read what all the signs said so I would not have to listen to someone say the same thing as the signs.

It is really quite beautiful. I was able to see the bedchambers, the galleries, rooms where state banquets were held, etc. What I noticed in this palace that I have not noticed in ones in other countries is that all they do is roll back the rug and move all the chairs in the room up against the wall. So you see all these rolls of carpets in each room. No elaborate work to make it ready for the public or to put it back in a way that the King and Queen can quickly use it for state functions.

If you time your visit just right, you can see the changing of the guard at 12:15pm. I must say that I have never seen such a big ta-do about changing the guards at any other palace. It took 45 minutes with a full band marching into the palace courtyard, and a five-minute reading of the history of the guards and their duty.

Although the mighty Royal Palace dominates much of the Gamla Stan, Stockholm's Old Town (a small island nestled at the heart of this great city), there is still so much more to do and see. The picturesque isle is a labyrinth of narrow alleyways and staircases, home to lots of antique shops, museums, statues, and churches.

The Stortorget (Big Square) is the city's oldest square and site of the infamous Stockholm Bloodbath. Denmark, under the rule of King Christian II, invaded Sweden in 1520 and took the country for its own. Shortly after that, Christian rounded up all those who had challenged his rule and on November 8 and 9, he executed more than 80 Swedish nobles in the Big Square. According to legend, rivers of blood rushed thru the streets. Today, the Stortorget is a brightly colored square, home to a handful of cafes, the Stock Exchange, and an annual Christmas market.

Our guide, Violetta (pronounced Vee-o-let-a), was quite funny with her telescoping rod with a flag on the end, so people can find her when she is walking down the street or in a museum. She showed how she likes to use it, extending it only one or two feet up into the air. But, she said, when she has to guide around Asians who on average are shorter, she showed how she extends the rod up another couple of feet! And if she is leading Danish people, she said she doesn't have to do a thing, because they are normally taller than her and can find her!

Here are a few things I learned today:

1. Cost of things in Sweden compared to the USA is about 20% more.

2. Alcohol is not sold in the general stores. No zipping into the grocery store or 7-Eleven for some spirits. The government controls all sales of alcohol and you need to go to a special store owned by the government in order to purchase your liquor.

3. Coffee - WOW! The Swedes take their coffee seriously. And coffee time is called fika (pronounced Fee-ka). The essential thing about fika is that you do it! You take a coffee break. It is considered an insult if someone asks you to have fika with you and you say you can't or don't have time. They don't pour themselves a cup of coffee and take it to their desk to sip while working. It is an important pastime. Really fika is a social institution in Sweden. I understand that more coffee is consumed in Sweden than anywhere else in the world. So, the best thing to do is to relax at a konditori (bakery) while savoring a hot cup of coffee and a kanelbulle (cinnamon bun). If you are feeling extra adventurous, you can try Sweden's egg coffee, where a raw egg is mixed into the coffee grounds before it is steeped in boiling water! EWWWWW!

4. Swedes follow rules. That was evident when we came to a stoplight while walking down the street. Even before the light changes to green to walk across, the Swedes (for the most part) do not start going over with the other people who are going against the light. They wait. They are polite.

5. It is also evident when it comes to their lunch hour or 45 minutes they take. They factor in the time to get to a restaurant and to return. If that means they only get 15 minutes to actually eat, then so be it! Actually, it wouldn't hurt if everyone did that. But I mention it because it seems to be imperative with the Swedes, and the places where I have worked, it has not always been adhered to by the employees.

6. This really surprised me.......Swedes are not to yell at their kids; teachers can't reprimand them, and parents and teachers cannot punish them. So I asked, well, what if they do something wrong in school or at home, like beat up on their sibling. I was told that the parent or teacher sits them down and explains in a loving and polite way why what they did is not acceptable and that they need to change that behavior. In fact, our guide said that it is forbidden to punish them. She referred to the book The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I have heard of that, but have not read it. Evidently it tells all about how children are raised in Sweden.

7. Also, Violetta said that there is to be no competition with the children. You do not have the "top student" or top anything. Everyone is to be treated equally. But that does not explain how they send their citizens to compete in the Olympics or any other sport. No one is to be the best at anything?

8. Sweden is very tolerant of immigrants.

9. Swedes will help you, if you ask. But if you do not ask, they will not offer.

There are many things to do in Stockholm. One popular tour is the Hop-On, Hop-Off bus, boat, and combination tours. The boat tour can take two hours, but you get a good view of how the city is laid out on the various islands; and you get a perspective that is way different from walking down the streets.

You can take a nerve-tingling trip up the outside of the Ericsson Globe, 425 feet above sea level. Waiting at the top of the world's largest spherical building is fantastic views across this beautiful capital.

There is the Swedish Museum of Photography; the Swedish Museum of Natural History with a dinosaur exhibit; an Abba Museum with, I imagine, all their songs playing; Fjarilshuset, an aquarium and rain forest; hot air ballooning; the Icebar at the Icehotel, where you are served a drink in a container made of ice (they give you very warm outerwear for you to put on); and much, much more.

I am hoping that we have some people who have lived in Sweden who read this forum. I would love to hear from them if what I am being told is accurate as they know it to be.

All in all, it was a very good day of learning about this city. Except for the fact that the bathroom I used was also being used by men too, and there was a man in the stall to the right of me and another man in the stall to the left of me, everything was pretty normal for a day of venturing out!

Tomorrow I go to Vasa Museum and Skansen. It will be a full day!

P.S.: I tried to attach photos once again since putting my camera back to default (what it was when I bought it). And I also put the setting for the photos to very low resolution, hoping that would make the files smaller, but I still get the "your file is too large to import" message from this forum. Since no one else is having this problem, it must be me. Will take @Alter Ego suggestion and see if I can find someone on the ship with photography knowledge. The group I am with now can't figure out why I can't import either.

Re: Trip Report - Baltic Sea Cruise (Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Denmark)

KathyPet — Thu, 13 Jul 2017 23:25:46 GMT

@World Traveler wrote:
@Alter Ego Forgot to answer your question about Russia. I will be there two days, but not sure if the ship gets in at night or during the day, I plan to see St. Isaac's Cathedral, the Hermitage museum (which I thoroughly enjoyed the last time I went), and of course I want to see Peterson again because I just love the grounds.

"PEterson". ?????

Re: Trip Report - Baltic Sea Cruise (Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Denmark)

SANNA — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 01:20:00 GMT

@World Traveler wrote:
@Alter Ego Forgot to answer your question about Russia. I will be there two days, but not sure if the ship gets in at night or during the day, I plan to see St. Isaac's Cathedral, the Hermitage museum (which I thoroughly enjoyed the last time I went), and of course I want to see Peterson again because I just love the grounds.

Petergoff. Also see The Church of Our Savior on blood and Palace of Feliks Yusupoff.

Ask your Russian group leader. Enjoy!

Re: Trip Report - Baltic Sea Cruise (Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Denmark)

World Traveler — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 03:39:18 GMT

@KathyPet Peterhof; thanks! Auto correct and me not double checking for spelling errors......ha! I went back and corrected it.

Re: Trip Report - Baltic Sea Cruise (Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Denmark)

SANNA — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 12:53:10 GMT

@World Traveler wrote:
@KathyPet Peterhof; thanks! Auto correct and me not double checking for spelling errors......ha! I went back and corrected it.

I know, I hate autocorrect!!!! I just typed Petegoff because that is how Russians pronounce it ( I am a native speaker). Also we call it Petrodvorets.

Re: Trip Report - Baltic Sea Cruise (Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Denmark)

World Traveler — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 16:28:20 GMT

Friday - July 14 - Stockholm - Vasa and Skansen Museums

Although I am looking forward to the cruise part of my trip, which starts on Sunday, I must say that I am really enjoying my time in Stockholm. There are so many things to do and see. Today was another day of discovery and checking out some of the places that are so interesting to visit.

We started out this morning to see Vasa, a fearsome warship with 72 cannons and 300 soldiers, which in 1628 set off on a maiden voyage two years in the making....and then sank in the harbor within 12 minutes of setting sail! Like the Titanic, the Vasa was an epic ship that became a symbol of tragedy, as the Swedes never forgot it.

Hundreds of years later, in 1961, the Vasa was raised from the seabed and returned to land. Today, restored and preserved, still outfitted with its original masts, deadeyes and blocks, the Vasa is one of Stockholm's most well-loved icons. (A deadeye is an item used in the rigging of traditional sailing ships. It is a small round, thick wooden disc with one or more holes through it.)

I was so surprised when we walked into the museum. WOW is the only word to describe seeing this ship which is 98% original, losing only its top half of the mast, which they have recreated. It is amazing how all those years in the water didn't completely destroy it.

And what caused it to sink? It was not stable. The way it was built made it top heavy, so when a gust of wind came up on its first day out, it tipped to the side and water rushed into the area where the cannons were, as the windows for those cannons were open. I found it interesting that years later, they built its sister ship exactly the same, except for making it THREE FEET wider; that is all! And that provided the stability it needed. That second ship went on to be used for many years. Hard to believe, but true. Three feet made all the difference between life and death.

Then we took a funicular ride to Skansen, located at the top of Djurgarden, a wooded island at the center of Stockholm. A funicular is a type of railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope, with the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalancing each other.

Skansen is the oldest continually-operating outdoor museum in the world, founded in 1891. A 75-acre 19th century village in which living history performers demonstrate baking, glass-blowing, leather tanning, shoemaking, silversmithing, and more, Skansen immerses visitors in a rural way of life its founder saw disappearing as the 20th century approached.

The village hosts folkloric performances for a taste of traditional Swedish music and dance. They have a collection of Nordic animals (from livestock to wildlife--like wolverines and lynx--for a richer perspective of life in the archipelago.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. We had a guided tour, and then at some point, I just went off on my own to explore the whole place. It is wonderful to spend 2-3 hours, just checking out the various old buildings and talking with the people who run the place.

In the school room on the grounds, I talked with a teacher of years ago. I asked about discipline based upon the information I shared yesterday about not punishing the students. She said that in olden days, yes there was discipline and punishment; however, from 1952 onward, there can be no punishment in schools or homes. I asked about how the crime rate is if punishment is not allowed. I was told that there is crime, but compared to other countries, it is quite low. I admit that it surprises me that you can have no punishment and have low crime incidents.

Also, the teacher could not be a female years ago unless she was not married. They were not allowed to work if they had a family and a home. Their responsibility was to be taking care of the family and home. So it was mostly male teachers.

Here are some other things I learned today from our guide:

1. The princess of Sweden, who turned 40 today, had a big procession and celebration in town. I am told that she is well liked by the people, but her father, the king, is not as well liked as she.

2. The princess married her personal trainer! I saw a photo of him and he looks quite fit.

3. Employees receive five weeks of vacation time, no matter where they work or how long they have worked for the company. They mostly take it in July, which is why we saw so many locals out and about. And it is nice and sunny during this time. We have had no rain, although there have been clouds. The days are long. We were out until 9:30 one evening, and people were still sitting outside by the cafes. It was so light outside, it seemed very safe to be roaming about.

4. Don't be rude by taking the last cookie. It is a no-no when you visit people in their home. I don't know what happens to the last cookie, but I don't think they throw it away. Maybe it is left for the next guest that comes by, with additional cookies provided. Or perhaps that cookie's job is to be the last each time someone comes to visit!

5. Boys are taught how to cook and girls learn how to use tools. Everything is equal.

6. The father can be home taking care of the family and the mother work. This is not looked down upon.

7. Maternity leave, I believe, is six months. For half of the maternity leave, the mother is with the baby and for the other half of the maternity leave, the father is home with the baby. We saw lots of fathers carrying babies around today with no mother in sight.

8. Years ago what a man noticed most in a woman when he was looking for a wife was not her beauty, personality, or wealth. She had to have thick ankles. They felt this would make a better wife because thick ankles meant she would be strong enough to work hard and strong enough to carry babies.

9. Sweden is mainly a Lutheran country.

10. Found a cute little cafe/bakery while walking thru an alleyway. It had a courtyard area with a few tables and chairs. Got a sandwich from them and a dessert they called a mandarin meringue. Looked absolutely wonderful! Well, it did have mandarin oranges in it and it was a meringue that just melted in my mouth. What a wonderful way to spend lunch by myself!

While we were all sitting outside waiting for our bus to take us back to the hotel, a man sat down and tried to get us to talk about politics in the United States, asking us what we thought of this person or that person. Our guide quickly told him that she was the program director and it is strictly forbidden to talk about U.S. politics on this trip. He kept trying to engage us, by asking our opinions of this and that. She aggressively told him that we will not talk about that, hushing him up several times. Finally, she got thru to him and he changed the subject.

There is nothing more divisive on a group trip than to talk about politics in our own country or religion. I thanked her for doing that, because for one thing, I have seen it cause a problem on a prior group trip; and I am on vacation and would like to get away from what is happening at home, just for the summer.

Tomorrow the group is off to see Sigtuna, which I know nothing about. They are going by train and then a local bus. I have decided to stay back and do my own thing. I think I will try the 2-1/2 hour boat ride that lets you see more of Stockholm than my legs can handle walking around. Then there is the Hallwyl Museum, which was home to some countess, whose name is probably Hallwyl. I do know that it was donated to Sweden and that it gives you a glimpse into the lifestyles of the nobility in Stockholm back in the old days. But that is all I know.

Tomorrow will be the last full day in Stockholm, and then Sunday we will all get on the ship and start our cruise.

Re: Trip Report - Baltic Sea Cruise (Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Denmark)

lulu2 — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 20:43:35 GMT

@World Traveler

Sigtuna was my favorite town in Sweden. It is set on a lake and beyond picturesque. It's one of the oldest towns in Sweden. I would definitely go on the excursion.

Re: Trip Report - Baltic Sea Cruise (Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Denmark)

itsmagic — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 23:59:16 GMT

Your trip reports in and around Stockholm are so interesting! Enjoying them very much!

Re: Trip Report - Baltic Sea Cruise (Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Denmark)

World Traveler — Sat, 15 Jul 2017 13:35:30 GMT

Saturday - July 15 - Stockholm

Had a very pleasant day, starting with a 2-1/2 boat ride throughout the various islands of Stockholm. It really does give you a different perspective of the city and I learned a lot once again. I was glad that I went to do it on my own.

One of the things that keeps coming up in conversations, whether it is by a personal guide or locals, or in the case this morning, the audio guide for the boat trip, I keep hearing that Swedes are taught to blend in and not stand out. They are to try to get along with everyone and not try to be the top in anything done or said.

I learned that Swedish people are responsible for some very useful items, like GPS, flat screen TVs, the telephone handset, the term Celsius instead of Centigrade, modern zipper, pacemaker, Tetra pack (for storing liquids like milk), 3-point seatbelt, adjustable wrench, dynamite, and ultrasound imaging, to name just a few.

After the enjoyable morning on the boat, I went by the Hallwyl Museum that I talked about yesterday. It really is worth making a stop because the multi-story mansion does give a good idea about how nobility lived many years ago. The woodwork alone is marvelous to look at, and in the case of this owner, the servants had their own bathrooms. Time well spent going back in time at this lovely place.

The rest of the afternoon was spent seeing the shops and having lunch in a quaint bakery. Always good breads wherever I go. I loved having the time to myself today.

Tonight the rest of the gang who will be on the ship (86 in all!) arrive for dinner for a meet-and-greet. Frankly, I would rather go to bed early, but you are expected to attend and say hello to everyone. Since the original 20 of us who have been in Stockholm for five days will continue to interact as our own little group, it should be quick.

Tomorrow morning our luggage will be transferred over to the ship while each individual group does a city tour in their own bus. We will then go to a local restaurant for lunch, and all met up at the docks and embark the ship.

It promises to be a long day as we meet in the evening for our first port talk, then a welcome dinner as we set sail for our first destination...Helsinki, Finland. Hope I like my room on board, because I am stuck with it for many days!

Re: Trip Report - Baltic Sea Cruise (Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Denmark)

World Traveler — Sat, 15 Jul 2017 16:24:48 GMT

Just wanted to add that we are told that there is Internet service on the ship, but that the quality of the service depends upon where we are in the Baltic Sea. I plan to write each day, but whether or not the posts go out every day is another thing.