Cat54 Posted August 25, 2016 #101 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Enjoying your review. Great pictures! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna_In_India Posted August 25, 2016 Author #102 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Enjoying your review. Great pictures! Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna_In_India Posted August 25, 2016 Author #103 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Stockholm Archipelago Stockholm Archipelago Stockholm Archipelago - I could live in one of these Taxi boat - Stockholm Archipelago Stockholm Archipelago Vehicle Ferry - Stockholm Archipelago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna_In_India Posted August 25, 2016 Author #104 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Stockholm Archipelago Stockholm Archipelago My husband's boring desserts. There's never enough chocolate for me. :) Sunset Our First Towel Animal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna_In_India Posted August 25, 2016 Author #105 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Arriving in Helsinki The line to get off the ship - running up from Deck 2 to 4 and around the Centrum, Helsinki On the bus into the city center, Helsinki Kasha and a new friend, Helsinki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna_In_India Posted August 25, 2016 Author #106 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Entrance to the Church of the Rock - also known as Temppeliaukio Church, Helsinki Church of the Rock - Mustn't have seen the sign, Helsinki :) Inside Church of the Rock, Helsinki The Altar - Church of the Rock, Helsinki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna_In_India Posted August 25, 2016 Author #107 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Kampi Metro Escalator, Helsinki Great Metro, Helsinki Shopping Underground, Helsinki Ice Cream AGAIN (on the Metro), Helsinki Tram in front of the Helsinki Central Railway Station Helsinki Central Railway Station Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna_In_India Posted August 25, 2016 Author #108 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Street Musicians, Helsinki Scandinavians LOVE to be outside, Helsinki Near Market Square, Helsinki Market Square, Helsinki Market Square, Helsinki Market Square, Helsinki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna_In_India Posted August 25, 2016 Author #109 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Uspenski Cathedral, Helsinki Strawberry Tart & Coffee at Kaffeehaus Rontgen Patisserie, Helsinki Ice Cream at Kaffeehaus Rontgen Patisserie, Helsinki Sparakoff Pub Tram - Bet this is a lot of fun! - Helsinki Helsinki Cathedral Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna_In_India Posted August 25, 2016 Author #110 Share Posted August 25, 2016 (edited) Sailing out of Helsinki Sailing out of Helsinki Sailing out of Helsinki One of the many ferries we passed during the cruise Looking down to the Centrum Kasha's favorite place to look down to the Centrum to see if anyone was dancing Edited August 25, 2016 by Donna_In_India Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna_In_India Posted August 25, 2016 Author #111 Share Posted August 25, 2016 The Sphinx on the University Embankment, St. Petersburg Shopping in St. Petersburg Entering the Courtyard of Catherine Palace, St. Petersburg Beautiful Catherine Palace, St. Petersburg One of the many gates at Catherine Palace, St. Petersburg The booties to protect the floors in Catherine Palace, St. Petersburg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna_In_India Posted August 25, 2016 Author #112 Share Posted August 25, 2016 At the bottom of the Great Staircase in Catherine Palace, St. Petersburg The Great Hall in Catherine Palace, St. Petersburg The Great Hall in Catherine Palace, St. Petersburg The Great Hall in Catherine Palace, St. Petersburg White State Dining Room - Catherine Palace, St. Petersburg Green Pilaster Room - Catherine Palace, St. Petersburg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna_In_India Posted August 25, 2016 Author #113 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Portrait Hall - Catherine Palace, St. Petersburg The Grounds - Catherine Palace, St. Petersburg Stunning Catherine Palace, St. Petersburg Catherine Palace Grounds, St. Petersburg Catherine Palace, St. Petersburg First Lunch in St. Petersburg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna_In_India Posted August 26, 2016 Author #114 Share Posted August 26, 2016 The metro of St. Petersburg opened in 1955. Staffed by 15,000 people it has five lines, 67 stations, and 1,600 trains. Serving 2.3 million passengers each day it is the 12th busiest metro system in the world. The subway is the deepest in the world - a steep 105 meters below ground. It also has some of the most beautiful stations. Each station is a work of art with wonderful statues, mosaics, and carvings. I knew early on that I wanted to see at least one metro station and confirmed with TJ Travel that we would. We arrived at the Pushkinskaya Metro Station. The station opened in 1956. We needed tickets to visit the station so our guide bought our tickets (the ticket booths are very elaborate) and we got on the VERY long escalator. This station was "only" 57 meters deep. The first thing you notice is how extremely clean the station is! No trash around at all. The walls are snow-white marble and the floor is made of polished dark-red granite. The vaulted ceilings are decorated with moulded wreaths. At the end of the station is a sculpture of the famous Russian poet Alexander Puskin set against panels depicting a park. After seeing this station I am sure that on a return trip to St. Petersburg, I'd try to see as many more as possible. Next we boarded a boat for a trip down the Neva River and along the canals. I loved weaving through the islands and under the bridges. It's always fascinating to see a city from the water. We passed many St. Petersburg landmarks from Anichkov Bridge to Peter and Paul Cathedral. One note is that there was no shade and it was very hot but overall it was a great trip! (One thing I'll note here since when sorting through photos of the boat trip I came across one of a guy smoking is that so, SO many people smoke in Europe/Russia - everywhere!. It's strange to think that the U.S. was the same way at one time. If you are sensitive to smoke, you will definitely notice it.) We finished our boat trip on the Fontanka River near the Faberge Museum which was our next stop. The museum is located in the newly restored Shuvalov Palace on the river. It was recently opened - 2013 - almost a decade after Viktor Vekselberg purchased a one-of-a-kind collection of Faberge works which had been collected by Malcom Forbes. The museum contains the world's largest collection of works by Carl Faberge. Nine of Faberge's famous Imperial Easter Eggs are the highlight of the museum as well as the most valuable pieces in the museum. The eggs were created for the last two Russian emperors - Alexander III and Nicholas II - and each is a masterpiece of jewelery and art. The eggs are stunning and the details are incredible. The museum houses all kinds of objects including works by famous Russian jewelers and silversmiths such as Sazikov, Ovchinnikov, Khlebnikov, Rückert among others. The eggs were obviously my favorites but I really liked the religious works as well. The Faberge Museum is definitely a highlight of any visit to St. Petersburg! We left the museum and headed down Nevsky Prospekt (a main shopping street), passing by Palace Square, on the way back to the ship. It had been a very long day. We were supposed to be back at the ship by 5 and it was after 6:30. We were happily exhausted! Once we arrived back at the cruise terminal we took a quick peek at the small souvenir shops before heading back through immigration. The lines were almost non-existent and we were back on board the ship within a few minutes. Dinner at the Windjammer and back to our room to relax....and sleep!! Cruise Compass for Day 4: https://www.dropbox.com/s/tn5egoy101nl9pu/Complete%20Day%204.pdf?dl=0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna_In_India Posted August 26, 2016 Author #115 Share Posted August 26, 2016 Entrance to Pushkinskaya Metro Station, St. Petersburg Ticket Window Pushkinskaya Metro Station, St. Petersburg Inside Pushkinskaya Metro Station, St. Petersburg Metro at Pushkinskaya Metro Station, St. Petersburg Russian McDonalds across from Pushkinskaya Metro Station, St. Petersburg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna_In_India Posted August 26, 2016 Author #116 Share Posted August 26, 2016 St. Petersburg from the water St. Petersburg from the water Approaching Anichkov Bridge - the oldest and most famous bridge across the Fontanka River in Saint Petersburg Anichkov Bridge - the oldest and most famous bridge across the Fontanka River in Saint Petersburg Smoking....St. Petersburg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna_In_India Posted August 26, 2016 Author #117 Share Posted August 26, 2016 St. Petersburg from the water Peter and Paul Cathedral inside Peter and Paul Fortress, St. Petersburg Beach in front of Peter and Paul Fortress, St. Petersburg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna_In_India Posted August 26, 2016 Author #118 Share Posted August 26, 2016 Faberge Egg, Faberge Museum, St. Petersburg Faberge Egg, Faberge Museum, St. Petersburg Religious Object, Faberge Museum, St. Petersburg Religious Object, Faberge Museum, St. Petersburg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coralc Posted August 26, 2016 #119 Share Posted August 26, 2016 [quote name=Donna_In_India;50871854Religious Object' date=' Faberge Museum, St. Petersburg Those are really interestingly different! :D:):D Great and fascinating review and photos! Thanks for sharing your cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna_In_India Posted August 26, 2016 Author #120 Share Posted August 26, 2016 Those are really interestingly different! :D:):D Great and fascinating review and photos! Thanks for sharing your cruise. Thank you. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna_In_India Posted August 30, 2016 Author #121 Share Posted August 30, 2016 Cruise Compass Day 4 https://www.dropbox.com/s/tn5egoy101nl9pu/Complete%20Day%204.pdf?dl=0 On our second day in St. Petersburg we were through immigration within minutes. Our happy group of 12 was on the bus and ready for another day. Our first stop was at a market. It was not a market in the traditional sense of a foreign market - outdoors with separate stalls. It was indoors and more like a grocery store. There were separate sections - cheese, meat, spices, etc. Then there were a couple of stalls with fruits and vegetables that did look like they were separately owned since they had some of the same things for sale. I was disappointed that I didn't have any rubles to spend there. The didn't take foreign currency or credit card. Our guide had said that the market wasn't much and she was right. I was expecting something a bit different but it was interesting to see none the less. Next we headed to Peter and Paul Fortress. The fortress is located on Zayachy Island. It was ordered built by Peter the Great in 1703 and is considered to mark the founding of St. Petersburg. Originally built in wood it was later replaced - section by section - in stone which would take 20 years to complete. It has a grisly history - hundreds of forced laborers died while building the fortress. Later the bastions were used to guard and torture political prisoners, including Peter the Great's son, Aleksey. Although there are several buildings on the island the most famous (and the only one we explored) is the Cathedral of SS Peter and Paul. You can see its tall spire from many places around the city. The cathedral is the oldest church in St. Petersburg and was built in Baroque style which is very different than traditional Orthodox churches. Inside you will find the tombs of all the rulers of Russia since (and including) Peter the Great. Also here are the tombs of both Catherines and Elizabeth. The lids of the tombs are decorated with large bronze cross coated in pure gold. Tombs of the rulers have four bronze emblems of the Russian Empire at each corner. The marbled columns, sparkling chandeliers, colorfully painted decor, and the ornate nave and the pulput are truly beautiful and IMO this is must see when in St. Petersburg. There is much more to see at the fortress and I think you could spend several hours here (there is also a beach). Unfortunately being pressed for time other than the Cathedral we only popped in to see the boathouse (which is now a ticket office and souvenir shop) before leaving for our next stop, Church on Spilled Blood. All of my life I have seen photos of the Church on Spilled Blood. Before our cruise, if I had only been able to see one thing, this church would have been it. Well....sometimes things don't live up to your expectations. That is by no means to say that this isn't a spectacular church...it is. But there were just SO many amazing sights/places in St Petersburg, that when I left, I couldn't pick a favorite. Church of Spilled Blood is also known as the Resurrection of Our Saviour. It is located on Griboyedov Canal Embankment and you can get a split second glimpse of the church when you pass by in a boat. The Church was built on the spot where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated as a memorial to him. The exterior of the church is very busy....5 colorful domes, mosaic panels depicting scenes from the New Testament, ceramic tiles, carved marble, and more - but it all works. Inside there are 20+ types of minerals including jasper, rhodonite, serpentine, porphyry, and Italian marble - that are used on the mosaics of the iconostasis (the panel that separates the altar from the central part of the church), icon cases, floor and the canopy which sits over the exact spot where Alexander died. After exploring we went outside to see the church from different sides. Near the water were some buskers, small stalls selling souvenirs and an owl and raccoon available for a photo opp. The sun was shining and looking up at the church was just one of those perfect moments in time! We had such a full morning and it was time to turn our thoughts to lunch. We went to the Malt House (yes, I did think it was an odd choice). We had potato salad and beef stroganoff, which I normally love. The potato salad was excellent but the stroganoff (served with potatoes instead of noodles) was really not good. Apparently this was a new restaurant choice by TJ. Unfortunately it was not a great one. Next up - Peterhof...and a not-to-be missed St. Petersburg experience! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna_In_India Posted August 30, 2016 Author #122 Share Posted August 30, 2016 Inside the Market, St. Petersburg Inside the Market, St. Petersburg - these were DELICIOUS!! Inside the Market, St. Petersburg- Spices Inside the Market, St. Petersburg - Dried Fruits/Nuts Inside the Market, St. Petersburg - Looking like a grocery store Inside the Market, St. Petersburg - Fruits & Veggies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna_In_India Posted August 30, 2016 Author #123 Share Posted August 30, 2016 (edited) Entrance to the Peter and Paul Fortress is through the gates of the Ioannovskiy Ravelin The Mint - Peter and Paul Fortress Cathedral of SS Peter and Paul Inside Cathedral of SS Peter and Paul Inside Cathedral of SS Peter and Paul - The Nave Inside Cathedral of SS Peter and Paul - Tombs Edited August 30, 2016 by Donna_In_India Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna_In_India Posted August 30, 2016 Author #124 Share Posted August 30, 2016 St. Petersburg has GREAT street lamps Entrance to Church of Spilled Blood Entrance to Church of Spilled Blood Inside Church of Spilled Blood Inside Church of Spilled Blood Inside Church of Spilled Blood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna_In_India Posted August 30, 2016 Author #125 Share Posted August 30, 2016 Inside Church of Spilled Blood Inside Church of Spilled Blood Inside Church of Spilled Blood View from the back of Church of Spilled Blood The back of Church of Spilled Blood Entrance to/Lunch at The Malt House Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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