👀Another Blast from the Past - Serenade Baltics August 19, 2018🚢

[Goodtime Cruizin]

 few of our pics from Stockholm.  The wife set her alarm to wake up for sunrise @ 3:45am ! Not me though. Ha! 

[Goodtime Cruizin]

We did a guided walking tour and we met in old Square. We arrived early enough to grab a coffee and breakfast at this lil restaurant... 

[Goodtime Cruizin]

In the 1800's you had to pay a fire tax before the Fire Dept would come to your home in a fire emergency. The emblem above the door let the firemen know if you had paid or not. No emblem, no help in a fire!

[Goodtime Cruizin]

One thing we noticed was how crowded Stockholm was. From adults to kids, everyone was out & about. I asked our guide if it was a holiday or something her reply was, "No it's just that the temperature is to be in the low 70's today, so everyone has taken off work. We don't get many days like this in May."   We took a water taxi to cross over from Stockholm to Djurgarden Island. We visited the Vasa Museum, enjoyed a nice lunch in a beautiful park and also grabbed a quick pic of us at the Abby mural. 

 

[Goodtime Cruizin]

...and along the way on the walking tour... we walked right by this establishment. Turns out, the owner received his undergrad at UT and loved it so much he set up shop back home in Stockholm. 

[John&LaLa]

August 24, 2020 - Day 4 - Tallinn, Estonia

 

The coolest little cruise city you never heard of, at least I hadn't.

I mean, I was familiar with the region of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, but had no idea how nice it was.

 

Anyway, welcome to Tallinn

Our morning approach

 

This is definitely a stop you can walk int town 

 

It's under two kilometres to the old city if I had to guess

 

I am here is accurate

 

Let's go

 

 

 

[njkruzer]

Loved Tallin.  Wandered around the old city.  Ate in a lovely restaurant and while there we wouldn't be able to leave as there was an anti-Russia demonstration outside against the invasion of the Ukraine at the Russian embassy across the way!  There was another exit.  Great Apothecary with a museum, but still fully operating. They sold chocolate bars with our name on them!  

[John&LaLa]

Fat Margaret

The wall is know as Margaret's wall since she commissioned it in the 13th century. Pretty sure this was added later

 

I'd guess 90% of the cruise pax come through the Great Coastal Gate

 

We did

 

Estonia crest

 

Back side of the gate, Maritime Museum on right

 

 

St Olaf's Church (not the snowman from Frozen)

 

[Goodtime Cruizin]

Awesome pictures and great review. Keep'em coming! 

BTW, Talin was the port stop our cruise that fell on our 40th wedding anniversary. We really enjoyed it and it's also where my avatar pic is from! Cheers!   

Edited August 30, 2020 by Goodtime Cruizin

[John&LaLa]

BTW, pretty much everything in the old city is protected, and the wall is everywhere.

The uniqueness of the still standing wall made Tallinn old town a UNESCO site back in the 90's

 

Heading up Pikk street

 

A little bit of TX in Estonia as well

 

 

 

This is actually a reverse fork on our path

 

We came up the road on the left

 

 

Swedish Ambassadors house

 

 

 

 

Edited August 30, 2020 by John&LaLa

[Goodtime Cruizin]

There is no doubt that I would have had to stop for a beer in the Texas Honky Tonk even if it required a quick chugging. Great image right there. 

[John&LaLa]

Sorry I am behind we hosted a birthday party for Bella's dogsitter, and we had a successful rocket launch as well

Even nailed the landing

 

 

[John&LaLa]

Back to Tallinn. 

Headed to the square.

 

This coffee shop had the coolest window display, a ferris wheel of spoons, coffee cups were the riders

It was impossible to shoot with no filter due to reflections

 

Lot's of cheap gift shops, I may be back

 

The square is right off the main drag

 

It was bustling with 4 ship's in town, plus the ferries

 

Laura found a long cardigan, she still wears this all the time

 

Fur hat, very nice but 200 Euro, let's find a fake

 

I had the bright idea that we could find a fake hat back at the port

 

I was wrong

 

 

Edited August 31, 2020 by John&LaLa

[njkruzer]

I think that's the coffee shop we ate at.

[John&LaLa]

So, no fake hats at the port. They didn't even have the style we wanted in a real one.

So I dropped Laura off at the ship and headed back to town

Be right back

 

Nothing here

 

Nope

 

I may be going in a circle, did I tell you I went a different route

 

Found it, right around the corner from the Square🤣

I think it was $20, Chinese no doubt, but it will do for tomorrow's trip to Russia

 

Let's head back via an even different route

 

 

I actually like being on my own, easier to stop and look at things

 

There are new buildings outside the walls

Edited August 31, 2020 by John&LaLa

[njkruzer]

17 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

Sorry I am behind we hosted a birthday party for Bella's dogsitter, and we had a successful rocket launch as well

Even nailed the landing

 

 

like the pictures.  Have been to one launch, many years ago, 1996 I think, when our son had an experiment on the shuttle being launched.  STS 75.

[John&LaLa]

More stuff outside the walls

 

Temporary housing for construction workers

Reminds me of the 'man camps' in North Dakota from my oil field days

 

Downtown of the capital of Estonia

 

Electric trolleys

 

Surely I'm not the only one who took a picture of the aluminum ladies

At least I think they are aluminum, it's not like I fondled them

 

Hey, I found the port

 

Almost there

 

Reminds me of Cozumel or St Marrten

 

Look who is waiting for me

You can see the outdoor WJ right above us

 

Guess what's in the bag?

[Westaussie]

Have enjoyed all your blogs and lovely photos.  This one is bringing back memories of a similar cruise a few years ago.  Loved Tallinn.  What caught my attention was 'Serenade' was supposed to be boarding her in October on a Pacific Island cruise from Sydney.

Edited August 31, 2020 by Westaussie

[John&LaLa]

Back on the ship

 

Panoramic shot of old town

 

New town and ferry docks

 

A couple of ferries. These things load and unload quick, just a few hours to turn around

Lots of shoppers from both Sweden and Finland from what I understand

 

Cool bridge with balconies above it on the ship next to us

 

I think this is the Captain

 

P&O ship on the other side. Kind of garish if you ask me.

 

Not sure, but this may be a Soviet relic

 

Another shot of downtown

 

And a last one of the walled city. 

I hope we make it back soon

[John&LaLa]

9 minutes ago, Westaussie said:

Have enjoyed all your blogs and lovely photos.  This one is bringing back memories of a similar cruise a few years ago.  Loved Tallinn.  What caught my attention was 'Serenade' was supposed to be boarding her in October on a Pacific Island cruise from Sydney.

 

Thanks, we're supposed to be out your way in March for Ovation.

Round trip to NZ, and then round AU on the way to Singapore

I kind of doubt we make it.

 

So, it wasn't the googly eyes that caught your attention.🤣

Edited August 31, 2020 by John&LaLa

[Westaussie]

1 minute ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Thanks, we're supposed to be out your way in March for Ovation.

Round trip to NZ, and then round AU on the way to Singapore

I kind of doubt we make it.

 

So, it wasn't the googly eyes that caught your attention.🤣

Sadly, I doubt it too.  We've had three cruises cancelled this year and expect the same for April next year to Papua New Guinea (would have been interesting)  Hope you get this way in the not too distant future. 

[John&LaLa]

Winding up a perfect day

 

Once again not much in the way of food pics, but I do think we went to Giovanni's

 

Lamb bones

 

Stuffed peppers

 

And the obligatory ship's wheel after dinner usually means we did specialty dining

 

More selfie practice

 

Sunset on the Baltic Sea

 

Nice moon from our balcony

[John&LaLa]

Since I shared the hat story, here is a preview of my wife as Anastasia tomorrow

 

Good night

 

спокойной ночи

spokoynoy nochi

[bobmacliberty]

10 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

 

Great picture!  Did you have your new camera for this trip or did that come later?  Interesting that you're finding TX themed places.  What do non-Americans think when they think about the US?  Guessing it's NYC, LA, Florida, and Texas.  Ohio probably doesn't make the list. 😁

[John&LaLa]

8 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

Great picture!  Did you have your new camera for this trip or did that come later?  Interesting that you're finding TX themed places.  What do non-Americans think when they think about the US?  Guessing it's NYC, LA, Florida, and Texas.  Ohio probably doesn't make the list. 😁

 

That was from the phone. Galaxy S9+

 

It doesnt zoom very good, though

 

I'd bet TX is hands down the winner in US references overseas, followed by CA

Edited August 31, 2020 by John&LaLa