09/23/2009 - Copenhagen, Denmark

---

Back in Copenhagen this morning; our first Baltic Sea cruise completed. So many memories! St. Petersburg is absolutely amazing and many times it’s hard to express in words what we saw. Russian nobility sure knew how to live the rich and opulent lifestyle. Roxie & I and Judy & Rodger moved all our stuff to our new cabins just a few doors down. We had 4 cabins in a row - Roxie & I, Barb & Gary, Judy & Rodger, Rick and Diana and Joe & Michelle were just across from us on the other side of the ship. We wanted to have both sides covered in case the aura borealis can only be seen on one side or another. After breakfast & moving our stuff, Judy and I got off the ship and got a taxi - went and saw the “Little Mermaid” up close. Then we had the driver take us to find Nyquil and wine. We found the wine, but not the Nyquil. The lady at the pharmacy said she had other forms of cough medicine, but I would need to get in line. Pharmacies are quite different here - the shops are very small and you have to line up to receive not only prescriptions, but also over-the-counter medicines. We headed back to the ship and waited until about 2:45 p.m. and got back off the ship to meet our arriving friends - Barb & Gary, Rick & Diana and Joe & Michelle. Had a group embarkation photo, less Rodger, who was waiting for us at a different spot on the ship. Great picture though! I developed a sinus infection and the drainage was causing my asthma to act up. Fortunately, I took my nebulizer and was able to use it each morning and at night; however, I needed to get some antibiotics so I went to the medical center - it was like being in an emergency room back home. They had everything available. They were even able to check my PT/INR using a drop a blood and a little meter similar to the glucose meter. Every doctor in the U.S. should have one of these in their office instead of always sending us to the lab. Also had the doctor check my swollen feet/ankles and the rash on my legs, which I thought were caused from a pair of my socks. He said no problem with the swelling and that the rash was from too much walking - I’d broken the little capillaries on the surface of the skin to cause the rash. Is that a surprise - on a cruise and visiting new countries and I’m walking too much!!! They itch like crazy at night. Anyway he gave me an antibiotic (Z-Pac), cough syrup and water pills for 3 days. Also, told me to put my life jacket under the bottom of the mattress and sleep with my feet up so I got the cabin steward to help me do that.

---

Comments

[Carolyn Taylor]

Yeah for Z-pacs
Hi Delaine, I've enjoyed reading your blogs. Sorry you are ill. I AWAYS travel with at least one Z-pac of anti-biotics, Cipro and a few other RXs. Pharmarcies differ all over the world. In some places you can get what we need Rxs for over the counter. In Europe most over the counter stuff that we have is impossible to find. I couldn't even get Tylenol when I was in FLorence one time. I had to get a very expensive 12 pack of something like it. I went through in in 2 days and was back getting more. There are no such places as Walgreens. I pretty much pack a small pharmarcy with me. Good idea to go to the ship's doctor. Carolyn