THE CRUISE

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THE CRUISE

Arrival in Copenhagen

The plane landed in Copenhagen. We took the metro from the airport to the city center. On the way up to street level, Aylin lost her footing and tumbled backward down the escalator. She was spinning around, trying to grab something so she could stand up. Luggage continued to bounce from step to step. I had two bags of my own. I left them to go down the stairs and reach Aylin. It was terrifying. Somehow she got to her feet. She was a trooper and insisted she was all right.

On the street, after turning in circles for a bit, wondering which way to go, a young man, pushing his son in a stroller, took Aylin’s bag and escorted us to our hotel. We had a comfortable double room at the Best Western Hotel. Aylin’s son had arranged the accommodations. She was exhausted and went to bed. I still thought she should see a doctor. She told me to go on without her.

I walked down to the canal a few blocks away. Tall outdoor heaters lined the boulevard. There were numerous small cafes, and I sat at an outdoor table and enjoyed a wonderful meal of mussels and fries.

The next day we had a few hours to sightsee before meeting the cruise ship. Aylin still did not feel like walking anywhere.

I was worried about Aylin's fall and suggested she get checked out when we got aboard. She continued to insist that she was tough and was just fine. She is very proud and independent, and I think she was embarrassed by her fall. Perhaps she was afraid her son would be alarmed and want her to come home. She rested while I shopped. Looking back, I realize I spent way too much time worrying about what to wear on the cruise ship.

When we arrived at the cruise ship, we walked into a big tent. We put our luggage in the proper space on the floor. Porters delivered our luggage to our room later. As we walked up the gangway, smiling staff members greeted us with Welcome Aboard. We showed our ticket and passport, and we received a medallion to have with us when we were on the ship; it identified us and our room, and I could locate Aylin if necessary.

We had an appointment for orientation in twenty minutes.

We found our room. Directions are posted on the walls near the elevators to make this easy. It was not easy. I always had trouble finding our room. It was small with no windows but big enough for us. It had a modern bathroom and a small closet and shelves for clothing. There was a large TV, with a channel about activities each day.

After attending our orientation meeting, we found the buffet. It was bursting with people. Once everyone had checked it out and sampled a few specialties, it was not as crowded since the buffet was open all day.

I was glad to see that there were many options. Everything looked delicious. There were many high-calorie foods, but there were also raw vegetables, seafood, and a wide variety of cooked vegetables. There were always several choices of meat and various kinds of ethnic food. There was a dessert station, a salad bar, and small beverage stations at either end of the dining halls.

There were two restaurants in addition to the buffet. And some specialty bars and restaurants cost extra. The obvious answer to not gaining weight on a cruise is to limit portions and dining frequency. We wandered around and found a dance floor with new-age music. We sat at a small table and ordered drinks and got up and danced with other women without partners. It was fun. As we passed by the spa on the way to the dining room, we signed up for a free Pamper Party the next day. We had a meal in one of the restaurants, with several choices of entrees and side dishes. It was like dining out, but without a bill at the end. We were both tired. It had been a long day, so we went back to our room.

I almost missed breakfast; I ate alone. Aylin is tired. I think she is still hurting from her fall. We went to the Pamper Party together. One of the technicians from the spa brought products for each of us to sample and explained good skincare habits. We all received a spa brochure listing available treatments and prices. There were no complimentary gifts.

Aylin and I went to the main desk to look at the excursions on this cruise. The ship tours were expensive. Aylin's son set up local guides for several countries at a more reasonable price.

The dance floor on the second deck had a line dancing class. The dance floor was packed, but we squeezed in. The instructor introduced the steps. We danced that dance once. Then she taught us another, and another; about five different dances in all. I needed more repetition to learn and remember the patterns for so many dances. The instructions were fun, though, and the activity kept us off the streets.

There was a formal welcome party that evening. Everyone dressed up. The Captain and some of the other officers gave short speeches. We were standing on the stairs so we could see. I grew weary of just being a spectator, and I wanted to sit down. I decided to go to dinner. Aylin stayed for photos and champagne.

The first excursion was the next day. I looked forward to it.

Stockholm, Sweden July 17, 2019

It was my birthday. A birthday announcement was taped to our door when we left our room this morning. I thought it was a nice gesture.

I think Stockholm looks a bit like Curacao, with houses painted in many different pastel colors. We visited a maritime museum and saw a 300-year-old ship that sank on its maiden voyage. It is impressive. We walked around Old Town and saw the tiny sculpture Iron Boy by Liss Eriksson. It is only five inches high and would be easy to miss. We were soon tired of walking, so we sat at a small cafe and had cinnamon rolls and tea.

When we got back to the ship, Aylin was sick to her stomach. I wish she would see a doctor. But she was better by morning.



Helsinki, Finland July 18, 2019

We visited two cathedrals in Helsinki. The Upenski cathedral was built as a Russian Orthodox Church but is now a Finnish Orthodox church. And the Helsinki cathedral is Lutheran.

In a park atop a small hill sits the Sibelius Monument. It offered a pleasant break from walking around inside old buildings and churches. The sculpture consists of dozens of large pipes welded together. They seem to hang from invisible strings and beg to be touched. I went into the middle of the sculpture to see how it looked from that viewing point. It honors Jean Sibelius, a famous Finnish Composer. Viewers and art critics thought this sculpture was too abstract because Sibelius wrote very little music for the organ. Eila Hiltunen, the artist, later added a second sculpture, a bust of Sibelius. I think the original dwarfs the second sculpture in size and interest.

The Rock Church is another Finnish wonder. Designed by Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen, it was built directly into solid rock. The domed ceiling consists of spiraling copper wire. Around noon the skylight floods the altar with a natural glow. The stone debris from the excavation was used to line the walls of the church. It enhanced the acoustics, making the church a popular venue for concerts.

As our excursion waned, we meandered through a small outdoor market. Then it was time to go back to the ship.

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Photos

COPENHAGEN - HOTEL LOBBY
Interesting fountain in our hotel entry.

BOATS SELLING FRESH FISH
Some of these may be houseboats along the canal, but some are merchants and craftspeople.

CANAL WITH RESTAURANTS
I love the colorful houses in Copenhagen. The white tents are restaurants. I had dinner at one of them.

SWIMMING INFORMATION
I love to swim, but this seems scary to me. I wonder about pollution as well as depth and boats.

THE REGAL PRINCESS
I don't think this is our ship...but ours was similar. It is hard to get a good photo, with all the other buildings, ships, and people around.

STOCKHOLM HARBOR - LINNANMAKI AMUSEMENT PARK
I love amusement parks. This one situated on the bay shines like a jewel.

BOY WATCHING THE MOON
Also known as Iron Boy, by Liss Erikssen, this statue is only 5.9 inches high. It is the smallest public monument in Stockholm. It is so small I did not remember seeing it or taking a photograph of it.

THE VASA
The ship is so big it is almost impossible to get a picture of it.

THE VASA MASTS
Three masts were reconstructed to exact height and specifications. The ship itself is 95% original.

VASA MUSEUM
This is a model of the Vasa battleship that sank in1628 on its maiden voyage.

CUT-AWAY MODEL OF THE VASA
The ship was like a small city, with a woodworking shop, kitchen, crew quarters, and storage.

NARROW ALLEY
I like to wander passageways like this.

THE ROCK CHURCH
Detractors say it looks more like a bunker than a church.

PROPER NAME - TEMPPELIAUKIO CHURCH
Carved out of rock, the construction debris was used for the walls. Good view of the skylight and the dome.

WALL BEHIND THE ALTAR
An ice-age crevice?

HELSINKI CATHEDRAL
Sometimes used for state functions.

UPENSKI CATHEDRAL
Built as a Russian Orthodox Church, it is now Finnish Orthodox. It has thirteen domes each with a gold cross. They represent Jesus and the Twelve Apostles.

HELSINKI - SIBELIUS MONUMENT
Jean Sibelius was a famous composer. This could be a giant organ, although the composer did not write much organ music.

WONDERFULLY MADE
So many photo opportunities. It was mesmerizing.

SURREAL
It seems to defy gravity.

THE APOLOGY
In Helsinki Photos online, someone took a side view of Sibelius with the pipes behind the bust. A much better composition.