Bubbles in the Baltic

Bubbles Blog from a boat on the Baltic

On Friday 30^th March I experienced an extremely exciting start to the trip - I am a thrill seeker you know and I really enjoyed being posted from Stanley Common through Royal Mail to Ridgeway as a small parcel and arrived just in time. Wow! That was fun. I didn’t get flattened like Flat Stanley

I needed a drink at the Britannia Park Country Hotel – It was Friday night you know. 

I managed to eat my big breakfast at the airport – actually I didn’t manage all of it I had to share with Jo! 

I loved flying in the aeroplane to Helsinki. I had a window seat – lucky me.

Day 1 and 2 Helsinki.

We arrived safely at our hotel beside the harbour in Helsinki.
I have never seen frozen sea before and this is from the 14^th floor of the Carillion Hotel (which was surprisingly finished!). The ice breakers had to go out in front of the ships every day!

 

A visit to Helsinki - The land of giants!  

 

What a poser outside the Parliament building.

About to set sail for St Petersburg.     

Day 3 St Petersburg

Comfortable travelling by coach.      

First views of St Petersburg were a bit grim.

 

The winter palace and the hermitage across the frozen Neva River.

 

Met some of the locals. Happy days!

 

Afternoon trip to Peterhof - the Summer Palace

 

  However - very cold in winter. Blue tits abound.

 

Putin’s palace! The haves…

                                                             …….the have nots.

They are hoping that the World Cup is still coming.

 

 

Back aboard the Anastasia

Day 4  Tallinn 

 

 

Every 5 years they hold a mega singing festival which rumour has it helped them to win the war. Just like the Sound of Music. The Estonians love to sing.

The founder Gustav Ernesaks with a snowball in his eye! 

Very tempting to stay and play in the snow. 

 

Me posing happily as always in snowy Tallinn

 

         

Lovely medieval town and happy people from olden yore

A tasteful view of McDonalds for a catch up with the map, a latte and free Wifi!

 

                       The medieval town walls.                            

The park and no sign of rain

Back on board for a beautiful sunset.

 

Day 5 Stockholm   

Home of the ABBA museum!!

 

A guided tour by bus around the city

 The changing of the guards with the new recruits and full marching band.

Medieval Church

 

What a wonderful sculpture garden in an elite residential area. Sculptures by Niki de Saint Phalle (who is French!)

    Quite a lot of topical potholes

The beautiful square. I thought I was posing on a mountain of rubble but it was the snow clearance that had been 10 metres high before the thaw!

Back on the ship and tried feeding the seagulls.

Art from the deck. Very complimentary colours.

 

Day 6 Back in Helsinki

Early morning swim. I stayed with Pinkie and Noir

The obligatory coach tour of the city

 

Day 7 Helsinki

 

a trip to the Athenian Art Museum

Here are some painters I recognised.

Off back to the UK. Super flight