Almost..........

Well I am sitting in Atlanta airport waiting to board our last leg of the trip.  One hour plus from Atlanta to Wilmington, but it looks like it will be delayed, so it is a good time to write the last entry. 

Our last day in Paris was very nice.  We decided to take the second day on the Open Tour double decker hop on hop off sightseeing bus.  We got started on another very nice mild day about 10AM.  We spent some time at the Eiffel Tower, than at the main square with the Egyptian obelisk.  We then walked through the Tuileries gardens over to the Louvre stop.  We then road around some more ending up at the Musee de Orsay that was recommended by a fellow traveler on the Ferry over from Dover.  Lyle took the bus back to the Marriott but the three of us spent about two hours looking at some very nice paintings by well-known artists, Monet, Rembrandt, Cézanne, and Picasso  to name a few.

When we got back we decided to work on the rum so as not to have to take it home partially full.  We were successful pouring the last into the souvenir Russian flask. Dinner was a result of some wandering around and we ended up at a small Italian restaurant owned by a young man from Florence.  I had meatballs and penne which were very good.

Before getting back to the room for packing, I found an ATM and got the euros for the morning taxi 60.

The alarm and the wakeup calls started at 4:30 AM and we out an in a taxi by 5:20 AM.  Looking at my watch that was now 18 hours ago.  We had a little problem finding the right lines to wait in and then got to wait for a very long time for the security process, although it is less extensive that US you can leave your shoes and belt on.   (Just got the announcement that our aircraft to Wilmington has called maintenance for low oil pressure…….not a good sign)

Sun was up and bright when we boarded a Boeing 637 Jet painted Delta although we had been advised that we had to check in with Air France.  Nine hours, three movies, two meals and some sleep we looked out and saw green fields around Hartsfield airport.

Passport control and customs went well, but I had bought a bottle of Captain Morgan to replace the Bacardi Oak heart we finished in the room the night before, and I had to get a fourth bagged checked so it could come with us.  We had been able to check 4 bags going but in France they only gave us three.  You get one free for international, and I have the Delta Gold American Express card which gives a free bag on every flight for the annual fee.

So we are here in Atlanta, Charlotte has her Kindle Fire back plugged in and I plugged my computer in after detaching the converter adapter plugs we needed in Paris and of course a different one for the cruise….so we are back on USA AC.

Charlotte just talked to Monique who is still struggling with her stomach and leg.  Grace has been tremendous in helping out while we were gone and it looks like Charlotte will be leaving very shortly for a caretaking stint in Nashville.  I cannot go as I have commitments to the town and to our business, and to a couple of board meetings for the next couple of weeks.  Because of the greater needs in Nashville we have decided that we will not go to Arizona for the cousins reunion scheduled for Flagstaff the second week of October.  I was really looking forward to that, but I am sure Russ will do an excellent job sharing the new letters, cards, and insights that have been developed on the Greens since out last review a couple of years back.  Also I expect to see Glenn Rex and he and David are making a trip next week to look for a vacation home on the Carolina coast and will be staying with us (now me)

So it is time to wrap up the fabulous Baltic Cruise with a couple of thoughts that I came up with.  First though it was really special to share our third trip with Lyle and Marlene and to share their 47th anniversary and Lyle’s birthday in St. Petersburg.  I guess the world leaders are there soon too for G 20.

Speaking of the world leaders.  After this trip I rank world history leaders this way.  Charlemagne, Peter the Great, Napoleon, and Winston Churchill….I have omitted the religious perspective which is probably even more significant at least if you look at the headlines today. 

I have also theorized that world history is like a game of rock, paper scissors.  The rock is the buildup of economic systems, paper is the laws and to govern, and scissors is the war and destruction.  So history is a reordering of each of these elements with each one being displaced and dominated by another.  Success as a world power requires balancing all three elements, sound economics, fair and even laws for the people, and the ability to conquer and protect with superior weapons.

Anyway I have enjoyed putting some personal perspective on all those western civilization history stories I have read and learned along my life’s journey.  I do hope that Charlotte and I can continue to build on this pleasurable exercise, but if not, it has been a real nice experience.  I hope that those who came along in the blog had some fun too.

Good Bye from the Baltic Cruise 2012 but here are some last images….

Triumph

 The Arc de  Triumph near our hotel on Av Des Champs-Elysees

 Very Attractive Special Display that is the Eiffel Tower

 on the Place de La Concord biggest square in Paris

 I did not buy everything I saw in Paris

 View from top of Musse de Orsay looking through Clock to other side of Seine

 same idea

 From Left Bank one of the places we did not ride the river cruise boats

 the lower photo is packing the taxi in the dark for trip to airport

 we recommend the plastic 4 way swivel luggage for travel avail at Costco

 inside Charles de Gaulle airport just before sunrise

Survivors of the Great Baltic Cruise of 2013

 

 

 

Paris Perfect

I am back again after a full day in Paris.  We just finished dinner at a small Swiss restaurant on a back street behind the Marriot.  Much more reasonable than last night but I am back in the room while Charlotte and Marlene enjoy an evening in Paris….they plan to walk to the Eiffel Tower 1.2 miles away,

After a 9:30 AM breakfast at the Marriott we decided we would jump on the “open tour” hop on hop off tour bus.  Besides the Grand Tour they have other loops with over 50 stops in Paris, so we bought two days.

The weather was perfect started at about 59 and a high of 77 Fahrenheit. There was not a cloud in the sky so it looks like almost three weeks with opening the umbrella since the first day…..we were very fortunate. 

Since I have internet that is free and fast this one will just show you lots of pictures we took today, 

 The number one Icon of the trip

 lower view of Eiffel tower from Universal Exhibition of 1889

 Charlotte enjoying early morning bus ride

Temple of Glory Napoleon 1806

 Paris Flower Market

 Outside of Notre Dame

 a souvenir shop on the Left Bank of Seine

 This was Dinner restaurant for Labor Day in Paris

 a complimentary appertiff

 a purchased bottle of wine

Dick's first French Fries ever

Taxis, Buses, Ferry, Trains and Reward

Happy Labor Day from Paris, I am a day behind in the blog so this one is for Sunday.  As you recall we docked in Dover where we had boarded Carnival Legend 12 days ago on a Tuesday.  We decided to “self assist” for debarkation, which simply meant we had to get our own suitcases off the ship which we accomplished about 6:50 AM after a quick last breakfast for Charlotte, Marlene, and me.

Our first order was to find a taxi which was no trouble and he took us a short distance to a bus station for on 8 pounds including our 8 suitcases.  We had to wait at the station for a connection bus which came about ½ hour before boarding time for the ferry to Calais.  We got lucky we did not have to take out suitcases off for the security check but just our persons.  Once at the ferry we put our cases on a baggage trolley and just had to walk on to the ferry on an incline for 7 floors.  We were fortunate that there were not many foot passengers but many people had driven their car on.

The ferry ride on the P & O Ferry took 90 minutes.  Once off the ferry we reversed the process and claimed our bags once again.  We thought we had to take a taxi to the train station in Calais but

discovered a shuttle bus for just two euros each (see we have switched back to euros once again except on the ferry Charlotte and Lyle bought coffees but got change in crowns….)

Once at the Calais “Ville” station Charlotte and I bought our ticket but then they said that Marlene and Lyle had to buy on the train as it was time to board.   We could not move our luggage fast enough and the conductor waived us off as we were about to descend step to a waiting train….so…….  We had to buy another ticket this one 10 Euros each more a total of 71 Euros, but the next train was two hours later at 1:35 PM.  Lyle got a seat in the waiting room and watched the suitcases while the rest of us took 15 minutes to check out the town.

Finally we figured out which track out train was to come on and “horsed” the luggage down three flights of steep steps to the platform and boarded the local train to Lille Flanders.  I was assured by a French train conductor the transfer at Lille would be easy.  The trip to Lille was in a beautiful new train and was through beautiful rural French countryside.  The ride was 90 minutes stopping every 20 minutes and picking up a few passengers seemed to be mostly young people on the way to school in Paris.

At Lille there were lots of tracks and we only had 12 minutes to find our train and switch.  It was a close call as we first had to figure out which track and the board was hidden by sunlight but found someone who could read it.  Once we found track 8 our car was number 13 and Snows were in number 16.  We hustled down the platform each pulling two suitcases we found a conductor that told us our car had a green door about two cars ahead.  A nice person helped Charlotte pull her bags aboard and I was right behind.  The doors closed almost immediately and we began looking for our assigned seats which turned out to be all the way forward so we were trying to get our bags down the full length aisle of a moving train.  Fortunately there was a luggage storage area empty right next to our seats.

Turns out we were on a high speed train.  Once we were up to speed we would be moving at least double the speed of cars on a four land highway we could see.  I hear they can reach speeds of 300 MPH.  A quick one hour later we pulled in the Paris Nord the main train station.  With all out luggage we found Lyle and Marlene had made the train and actually we ahead of us walking towards the train station.  The second person who approached offering a cab was selected and we followed her in a different direction than the posted taxi signs.  Giving her a 10 Euro note she found a cab that had a meter.  With an address of 70 Champs-Elysees the cab knew where the Marriott was.  The fare was about 14 Euros but with extras for 8 suitcases it was 25.10 Euros or rounded to 30 making the taxi 40 Euros nearly $50.00 but we had survived the trip and were at our objective.

Eschewing any more “assistance” Marlene elected to pull her two bags on the escalators and I followed next was Lyle and last was Charlotte.  A few minutes later at reception I noticed that Charlotte was not there.  Turns out she did a forward fall on the escalator leaving one suit case behind and caused a number of people to panic that she may be hurt.  She was not but the bellmen were scolded by an offended French guest for not showing her the elevator.

Well turn outs the rooms were not ready so Marriott bought us a drink and parked in the lobby for about 30 minutes than gave us one room.  That room is ours and is VERY nice, but without a view.  Is spacious, has both a bathtub and a shower and a wide screen Flat TV with a couple of nice chairs.  On the desk was a bottle of champagne and a cake that said Happy Birthday.  The Snows sent a nice thank you to Chad, but alas, it was a mistake as the hotel switch rooms to get us both on the same floor the gifts were for another guest.  But they let us keep it.   So there was a reward at the end of a very strenuous day.

After our relaxation time we walked up what I think is the most beautiful avenue I have ever seen and found a restaurant and had a nice meal albeit a bit pricey…but then this is Paris…….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Triple X's

Greetings from our last port of call Amsterdam.  When we awoke around 7 I looked out the window and saw smokestacks I thought we had docked but no, that was the locks that we had to pass through and actually almost 3 hours later we reached the passenger terminal in Amsterdam.

As we were moving up the Amstel River it began raining so it appeared that our steak of good weather luck had run out.  However by the time we reached the tour buses which we reached all under cover it had ceased raining, and by the end of our three hour walking and canal tour I was in shirt sleeves and enjoying the hottest sun of the trip.

Amsterdam was founded in 1275 as a fishing village with a population of 30,000 by 1600 but this century was the Golden Age for the Dutch as they established trading companies out of Holland that traded the world like the Hudson Bay company in New York and Canada, and the Dutch East India company that established trades routes to the East the primary spot Java is now Jakarta. So by 1700 there were 200,000 people in Amsterdam.  Today there are 800,000 but more bicycles because only 30% of people own cars.

Politically Amsterdam was under Spanish rule but several districts were given autonomy and a couple of them were Holland.  Today the word Holland is not used as the country is called the Netherlands but an orange clad nation roots for Holland at soccer games.  After the reformation the Catholics were not allowed to worship publicly (1578) until Napoleon came by in 1795 but after Waterloo the Netherlands formed a constitutional monarchy.  On April 13^th (Speer’s 40^th birthday) the Queen abdicated and King William Alexander became King the first King in 124 years.  His queen is from Argentina and her name is Maxima.

Our walking tour took us from the city center around the area and included the red light district which is really a mixed area.  The XXX in the city crest does not stand for SEX DRUGS and ROCK and ROLL but for St Nicholas’s protection against the three threats of water (rising) fire, and plague.  In fact the government has a program buying up properties which are used for sex and drugs.  However there will be coffee houses (which is an establishment where besides drinking coffee, cannabis is legal) and red light houses….just not so many. We did not actually go into a church but walked through a museum and a former convent that is used as a protestant church and has a 1644 wooden house, they now have to be brick for fire hazard.  The last few yards we walked was through the world famous floating flower market which was concentrating on selling tulip bulbs (tulips are actually from Turkey)

The last hour of our organized tour was a canal boat ride.  The boat was in much better shape than those in St Petersburg.  The canals were all hand dug and this year the city is celebrating the 400 year anniversary.  The canals run in 3 half circles radiating from the harbor.  The canals were used to control water, drainage, and for traveling.  The merchants built warehouses along the canals and unloaded ships directly in front of their business.  Today those old warehouses have been converted to upscale residences.  Along the trip we passed the Ann Frank house which is the most visited place in Amsterdam over 1,000,000 a year.  Lyle and Marlene went through there.  It was a sad experience.  The family and friends a total of 8 people hid in small area behind a business owned by the father Otto Frank.  Ann died in August of 1945 in Auschwitz of typhoid not gassed.

We got back to ship about 2 and ate a bite.  I will send this blog using up the last of my internet.  Tomorrow we will disembark between 5 and 8:30 making our way to Paris.  We do not have anything certain booked until we reach our hotel in Paris……so be sure to check how we make out.

 

 

 

 

 

Ship Shapes

I am writing this on the second sea day after Tallinn.  We have been entertaining ourselves on the Carnival Legend along with about 2300 other passengers attended to by a crew of 900.  This is Day 10 of our Baltic Cruise and the end is fast approaching.  We have one more port of call…Amsterdam, and then overnight back to Dover.

We have met a number of other passengers this morning at breakfast a couple of Canadian couples and a couple rebuilding their home on Long Island damaged by hurricane Sandy.  Yesterday we talked with a couple from Croatia who live in Los Angeles but spent 4 months in Stone, Croatia.  The other couple was from Nottingham England.  All seem to enjoy cruising and Carnival for its value for the cost.  I certainly agree.

I took some pictures of the ship and will down load a few with today’s blog.  On Sunday after we dock the ship will turn around and leave for a cruise around Norway.  After that, Legend will cruise around the British Isles and then a transatlantic cruise to Greenland, Newfoundland, Canada ending in New York.  Then the next one is to Tampa where the ship will go into dry dock for a couple of months for refurbishing.  We have met some cruisers who are going all the way to Tampa and many that will be staying on Sunday.  The ship was built in 2002 in Helsinki and still in very good shape.  It certainly has more bars nestled away than the Holland America Line.  I think the shows produced by Carnival are better with more dancers and equally as good vocalists.  The children for people that bring them are accommodated by a nice program, and there are a couple of pools and a water slide.  However, there is a secluded Serenity Pool area for adults only.  And, the late night comedy club caters to adults only with an earlier edition for families.  In the pictures you will see the décor of the ship with three “Hyatt” type outside elevators with plenty of other elevators.  In speaking with Tony from Croatia who had a tour of the engine room there are twelve engines with no drive shafts but the engines drive a generator which produces electricity which is then directed to the propellers and bow thrusters allowing the huge ship to maneuver into some very tight places to dock.

These last two sea days Charlotte and I got up and made the dining rooms for breakfast.  Yesterday Charlotte did some laundry for the second time and I watched a move, “Taken 2” from 12 to 2.  I then played the poker tourney but lost on a bad decision disregarding a higher straight.  We then have a cocktail hour before dining at 6.  Last night was elegant evening 2 and the show after dinner was a Marti Gras theme, “Big Easy” we again got front row seats and it was a great production.  The night before Kathy Satterfield, a British vocalist gave an energetic show singing and impersonating recent star female vocalist.  Last night we caught the comedy club for a while, the comedian was Ronnie Bullard from North Carolina.

Yesterday I did some research on how we are going to get to Paris for a couple of days post cruise.  The plan is to get off the ship with our own luggage before 6 AM then hopefully get a taxi to the P &O ferry just about ½ mile down the docks catching a 90 minute ferry across the English Channel.  Then in Calais we will catch a train to Paris.  There is some uncertainty regarding how the schedules will work together and will the need for three taxis but hopefully we will get to Paris early Sunday afternoon.

I still have about 60 minutes of internet time so I promise to send one and possibly two more cruise reports before we disembark.

But everything is ship shape except of course our waistlines.  Fortunately I am typing instead of eating sometimes.  I would say the fun in Carnival is food and drink oriented, but it is a great way to relax and for me to see parts of the world that I have only read about and seen pictures.  However after watching the movie today about the capture of Osama bin Laden, “Dark Thirty” I am considering skipping Pakistan and Afghanistan.

But tomorrow the port of Amsterdam will be a repeat country for me, but this time I will be downtown instead of at the airport should be great. Lyle and Marlene are going to the Anne Frank house.  The Macartney are walking and doing canal tour. 

 

 

 

 

Tale of Tallinn

Another beautiful day this time in Estonia.  By gaining an hour we were well rested by the time our ship arrived into the port of Tallinn at 7 AM.  Since Charlotte and I did not sign up for a shore excursion we decided to have breakfast in Truffles the white table cloth restaurant where we normally eat early dinner.  As we were eating, enjoying the company of a couple from Ottawa, we watched Lyle and Marlene ambling up the pier.

We left about 9 AM and found a hop on hop off bus for a tour.  The bus ride took about 50 minutes and we ended up at Old Town along with all the other tours.

Tallinn is now a modern city with a medieval past.  One of the main values of Tallinn is that a large share of the old buildings is preserved and there are now some modern skyscrapers as well.  The present Tallinn area was inhabited at the end of the 10^th century. The Estonian tribes built a stronghold on the Toompea hill in the immediate vicinity of the port. Thanks to its advantageous location near the seas it became an important stop on the East-West trading route. Denmark conquered the stronghold in1219 and built their own fortress there and this began the 700 year period during the time it was ruled by other countries, with many battles fought between the countries for control of Estonia occurring on Estonian land.  Tallinn joined the Hanseatic League of German trading towns in the 13^th century and has keep the form of government established then Peter the Great acquired Tallinn when he defeated the Swedes and built a palace where he stayed when he visited.

There are 1.4 million people in Estonia with about 400,000 in Tallinn.  In 1940 the blue black and white Estonia flag was banned with Estonia under Soviet rule until the bloodless singing revolution started on the “song grounds” where the stage fits 40,000 singers on August 20, 1991. 

Our bus went by the Song Grounds, the central business district, and old fire house and the new Methodist church not to mention the skyscrapers and hotels, but the focal part of the town is still Tallinn old town still behind some limestone walls, but the moat has been removed and the towers have red roofs instead of open for defensive purposes.

Did some souvenir shopping in the bring sunlight and got back to the ship about 1 PM.  I decide to write the blog from the Lido deck around the pool and when I got back to my spot with my beer and cheeseburger, Lyle and Marlene were sitting there they had run into Charlotte and she told them where we were.  We compared notes and purchases and they have retired for a nap so I will finish writing, and then add just a few pictures.  I have more pictures but it takes forever to down load them and internet is very pricey so sorry about that.

We now have two sea days before Amsterdam.  In Amsterdam I will try to find free WI fi for the next blog and also to make our travel arrangements to get to Paris since plan A fell through with a taxi to drive us.

So we will play at Sea for two days and get back to you in Holland.