Though that was our mentality, we actually did quite a bit today. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and ice cream.
We also went to an excursion presentation to get some ideas for our other ports, we attended a presentation on amber to learn about amber (the Baltic is where most amber is produced), we also attended presentations on Russian crafts and the recommended shopping areas. Each of these presentations had raffles or guessing games. The crafts presentation had us guess the number of dolls inside the foot-and-a-half-tall Russian stacking doll (I can't spell the Russian name for these). The answer was 30, which was far from what we had guessed. Myra was closest with 26. But I won the raffle for the amber drawing :) I got an rough emerald heart pendent. I don't care much for the heart shape, but I do like winning :)
We played a game of Bingo with our free Bingo card. If it weren't free we wouldn't have done it. Then we did trivia, where we scored a great 9/20. Then we went to dinner, where Myra repeated her 5 appetizer and one entree feat from the night before. Afterwards, Myra and I retired to the room and Rich went to the evening performance. Then we went swimming and hot tubbing and went to bed satisfied.
~Mia
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Day 8: Warnemünde/Wismar (Germany) - We didn't go to Lübeck
An announcement at 7:20 told us we had arrived in Germany. At the time, the information was not particularly welcomed by the sleepers in room #9307. We eventually did get up, had breakfast in the restaurant, then went ashore just before 10:00. Warnemünde is a pretty little seaside tourist town, but we had bigger goals in mind: we were going to go on a journey to the faraway city of Lübeck. The reason? None other than we like riding trains and Mia had found a way to get to Lübeck with a day pass. From Warnemünde we took a train ride with such sights as water pipes and constructions zones to Rostock, the main local city. We hadn't had time to figure out the trains before we realized we'd missed the one to Lübeck and they departed only every 2 hours. The next train to Wismar, though, another city Mia had researched that was halfway to Lübeck, was in an hour. So we wandered Rostock for a long uneventful hour, then took an hour train ride of great countryside beauty to Wismar.
Wismar is a lovely cobblestone-street town
with old buildings, some being restored from when they were bombed in the 40s, such as the huge and impressive St. Nikolai church.
We got some real, yummy, German hot chocolate, then wandered the town. For lunch we tried real German hot dogs, and some variety chocolates. Other than a few frantic bursts of rain, the weather was nice, we got by with limited German, and we really liked Wismar.
We were also lucky on the timing - we just happened to arrive in the market square during a classic car show. As far as we could tell, it was going from Hamburg to Berlin over 3 days, and there were at least 190 numbered cars.
From convertibles to tiny cars to fire engines, it was quite show. The cars paraded through the square, stopping for pictures or to chat or whatnot. Some of the drivers wore aviation hats and goggles. It made the day for Rich, and Mia and I enjoyed the unusual show. We have great timing!
-Myra
From Mia:
We got back to the ship in time for the German Folkloric show at 7. It only lasted for an hour and Myra and I both enjoyed it, while Rich did not. He doesn't like any sort of dance. The show was mostly dancing, with one performance of flag weaving, which we all, even Rich, enjoyed. We were all also entertained with the children's dances, especially the audience participation.
After the show we went to dinner with a healthy appetite - Myra ordered 5 appetizers and an entree. After a very satisfying meal, we went hot tubbing. After Myra and Rich went back to the room, I could no longer resist the call of the swimming pool, so I got in to the nice warm and wavy water and swam for 20 minutes. I only went in because it was getting too late. We went to bed soon after, very ready for a relaxing day at sea tomorrow.
Wismar is a lovely cobblestone-street town
with old buildings, some being restored from when they were bombed in the 40s, such as the huge and impressive St. Nikolai church.
We got some real, yummy, German hot chocolate, then wandered the town. For lunch we tried real German hot dogs, and some variety chocolates. Other than a few frantic bursts of rain, the weather was nice, we got by with limited German, and we really liked Wismar.
We were also lucky on the timing - we just happened to arrive in the market square during a classic car show. As far as we could tell, it was going from Hamburg to Berlin over 3 days, and there were at least 190 numbered cars.
From convertibles to tiny cars to fire engines, it was quite show. The cars paraded through the square, stopping for pictures or to chat or whatnot. Some of the drivers wore aviation hats and goggles. It made the day for Rich, and Mia and I enjoyed the unusual show. We have great timing!
-Myra
From Mia:
We got back to the ship in time for the German Folkloric show at 7. It only lasted for an hour and Myra and I both enjoyed it, while Rich did not. He doesn't like any sort of dance. The show was mostly dancing, with one performance of flag weaving, which we all, even Rich, enjoyed. We were all also entertained with the children's dances, especially the audience participation.
After the show we went to dinner with a healthy appetite - Myra ordered 5 appetizers and an entree. After a very satisfying meal, we went hot tubbing. After Myra and Rich went back to the room, I could no longer resist the call of the swimming pool, so I got in to the nice warm and wavy water and swam for 20 minutes. I only went in because it was getting too late. We went to bed soon after, very ready for a relaxing day at sea tomorrow.
Day 7: Copenhagen and Cruise Boarding - The Mad Race
With a leisurely day before us, we woke leisurely, breakfasted leisurely, hung about leisurely, walked leisurely, and did all at an easy pace... until later when came our mad dash. But that's getting ahead of myself.
After doing laundry we donned wet coats and set off in the bright, warm Denmark air to go to the National Museum. Mia and I ate a scrumptious almond, butterscotch pastry as we sauntered to our goal. With free entry, we had not a care in the world, though our legs were tired from our adventures of the past few days (or few years, according to Rich, who counts years often passing during this trip).
The museum started with pre-history, where we saw an abundance of items pulled mostly from bogs where much of it was sacrificed, such as curly swords,
curly gold jewelry, Viking helmets,
lur horns,
braided hair(!! The sign said braided hair was a good sacrifice because it was simple, easy to give, but a great sacrifice of the women giving up their most beautiful feature),
bone harpoons, and so on.
Then came history. There were many religious artifacts, such as a large wood depiction of St. George slaying the Dragon,
and altar booklets (wooden displays that opened like shutters or books to new layers).
My favorite display was of the double weapons, such as the musket/spear/bayonet, the pistol daggers, and the pistol axe.
There were other amazing weapons, many ceremonial, such as the gigantic broadswords you could not imagining anyone wielding better than steel beams. There was a also huge executioners' sword.
We saw things such as an iron fire ladder, ivory goblets with intricate vertical ornamentation,
metal ewers,
religious copes (long cloaks),
drinking horns,
instruments from all over the world (and a basic musical video that showed music of the world with pictures of the world and the instruments shown). There were room displays for all countries, clothes and dolls from China and Japan, (this is the Hina Matsuri display)
we saw a thing you hang kimono over to give scent,
there were bunches of Eskimo things like boomerangs and harpoons and kayaks,
a cool outfit set with skull crowns,
and Viking ruins.
The collection was good, lots of cools things, most of it was organized well and labelled, most labels in English, except for what they called the 'treasure rooms' whose display cases were stuffed with everything and there weren't any good signs with explanations. The sheer amount of artifacts was impressive. However, we had been pretty busy, had seen many cool things already over our trip -- especially the day before at all those castles -- we were too worn out to really take our time. So we spent perhaps 2 hours there total, then headed back to our apartment. We mailed some postcards first, then went to gather our things. Goodbye, Reventlowsgade #18.
We took a train to the station where we came out into Copenhagen the first time (did you know we will visit Copenhagen a total of 3 times during this trip?), walked to the Little Mermaid Statue again, got more pictures,
then started to the ship. We were on our merry way, but for one little problem: the ship was much farther than the ferry port, check-in was supposed to be 2 hours before departure (5:00), and it was... 2:39. Ahhhhh!!!
Thus came time for our mad dash, it seemed half of Copenhagen flew under our feet as we raced with our luggage and injured bodies to the Norwegian Sun that stood waiting in view but oh so far away. We were afraid we weren't going to make it....
But after 10 minutes passed we found ourselves much closer, as if some portal had opened up and allowed us to pass through. Taking heart, we struggled on in the hot sun.
We came to the cruise terminal 2 minutes before 3:00.
Not that it really mattered, because a bus had just pulled up with a group going to check-in. But we made it and all was swell. We checked in, heard our (Schjelderup) name pronounced by a Danish person (shee-el-der-oup -- as Js are pronounced as Ys, like as in 'fjord'), and -- yes!! -- boarded the boat. The comfort part of our trip has just began.
Though some things will need to ease in to be called in 'comfort': Rich didn't bring a razor, so he is now struggling to shave with a disposable razor; at every entrance and exit of every food place there are attendants to spray our hands with 'sanitation' (later, we figured this was due to the e coli scare); the announcements are repeated in four languages. Ahh, the troubles we must face :). So far we know that the ice cream and crepes are excellent, and the room is actually BIG! Well, you know, relatively.
We sat up on deck with some water and watched the boat pull past Helsingør (Denmark) and Helsingborg (Sweden). Now it is getting late and we will go to dinner, then hot tub. Life is so demanding.
We are so happy to be here!
~Myra
After doing laundry we donned wet coats and set off in the bright, warm Denmark air to go to the National Museum. Mia and I ate a scrumptious almond, butterscotch pastry as we sauntered to our goal. With free entry, we had not a care in the world, though our legs were tired from our adventures of the past few days (or few years, according to Rich, who counts years often passing during this trip).
The museum started with pre-history, where we saw an abundance of items pulled mostly from bogs where much of it was sacrificed, such as curly swords,
curly gold jewelry, Viking helmets,
lur horns,
braided hair(!! The sign said braided hair was a good sacrifice because it was simple, easy to give, but a great sacrifice of the women giving up their most beautiful feature),
bone harpoons, and so on.
Then came history. There were many religious artifacts, such as a large wood depiction of St. George slaying the Dragon,
and altar booklets (wooden displays that opened like shutters or books to new layers).
My favorite display was of the double weapons, such as the musket/spear/bayonet, the pistol daggers, and the pistol axe.
There were other amazing weapons, many ceremonial, such as the gigantic broadswords you could not imagining anyone wielding better than steel beams. There was a also huge executioners' sword.
We saw things such as an iron fire ladder, ivory goblets with intricate vertical ornamentation,
metal ewers,
religious copes (long cloaks),
drinking horns,
instruments from all over the world (and a basic musical video that showed music of the world with pictures of the world and the instruments shown). There were room displays for all countries, clothes and dolls from China and Japan, (this is the Hina Matsuri display)
we saw a thing you hang kimono over to give scent,
there were bunches of Eskimo things like boomerangs and harpoons and kayaks,
a cool outfit set with skull crowns,
and Viking ruins.
The collection was good, lots of cools things, most of it was organized well and labelled, most labels in English, except for what they called the 'treasure rooms' whose display cases were stuffed with everything and there weren't any good signs with explanations. The sheer amount of artifacts was impressive. However, we had been pretty busy, had seen many cool things already over our trip -- especially the day before at all those castles -- we were too worn out to really take our time. So we spent perhaps 2 hours there total, then headed back to our apartment. We mailed some postcards first, then went to gather our things. Goodbye, Reventlowsgade #18.
We took a train to the station where we came out into Copenhagen the first time (did you know we will visit Copenhagen a total of 3 times during this trip?), walked to the Little Mermaid Statue again, got more pictures,
then started to the ship. We were on our merry way, but for one little problem: the ship was much farther than the ferry port, check-in was supposed to be 2 hours before departure (5:00), and it was... 2:39. Ahhhhh!!!
Thus came time for our mad dash, it seemed half of Copenhagen flew under our feet as we raced with our luggage and injured bodies to the Norwegian Sun that stood waiting in view but oh so far away. We were afraid we weren't going to make it....
But after 10 minutes passed we found ourselves much closer, as if some portal had opened up and allowed us to pass through. Taking heart, we struggled on in the hot sun.
We came to the cruise terminal 2 minutes before 3:00.
Not that it really mattered, because a bus had just pulled up with a group going to check-in. But we made it and all was swell. We checked in, heard our (Schjelderup) name pronounced by a Danish person (shee-el-der-oup -- as Js are pronounced as Ys, like as in 'fjord'), and -- yes!! -- boarded the boat. The comfort part of our trip has just began.
Though some things will need to ease in to be called in 'comfort': Rich didn't bring a razor, so he is now struggling to shave with a disposable razor; at every entrance and exit of every food place there are attendants to spray our hands with 'sanitation' (later, we figured this was due to the e coli scare); the announcements are repeated in four languages. Ahh, the troubles we must face :). So far we know that the ice cream and crepes are excellent, and the room is actually BIG! Well, you know, relatively.
We sat up on deck with some water and watched the boat pull past Helsingør (Denmark) and Helsingborg (Sweden). Now it is getting late and we will go to dinner, then hot tub. Life is so demanding.
We are so happy to be here!
~Myra
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Day 6: Copenhagen - Look, the lights are on!
We awoke bright at early at 8 and then sat around for an hour and half waiting for things to open. At 9:30 we set out, dropped by a bakery to grab breakfast (the pastry haystacks (the baker called the Oranges, but I am not sure if he understood me)
and an almond butterscotch tort for Myra and I, and a pop tart like pastry for Rich), then proceeded to walk to Christansborg Slot (palace).
We had purchased the Copenhagen Card at the airport yesterday, and it gives us 24 hours of free admittance and transportation. So we visited the ruins of the older palaces under the current one,
then went inside to visit the opulent Royal Reception rooms. We weren't supposed to take photos, but that didn't stop me from taking a picture of every single amazing room.
I took a lot of pictures.
Afterwards we hopped on a bus and visited Amalienborg Castle Museet (Museum),
where they charged to take pictures, a policy that worked well in keeping me from snapping more than one photo.
But it wasn't much of a loss - this museum was devoted more to the last century of the royal family, a topic none of us were hugely attached too.
(The Amalienborg Castle is still used by the royal family of Denmark, and their flags are flown atop their buildings when they are there. The Queen was not there, but other members of the family were.)
We then took a Canal Tour with a tour guide who repeated everything in three languages. Danish, English, and then Spanish. She spoke very well.
It was fun, though windy and cold. We got to duck under at least a dozen bridges.
Afterwards, we took a very brief look inside the Amber museum, because it was there and because our card let us in for free. It was very tiny, but it was also kind of fun to see all of the various bugs trapped in amber and the ships made out of amber and the amber chess sets.
After that, we walked to Rosenborg
and visited all three areas of the palace. There were tons of awesome rooms and displays.
Myra told me it was ok to take pictures, but I didn't think it was (it was), so I made sure to do it out of the guards' view (there was a guard in every room and they watched us take pictures).
We also saw the treasury in the basement, which houses three different crowns, some crown jewels, various decretive pieces, and some awesome weaponry. But there, my camera ran out of battery and then Myra refused to take pictures of the treasury (where it was forbidden to take pictures without paying for the sticker), which was disappointing, but not too much so. (I did get one picture:)
After we were done admiring Christian IV's crown and the rest of the elaborate treasures, we went to the Round Tower and climbed to the top.
We snapped a few pictures, then went down to catch a bus to the zoo.
We saw most of the zoo before they closed and kicked us out. Our favorite part were the bushbabys, adorable little nocturnal animals that look a little like a cross between a squirrel and a mouse, with huge eyes. They jump. It was fun to watch them, but because they were in the nocturnal enclosure, it was really hard to take pictures. Myra tried to get some video, but I don't thing it turned out well.
On our way back, we bought some frozen pizzas, took them to our apartment and cooked them one at a time in the tiny oven. Finally, enough food!! (The pizzas were only about $4 each). Once we had eaten, we headed to Tivoli, the oldest amusement park in Europe (?).
We weren't planning on any rides, which was good, since it was $5 a ride for the cheapest ride (mind, this is after admittance to the park, which is about $17; we got in free with the CC). We walked around, looking at the rides, restaurants, and shops. At 8:30, we headed to one of the stages to watch a short ballet,
which I really enjoyed and Rich didn't. He asked 'What if it never ends?', but it only lasted 30 minutes, so he needn't have worried.
All in all, it was a very eventful day!
-Mia
From Myra:
Mia forgot -- in the wake of all that excitement and wonder -- that we saw this:
P.S. We would like to note the wake of destruction we leave: just after taking the Flåm railway to Flåm, part of a tunnel collapsed. No one was injured, but the train had to go back. Then, the day after we flew into Copenhagen, another volcano in Iceland erupted, and flights all over Denmark, Germany, Norway, UK, etc. were canceled. What luck we have! It's hard to remember we've only just started our trip -- let's hope our luck holds out!
and an almond butterscotch tort for Myra and I, and a pop tart like pastry for Rich), then proceeded to walk to Christansborg Slot (palace).
We had purchased the Copenhagen Card at the airport yesterday, and it gives us 24 hours of free admittance and transportation. So we visited the ruins of the older palaces under the current one,
then went inside to visit the opulent Royal Reception rooms. We weren't supposed to take photos, but that didn't stop me from taking a picture of every single amazing room.
I took a lot of pictures.
Afterwards we hopped on a bus and visited Amalienborg Castle Museet (Museum),
where they charged to take pictures, a policy that worked well in keeping me from snapping more than one photo.
But it wasn't much of a loss - this museum was devoted more to the last century of the royal family, a topic none of us were hugely attached too.
(The Amalienborg Castle is still used by the royal family of Denmark, and their flags are flown atop their buildings when they are there. The Queen was not there, but other members of the family were.)
We then took a Canal Tour with a tour guide who repeated everything in three languages. Danish, English, and then Spanish. She spoke very well.
It was fun, though windy and cold. We got to duck under at least a dozen bridges.
There were some great sights.
After that, we walked to Rosenborg
and visited all three areas of the palace. There were tons of awesome rooms and displays.
These clock contraptions were really cool:
Here's a toilet for dad's collection:
The mirror room:
Displays:
Throne room with guardian lions:
One of the many themed rooms:
We also saw the treasury in the basement, which houses three different crowns, some crown jewels, various decretive pieces, and some awesome weaponry. But there, my camera ran out of battery and then Myra refused to take pictures of the treasury (where it was forbidden to take pictures without paying for the sticker), which was disappointing, but not too much so. (I did get one picture:)
After we were done admiring Christian IV's crown and the rest of the elaborate treasures, we went to the Round Tower and climbed to the top.
We snapped a few pictures, then went down to catch a bus to the zoo.
We saw most of the zoo before they closed and kicked us out. Our favorite part were the bushbabys, adorable little nocturnal animals that look a little like a cross between a squirrel and a mouse, with huge eyes. They jump. It was fun to watch them, but because they were in the nocturnal enclosure, it was really hard to take pictures. Myra tried to get some video, but I don't thing it turned out well.
On our way back, we bought some frozen pizzas, took them to our apartment and cooked them one at a time in the tiny oven. Finally, enough food!! (The pizzas were only about $4 each). Once we had eaten, we headed to Tivoli, the oldest amusement park in Europe (?).
We weren't planning on any rides, which was good, since it was $5 a ride for the cheapest ride (mind, this is after admittance to the park, which is about $17; we got in free with the CC). We walked around, looking at the rides, restaurants, and shops. At 8:30, we headed to one of the stages to watch a short ballet,
which I really enjoyed and Rich didn't. He asked 'What if it never ends?', but it only lasted 30 minutes, so he needn't have worried.
All in all, it was a very eventful day!
-Mia
From Myra:
Mia forgot -- in the wake of all that excitement and wonder -- that we saw this:
P.S. We would like to note the wake of destruction we leave: just after taking the Flåm railway to Flåm, part of a tunnel collapsed. No one was injured, but the train had to go back. Then, the day after we flew into Copenhagen, another volcano in Iceland erupted, and flights all over Denmark, Germany, Norway, UK, etc. were canceled. What luck we have! It's hard to remember we've only just started our trip -- let's hope our luck holds out!
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