Baltic Cruise 2006

2008-07-01T18:17:00.000+01:00

This blog recounts our 2006 cruise to the Baltic.

A slightly more formal account, with a selection of the best photographs is being compiled at 2006 Cruise similar to the account of our 2005 Cruise to Ireland, Greenland, Iceland and Norway.

Here my intention is to describe the journey more informally and share some of the still interesting but possibly less spectacular photos.

The nature of the blog means that it is much more open to comments and I hope visitors will share their own experiences.

I apologise to readers for the fact that so far I have only recounted just over half the journey, but I do intend to continue this as soon as I have time.

The Band

2006-06-17T08:09:00.000+01:00

We have continental breakfast delivered to our room and listen to the band outside on the quay while we get ready to go out on a four-hour tour of the city.

Morning Call in St Petersburg

2006-06-17T07:18:00.000+01:00

I am half asleep yet can hear a band playing. Has someone switched on the TV? the bedside clock reads 7.00am. I draw back the curtains and peer through the porthole. We have arrived in Saint-Petersburg. We are being serenaded by a brass band on the dock.

A last view of Tallinn

2006-06-16T18:03:00.000+01:00

At six in the evening we take a last look at this city of spires and head for Russia.

Aurora at Tallinn

2006-06-16T14:35:00.000+01:00

Before returning to the ship I visit a trailer that is parked at the port. It is selling chocolates. Kalev Chocolates started under that name in 1948 but the confectionary business in Tallinn can be traced back to 1806. For €5 I get a 185 gr box which carries an 1830 picture by Joseph Steingrübeli of the Town Hall.

The bear enigma

2006-06-16T14:34:00.000+01:00

I've had a good long walk around this fascinating city. Uus and Aia are strange streets that feature a few old buildings but also shops, carparks, apartments and the general small stuff found almost everywhere in the world.

Kanutiaed is one of a number of stretches of tranquil parkland dotted around the edge of town. Here there is a tramp asleep, a couple of giggly schoolgirls, a young mum with her baby in a pram. I sit for a while on a bench and watch the shuttle buses come and go.

Shortly I catch one back to the Port of Tallinn. Here lies an enigma. Dominating the skyline, but not encroaching on the view of the town, is a sculpture of a bear. Notices I saw as we passed by on the bus, seem to indicate that this is the site of an Historical Theme Park, yet I've been unable to find any definitive information about it. From its location, I suspect the building was originally the Tallinn City Concert Hall.

Mediaeval Houses

2006-06-16T13:59:00.000+01:00

In Müürivahe, a street below the walls, are some mediaeval houses.

Some appear to have been boarded up for centuries.

Merchant's House at 23 Vene

2006-06-16T13:44:00.000+01:00

Almost opposite the church is the Linna Muuseum at 17 Vene.

The museum building has been heavily restored, whilst nearby at 23 Vene lies an unrestored Merchant's House.

Deerhound

2006-06-16T13:41:00.000+01:00

As I head more towards the centre again, people appear. One woman is walking a deerhound. A student peddling tee-shirts approaches me. He has them priced in kroons, euros and dollars but at €15 I'm not interested.

St Nicholas' Church

2006-06-16T13:40:00.000+01:00

I walk back into the 21st century and pick my way through some offices which I only later learn were once the HQ of the local KGB. I pass a Russian Museum and a tattoo parlour before coming upon the Russian Orthodox Church of St Nicholas.

Laboratooriumi

2006-06-16T13:26:00.000+01:00

I find myself in Laboratooriumi. It is so quiet. There is nothing modern here at all. Grass grows in cracks under wooden doors. The old colour-washed walls are grimy and woe-begone. I am totally alone and feel in a time-warp. Is this the fifteenth century I'm stood in?

Towering above the end of the street is the spire of St Olav's Church. At just over 400ft it is the tallest of the city's spires. In the 1500s it was the tallest building in the world at that time.

Loewenschade Torn

2006-06-16T13:20:00.000+01:00

I follow the walls past Loewenschade Torn and then pass under them into a courtyard that leads to a street called Aida.

Suur Kloostri

2006-06-16T13:13:00.000+01:00

I rest briefly in a quiet park, Tornideväljak before returning back towards the walls along Suur Kloostri.

Up Viru

2006-06-16T12:49:00.000+01:00

I continue up Viru which is thronged with people. Girls in national costume hand out leaflets about a local restaurant. The Town Hall square is a mass of stalls.

I continue up towards the Town Walls and a place called Pikk Jalg which means the long leg street. Here is an archway under the walls and the steep climb to Toompea Castle.

I decide not to continue upwards but turn right into Nunne. Suddenly I'm away from all the noise and in a quiet street that leads below the walls. Looking up I can see people looking down from the Kohtu viewing platform.

Sauna

2006-06-16T12:47:00.000+01:00

Turning off the busy Viru, I find almost deserted, narrow alleyways such as Sauna. The name of the street probably means small farm though it could mean bath-house.

Cycle taxi

2006-06-16T12:46:00.000+01:00

Viru, the main street, is a strange mixture of ancient and modern. Opposite the mediaeval walls is McDonalds. On the outside the restaurant is not as garishly in-your-face as most branches of the chain. Across the road is a row of cycle-taxis, seemingly driven mostly by students.

Mural at the corner of Aia and Viru

2006-06-16T12:32:00.000+01:00

Later I take the shuttle back into Tallinn on my own. Viru gate is now even busier than earlier. At the corner of Aia and Viru is an interesting mural. The upper part seems to be a map, whilst the bottom part is in two halves, one a scroll of writing whose significance is lost on me and the other looks as if it could be an advert for an ice-cream parlour.

I venture into a jewelers shop, looking for a suitable gift for Christine, it being our wedding anniversary in a weeks time. I look at some amber necklaces and ask the price in euros. I translate the price into pounds. Thereafter the assistant quotes me prices in sterling. Having settled on a suitable purchase I decide to pay using my credit card. This seems to be the best option since the card is debited in Estonian kroon and my bank does the conversion into sterling later.

Sugared Almonds

2006-06-16T10:54:00.000+01:00

In the corner is a hand-cart selling sugared almonds. The girls in national costume belong to the Olde Hansa Restaurant. Resisting their charms, we get the shuttle bus back to the ship for lunch.

Viru Gate

2006-06-16T10:51:00.000+01:00

The Old Town looks intriguing, but lies uphill and the streets are cobbled. We've been out for about an hour and Christine is ready for returning to the ship.

Tammsaare Park

2006-06-16T10:38:00.000+01:00

We go past the edge of Tammsaare Park which was established in 1948 on a former bombsite, and used by many Tallinners to go in and out of the Old Town. It was originally called Stalin Square but was renamed in 1978 in memory of the novelist Anton Tammsaare.

Old Tallinn

2006-06-16T10:27:00.000+01:00

We turn round to look at Old Tallinn.

Tram

2006-06-16T10:22:00.000+01:00

We cross the busy main street with its lorries, cars and trams trundling past and head into the modern part of Tallinn.

There is some building work going on near what we later discover is the Tallinn post office. These modern glass and concrete structures don't really reveal that inside are shopping centres and offices, so uninvited we don't venture in.

At first I thought this was actually a trolley-bus but a commentator has corrected me.

Käsitöö

2006-06-16T10:15:00.000+01:00

Other stalls in this handicraft market or Käsitöö as it is called in Estonian, sell hand-knitted sweaters and other clothes, but we are not in need of any.

Matrushka Dolls

2006-06-16T10:13:00.000+01:00

We set off down the street and soon come to a handicraft market, where there are various stalls. One of them has a selection of Matrushka Dolls. Christine has been fancying one for years. We get a good-sized 10-doll set. These are not traditional Estonian souvenirs as they emanate from Russia, but similar dolls in Russia are at least double the price and those on the ship are even dearer. We only see them for a comparable price in Helsinki.

Shuttle bus

2006-06-16T09:46:00.000+01:00

We are pleased to be told that one of the shuttle buses has a ramp and so Christine can get her wheelchair on to it.

After a bit of a wait for the bus to fill up, it takes us on the ten minute journey into the city, dropping us off near the Hotel Viru.

Two ships

2006-06-16T09:45:00.000+01:00

The next morning we arrive in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia.

It is a lovely morning. As we emerge into the sunshine, we discover an American cruise ship is berthed alongside us.

At the end of the long pier we are given some postcards and a map of the city by a girl belonging to the local Tourism office.

Bendiebuses

2006-06-15T14:38:00.000+01:00

On the road out of Stockholm we pass a number of bendiebuses. These double-jointed buses seem to be common in many parts of Europe, but are probably too long to be seen on narrow British roads. Some of them are labelled Biogasbus.

At Nynäshamn, before catching the tender back to the boat, I look in a small hut which belongs to the Nynäshamn Tourist Information. I was wanting to get a present for Christine and perhaps a souvenir. One item priced at SKr150 and another at SKr55 attract my attention. They seem a little over-priced in any case. I ask if I can have the two for SKr200 as I don't want to get any small change. They refuse my offer so I put the banknote back in my pocket. I'll convert it into Norwegian kroner later in the trip.

Dog in the shade

2006-06-15T14:25:00.000+01:00

Unlike this dog, we can't take shelter under a bench.

However, after a few minutes of panic, the engine starts and we climb aboard.

Fjallgatan

2006-06-15T14:22:00.000+01:00

Back on board the coach we now head out of the city up to Fjallgatan, from where there is a panoramic view across the city and the inner islands. Beneath us is berthed another cruise ship.

Our driver, however, is a worried man. The engine is overheated.

Riddarholmen Church

2006-06-15T14:08:00.000+01:00

Behind us is the magnificent steeple of Riddarholmen Church. It was the final resting place of the Swedish kings and Stockholm's only preserved medieval monastery church. With the one exception of Queen Christina, all succeeding rulers of Sweden from Gustav II Adolf (d. 1632) to Gustaf V (d. 1950) are buried in the Riddarholmen Church.

Stockholm City Hall

2006-06-15T14:06:00.000+01:00

There is a view across the water to Stockholm City Hall or Stadshuset

Mälardrottningen

2006-06-15T14:05:00.000+01:00

We finally stop on Riddarholmen, next to Mälardrottningen, another old ship which is now a hotel and restaurant.

City Fountain

2006-06-15T13:52:00.000+01:00

The temperature is in the high twenties; the city is heaving; beyond an underpass people are cooling themselves around a fountain in the centre of a huge traffic island.

Kungsgatan

2006-06-15T13:48:00.000+01:00

An even busier city centre street is Kungsgatan.

Bridges, strewn with flags and banners, cross from the upper storeys of department stores.

Birger Jarlsgaten

2006-06-15T13:44:00.000+01:00

Birger Jarlsgaten is a busy road full of shops. One of the side-streets appears to end at the bottom of a steep flight of steps.

Dramaten

2006-06-15T13:40:00.000+01:00

Around the corner is the Dramaten, reputedly not only the best theatre for dramatic art in Stockholm, but rivalling the best in Europe.

Berzelii Park

2006-06-15T13:37:00.000+01:00

We drive past Berzelii Park, which in the hot summer of 1951, was the scene of the so called Berzelii Riots, when bored, and often drunk young people gathered in the park night after night. The continuing riots escalated and reached their peak on the night of August 26, when there was a stand off between 3000 young people and policemen called in from five different cites, including military police.

Now it looks so peaceful.

National Museum

2006-06-15T13:23:00.000+01:00

We sail in past the National Museum before landing back near the Grand Hôtel where our coach is waiting.

af-Chapman

2006-06-15T13:21:00.000+01:00

Passing the island of Skeppsholmen we see af-Chapman, a fine three-masted sailing ship.

Seemingly it entered service as the Dunboyne in 1888 and once carried passengers between Ireland and Australia. During World War II it was a Swedish Navy barracks ship.

Since 1949 however it has been used as a Youth Hostel

Gröna Lund Tivoli

2006-06-15T13:18:00.000+01:00

As the boat turns to sail back towards our starting point, we get a good view of the Gröna Lund Tivoli.

Giraffe Cranes

2006-06-15T13:17:00.000+01:00

Across the other side of the water near the Viking Terminal are cranes painted so they resemble giraffes.

Mill at Waldemarsudde

2006-06-15T13:13:00.000+01:00

Waldemarsudde is the home of Prince Eugen. The prince was an artist who painted the Swedish landscape and the Nordic light during the late 19th and early 20th century. A picture gallery was added in 1913. Today it is a museum where one can view both the prince's home and his art collection.

In the gardens of Waldemarsudde is an old mill.

Manilla

2006-06-15T13:09:00.000+01:00

The building that we see behind the trees is Manilla. It was built in the 1770s, named after the capital founded by Spain in the Philippines by The Spanish Minister Ignacio de Coral who enlarged the area. The Public Institute for the Deaf and Dumb and Blind or Manillaskolan was founded here in 1819 by P.A. Borg.

Täcka Udden

2006-06-15T13:06:00.000+01:00

At Fair Point is Täcka Udden, a castle-like villa built in 1866. Formerly the home of Marcus Wallenberg, it is now the property of a bank.

Blockhusudden

2006-06-15T13:05:00.000+01:00

Beyond the canal we are in the main shipping channels for the ferries that ply between Stockholm and outer islands such as Vaxholm.

Off Blockhusudden on the SE corner is one of the world's first automatic navigation lights, manufactured by AGA in 1905 and now electrified.

We pass Thielska Galleriet, a white, green-domed mansion, designed by Ferdinand Boberg and built for bank director Ernst Thiel in 1905. It houses the art collection which he assembled and the picture gallery is open to the public.

Canal

2006-06-15T12:52:00.000+01:00

Before hitting open water, the boat cruises down a narrow canal where ducks swim and scramble for the shore.

Djurgården

2006-06-15T12:46:00.000+01:00

Djurgården, the island which we are circumnavigating, was until the end of the 18th century a royal hunting park. Now it is the green lung of the city, a place where one can spend the day on the grass with a picnic basket, walk the dog, or visit a museum. The houses along the shore used to be weekend cabins during the 18th and 19th century. Today these homes are permanent residences.

Skansen

2006-06-15T12:45:00.000+01:00

A few minutes later and we can see one of the many outbuildings belonging to Skansen. This is the world's oldest open-air museum.

Nordic Museum

2006-06-15T12:42:00.000+01:00

Behind some trees we can see the dome of the Nordiska Museet. As at many of Stockholm's seventy or so museums, entry is free.

Skeppsholmen

2006-06-15T12:39:00.000+01:00

As it is another warm day, it is very pleasant to be low down in the water. There is a lot to be seen but turning one's neck to look at all the sights pointed out by the guide is very tiresome. So I just concentrate on enjoying the views from one side.

A large variety of craft are anchored along the shore of Skeppsholmen.

Grand Hôtel, Stockholm

2006-06-15T12:15:00.000+01:00

The coach drops us off outside the Grand Hôtel.

Once gathered together we all make our way the few yards to board the canal boat for a cruise around some of the 14 islands on which the city is built.

Swedish Parliament Building

2006-06-15T12:13:00.000+01:00

Most of the way the route passes through rural scenery with lots of woodland. We pass no fewer than four roadside McDonalds!

Shortly after mid-day we arrive in the centre of Stockholm opposite The Swedish Parliament Building.

Nynäshamn to Stockholm

2006-06-15T10:29:00.000+01:00

As this is a tender port and Christine is confined to the ship, I am going to Visit Stockholm on one of the organised tours.

So it is off to the landing stage in Nynäshamn. There I board the coach that will take us to Stockholm.

Lighthouse & Oil Refinery

2006-06-15T09:03:00.000+01:00

A small lighthouse nestles on the shoreline. Behind the thickly wooded hillside is an oil refinery.

Bedaron & Norra Stegholmen

2006-06-15T09:00:00.000+01:00

About 9am Thursday morning we arrive off the Municipality of Nynäshamn situated around 50 kilometres from Stockholm at the southernmost point of Södertörn.

Aurora anchors among some lush tree-covered islands. The largest of these to the South are Bedaron and Norra Stegholmen.

All at sea

2006-06-14T23:10:00.000+01:00

Wednesday is a full day at sea.

I attend three port-talks. These are quite informative but the young lady giving them has quite obviously no extensive knowledge of the ports and is reading a prepared script. The main emphasis is to push the organised shore excursions. She positively discourages people from making independent tours. In the case of St. Petersburg where independent touring is not really feasible, then fair enough. I do feel the difficulties at the other ports though are exaggerated.

I take the opportunity to do some washing. The ship has three laundry rooms with washers, dryers and ironing facilities. You only have to pay for the washing powder. This time I have brought my own.

Late in the evening there is a huge thunderstorm. We are in bed by then but the lightning flashes through the curtains. I hear later that many people watch the storm from the Crow's Nest and enjoy a spectacular show.

Leaving Warnemünde

2006-06-13T18:28:00.000+01:00

At about 6pm the ship departs. The roro ferry halts while we go by and its passengers wave at us.

After dinner we go to the Aurora Show; it is the same as the one we saw last year, but every bit as enjoyable.

Back over the Level Crossing

2006-06-13T13:38:00.000+01:00

A rather non-descript road with a small park at one side leads us back to a square containing a neo-Gothic church. We are very tempted by the strawberries and cherries on a stall outside the greengrocer's.

We resist them and pass down some streets of rather quaint old houses before continuing to the level crossing. I notice that the frequent trains on the line are in fact double-deckers.

We are quite tired by the time we get back to the ship.

Promenade

2006-06-13T13:02:00.000+01:00

From the lighthouse, a wide promenade stretches out. Access to the beach is along duckboards, but they are uneven and we are worried about the possibility of a puncture so decide not to venture there.

This area is overlooked by a webcam based at the Strand Hotel.

Lighthouse and Teepot

2006-06-13T12:52:00.000+01:00

Suitably refreshed, we meander down the busy Alter Strom. This is the former port entrance. On one side are pavement cafés and small boats; on the other an array of various shops.

Up a side street, we find a shop where we buy some small bottles of water. The road emerges by the lighthouse and the Teepot. The lighthouse was built in 1897/98 and if you have the energy you can climb the 32 metres to the top. At its base is a building called the Teepot, an exhibition centre built in the late 60s.

The long way round

2006-06-13T11:44:00.000+01:00

We are forced to make our way back past the cruise terminal and up the main road to the level crossing at Alte Bahnhofstrasse. Had we not gone so far in the wrong direction it wouldn't have been so bad.

Beyond the level crossing we work our way towards the centre of town. Some others from the ship are drinking outside a place called Bier und Branntweinkontot. We join them for a couple of refreshing iced cokes. Although the barmaid doesn't speak English she is very welcoming. Later she helps Christine negotiate the few steps that lead to the cloakroom.

Under the Station

2006-06-13T11:40:00.000+01:00

We cannot find any way into the carpark from the harbour. We look for an entry on Am Bahnhof but are told the only way is via steps and the tunnel under the station.

However there is a stall there and I procure myself a very nice leather belt for €6.

City Harbour

2006-06-13T11:30:00.000+01:00

We venture ashore mid-morning. We've been told that the underpass into town has steps, but the guard who checks our passport says we get around it by going through the carpark. So we go down Am Passagierkai to the City Harbour.

Ferry to Hohe Düne

2006-06-13T09:18:00.000+01:00

Just above where the ship is berthed, a roll-on-roll-off car ferry forms a shuttle service across the river from Warnemünde to Hohe Düne. The yacht marine there has 750 moorings and is one of the largest on the Baltic.

Looking over the town

2006-06-13T09:16:00.000+01:00

After breakfast in the Orangery, Christine goes for a pedicure. It isn't cheap and she isn't used to having her feet pampered, but with our wedding anniversary coming up I feel she needs the treat.

Meanwhile I go on deck from where there is a splendid view over the railway station and the town beyond.

Arrival in Warnemünde

2006-06-13T09:12:00.000+01:00

Tuesday morning we wake up in
Warnemünde which is part of the city of Rostock.

The ship is berthed in the river Warnow overlooking the West and East moles that guard the entrance to the port.

Sunset off Denmark

2006-06-12T22:14:00.000+01:00

As we are having dinner, the ship sets sail. Later on I go on deck and watch the sunset.

Ice Bear

2006-06-12T15:29:00.000+01:00

I return past the yachts and come to a rest area. Here I buy an ice-cream; sit and look at the sculpture of a polar bear on an iceflow with two cubs. This monument, made by Holger Wederkinck and erected in 1937 represents Greenland.

It is time to visit the row of shops that run along the landward side of the pier. They are mainly clothes and souvenir shops. By UK standards the clothing is quite expensive, but one shop has a reasonable deal on offer and I buy three tee-shirts. I also purchase ten postcards and a very nice 'fridge magnet.

When packing for the holiday, Christine forgot her scissors. I find some in one of the shops and although I'm a few kroner short of the asking price, the shopkeeper lets me have them without needing to break into a banknote. When my bag goes through the scanner on my return to the ship, the scissors show up. The security people say I cannot bring them on board. They want to keep hold of them until we disembark. I explain that we won't want them when we get home — my wife forgot to pack her own and she needs them to cut up some material she is working with. With some obvious reluctance they agree to let me bring them on board.

With temperatures in the high 20s, it has been an enjoyable but exhausting day, so we order a pot of tea and some cakes from room service. I realise later that it is only a short walk past the Little Mermaid to the Gefion Fountain and the Eastern end of the city. In hindsight, I'd have done better to miss walking to the seaward end of the pier and gone to take a closer look at the fountain. I could then have returned via the Kasellet or Citadel which stands on a grassy island. I'd seen this as we'd gone around it in the bus but hadn't known just how accessible it is.

But, no matter, I won't loose sleep regretting the sites I didn't see; rather enjoy the many I did.

The Little Mermaid

2006-06-12T13:52:00.000+01:00

I make my way to the Little Mermaid. And little she is. She is a very small sculpture and if not surrounded by tourists climbing upon her, would seem unremarkable to passers-by. As a symbol known all over the world, her reality is an anti-climax.

Peace Angel

2006-06-12T13:43:00.000+01:00

A little later, I venture out on my own.

First I walk down to the end of Langelinje Pier. It has a few eating places, an information kiosk and bus shelter but is fairly uninspiring. I take the elevated road back. This goes over the top of the rows of shops and comes out near the Peace Angel.

This statue, overlooking a small yacht basin, is, if I recall correctly what our guide told us earlier, a memorial to the Second World War. Around it are the flags of the Scandinavian countries.

Gefion Fountain

2006-06-12T12:53:00.000+01:00

Back on the bus we move on to the Gefion Fountain and the English St. Alban's Church.

The last stop on the tour is by the famous Little Mermaid, but the place is so thronged with tourists and coaches parked three deep, we decide not to stop. In any case it is only a short walk from the ship for those who wish to visit it later.

Opera House

2006-06-12T12:25:00.000+01:00

A short walk leads us the waterfront with views across to the opera house on Holmen.

There is a huge queue in the café for both toilets and ice-cream. I hardly have time to queue for the latter but our guide has bought one for Christine and refuses to accept payment. She seems to have formed a genuine rapport with her first batch of disabled clients!

Fountain

2006-06-12T12:20:00.000+01:00

Once it is over we make our way back to Amaliehaven where a fountain shoots cool water into the air.

This photo is by Kathrine Felland Gunnlögsson and originally appeared on Copenhagen Daily Photo. It is re-posted here with her permisson.

Changing of the Guard at Amalienborg Castle

2006-06-12T12:10:00.000+01:00

The city is heaving with people and traffic. It is very hot. We finally stop by a large coach park and get out. When we are all together, our guide leads us to Amalienborg Castle. The Queen is in residence and the changing of the guard takes place at noon. A crowd has started to gather near the statue of Frederik V and we have to push our way through some reluctant tourists in order for Christine to get to a place from where she can view the ceremony.

Anchor

2006-06-12T11:49:00.000+01:00

Between Kongens Nytorv and Nyhavn lies this anchor. It is a symbol for and testament to the lives of all sailors lost at sea.

Kongens Nytorv

2006-06-12T11:48:00.000+01:00

We turn into Kongens Nytorv.

Dominating one corner of the square is the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts.

Nyhavn

2006-06-12T11:47:00.000+01:00

We tour parts of the old town before entering the lovely Nyhavn with its colourful buildings and vibrant sailing ships.

It appears to be the central meeting place for everyone in the city.

Tivoli Gardens

2006-06-12T11:39:00.000+01:00

We pass by the entrance to the Tivoli Gardens.

Hans Christian Ørsted

2006-06-12T11:34:00.000+01:00

As we travel down Nørregade we pass Telefon House.

I notice the carving on the door lintel and take a photograph.

It is only when we look closely that we find out that this is the building in which the physicist Hans Christian Ørsted discovered electromagnetism.

Rosenborg Castle

2006-06-12T11:30:00.000+01:00

We travel down Gothersgade past the King's Garden . Lots of people are sunbathing among the trees. Within it's grounds is Rosenborg Castle.

Another view of the castle can be seen on Copenhagen Daily Photo.

Statue

2006-06-12T11:26:00.000+01:00

We pass this statue twice as we tour around a very old part of the city.

I don't who the statue is of, nor where exactly it is situated.

Cyclist

2006-06-12T11:19:00.000+01:00

Back in the city itself we are amazed by the number of bicycles. We even see some that have carts attached in front carrying children, but missed getting a photo of one of those.

American Ambassador's Residence

2006-06-12T11:07:00.000+01:00

Our guide points out the residence of the American ambassador.

Thatched roofs

2006-06-12T11:05:00.000+01:00

A few of the old thatched cottages can still be seen.

Klampenborg

2006-06-12T11:00:00.000+01:00

We continue along the coast towards Klampenborg. Our guide tells us that once this coastal strip was a fishing village with lots of thatched houses but now it has become overwhelmed by large expensive modern houses. The area is now so expensive that many people opt to live over the border in Sweden and commute daily across the Øresundsbron bridge.

Hellerup Havn

2006-06-12T10:52:00.000+01:00

The ship berths at Langelinje Pier. We are soon ashore and waiting for our first Visit to Copenhagen.

There are two small buses with ramps at the rear for access. They each have space for about four folding chairs, whose occupants can move into conventional seats, and two confined wheelchair users. I get a seat at the front, but Christine is stuck at the back in her chair and doesn't have a very good view.

We drive first north out of the city through the suburb of Hellerup.

Taking photographs through vehicle windows is never ideal, but sometimes the results are quite interesting. I was trying to capture the roadsign. I never saw the image of what was on the opposite side of the road being reflected in the window until I downloaded the picture.

Bridge to Sweden

2006-06-12T08:45:00.000+01:00

It is a beautiful day and even at just before 9am there is a strong bright sun in the sky. In the distance we can see the new bridge that links Denmark with Sweden.

Arrival in Copenhagen

2006-06-12T08:40:00.000+01:00

We partake of an early breakfast in Café Bordeaux. This is a somewhat more intimate dining experience than the restaurant or the cafeteria. I have a sausage kedgeree whilst Christine has eggs Benedicte.

We then go up to the Crows Nest and the Lido Deck while the ship enters the Port of Copenhagen.

As I am taking photographs, a ladybird lands on my wrist. I gently blow it onto some tarpaulin-covered loungers. It lands softly and then flies away.

Sunday at sea

2006-06-11T22:52:00.000+01:00

We have a full day at sea before reaching Copenhagen, our first port of call.

After breakfast in the self-service Orangery, I go to the spa and have my hair cut and washed and my beard trimmed by a very lovely girl. We potter about for most of the day. In the evening we have to dress up in formal wear. After dinner we go to the theatre and watch the Aurora Follies. Most of the shows by the ship's company are repeats of the ones we saw last year, but every bit as enjoyable.

Down the Solent

2006-06-10T21:04:00.000+01:00

Shortly after 5pm the ship pulls away and heads down the Solent towards the Isle of Wight and the English Channel.

Our evening meal is taken in the Medina Restaurant. As last year we are on the early sitting which suits us well. We share our table with some newbie cruisers, a couple from Prestwich only a few miles from us and a couple from Hampshire. Making up the eight are two women from Nottinghamshire. I'm not sure if they are mother and daughter or just friends who met through work. They've certainly been on several previous cruises together. The Hampshire lady is also in a wheelchair, but a manual lightweight folding one so she is able to access some of the excursions unavailable to Christine.

After dinner we go for a stroll around the ship. Christine buys a lovely sunhat. It proves to be a useful purchase as the sun shines for the majority of the cruise. We visit the Tours Office and find that, in addition to ones in St. Petersburg, wheelchair-accessible excursions are also available in Copenhagen and Helsinki. We get our names put down for them.

Chichester City Band

2006-06-10T17:10:00.000+01:00

After the safety drill we go out on to the promenade deck. The Chichester City Band are playing for us on the quayside. We are provided with Union Flags which we wave.

Marchwood Incinerator

2006-06-10T15:45:00.000+01:00

Our cases are already in the cabin when we arrive.

The room is spacious and most of the wardrobe rails are low and easy to use.

There is a lovely picture window with a view across the river to a dome and chimney which belong to the waste incinerator at Marchwood.

Taxi please

2006-06-10T12:45:00.000+01:00

We go to the taxi desk. "I'm sorry", he says, "We don't have any vehicles that carry people confined in wheelchairs. I can ring one of the firms that do though; there are three we use."

We wait.

After several minutes we go back and ask what is happening.

"One's on holiday, one's off sick and the other doesn't do it anymore. We'll try someone else."

Ten minutes later we are told they've found someone but they can't get here until 12.30. It's a good job we aren't in a hurry!

Rob's Taxi from Eastleigh arrives as promised and whisks us down to the Mayflower Cruise Terminal.

At least, after our long wait at the airport, we don't have to wait too long here before boarding the ship.

Southampton Airport

2006-06-10T10:45:00.000+01:00

We are last off the plane, but Christine is soon reunited with her wheelchair. We are led through to collect our luggage.

I thought I'd got a spare set of camera batteries with me, but the ones in my pocket seem to be dead. So I stand guard over the luggage while Christine goes into W.H.Smiths and buys me a new set. She also buys herself a couple of paperbacks.

So now to see about getting a taxi down to the ship.

Setting off

2006-06-10T10:30:00.000+01:00

Our taxi driver Roland arrives just before 7am.

He takes us down to Manchester Airport. We check in and move on to the departure lounge. Although due to leave at 8.45, it is after nine before we are loaded on to the plane. Christine releases her wheelchair for storage in the hold and two burly men carry her on to the plane.

We fly over Jodrell Bank Telescope. In-flight meals are no longer included in the fare and though £10 seems a bit much for two airline breakfasts, we have them anyway and they are very tasty.

Around 10.30 we arrive at Southampton Airport

Before we go

2006-06-08T18:56:00.000+01:00

Following our extremely enjoyable 2005 cruise we decide to take a new P&O cruise in 2006. As most of the stops in 2005 were at tender ports, Christine, confined to her wheelchair, was only able to enjoy a small time ashore. Other passengers on that cruise recommended we go on a Baltic cruise as most of the ports there are fairly accessible.

Discussing our plans with Accessible Travel and Leisure aka Cotswold Cruise Club, we learn that accessible excursions are possible in St. Petersburg. An email to P&O later confirms this. We are already familiar with the layout of the Aurora and this time choose an outside cabin.

We'd flown down to Southampton before but the times of the flights have changed. The Saturday return flight is too early for us to catch and the Sunday return flight is not until late afternoon.

Checking the railway timetable we find there is a direct train from Southampton to Stockport about 1.15pm on the day we return. We decide that the easiest option is to catch a Friday afternoon train down to Southampton and stay overnight ready to board the next day.

We select an overnight hotel and book it. Some of the ones we consider are already full.

One cannot book rail tickets more than three months in advance. When I come to contact Virgin Rail about booking, I'm first informed that they can't confirm the return train and suggest ringing again a few days later. When I do, I'm told that the selected train only has one wheelchair space on it and it is already booked. I'm offered a journey that involves changing trains twice!

We conclude that we'll be better off flying down after all. I book the flights online with British Airways. I phone their Mobility Centre who already have our flight details. We give them information about the wheelchair and they arrange for all the help we will need
for boarding the aircraft to be on hand.

It actually costs less to fly than go by rail, even though our Disabled Rail Card gives us a third off rail fares.

I phone the overnight hotel and move our booking from the 9th to the 24th June.

A month before we are due to depart I telephone Airport Carz only to find that they no longer accommodate electric wheelchairs!

Fortunately we get to hear about Roland Travel of Dukinfield and book the transfer with them.