tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17436957439473088312024-03-13T13:01:01.595-07:00KylefunMichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.comBlogger461125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-13100218797843725902019-06-08T08:54:00.001-07:002019-06-08T09:00:07.973-07:00SATURDAY 8TH JUNE - LAST DAY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0gYtT5GrKXaQ4tRlZkODjFL29d0Yyfh_AAlQAV_DPrSYdoGDMnYZWJiSm2nurVN6etV5KnKwTh-KXhJ1rySZbOXg7N2yjsYw17jIFEhyphenhyphen7rWfFpDThFpSNGHB8ZYDhXqV3550wQxcAApw/s1600/IMG_9438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0gYtT5GrKXaQ4tRlZkODjFL29d0Yyfh_AAlQAV_DPrSYdoGDMnYZWJiSm2nurVN6etV5KnKwTh-KXhJ1rySZbOXg7N2yjsYw17jIFEhyphenhyphen7rWfFpDThFpSNGHB8ZYDhXqV3550wQxcAApw/s640/IMG_9438.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">That's
it. All done. We are at a hotel near the airport ready for tomorrow
morning's flight and the hire car has been returned.</span>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">We
left Dunkirk this morning in very unpleasant windy and rainy weather
but fortunately, it fined up enough for us to spend some time in
central Brugge, a most interesting old town, which deserved more
time.</span>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">The
rest of the day was spent in very unpleasant weather on the motorway
getting back to Amsterdam.</span>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">We
fly out on Sunday morning and get to Brisbane on Monday evening. Back
to the real world after a fantastic experience.</span></div>
MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-58312190941764503732019-06-07T07:25:00.003-07:002019-06-07T07:25:25.941-07:00FRIDAY 7TH JUNE - DUNKIRK
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<span style="font-size: medium;">We
spent this morning driving from Amiens to Dunkirk, or Dunkerque as it
appears to be locally known now heading back towards Amsterdam and
the flight home.</span>
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</div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Once
here, we spent some time exploring the local beaches and the centre
of town. There is very little trace of what happened here in 1940.</span>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">We
have had a fabulous adventure but, as always, we are now very much
looking forward to getting home.</span><br />
MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-33848372629610615942019-06-06T07:15:00.003-07:002019-06-06T07:22:33.081-07:00THURSDAY 6TH JUNE - LAST DAY IN THE AMIENS AREA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Today
was our final day in the Amiens area. Tomorrow we head for Dunkirk.</span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRkHI8Edctey1_oiLI6C-AppEgetLBRJHQ1zmTtzqUjAn9bp1segWIuZKrsZAuNQ5p7NLsUHWUVs4Ih8AMYzhF7CR9xLut0IXN7114k81YOqc3WarsSBMysGSN94SsXSYx0rDiHzEwnFg/s1600/IMG_9388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRkHI8Edctey1_oiLI6C-AppEgetLBRJHQ1zmTtzqUjAn9bp1segWIuZKrsZAuNQ5p7NLsUHWUVs4Ih8AMYzhF7CR9xLut0IXN7114k81YOqc3WarsSBMysGSN94SsXSYx0rDiHzEwnFg/s640/IMG_9388.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">We
only visited the one military memorial this morning, the Beaufort
Hamel Newfoundland Memorial. It is a memorial to soldiers from
Newfoundland, now part of Canada. Part of the battlefield has been
preserved substantially as it was after the battle, complete with
remnants of the trench system.</span>
<span style="font-size: medium;">The
memorial is staffed by Canadian students who act as guides. They
spend four months on the site.</span>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">From
there we went to Cite Souterraine at Naours. An underground city that
started out as a chalk quarry in the third century but has been
substantially expanded so that it became a hiding place for the local
townspeople in times of strife.</span>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">It
has numerous rooms but one of those featured in the self guided
underground tour is the chapel. At one stage in its development, the
local parish priest played a prominent role. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">This afternoon, we went for a walk in the canal district of Amiens - not impressive compared with the canal systems we have seen in recent weeks but we had to check it out..</span>MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-67504561164635357892019-06-05T11:32:00.002-07:002019-06-05T11:43:11.608-07:00WEDNESDAY 5TH - THE AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Q4XQO30smqDqh_8CrzQeyIVIbM5hU0Deg88UketDxlVQ_xn8UW_RFSVpkeu7hdkxef1YQ_z3uWkGYli8DNmZlsYA90oPSsaSEDLS_3z5b81AZmYJYp7GRj0WpCNsgVNYi8ukfpQcFew/s1600/IMG_9341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="747" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Q4XQO30smqDqh_8CrzQeyIVIbM5hU0Deg88UketDxlVQ_xn8UW_RFSVpkeu7hdkxef1YQ_z3uWkGYli8DNmZlsYA90oPSsaSEDLS_3z5b81AZmYJYp7GRj0WpCNsgVNYi8ukfpQcFew/s640/IMG_9341.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">It
is difficult to comprehend how many war graves are
spread around this area. Our focus was on Australian war cemeteries
but there are cemeteries everywhere, large and small, spread
throughout the farming areas. </span><br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Our
particular focus today was the Australian War Memorial at Villers
Brettoneux and the John Monash Centre attached thereto. My great
uncle Brian Higgins, my mother's father's brother, has his name on
the wall as somebody who was killed in action on the western front
with no known grave. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">He is known to have been killed on 29<sup>th</sup>
July 1916 but his body was never recovered. My grandfather had
another brother, Tom, who was killed at Gallipoli.</span>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Bernie
also found the name of his great uncle on the wall.</span>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">We
spent this afternoon finding and visiting many more memorials as
shown below. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-7583944297774544952019-06-04T11:43:00.001-07:002019-06-04T11:47:53.701-07:00TUESDAY 4TH JUNE - FRANCE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPSe0i_sqYVu-GMuUTRV6jHmX2eBVkq9RRrHByI1C71pNRcLlxEFYsQ1jVUe6jjEsvr__53oWnapuWhjw68lgVhSJj92T2D1SEFaCtOceY5xGGUKHQMcsm_3f0zufZ-zoB1BqLwPx2Ds0/s1600/IMG_9295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPSe0i_sqYVu-GMuUTRV6jHmX2eBVkq9RRrHByI1C71pNRcLlxEFYsQ1jVUe6jjEsvr__53oWnapuWhjw68lgVhSJj92T2D1SEFaCtOceY5xGGUKHQMcsm_3f0zufZ-zoB1BqLwPx2Ds0/s640/IMG_9295.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">We
are now in France at Amiens having made an emotional journey via
Fromelles</span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUS_vjwIhrhbm9Q_1_KDWgiC6x40bis0aTHAIvfLorZ6BIzZqroZtgOaLVBWkUBdugkCpHH6pRDxNjB2L5irHuMbbopswzYAoCk0ykZRoQ8TVIopVKL_DznYt4DNOTr6GrBK_7i2NeHQg/s1600/IMG_9281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUS_vjwIhrhbm9Q_1_KDWgiC6x40bis0aTHAIvfLorZ6BIzZqroZtgOaLVBWkUBdugkCpHH6pRDxNjB2L5irHuMbbopswzYAoCk0ykZRoQ8TVIopVKL_DznYt4DNOTr6GrBK_7i2NeHQg/s640/IMG_9281.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">and
Bullecourt where we stopped for a coffee only to find the sign below
on a shed in the little village</span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFnOzzTeQBsWOyeQHxzK8V-Uyylzp4Pf4SlhkSxCV5NEfuvooyy53vq5-2hKQGzTvJ5xTh5qpoFGx38qeZ9MXaSnWGl8kOLdyceLu90P6u-B7NuJQ13kAk3wCpuSpy_15FZnFw-itqhyE/s1600/IMG_9298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFnOzzTeQBsWOyeQHxzK8V-Uyylzp4Pf4SlhkSxCV5NEfuvooyy53vq5-2hKQGzTvJ5xTh5qpoFGx38qeZ9MXaSnWGl8kOLdyceLu90P6u-B7NuJQ13kAk3wCpuSpy_15FZnFw-itqhyE/s640/IMG_9298.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">and
Bernafay where one of Bernie's great uncles is buried. It is known
that his remains are buried in the cemetery but it is not known where
in the cemetery he is.</span>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">After
arriving at our accommodation in suburban Amiens, we headed for the
old town and the Notre Dam Cathedral, much bigger than its namesake
in Paris and relatively undamaged during World War One.</span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSamCSOZHYjuMvJgoy33bQN_DNlSnxeeGE6V5JvbAyRxy3hSmN1YpG9m7D3dH8a4skhYKa2eUHaEEp3w8kXN2Epu77g0KI6ERDcS0E4DBaM1Kxp0xl1JnMjdTQ_3GdL2O29rvv1W5Dtw/s1600/IMG_9308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSamCSOZHYjuMvJgoy33bQN_DNlSnxeeGE6V5JvbAyRxy3hSmN1YpG9m7D3dH8a4skhYKa2eUHaEEp3w8kXN2Epu77g0KI6ERDcS0E4DBaM1Kxp0xl1JnMjdTQ_3GdL2O29rvv1W5Dtw/s640/IMG_9308.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Like
so many places in this part of the world, it also commemorates the
contribution of the Australian soldiers during the war.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span> <span style="font-size: medium;">Tomorrow we head for the famous Villiers Bretonneau.</span></div>
MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-16547503704710882762019-06-03T11:20:00.000-07:002019-06-03T11:29:38.035-07:00MONDAY 3RD JUNE - WAR GRAVES OF BELGIUM<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_hWcmRuicnS-mEFGHsYsuZXfSxsM5jobkQYnRkJRQeAGz2qt0WyW61Lv78N8YbxgUj5KIDziFhyI7bV4ZV-YIgnNPKsMXs5Ra6Elosh31WN5fztm_wbF-JWv1rsDq2yzJQeYeLZqD6yg/s1600/IMG_9232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="1600" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_hWcmRuicnS-mEFGHsYsuZXfSxsM5jobkQYnRkJRQeAGz2qt0WyW61Lv78N8YbxgUj5KIDziFhyI7bV4ZV-YIgnNPKsMXs5Ra6Elosh31WN5fztm_wbF-JWv1rsDq2yzJQeYeLZqD6yg/s640/IMG_9232.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">A
very sober day today in that we spent the day exploring the local
area so badly affected by the First World War and the spectacular
memorials which exist to those who perished in the war. Unfortunately the warm weather hasn't lasted. Back to 20 degrees today but still a lot warmer than Norway.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">We
visited the Flanders War Museum in Ypres, a very educational but
challenging experience. The town and the villages surrounding it were
completely destroyed in the war. It is an absolute credit to all
concerned that the town and villages have been restored in what
appears to be original condition.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">The
buildings destroyed included the cathedral.</span>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">A
gate to the city is a memorial to the thousands who died.</span>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">It
is difficult to believe that an area as tranquil as it now appears
could have been so catastrophically destroyed.</span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnxn4nltre3oReDz9Mh-SjMLMSL4Kg3n7rFM050ZiF0252jdGpNy9mdXzh7Ghyphenhyphen13l0cvyfjBzG4NUn-HBlJ98mDMDLIJdSm6QtXgG_TvlaFk0KLELqO0t1I1RqHyQb91mXsoDIyEm2V_U/s1600/20190603_203711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="704" data-original-width="1600" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnxn4nltre3oReDz9Mh-SjMLMSL4Kg3n7rFM050ZiF0252jdGpNy9mdXzh7Ghyphenhyphen13l0cvyfjBzG4NUn-HBlJ98mDMDLIJdSm6QtXgG_TvlaFk0KLELqO0t1I1RqHyQb91mXsoDIyEm2V_U/s640/20190603_203711.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3I-sS6LzhEVj1QDUv1CLLXbi2jcrgpAcxc6lyUzsOaKofYwN4ZVZtBZYdNSn3txKcCMCwGFEYTSQ4Q0Hw7fLW-KpYqGM6IpOGBRmvtex7uFVF1BCwKDSuQEficXVjQw1IdFQEbwvUw3c/s1600/IMG_9273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3I-sS6LzhEVj1QDUv1CLLXbi2jcrgpAcxc6lyUzsOaKofYwN4ZVZtBZYdNSn3txKcCMCwGFEYTSQ4Q0Hw7fLW-KpYqGM6IpOGBRmvtex7uFVF1BCwKDSuQEficXVjQw1IdFQEbwvUw3c/s640/IMG_9273.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">The
highlight of the day was a guided tour we had of the Tyne Cot
Cemetery where thousands are buried but thousands more whose bodies
were never found are memorialised. A truly moving experience. Brian
Higgins is mentioned on a digital record of Australian soldiers
killed. His brother is no doubt also mentioned but I couldn't
identify him. I know that they are memorialised at Villiers
Brettoneux.</span>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5a3uyP_rE4k8EGagQ8kfXzCOZNFPALbDV_ZQHNdBQYlqOY0NAKiR7GvvmH2hIDjyleZbrKUYU9EwXUqJH_kyzFW7-zweGN-luG-SFOk3TmLDWAkmB85eqVpYQZpmbmZLJ0gkmMGj11I8/s1600/IMG_9263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="995" data-original-width="1438" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5a3uyP_rE4k8EGagQ8kfXzCOZNFPALbDV_ZQHNdBQYlqOY0NAKiR7GvvmH2hIDjyleZbrKUYU9EwXUqJH_kyzFW7-zweGN-luG-SFOk3TmLDWAkmB85eqVpYQZpmbmZLJ0gkmMGj11I8/s640/IMG_9263.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAveRFkuqIXHfNUdOsYSFQsm2SRCBbUL3OHCnCc6aq_cadQ9A2TUdvEJxazp_Z4z3ZuJtWn4m4aaYtpgNZAc39MjExYeb4gh3INewjTcWRm-_NfczbB4lit95HFqS-U3JbLcO6CpkFdY/s1600/IMG_9208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="876" data-original-width="1600" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAveRFkuqIXHfNUdOsYSFQsm2SRCBbUL3OHCnCc6aq_cadQ9A2TUdvEJxazp_Z4z3ZuJtWn4m4aaYtpgNZAc39MjExYeb4gh3INewjTcWRm-_NfczbB4lit95HFqS-U3JbLcO6CpkFdY/s640/IMG_9208.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">On
a much lighter note, when we collected the hire car yesterday, the
lady at Europcar was at pains to make sure that we knew that the car
was a manual car. She also asked us whether we wanted a GPS. That
would have cost extra. We declined because I had brought mine from
home. When we got into the car, it turned out it was an automatic
with a GPS. Unfortunately the cruise control is not adaptive.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">France
tomorrow.</span></div>
MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-47269304387402645652019-06-02T10:56:00.001-07:002019-06-02T11:02:39.998-07:00SUNDAY 2ND JUNE - BELGIUM<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Z7-7_YS-9Zqsi4fYdVGmuNREquAqkHB8hIWNU4GggzVulMABH1DpIM_5kVj0ESVjzqVi95hAcfuQ1JXBlknfmyo2esoSS2pJCdXlGFGKwnnlK0A9sc7s40q6-0-D4Jy4VloW8KprniI/s1600/20190602_163807.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Z7-7_YS-9Zqsi4fYdVGmuNREquAqkHB8hIWNU4GggzVulMABH1DpIM_5kVj0ESVjzqVi95hAcfuQ1JXBlknfmyo2esoSS2pJCdXlGFGKwnnlK0A9sc7s40q6-0-D4Jy4VloW8KprniI/s640/20190602_163807.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Transition
day today in that we disembarked from the ship in a very orderly
manner, got let down by the company which was supposed to transport
us to the airport where we were to collect the hire car but solved
that with a taxi, collected the hire car and drove to Belguim where
we are now comfortably settled. Note the tee shirts. 31 degrees today. very different to the last two weeks.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-su8d0jLGgXnW3zq9w0eEhek9Aa2PsbzLRRC5JW4mjOuEQMBtuNpCrwpeKT2q1eyBzzgyl9AZ_RQsYTgCbGUFYhw85Oe3pAniKHJ2bnt47GcnbLQaguy5HT5JbofbvnVGeAth30uGhE/s1600/20190602_164402%25280%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-su8d0jLGgXnW3zq9w0eEhek9Aa2PsbzLRRC5JW4mjOuEQMBtuNpCrwpeKT2q1eyBzzgyl9AZ_RQsYTgCbGUFYhw85Oe3pAniKHJ2bnt47GcnbLQaguy5HT5JbofbvnVGeAth30uGhE/s640/20190602_164402%25280%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Tomorrow
we start the serious task of visiting the world war one battle and
war grave locations of which there are many in this area.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjka6mn7cjEBgMjiuP973TOr8wuNXfNToI0HZ77h2HLcWafTXglbG9o5tnpUCDreTpr54fb87Mb83v479V8KQJcQrcF5qOiEnHpzuXDDW1Y7uikHElKp8U-WNWPyxKD6safi5vB_pDlyAc/s1600/20190602_201923.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjka6mn7cjEBgMjiuP973TOr8wuNXfNToI0HZ77h2HLcWafTXglbG9o5tnpUCDreTpr54fb87Mb83v479V8KQJcQrcF5qOiEnHpzuXDDW1Y7uikHElKp8U-WNWPyxKD6safi5vB_pDlyAc/s640/20190602_201923.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Our
hotel is located just outside the village of Kemmel with a
spectacular view of the surrounding country. Because it is a hill, it
is the location of a series of battles in which 5,000 French soldiers
died. There is memorial on the other side of the hill which tells
the story.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1qxcbuneuIC-OcIKyRHzgkuRaVstITkZSrQQvtqROfh74kC-dNLP4eoISjGesncYOTDaNcl_I_smCWGJ5Np_zUcU-TERZbjVwOcGWZCsO0KvTHQrPSi4fA_L_hOs0OrRLCHCHfwOZSjM/s1600/20190602_173300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1qxcbuneuIC-OcIKyRHzgkuRaVstITkZSrQQvtqROfh74kC-dNLP4eoISjGesncYOTDaNcl_I_smCWGJ5Np_zUcU-TERZbjVwOcGWZCsO0KvTHQrPSi4fA_L_hOs0OrRLCHCHfwOZSjM/s640/20190602_173300.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Our
hire car is a Renault Talisman station wagon into which we and our
luggage comfortably fit. So far no problems sitting on the wrong side
of the car driving on the wrong side of the road. </span><br />
MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-63998170503361406082019-05-31T07:44:00.000-07:002019-05-31T07:49:08.838-07:00FRIDAY 31ST - BERGEN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJExyd9zArR0_foS0aNFlDEZ5HdOax3-5cNq_yUwq3PDEqIP_EmDFbnHBq2ntgQARKdAZ8snLuyBD5HlapU4QzqlFw8JdPTMVkgZVzDO_0VBlNY2_Nj6YI0MfxF5UZR1_si9r0sIQiHX0/s1600/IMG_9132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJExyd9zArR0_foS0aNFlDEZ5HdOax3-5cNq_yUwq3PDEqIP_EmDFbnHBq2ntgQARKdAZ8snLuyBD5HlapU4QzqlFw8JdPTMVkgZVzDO_0VBlNY2_Nj6YI0MfxF5UZR1_si9r0sIQiHX0/s640/IMG_9132.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Today
was our final day of off ship exploring. Tomorrow we head for
Amsterdam where we disembark on Sunday morning before heading to
Belgium and France.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_VO-eqc5Ht60nwPMKDTPUUxwjxvq721PtZKU5eiivqwJCO8D_wRvkKTAMUIfN6wpxQHFEgaqrOCXHTbqviU6YPCvR0WwFMkDy_7VrdTWO7Pq6q5nEyb9s4qhCOoba-3RSvciq2RlCrzY/s1600/IMG_9178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_VO-eqc5Ht60nwPMKDTPUUxwjxvq721PtZKU5eiivqwJCO8D_wRvkKTAMUIfN6wpxQHFEgaqrOCXHTbqviU6YPCvR0WwFMkDy_7VrdTWO7Pq6q5nEyb9s4qhCOoba-3RSvciq2RlCrzY/s640/IMG_9178.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">We
were moored within a short walk of the centre of this very
substantial city, so, as soon as we were allowed off the ship, we
headed for the city's main attraction, the funicular to the top of
Mount Floien.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLbWnVyJ7Nca1MyG8G1F6wlieEDWmJEP8JB8LllCTP64L1FGnwXsmfNb2m-ffbJciEpvRcZLhKgy2GqDM6vXKoQRZyV77AMzolj5OUvJy1Z_kZviBBev0Jm1yjGCoNbk2-tMkqt0mA0M0/s1600/IMG_9158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLbWnVyJ7Nca1MyG8G1F6wlieEDWmJEP8JB8LllCTP64L1FGnwXsmfNb2m-ffbJciEpvRcZLhKgy2GqDM6vXKoQRZyV77AMzolj5OUvJy1Z_kZviBBev0Jm1yjGCoNbk2-tMkqt0mA0M0/s640/IMG_9158.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">Unfortunately,
many other people had the same idea and we weren't the only cruise
ship in town so we had to queue for 30 minutes before heading up the
mountain.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUT9PBAg8n3Kf6auLlCozTNS2Vdl1fg8uVxmycb67Bi0c74aHMgK3mcAPvghtBczc7wmqZzlEej6AlZl74_AB6dKTGTDjVrSbDTcieMkimUke_bsmxlmAA9Xiof7FsFTm3lmwpmh9OpP8/s1600/IMG_9164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUT9PBAg8n3Kf6auLlCozTNS2Vdl1fg8uVxmycb67Bi0c74aHMgK3mcAPvghtBczc7wmqZzlEej6AlZl74_AB6dKTGTDjVrSbDTcieMkimUke_bsmxlmAA9Xiof7FsFTm3lmwpmh9OpP8/s640/IMG_9164.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">But
it was worth the wait. Not only are the views spectacular but there
is a network of walking trails well worth exploring and a very
picturesque lake, Lake Skomakerdiket.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgsnMlnwP9cYTEcOIEIW8lWRqcw0pQNm0o6mc7LPMySWGc8tSC2rcAbNB_fTcdC-dur0kLsUoKZJUb75WtpqIMwQ58rGVinDbviHKBGhHn8yl1MFkB8ZF87EokqWUm0JV_EX_cz1hyos/s1600/IMG_9117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="995" data-original-width="1600" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgsnMlnwP9cYTEcOIEIW8lWRqcw0pQNm0o6mc7LPMySWGc8tSC2rcAbNB_fTcdC-dur0kLsUoKZJUb75WtpqIMwQ58rGVinDbviHKBGhHn8yl1MFkB8ZF87EokqWUm0JV_EX_cz1hyos/s640/IMG_9117.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">After
returning to city level, we wandered the town and the ladies were
able to do some leisurely shopping. </span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">We
have had a spectacular trip so far and are looking forward to the
next phase. We are also looking forward to heading home and catching
up with family on Monday week.</span></div>
MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-15587113787303139482019-05-30T05:11:00.004-07:002019-05-30T13:13:19.539-07:00THURSDAY 30TH - MOLDE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiecBo08vFi-aToMkoGfnSUZL6TnVYt7BP211LbW0at3W1GHOMk3KHrRhQJW1tY6ysrI42l0IPBCfztUcr7NUIqoOHViQeuURF2gm4Cuna01b7h4LgRsR_z_GAMgbOManLpUbp_IZThK4o/s1600/IMG_9024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiecBo08vFi-aToMkoGfnSUZL6TnVYt7BP211LbW0at3W1GHOMk3KHrRhQJW1tY6ysrI42l0IPBCfztUcr7NUIqoOHViQeuURF2gm4Cuna01b7h4LgRsR_z_GAMgbOManLpUbp_IZThK4o/s640/IMG_9024.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">Molde,
the biggest town we have visited in Norway so far and appreciably
bigger than the others. We visit the biggest tomorrow, Bergen, our
last stop before heading back to Amsterdam.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEEzPoMoDId-idv2GbOS7ZcMpb8c348uLuXraQS8UkgODrY7AQvss6C-KOpcL84I8IWBe7XjhJXw1nchcP_CkCEePh5Ma55dqNNOtxREacp7p_QBpm5TUeAJj9lbv2oXyoLYSOOdoH7M/s1600/IMG_9005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1569" data-original-width="1195" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEEzPoMoDId-idv2GbOS7ZcMpb8c348uLuXraQS8UkgODrY7AQvss6C-KOpcL84I8IWBe7XjhJXw1nchcP_CkCEePh5Ma55dqNNOtxREacp7p_QBpm5TUeAJj9lbv2oXyoLYSOOdoH7M/s640/IMG_9005.JPG" width="486" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">Molde
is described as the city of roses although we are obviously here at
the wrong time to see them blooming. It is a very neat town with lots
of neatly kept detached houses.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha83-srqcmd2CW0ficR6hwShyphenhyphencP3eBDT9xY8yoMFqsNbIOmiZHrkKjpIabc7LVecPgiJ5Y0Jw-HmXiux3H1ErQjPsppcL2qU0-auPC47HkXuGoPQwCE9ysbBDT-HNV8hSeC8AeNGW9EeA/s1600/IMG_9026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha83-srqcmd2CW0ficR6hwShyphenhyphencP3eBDT9xY8yoMFqsNbIOmiZHrkKjpIabc7LVecPgiJ5Y0Jw-HmXiux3H1ErQjPsppcL2qU0-auPC47HkXuGoPQwCE9ysbBDT-HNV8hSeC8AeNGW9EeA/s640/IMG_9026.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">From
the town, there is a spectacular view over the Romsdalsjorden to the
snow clad mountains in the distance. The temperature is said to have
got up to as high as 8 degrees today.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7e0O_bPqXi8JKuF9rMEJ7Pyp8181wfko12y9QHaAE-lvDRIxPgxvX0djc6jNd5H0DrLtaIlfTQUd4x7q83z5wFqIT4_i2dZaqPYdw9X1WPfHzfmSlMl_f5f01zEf12H7nBqJdb-vrVc/s1600/IMG_8993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7e0O_bPqXi8JKuF9rMEJ7Pyp8181wfko12y9QHaAE-lvDRIxPgxvX0djc6jNd5H0DrLtaIlfTQUd4x7q83z5wFqIT4_i2dZaqPYdw9X1WPfHzfmSlMl_f5f01zEf12H7nBqJdb-vrVc/s640/IMG_8993.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">We
had an unusual start to the day in that we didn't arrive until
10:00am. On the way here, we overtook another cruise ship, also
cruising the fjords. Another unusual aspect to the day was that our
excursion did not start until 3:00pm so we spent the morning
exploring the town before heading for the spectacular Atlantic Coast
Road.<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Atlantic Ocean Road, is a road as you
might expect, which goes along the coast adjacent to the Atlantic
Ocean. It was pretty benign as we saw it between rain squalls but it
can apparently get pretty wild in the area.</span>
</span></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-VqfvROP4OtXCv_1m7uo7nJ-X8BiXKdXtEmq9N724reP2WDoNIH2HbAC5Ys58bkh1P1py87V3vuRwd1sMkY_Cellk1KRVLo6DWKrTOkuF-duOlvhspvf9aC301AUYHFHoGRa2i_qwO2g/s1600/IMG_9088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-VqfvROP4OtXCv_1m7uo7nJ-X8BiXKdXtEmq9N724reP2WDoNIH2HbAC5Ys58bkh1P1py87V3vuRwd1sMkY_Cellk1KRVLo6DWKrTOkuF-duOlvhspvf9aC301AUYHFHoGRa2i_qwO2g/s640/IMG_9088.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">The
highlight was an 8 kilometre stretch where a road has been built
across a series of islands to join the mainland to an island. The
promotional photo showed it as this, not quite as we saw it.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2y_A0NuG-CSqhfpSM5_kMfJmogZTUAj9vsVJDvSbSdVQyNSd97hDhFHJql5jNpoLfRiqzs3S_XmZDWmvOJbnXPyt6yvEWAc0QDBozOEyrlqVx2OP1-XEJvbVST_ymZ3b9HodJTT0evhU/s1600/IMG_9105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1091" data-original-width="1600" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2y_A0NuG-CSqhfpSM5_kMfJmogZTUAj9vsVJDvSbSdVQyNSd97hDhFHJql5jNpoLfRiqzs3S_XmZDWmvOJbnXPyt6yvEWAc0QDBozOEyrlqVx2OP1-XEJvbVST_ymZ3b9HodJTT0evhU/s640/IMG_9105.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span> </div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">Bergen
tomorrow, our last port.</span><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span> </div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-73063397499128452862019-05-29T06:53:00.002-07:002019-05-29T07:04:10.733-07:00WEDNESDAY 29TH - SKJOLDEN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFr7Or2E3LE7RMjOC2ikPpRliPUvhSS6_3oT9mmijXCUG_MrgOAlnVFO99HHUzDWobJs1LCKy_pixypsmAYpS0Mw-8mikrGDrdNDarTgydSBr0slqDfplgqYMWuhyphenhyphen96TAxW7gOIAx7Tho/s1600/IMG_8958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFr7Or2E3LE7RMjOC2ikPpRliPUvhSS6_3oT9mmijXCUG_MrgOAlnVFO99HHUzDWobJs1LCKy_pixypsmAYpS0Mw-8mikrGDrdNDarTgydSBr0slqDfplgqYMWuhyphenhyphen96TAxW7gOIAx7Tho/s640/IMG_8958.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">A
very successful day, particularly because it didn't rain as forecast.
According to our guide on this morning's excursion, any day in Norway
which doesn't rain is a good day. Having said that, it was pretty
cool but we were dressed for that.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSk2iImzMDKtK3HdRueEm38t5faug-gv2JBDWchyphenhyphenriUdvVdEtQgP7f0tFEQA5fysjFtKELfL037Sv3tY1qpDa8Sxgjv078mxsApAYbLVUNXSW0hS9CoHnOq6j-r8uYlL0dCYPBzTBgY8/s1600/IMG_8938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSk2iImzMDKtK3HdRueEm38t5faug-gv2JBDWchyphenhyphenriUdvVdEtQgP7f0tFEQA5fysjFtKELfL037Sv3tY1qpDa8Sxgjv078mxsApAYbLVUNXSW0hS9CoHnOq6j-r8uYlL0dCYPBzTBgY8/s640/IMG_8938.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">Skjolden
is at the head of the Lustrafjord one of the longest in Norway. On
the way up the fjord this morning we passed the waterfall above. It
was impressive enough to take a photo. It turns out that it is the
highest waterfall in Norway.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAwNCLYpqdgHs_FfSsaCtfA7puQspedDiw1P5uh8dQtnkm0drwUV9yQmQaUoKaHtg8IXewpS03vEJE7H_5sKfd7NJ9sN3Ku7M_Ay4Y9dO1cxHkKTQfAro8_DxGQ31A_Z7U37YySi3l1M/s1600/IMG_8956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAwNCLYpqdgHs_FfSsaCtfA7puQspedDiw1P5uh8dQtnkm0drwUV9yQmQaUoKaHtg8IXewpS03vEJE7H_5sKfd7NJ9sN3Ku7M_Ay4Y9dO1cxHkKTQfAro8_DxGQ31A_Z7U37YySi3l1M/s640/IMG_8956.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">This
morning's excursion took us to the Jostedal Glacier National park
where we saw the foot of the Nigardsbreen Glacier. We couldn't get
particularly close to it in the time allowed and heard the usual
story about glaciers about how it has been retreating in recent
years. Having said that, the ice field from which it flows, the
Jostedal Glacier is the largest in mainland Norway.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB27optmdk12U3gozkwUXu45XUe0KrxB_qv7gWZkhSjnEGXA-kgtFyhew_tnQpbcYBIGA1WdtcKDpYt9e88sGDZspI8PheX2D-gGa2QtJtG3Mtj-Io7rpbe4r08dlyPDa0-ci_R0yUTyE/s1600/IMG_8970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB27optmdk12U3gozkwUXu45XUe0KrxB_qv7gWZkhSjnEGXA-kgtFyhew_tnQpbcYBIGA1WdtcKDpYt9e88sGDZspI8PheX2D-gGa2QtJtG3Mtj-Io7rpbe4r08dlyPDa0-ci_R0yUTyE/s640/IMG_8970.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">Nearby
is the very impressive Breheim Glacier Centre an information centre
about glaciers.</span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4BUEASLf1Hq8jB2YW_PovZIKAOoXAysCZakblzv6bChninvz8fLAaiZYi3EQNqdsmJIRxPpfbmcYNdZkitWONzUdTRPlyl9_obSvTxnWXVk9qaF6ObQ3CCfwfLafhnkfycqu0fEEv2w/s1600/IMG_8965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="991" data-original-width="1600" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4BUEASLf1Hq8jB2YW_PovZIKAOoXAysCZakblzv6bChninvz8fLAaiZYi3EQNqdsmJIRxPpfbmcYNdZkitWONzUdTRPlyl9_obSvTxnWXVk9qaF6ObQ3CCfwfLafhnkfycqu0fEEv2w/s640/IMG_8965.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">The
landscape here makes the ship look tiny.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUxkn-vfl7APpPFuFzEsG2skIJCgbjj4MwxeCeqRetyEc9_3bYDtregVN4i46hqkoPXJ3G0McZIGYgDuE3npxnpvUZL7H5JjvVYhuQGdzJSxafgPbSLRehAX45KE-8MGSBOdx1whmp4A/s1600/IMG_8947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUxkn-vfl7APpPFuFzEsG2skIJCgbjj4MwxeCeqRetyEc9_3bYDtregVN4i46hqkoPXJ3G0McZIGYgDuE3npxnpvUZL7H5JjvVYhuQGdzJSxafgPbSLRehAX45KE-8MGSBOdx1whmp4A/s640/IMG_8947.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">After
returning to the ship for lunch, we braved the cold and walked into
the town itself. Nothing exciting to report although it is a very
national park activity orientated town.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">We
wake up in Molde tomorrow.</span></div>
MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-64474057452280720662019-05-28T10:42:00.002-07:002019-05-28T12:21:06.597-07:00TUESDAY 28TH - EIDFJORD<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR5IGlKQOyVssM5VVgJcI62LcLxFA6TJ-iqEiSUsHhfWCSsNd_4nkNyWiIExXwYF6n8-e2bIzFydtckyRMa1FtHtX8YOvIG2CDJSAf0DLyhyphenhyphenQ4bH4AAW3P9S45sBsVHlaGLwpDm22aFh4/s1600/IMG_8926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR5IGlKQOyVssM5VVgJcI62LcLxFA6TJ-iqEiSUsHhfWCSsNd_4nkNyWiIExXwYF6n8-e2bIzFydtckyRMa1FtHtX8YOvIG2CDJSAf0DLyhyphenhyphenQ4bH4AAW3P9S45sBsVHlaGLwpDm22aFh4/s640/IMG_8926.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Yet
another fascinating place. Eidfjord is the name of a small town at
the end of the Hardangerfjord Fjord at the foot of spectacular near
vertical mountains. As you might expect, the ship completely dwarfs
the town. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4jNdiiRDgdSqMJVzgo6lSGQakTnn-4sq6ECdY_HihOyxBXnCfDgMr_TvjSABQu_i_wOnq88S6qbiRosQOYJTYQjCaAYWCTD-eAueqIXrZWDIO7SeWbnn9uAH1l-BX5Ij3u009u3NEuc/s1600/IMG_8860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4jNdiiRDgdSqMJVzgo6lSGQakTnn-4sq6ECdY_HihOyxBXnCfDgMr_TvjSABQu_i_wOnq88S6qbiRosQOYJTYQjCaAYWCTD-eAueqIXrZWDIO7SeWbnn9uAH1l-BX5Ij3u009u3NEuc/s640/IMG_8860.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">On the way up the fjord, we went under a 55 metre clearance bridge. If the ship lowers its rear mast, it is 54 metres in height. We made it</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHJx1OcEkPa4TAsuRGSMHpjjDUn5jFDajWN1GbxMuzbormJm88EBr2E1R0-ER5KxXriDE6u0sqaOpWMxwaGhe3eVsRjjYSmd_4Dyc6boEymsXGRhs0qo8n1ajrcATs56e2S94bG6A1xYk/s1600/IMG_8852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHJx1OcEkPa4TAsuRGSMHpjjDUn5jFDajWN1GbxMuzbormJm88EBr2E1R0-ER5KxXriDE6u0sqaOpWMxwaGhe3eVsRjjYSmd_4Dyc6boEymsXGRhs0qo8n1ajrcATs56e2S94bG6A1xYk/s640/IMG_8852.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Given
that there is very little to do or see by simply walking off the
ship, we participated in a Holland America excursion to the huge
Hardanger Mountain Plateau. Our first stop was the Voringsfossen
Waterfall which cascades almost 600 feet into the valley below. The
air temperature was a little cool at 2 degrees but, as the Norwegians
say, there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes.
Fortunately we had suitable clothing for the conditions.</span>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKmRKGQWNZfx9EH2EYWzrTq_8m4GRCc4A1xhK0MxmtF1xgwRNle9CA6g6_IDnxAK-PpkdzmdlxrKBFLHby4SYeBdOiI2nsI_XE4-Ef812vAHK-vEKtha1Jev9QICRfgyvwB0-V7KDwas/s1600/IMG_8873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKmRKGQWNZfx9EH2EYWzrTq_8m4GRCc4A1xhK0MxmtF1xgwRNle9CA6g6_IDnxAK-PpkdzmdlxrKBFLHby4SYeBdOiI2nsI_XE4-Ef812vAHK-vEKtha1Jev9QICRfgyvwB0-V7KDwas/s640/IMG_8873.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">From
there, we climbed further up the mountains to the Sysen Dam, part of
a very substantial hydro power generation scheme.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdVQD89o_v3TEs5pjLDDxiaUN7mbdxLuMiAUPZeyU5bvRrIK2ERgsYpuSi4aQY-ckcjvNGNQapTvl5XTcB-t2z-TWR6W7D2igX8Ch8k5bZI6K8qHUFcRyjvpM8xmw5ZppWMPB5gRauvtM/s1600/IMG_8895.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="1600" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdVQD89o_v3TEs5pjLDDxiaUN7mbdxLuMiAUPZeyU5bvRrIK2ERgsYpuSi4aQY-ckcjvNGNQapTvl5XTcB-t2z-TWR6W7D2igX8Ch8k5bZI6K8qHUFcRyjvpM8xmw5ZppWMPB5gRauvtM/s640/IMG_8895.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Our
final stop was the Hardangeridda Nature and Wildlife Centre an
excellent presentation on Norway's nature and wildlife. Large herds
of reindeer live on the Plateau but generally make themselves scarce
so we didn't see any, other than as represented in the Centre.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjer8PMzB3yIHUkAbw9XC-9fKO23Or3QVRqBB0erALWWnKzrFvXpK3TsmKxNQK_p4HUutqF21nJi1KV1wquzfYqLKY5o_0QBypqISJYsWjnov3NGco-kKByQGQ37-tPTUF6PpoLlTyWhPY/s1600/IMG_8914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjer8PMzB3yIHUkAbw9XC-9fKO23Or3QVRqBB0erALWWnKzrFvXpK3TsmKxNQK_p4HUutqF21nJi1KV1wquzfYqLKY5o_0QBypqISJYsWjnov3NGco-kKByQGQ37-tPTUF6PpoLlTyWhPY/s640/IMG_8914.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">A
common roofing system in the local area is to plant the roof with grass
and small plants. They solve the problem of how to keep growth under
control by putting some goats on the roof.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLWuOwWPUAu6CqfF3sX8d2tXQC6kpCaUCQjz_vQAWwGIH6MdiD5RbLm1FRmHAcj552M_uoNtIPBN5PYbz2n0ZT8VUEl9bM8C0Mkf5DN6_sa5EsUt4LBDBZaLqXdej3xKy8O8FXgRsMvcM/s1600/IMG_8917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="886" data-original-width="1600" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLWuOwWPUAu6CqfF3sX8d2tXQC6kpCaUCQjz_vQAWwGIH6MdiD5RbLm1FRmHAcj552M_uoNtIPBN5PYbz2n0ZT8VUEl9bM8C0Mkf5DN6_sa5EsUt4LBDBZaLqXdej3xKy8O8FXgRsMvcM/s640/IMG_8917.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">After
returning from the excursion, we walked the local area, did some souvenir
shopping and, of course, sampled the local brew. </span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Kr3dngKY3WKNw8PdGSdOyRYGVSJ3B530g3kH1LcJ0gYV4YuE3PslJQr5CPgZFJsVbiHwzDfKE7YXkIceFEms5BEPF_le2l2VWryA2u4E-yGUhBtU5482bvVewIL25jP-oKwgEO7o-yU/s1600/20190528_143158%25280%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Kr3dngKY3WKNw8PdGSdOyRYGVSJ3B530g3kH1LcJ0gYV4YuE3PslJQr5CPgZFJsVbiHwzDfKE7YXkIceFEms5BEPF_le2l2VWryA2u4E-yGUhBtU5482bvVewIL25jP-oKwgEO7o-yU/s640/20190528_143158%25280%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span>
</div>
MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-44982821693379612452019-05-26T05:37:00.001-07:002019-05-26T05:45:30.074-07:00SUNDAY 26TH MAY - AMSTERDAM AGAIN<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Yes,
we are back in Amsterdam The cruise we are doing is actually two
cruises back to back. The first was the Baltic Sea. The second is the
fjords of Norway Today is change over day for those not doing both
cruises.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrvrdlG-BzIB09hcKNCbnBZbtT2fcf7WWJKiJi4ms-Zt4DHWpvflKNQp_cG-omZGst2cW4wWkUp-A_SvcC2MkUVVmX29mIkPaVDQ8_uayhVmrGKwHOdaImTexb7dtCKxcvS753GKKtJgI/s1600/IMG_8783.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1600" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrvrdlG-BzIB09hcKNCbnBZbtT2fcf7WWJKiJi4ms-Zt4DHWpvflKNQp_cG-omZGst2cW4wWkUp-A_SvcC2MkUVVmX29mIkPaVDQ8_uayhVmrGKwHOdaImTexb7dtCKxcvS753GKKtJgI/s640/IMG_8783.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Given
that we have seen most things one can see within walking distance of
the cruise terminal, we took an excursion to Zaanse Schans where we
learnt a lot about windmills and the various purposes for which they
have been used over time. Extremely interesting. </span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">The
windmills are located in a restored historical village where a number
of craftsmen work including clog makers.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8liPDOKoNHoTTQDWCJka2RoW8XW__uad7rY3_UTm4DlRKzpQGRmrzSVd-m8wYeo1LRPik9_x4jnuf2LUZ3b2K84T1NYREYnk3GXwZxHcbaYyejC-jqhJjucFn0SqLp4noNajJ7m_kc94/s1600/IMG_8761.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8liPDOKoNHoTTQDWCJka2RoW8XW__uad7rY3_UTm4DlRKzpQGRmrzSVd-m8wYeo1LRPik9_x4jnuf2LUZ3b2K84T1NYREYnk3GXwZxHcbaYyejC-jqhJjucFn0SqLp4noNajJ7m_kc94/s640/IMG_8761.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">We
also got an insight into the local cheese making industry.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphoEGNiFJwJSM9ymRjKgy7IBIAr2r5qyPcdupJ2KVwHLzyz6Wkf1uJv78_j26PVz6ntgkofBCwKVGSEL5wpRyaPupq_w4v1thktmBZKlEWEnE_6_RwQujxmX6np-QNjyTtHEfet_lCLw/s1600/IMG_8837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphoEGNiFJwJSM9ymRjKgy7IBIAr2r5qyPcdupJ2KVwHLzyz6Wkf1uJv78_j26PVz6ntgkofBCwKVGSEL5wpRyaPupq_w4v1thktmBZKlEWEnE_6_RwQujxmX6np-QNjyTtHEfet_lCLw/s640/IMG_8837.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">One
of the secrets of success of the local cheese industry is the
incredibly lush paddocks in which the cows graze. The Netherlands is
a water logged country, so much so that all paddocks are below sea
level and are drained into ditches from which water is pumped into
canals at a significantly higher level than the ditches. Dykes act as
dams to keep the canal and river water from flowing back into the
paddocks.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfGcxSjNEMFKpUZO1faASmSTmKcrq4eQopWAcSj1hvP5uRPrfhsxTMSTqyxC_jFpPAnQdzWa3aW1omt09qX2u4MX4F4i9_oyjtIeKVRSWDQhifmA-YrEHWi6CsEoNGqZYM79DXIqaX3yE/s1600/IMG_8771.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfGcxSjNEMFKpUZO1faASmSTmKcrq4eQopWAcSj1hvP5uRPrfhsxTMSTqyxC_jFpPAnQdzWa3aW1omt09qX2u4MX4F4i9_oyjtIeKVRSWDQhifmA-YrEHWi6CsEoNGqZYM79DXIqaX3yE/s640/IMG_8771.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">From
there we went to the delightful village of Edam, in historic times
the home of rich merchants who lived and worked in the area. Very
cute.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilNI7VtQ8rK9Wsj3xpuBaWYxrU3XpimNilE_8PNpmYfVaN89N1L5OTZhSt8JjXxUSnRV0hfUxTCgmuXnWm1rwMlsuCkI4NNhM683UVi3gOFJfwyhd5s7EcwBY0OwVUDuctOx1F4W1z_LM/s1600/IMG_8818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilNI7VtQ8rK9Wsj3xpuBaWYxrU3XpimNilE_8PNpmYfVaN89N1L5OTZhSt8JjXxUSnRV0hfUxTCgmuXnWm1rwMlsuCkI4NNhM683UVi3gOFJfwyhd5s7EcwBY0OwVUDuctOx1F4W1z_LM/s640/IMG_8818.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">We
noticed these buses which attached themselves to overhead charging
stations while waiting at their terminus – presumably battery
powered electric buses.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDT1cDr-6KEIPIxuFT3LxjKNtZOviO6Pm8NbZA01HQR7ya-khT-NrmlU2J4wnvzgi3tsGafMB7QijIfxVb-zVKXgmBDO0HQvGs8TQ2BnK5gAvClkm7vjIeiQG1Ur-M0ODrYfPgc0c3UTc/s1600/IMG_8812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDT1cDr-6KEIPIxuFT3LxjKNtZOviO6Pm8NbZA01HQR7ya-khT-NrmlU2J4wnvzgi3tsGafMB7QijIfxVb-zVKXgmBDO0HQvGs8TQ2BnK5gAvClkm7vjIeiQG1Ur-M0ODrYfPgc0c3UTc/s640/IMG_8812.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Tomorrow
is another sea day before four days of different Norwegian ports. </span>MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-52392925468315397002019-05-24T05:25:00.000-07:002019-05-24T05:29:45.799-07:00FRIDAY 24TH - AARHUS<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">We
are in Aarhus today, the second largest city in Denmark. It is said
that it rains or snows once every two days here and, sadly, we struck
a rainy day, the first of our cruise so we can't complain.</span>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">We
still managed some exploration of the city although we didn't get as
far as we wanted to. This is a city of contrasts – the very modern</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1RL4ASo8oc7d2ob4lJJNofeUQOANq4B9m_CLhIY2DeSK6r278EN6t0uRd9LCYnU1wLdqyQMItP6K5G2JXEX4w2kbclLg8APQiodWn7IZZyqpDqC5tKJphlxqMJQfe9FR6_lcCYnUJBV0/s1600/IMG_8726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1RL4ASo8oc7d2ob4lJJNofeUQOANq4B9m_CLhIY2DeSK6r278EN6t0uRd9LCYnU1wLdqyQMItP6K5G2JXEX4w2kbclLg8APQiodWn7IZZyqpDqC5tKJphlxqMJQfe9FR6_lcCYnUJBV0/s640/IMG_8726.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">and
the very historic.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEhvYJbw9X2xsTnRfLBjpMG1QHdpIEpgH8GKGbEpkr6OXO652cWEMDvPYRxKR7j-Z2YbNduagwfTtMyhPdzBiRMFlNY5dqlIqemWpaxjyCyUl-b80IoLxTxNVE25MAGsVRPeCNp4Q1fWA/s1600/IMG_8729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEhvYJbw9X2xsTnRfLBjpMG1QHdpIEpgH8GKGbEpkr6OXO652cWEMDvPYRxKR7j-Z2YbNduagwfTtMyhPdzBiRMFlNY5dqlIqemWpaxjyCyUl-b80IoLxTxNVE25MAGsVRPeCNp4Q1fWA/s640/IMG_8729.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">The
old city has its share of quaint houses</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeBovzhgdYXhKNZglLkFirEWbXrvhtQk1cJKxGAOtJFfxUNAYLEj_1XMxUkTIV2NsfEdnHpXxcXp6nvmnm7ujjcMsC45amBBGIejpcuD4WzLcXgnu51yQdYIBKN3HdN1nx8hz_2r048g/s1600/IMG_8743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeBovzhgdYXhKNZglLkFirEWbXrvhtQk1cJKxGAOtJFfxUNAYLEj_1XMxUkTIV2NsfEdnHpXxcXp6nvmnm7ujjcMsC45amBBGIejpcuD4WzLcXgnu51yQdYIBKN3HdN1nx8hz_2r048g/s640/IMG_8743.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">and
historic churches. This church was built in the 1200's but it was
only discovered during some renovations in 1959 that it has an
underground crypt.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjpNyOe-NldjT1Qj7VCjgC5PH9p_h6NAxMiB3KAXW6i6iyc-5k8p9qWzbPc17mY8AkEy0IQbMt3eSL2GCtDFiY4xmf2-4WUCEjhpupciYcnJENlHlfs9IsLG7Z51_jxgruHE1-VXUWZ4/s1600/IMG_8746.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjpNyOe-NldjT1Qj7VCjgC5PH9p_h6NAxMiB3KAXW6i6iyc-5k8p9qWzbPc17mY8AkEy0IQbMt3eSL2GCtDFiY4xmf2-4WUCEjhpupciYcnJENlHlfs9IsLG7Z51_jxgruHE1-VXUWZ4/s640/IMG_8746.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">The
city also has an Australian Bar. It was closed when we went past it
so we didn't see how it was decorated.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4KBlon0LkD_ETAA-7V1QGFs-N3QalzkOz6cMq0dsU2gUFPkK9TMEC1eEPz7L_fdAGaLg8mx9JI6_KaOnRp_97v_KTnnU4O0MVSKYpA0bp5HI_EhGm_Yl4_Rh-BsGObv_9T3ktDoFn8dQ/s1600/IMG_8751.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4KBlon0LkD_ETAA-7V1QGFs-N3QalzkOz6cMq0dsU2gUFPkK9TMEC1eEPz7L_fdAGaLg8mx9JI6_KaOnRp_97v_KTnnU4O0MVSKYpA0bp5HI_EhGm_Yl4_Rh-BsGObv_9T3ktDoFn8dQ/s640/IMG_8751.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Tomorrow
is another sea day before returning to Amsterdam for a changeover. We
stay on for the Norwegian segment. </span><br />
MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-76434606491079929562019-05-23T06:43:00.002-07:002019-05-23T07:03:28.048-07:00THURSDAY 23RD MAY - HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEB<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHr0FcPj932PYbsGq49H1Ko6zqJKGnELyeZd1OkWxCFplHo2RCrQCNVJxjTmczKN5osMTimdWIEqqK2KsZVTh2qnwS223WoHo63tWkxi0usgOi5z2y54PqxYPwAthBT7VRJ-ylxlGk-14/s1600/IMG_8694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHr0FcPj932PYbsGq49H1Ko6zqJKGnELyeZd1OkWxCFplHo2RCrQCNVJxjTmczKN5osMTimdWIEqqK2KsZVTh2qnwS223WoHo63tWkxi0usgOi5z2y54PqxYPwAthBT7VRJ-ylxlGk-14/s640/IMG_8694.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Today
we celebrated Deb's birthday in Kiel, another German port. Because it
was an important port during the second world war, it was
comprehensively bombed so the “old town” no longer exists. All of
the buildings in what was the old town originally established in
1230, were rebuilt in the 1950'sincluding the very impressive church
of St. Nikolai.</span>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">It
is the access point for Hamburg, several hours away so like Berlin,
we didn't go. Hamburg needs much more than several hours.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiy6bL98MjmMtdS6P_f5WQEzVFotry2NWKmaypit8nDdz0bZBpLTrYNFrSD8pr06KuQ1qzyL2EeSQEQK_X6NR969Oc9lFWUZmdAbgdPns9UGW3wMHKYCydtSKGayzPX3xBoR-ZS3IxXkc/s1600/IMG_8689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1041" data-original-width="1600" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiy6bL98MjmMtdS6P_f5WQEzVFotry2NWKmaypit8nDdz0bZBpLTrYNFrSD8pr06KuQ1qzyL2EeSQEQK_X6NR969Oc9lFWUZmdAbgdPns9UGW3wMHKYCydtSKGayzPX3xBoR-ZS3IxXkc/s640/IMG_8689.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">There
seems to be a Kyle connection in the city in that there is a Tom Kyle
brauhaus (beer house) right in the centre and</span>
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ48z__S8cxqes-C_MCqTyLth9aez7nhA1Mwsmlql3SOjQIv0Z0TPuLqZcImu4-KVkBJALuimFDfCOD8yk3FtNFF7sTBdB-jSvO_mPa_ZWR6jKiSMwpd8BYWBEFJnGj2N9t4qkhN16Q5A/s1600/IMG_8701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ48z__S8cxqes-C_MCqTyLth9aez7nhA1Mwsmlql3SOjQIv0Z0TPuLqZcImu4-KVkBJALuimFDfCOD8yk3FtNFF7sTBdB-jSvO_mPa_ZWR6jKiSMwpd8BYWBEFJnGj2N9t4qkhN16Q5A/s640/IMG_8701.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">the name of the city in old German is Kyl.</span>
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwBS8lrFXfruvRaiGriIzuOYaY5tYAsNBdvlBGIbiRuri2Uj09ZEGR37qclErT2QH79lAFxYW5nxuk9ErwPKVFvNpt_hJf-kWRqrC3Lyn2b3wHLbJSdd_AmOniJiksDmENiQ7c9pUqgS0/s1600/20190523_150521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwBS8lrFXfruvRaiGriIzuOYaY5tYAsNBdvlBGIbiRuri2Uj09ZEGR37qclErT2QH79lAFxYW5nxuk9ErwPKVFvNpt_hJf-kWRqrC3Lyn2b3wHLbJSdd_AmOniJiksDmENiQ7c9pUqgS0/s640/20190523_150521.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">We
had our usual beer of the country before returning to the ship, this
time a Flensburger.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxHDKbsg5SasxTUhrIaHTfd8XjwS3KMbTS76rzC4zanPuTJ6_xZ9qsIEPGuv4IdXjIMiWMFHatmlmS8jexlYjUZeh1z4H_FHkP0U_ptQwUQECoCkXNTKENw7GihxbE4PS_VR9Ul0HbTA/s1600/IMG_8717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxHDKbsg5SasxTUhrIaHTfd8XjwS3KMbTS76rzC4zanPuTJ6_xZ9qsIEPGuv4IdXjIMiWMFHatmlmS8jexlYjUZeh1z4H_FHkP0U_ptQwUQECoCkXNTKENw7GihxbE4PS_VR9Ul0HbTA/s640/IMG_8717.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">We
also got to sit in one of those ridiculous beach chairs we saw so
many of on the beach at Warnemunde.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Why
would they describe their German Naval Yards in English? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13WIKLBG7EUCkxoM2Is0w7orhr_w1-kqZ5IdajSZ5yZQmLp0nWZTq9flmrapFBQv3ENhdn5iRtdO7B1gKRpB_a5mJuRUAVEmSzWhzAFhLVM7sosYVfpSWeyPB8Vl_qnbXwGvSUBxUYaA/s1600/IMG_8684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1600" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13WIKLBG7EUCkxoM2Is0w7orhr_w1-kqZ5IdajSZ5yZQmLp0nWZTq9flmrapFBQv3ENhdn5iRtdO7B1gKRpB_a5mJuRUAVEmSzWhzAFhLVM7sosYVfpSWeyPB8Vl_qnbXwGvSUBxUYaA/s640/IMG_8684.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span> <span style="font-size: medium;">Tomorrow we will be in Denmark at Arrhus.</span></div>
MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-1764175345053556802019-05-22T22:21:00.000-07:002019-05-22T22:37:58.507-07:00TUESDAY 21ST - STOCKHOLM<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj4cjf5lKMmD3oq98vw0S5lSG4vkchLbNpG7U7-06hGSKTFbiph9d4AEHU_J-oXOXRCHDCeotoOtkTR3fvCkVHEF0YdlBwlmyv4FC8rHrzWI0rTRj21VlwTOyfbF3HlA5rX0y3cAA1tYU/s1600/IMG_8679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1552" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj4cjf5lKMmD3oq98vw0S5lSG4vkchLbNpG7U7-06hGSKTFbiph9d4AEHU_J-oXOXRCHDCeotoOtkTR3fvCkVHEF0YdlBwlmyv4FC8rHrzWI0rTRj21VlwTOyfbF3HlA5rX0y3cAA1tYU/s640/IMG_8679.JPG" width="620" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">What
a fascinating place. To get there, we had to sail through the
Stockholm Archipelago “with more than 30,000 islands, ancient
fishing villages and centuries old towns, inviting coves, cliffs and
soft sand beaches”. It took four hours for the ship to get from the
port of Stockholm to the open sea. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrqh72MlHSBsu5-K7WcXu_huuBFJp2jTDMSxEhlRO4qQ0abRPZeFj4FgEpljDq29dTr-brPgoIO6gDDhiFBtCNi4cI0ZEKdYno6WY72_yzzGu-586e4Wi-gokO8n_r1FdIz8G2yQ7v1w/s1600/IMG_8606.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrqh72MlHSBsu5-K7WcXu_huuBFJp2jTDMSxEhlRO4qQ0abRPZeFj4FgEpljDq29dTr-brPgoIO6gDDhiFBtCNi4cI0ZEKdYno6WY72_yzzGu-586e4Wi-gokO8n_r1FdIz8G2yQ7v1w/s640/IMG_8606.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">There
were numerous waterfront properties in idyllic settings. Obviously a
boat is an essential means of transport.</span>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Water
is a constantly recurring theme in the cities we are visiting.
Finland claims to have the most fresh water in the world.</span>
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwC2tdZkvON9Xb_ppRZd2wFdnLmIUWiU_Iu__IU9Rq-GENke0Tmq2q-NntcXqQKn-5jOsO5H9-HraGCA41Fbp8PADdmOEZvOZv7e6aQKtvSfj1QMbu7m8jHO5KbqOjkL8HPcTqtRIKXuM/s1600/IMG_8672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwC2tdZkvON9Xb_ppRZd2wFdnLmIUWiU_Iu__IU9Rq-GENke0Tmq2q-NntcXqQKn-5jOsO5H9-HraGCA41Fbp8PADdmOEZvOZv7e6aQKtvSfj1QMbu7m8jHO5KbqOjkL8HPcTqtRIKXuM/s640/IMG_8672.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">Stockholm
is constructed on a series of islands. The island on which the old
town is located is described as a cork restricting the flow of water
from the vast lakes to its west to the Baltic Sea to its east. Even
restricted, the flow is significant. Where else can you fish for
salmon in the middle of a city?</span>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">Because
the port is some distance from the city, we once again used the Hop
On Hop Off bus to get around. When its communication system is
working, it is a valuable source of information and is an easy way of
working out what is worth seeing in a strange city. It is also
considerably cheaper than the ship's excursions.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixfdA7ArqUklxxN2g8JHC-SUsCiPUhfertmU5KMA68K9q1GVfsN8yaekk_SvXa8J4evEiyht17O_IfrJhmPQ9wh9pOjFfm38jjYWaoFrD9fm1VlPwp6M9Rvua8bv62fT1ed0VH3MOKo-Q/s1600/IMG_8645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixfdA7ArqUklxxN2g8JHC-SUsCiPUhfertmU5KMA68K9q1GVfsN8yaekk_SvXa8J4evEiyht17O_IfrJhmPQ9wh9pOjFfm38jjYWaoFrD9fm1VlPwp6M9Rvua8bv62fT1ed0VH3MOKo-Q/s640/IMG_8645.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">We
happened to be in the right place, the Palace, at the right time for
the changing of the guard.</span>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDkGca7rbI_m_d4WwDPRVUXIH5QwmFkefX72mnho77aVgqV7O9n0irSKV9zywtJG4C4iRLdrq8lmEATgH6ckMKI4BNejx1pw3YyEE46yOMeyMmG4hFaG4vostEIA8QL5uqStnvpl6EyqU/s1600/IMG_8620.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDkGca7rbI_m_d4WwDPRVUXIH5QwmFkefX72mnho77aVgqV7O9n0irSKV9zywtJG4C4iRLdrq8lmEATgH6ckMKI4BNejx1pw3YyEE46yOMeyMmG4hFaG4vostEIA8QL5uqStnvpl6EyqU/s640/IMG_8620.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Unlike
other cities we have visited, Stockholm's islands are quite hilly
giving an opportunity for some great views of the city and waterways.</span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHKROB9ZIpHnAeuaGyFdvaOudWAwJ9a_sybTONHawZ4aGCYg83f5h-NGM2wC8Dbzi96O6_Fp72iDVoYcXN7rEfj22cMp2Hfyw2g5Cvt1AKkiZUW_8giKMK7d63-gdGRz1aohjYphfkNw4/s1600/IMG_8633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHKROB9ZIpHnAeuaGyFdvaOudWAwJ9a_sybTONHawZ4aGCYg83f5h-NGM2wC8Dbzi96O6_Fp72iDVoYcXN7rEfj22cMp2Hfyw2g5Cvt1AKkiZUW_8giKMK7d63-gdGRz1aohjYphfkNw4/s640/IMG_8633.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">As
you would expect, tours by boat are readily available. Unfortunately
we didn't have time for one but still got an understanding of the
waterways.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzFS7lNgH5bReNI5IYjkIYJPDgsKtgySUdXSmoXyu2Br210laZpAk6PNRrVV4ALnX9RkSkKN3XdHKDRoJ2tmhEUuvYQeAVOn91s9GGXs81fRqDijHYNAwZm7mOXz1ewP15yhTPp-UBF4Q/s1600/IMG_8634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzFS7lNgH5bReNI5IYjkIYJPDgsKtgySUdXSmoXyu2Br210laZpAk6PNRrVV4ALnX9RkSkKN3XdHKDRoJ2tmhEUuvYQeAVOn91s9GGXs81fRqDijHYNAwZm7mOXz1ewP15yhTPp-UBF4Q/s640/IMG_8634.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">Stockholm
definitely deserves a longer return visit.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Once
again, the weather was extremely kind to us – 21 degrees and sunny.
</span>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Tomorrow
we are at sea. Friday, we are back in Germany at Keil, followed by
Arhus in Denmark on Saturday We then return to Amsterdam before
heading north for the Norwegian segment of the cruise. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFhqWZqyS6Aag3bgksHwhkKPMVfRmDS-0f-M97S2-rdVxlWa4CL7iUsGtVgxrqxzIDx9PaRuvmaglpDNhZY5gm_s1DpQ2LVZzZ9rTp3Hm64LCchR1k9_gDsNH2Tu1Vnulb7kdEggoRu3w/s1600/20190521_150419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFhqWZqyS6Aag3bgksHwhkKPMVfRmDS-0f-M97S2-rdVxlWa4CL7iUsGtVgxrqxzIDx9PaRuvmaglpDNhZY5gm_s1DpQ2LVZzZ9rTp3Hm64LCchR1k9_gDsNH2Tu1Vnulb7kdEggoRu3w/s640/20190521_150419.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">As
usual, we had to have our obligatory beer. One in every country.</span></div>
MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-40371257471623329692019-05-20T05:38:00.002-07:002019-05-20T05:45:30.709-07:00MONDAY 20TH - HELSINKI<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">This
morning, as we ate breakfast, we docked at Helsinki. The town is some
distance from the cruise port so we resorted to the Hop On Hop Off
bus to get an understanding of Helsinki. Once again, the weather was
fabulous, sunny and 21 degrees. We have been really lucky with the
weather. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBeV-zN-dR8RaDqb3eRRXlfF0zvNOYxcnnHE_TU6cGTzFXtbnR92Dsv2i8De3QVXQqce1jEQFxLQ4PvDe6BOMAVy4363Rs4oKDaaNHFKdWVTnBLylnuCIA_TtBhl8W4kotxuKIwXh95hM/s1600/IMG_8556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBeV-zN-dR8RaDqb3eRRXlfF0zvNOYxcnnHE_TU6cGTzFXtbnR92Dsv2i8De3QVXQqce1jEQFxLQ4PvDe6BOMAVy4363Rs4oKDaaNHFKdWVTnBLylnuCIA_TtBhl8W4kotxuKIwXh95hM/s640/IMG_8556.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Our
first stop was the Rock Church, so called because it is cut into a
rocky hillside with the cut away rock constituting the walls of the
church. While it is described as the most popular tourist attraction
in Helsinki, it functions as a Lutheran parish church.</span>
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYfo_yJb1tQwtBip35zHKP-Qxpm5hOSMAxBXEDMuOA0mk2poL3rA2TW20meSMTPTWx2RhxYFpmzB1NSqWcWfZGjZu0krcYpp02GNsI3ngMyfxVPCOidd8e-nLtS46NI1LHTaKg4S-H9eE/s1600/IMG_8562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYfo_yJb1tQwtBip35zHKP-Qxpm5hOSMAxBXEDMuOA0mk2poL3rA2TW20meSMTPTWx2RhxYFpmzB1NSqWcWfZGjZu0krcYpp02GNsI3ngMyfxVPCOidd8e-nLtS46NI1LHTaKg4S-H9eE/s640/IMG_8562.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">From
there, we went to the Sibelius Monument. Sibelius was a famous
Finnish composer. I am not sure what the attraction is but there were
plenty of tour buses there.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83-miCfz0EARqjcTjCtd9uo-sbUg2Fj36-j5ZzobVaQxiep1sIWGTq_N6aMxgeHBObj465s91BwOx_ZTXmlhiLnJZLhal0iVQn2AOzwT1pdjRv2LflA7okIOLQmTDI-VcEsV33cwAG2w/s1600/IMG_8571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83-miCfz0EARqjcTjCtd9uo-sbUg2Fj36-j5ZzobVaQxiep1sIWGTq_N6aMxgeHBObj465s91BwOx_ZTXmlhiLnJZLhal0iVQn2AOzwT1pdjRv2LflA7okIOLQmTDI-VcEsV33cwAG2w/s640/IMG_8571.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Next
stop was the city, the Cathedral in Senate Square.</span>
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkS3learOhZtlPf-fb1Qbbw8LAsSw7bDsfk35ZDLM54tOIf7J47o75iloCqSlchznEJWlaDpRnoRFw2Q5i_RMlCzrtBx5aBmFBw6ZykmY3aDKxZhymhAn8fIKSPIaA-RB5BnUyZl55qc/s1600/IMG_8594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1600" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkS3learOhZtlPf-fb1Qbbw8LAsSw7bDsfk35ZDLM54tOIf7J47o75iloCqSlchznEJWlaDpRnoRFw2Q5i_RMlCzrtBx5aBmFBw6ZykmY3aDKxZhymhAn8fIKSPIaA-RB5BnUyZl55qc/s640/IMG_8594.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">Then
the Flying Cinema, a three dimensional movie with special effects showing the sights of
Finland followed by the Skywheel.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xG3nWf6xFHYMeRQKF0DpDQtheVvhQIIbSszMulk4MTrubQKPsAB6S1A8XXHFQmuaFHCTyPFtrMmb-ev-MyNTmVdLqPoXvSYrdlE4XDM9rzK2oddUn_DD2Y07hi2_lDBs7Dp9fOFntFI/s1600/IMG_8591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1555" data-original-width="1600" height="622" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xG3nWf6xFHYMeRQKF0DpDQtheVvhQIIbSszMulk4MTrubQKPsAB6S1A8XXHFQmuaFHCTyPFtrMmb-ev-MyNTmVdLqPoXvSYrdlE4XDM9rzK2oddUn_DD2Y07hi2_lDBs7Dp9fOFntFI/s640/IMG_8591.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Then
the Uspenski Cathedral, closed on Mondays as we eventually worked
out.</span>
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLjWm0pjsmexjjwrYFSwCwFbtNmpfyom1TWqL-RJq9dp07tK-ZBiuDYmDvunhgYe_kLq8NjjWC5ZhFfEKJ2KIL7kp4TGGEPUZknlO7oZ8VCvoAIvRPaGBjtVJjwDOD-SAmXwgSgHeOfuI/s1600/20190520_140150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLjWm0pjsmexjjwrYFSwCwFbtNmpfyom1TWqL-RJq9dp07tK-ZBiuDYmDvunhgYe_kLq8NjjWC5ZhFfEKJ2KIL7kp4TGGEPUZknlO7oZ8VCvoAIvRPaGBjtVJjwDOD-SAmXwgSgHeOfuI/s640/20190520_140150.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Followed
by the mandatory local beer at the Cafe Carousel on the waterfront on
the way back to the ship.</span><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Tomorrow,
we wake up in Stockholm. </span>
</div>
MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-80952854295942422322019-05-19T21:00:00.005-07:002019-05-19T21:09:05.379-07:00SUNDAY 19TH - ST PETERSBURG AGAIN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_omPu5BgbOoLKJk9gpVJS_zf46EK-x7mBDFdi_l5SS7I-Of7j4UDH0L1Zq6MLBlRwtsYO47mT5i_EOwr6HVyPjVOax5-bPvYY2q9buccmY-CxZw_v7WVl2i76VwsNm0v9yS01qcATlgQ/s1600/IMG_8425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="1600" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_omPu5BgbOoLKJk9gpVJS_zf46EK-x7mBDFdi_l5SS7I-Of7j4UDH0L1Zq6MLBlRwtsYO47mT5i_EOwr6HVyPjVOax5-bPvYY2q9buccmY-CxZw_v7WVl2i76VwsNm0v9yS01qcATlgQ/s640/IMG_8425.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">For
the second morning in a row, we had to get up at 5:00am for a 6:15
departure but we made it. We get to sleep in tomorrow in Helsinki
where we plan a much more leisurely day.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNgTVz2J1_kfLJTqzGx_cRqa9pAnFae7ehzMo42qRgrHnkCXqPU1AkwD30W43Yzy9gb0EdumIKgww3i77QsO6IHveGVnBIqkQvWvE4IdiKM-0ntiYEnoltKTAUhoD6KM6tZwk6-XDqYoQ/s1600/IMG_8444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNgTVz2J1_kfLJTqzGx_cRqa9pAnFae7ehzMo42qRgrHnkCXqPU1AkwD30W43Yzy9gb0EdumIKgww3i77QsO6IHveGVnBIqkQvWvE4IdiKM-0ntiYEnoltKTAUhoD6KM6tZwk6-XDqYoQ/s640/IMG_8444.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">We
started the day with a canal and river cruise getting the opportunity
to see the numerous grand and historic buildings from the water.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb9j25DK-jPgP1AoWvWyiOG8ZuycXTHoHxkE_awwPeHxn42dCKnr-_qIN7h9dAkyTJZib9tuQ0-tDxQpVuIZwr_Ul6GSsWQ8CMrkRaLaHD6lez745MO8WwMMMnVcU4vj31cxELUfk1fas/s1600/IMG_8450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="942" data-original-width="1600" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb9j25DK-jPgP1AoWvWyiOG8ZuycXTHoHxkE_awwPeHxn42dCKnr-_qIN7h9dAkyTJZib9tuQ0-tDxQpVuIZwr_Ul6GSsWQ8CMrkRaLaHD6lez745MO8WwMMMnVcU4vj31cxELUfk1fas/s640/IMG_8450.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLNBOtVIwzubkxfiSi-T-EJiXgwxd3kOd_Br0zDY1TJAVi_iNukA589JSIwWRc8oEm-TLBVuZmUSSd0REgDekWG338VIg7kVAC0UsBbmngLj2gtNxO_ogwJk_tSMui3vHewkxkpcLBw8/s1600/IMG_8460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLNBOtVIwzubkxfiSi-T-EJiXgwxd3kOd_Br0zDY1TJAVi_iNukA589JSIwWRc8oEm-TLBVuZmUSSd0REgDekWG338VIg7kVAC0UsBbmngLj2gtNxO_ogwJk_tSMui3vHewkxkpcLBw8/s640/IMG_8460.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">From
there we headed out of the city to the Grand Peterhof Palace and
Peterhof Gardens at Peterhof, a grand spectacle in both the palace
and the gardens originally built in the reign of Peter, allowed to
deteriorate during the revolution as so many palaces and grand
buildings were but subsequently renovated.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2qNaAnUMBK1lXcO6hucpTq0B_F9cQ5stbpTwtyTpflsQhyPZVyI_4cguLGJAwEuF5yK7c1TjWIS5YWoWnwjtWhnW2VGY4GwJSyquu80YP_fZDG-jCPyxPmuxpQ5TahRh1RNCUrws46Y/s1600/IMG_8495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1236" data-original-width="1600" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2qNaAnUMBK1lXcO6hucpTq0B_F9cQ5stbpTwtyTpflsQhyPZVyI_4cguLGJAwEuF5yK7c1TjWIS5YWoWnwjtWhnW2VGY4GwJSyquu80YP_fZDG-jCPyxPmuxpQ5TahRh1RNCUrws46Y/s640/IMG_8495.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">The
fountains rely entirely on a gravity fed water supply for their water
pressure. No pumps are used.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYm_djcOp1Bi84C3IeF70EhxsDRFDBlogr-aLlD77lrHHPeEeG7fCbR_ukhpTJ8TULDG59FrTXy8QcMtqJRHLSW7uwmxk88EJJEguYVpyWuNWy7VrkKKpz0GQok5jYmHnHKb06Dpa86s/s1600/IMG_8477.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYm_djcOp1Bi84C3IeF70EhxsDRFDBlogr-aLlD77lrHHPeEeG7fCbR_ukhpTJ8TULDG59FrTXy8QcMtqJRHLSW7uwmxk88EJJEguYVpyWuNWy7VrkKKpz0GQok5jYmHnHKb06Dpa86s/s640/IMG_8477.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtA83l3xltyzCOpy-d72AgmO2kP5m8OUaagmYF98rTePNdB9585_bMVAJHvL7AWTgtnxHPr1FhpsfAsswM128W-d-QlUavoQlLYBPT0nGnfd5RCTEPcUPfVweZyYiTdNm3cUKAe5YPeKg/s1600/IMG_8488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtA83l3xltyzCOpy-d72AgmO2kP5m8OUaagmYF98rTePNdB9585_bMVAJHvL7AWTgtnxHPr1FhpsfAsswM128W-d-QlUavoQlLYBPT0nGnfd5RCTEPcUPfVweZyYiTdNm3cUKAe5YPeKg/s640/IMG_8488.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">After
a Russian style lunch complete with vodka, we headed back to the city
to the palace where Rasputin was assasinated. ABP – another bloody
palace.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifvsfUkgyLMHPiLd54Oy5ayW0Xyw_922UbPkDUSmTywC8H-JbBnwaDu2VPmpHU_BD3fozgGRSIbDhEBxqOBwWGzB2krZQHTbwGeDOGbRNbsiSO3nlxzp50nOYSI1hjLkSv4WdZw3EcGpI/s1600/IMG_8536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifvsfUkgyLMHPiLd54Oy5ayW0Xyw_922UbPkDUSmTywC8H-JbBnwaDu2VPmpHU_BD3fozgGRSIbDhEBxqOBwWGzB2krZQHTbwGeDOGbRNbsiSO3nlxzp50nOYSI1hjLkSv4WdZw3EcGpI/s640/IMG_8536.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Our
final destination was St Isaac's Cathedral, no longer used as a
church, now a very popular tourist destination but spectacular in its
construction and decoration. Once again, it was allowed to deteriorate during the
revolution but since renovated.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">St
Petersburg – a great place to visit but we wouldn't want to live
there.</span></div>
MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-6055509598292217362019-05-18T10:14:00.000-07:002019-05-18T10:48:45.881-07:00SATURDAY 18TH - ST PETERSBURG<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Congratulations
Australia. Great election result. Our input tax credits remain
intact.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ6yd1E6fxDKsJ2IeMuOvTfGg8EkDmEgRvxYpw7FL_ls-Is_MaEN8EUrE_Uy4KwILkLMUVFcrM96w9MWSLnso-NiXMLguFduVaHAiCUFWaaO8w2mqQRUTE_ZpePoI3rJ_V4meDzHgD8XU/s1600/IMG_8235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ6yd1E6fxDKsJ2IeMuOvTfGg8EkDmEgRvxYpw7FL_ls-Is_MaEN8EUrE_Uy4KwILkLMUVFcrM96w9MWSLnso-NiXMLguFduVaHAiCUFWaaO8w2mqQRUTE_ZpePoI3rJ_V4meDzHgD8XU/s640/IMG_8235.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">Some
trivia. Our tour guide told us today that St. Petersburg gets 30 fine
sunny days per year and we have scored two of them. The temperature
today got to 21 degrees and the forecast for tomorrow is the same.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwn5uuiMeX6NXFmciVz4RQYr482g9yGaOceCeHl0CDu_pNYcrkglJLRB3jWViwb_VE9PAJnLd-gPGmwEZDg-yluFvRMkwuRCZNweAhyphenhyphenwxDn6HtPPb7Di8LgBju9vlQOnExyfYfY4yLB0w/s1600/IMG_8381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwn5uuiMeX6NXFmciVz4RQYr482g9yGaOceCeHl0CDu_pNYcrkglJLRB3jWViwb_VE9PAJnLd-gPGmwEZDg-yluFvRMkwuRCZNweAhyphenhyphenwxDn6HtPPb7Di8LgBju9vlQOnExyfYfY4yLB0w/s640/IMG_8381.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">As
you might expect, St Petersburg is a city of contrasts, really
depressing old blocks of residential units in a poor state of repair
and spectacular museums and churches.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2GMfgsnEWH9dA0yx0whwJSPYBEvB_D_lR7WcwpLJ7EGVF0i9knmQpg00gWMqDtGioSVH1T59ogYVCEwW9sx8Jt0IcrevPEXFVD_WaZETrxEWDrOCaXZ_EQpmCLrP6AEvzF7OpbmGAlkU/s1600/IMG_8377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2GMfgsnEWH9dA0yx0whwJSPYBEvB_D_lR7WcwpLJ7EGVF0i9knmQpg00gWMqDtGioSVH1T59ogYVCEwW9sx8Jt0IcrevPEXFVD_WaZETrxEWDrOCaXZ_EQpmCLrP6AEvzF7OpbmGAlkU/s640/IMG_8377.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">This
morning was spent at The Hermitage, not quite The Louvre but very
close with our very competent guide explaining the enormous number of artworks and other exhibits on display.<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>. We were warned to expect delays getting off the ship because
of Russian immigration requirements and long queues at the
attractions we visited but neither proved to be a problem.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXUJRwYGHz67PGVavBoW_HBmCy0P1bQkibMQ2zybiP851YZGmNslYxr2p8zLLH20jPIcrvfziTRokVpX6op_aWWD31elWI7rhCe6gEET0p4M24le0RjfmPK99jzPkucte0uwj_xFsn78/s1600/IMG_8278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXUJRwYGHz67PGVavBoW_HBmCy0P1bQkibMQ2zybiP851YZGmNslYxr2p8zLLH20jPIcrvfziTRokVpX6op_aWWD31elWI7rhCe6gEET0p4M24le0RjfmPK99jzPkucte0uwj_xFsn78/s640/IMG_8278.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">After
a Russian lunch complete with musical accompaniment, we visited the
Church of the Spilled Blood</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCb1tkhfplENLjKA6DtdcVcZJIZ7AIgrWB_INHMTy131h0aU345Ux0_dzsxu3cKgdRbaNqvrJtmQO7YcoW-sUBfwYvfN49bp070D79HGnY4SwoQO7ayVqa88cNqauzkHOisiPRJ3pCRVI/s1600/IMG_8344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCb1tkhfplENLjKA6DtdcVcZJIZ7AIgrWB_INHMTy131h0aU345Ux0_dzsxu3cKgdRbaNqvrJtmQO7YcoW-sUBfwYvfN49bp070D79HGnY4SwoQO7ayVqa88cNqauzkHOisiPRJ3pCRVI/s640/IMG_8344.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">and
the Church of St. Peter and Paul – both very spectacular and more
recognised as tourism attractions rather than places of worship.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSavGWq-lCvn467mvF88sSZrwbhNW8xHFuXCZMM_QQCR-e4FCRAxW6Xvg5-HoDCulChEjP7v5L6wfxm6pXX3SegazNaA32XY458ljnfkv_D6ICVx2aM8ot-gZEm7DSGS71KSsni6aK8hg/s1600/IMG_8338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSavGWq-lCvn467mvF88sSZrwbhNW8xHFuXCZMM_QQCR-e4FCRAxW6Xvg5-HoDCulChEjP7v5L6wfxm6pXX3SegazNaA32XY458ljnfkv_D6ICVx2aM8ot-gZEm7DSGS71KSsni6aK8hg/s640/IMG_8338.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">They
both have very complex histories having regard to the changes which
have occurred to the Russian political landscape over recent
centuries.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEby9RH_gfi0vS4Ay4Vdny1v9-ktsEry9LgNI69igvw6HfFTfDuGwxd88Ymb1TWW3E2ou2gwa4IQW9xcDiBJ28SBkLF5MGQ429cJ2dzvzNDX8FMD-f-OFHiVDO1F7W4rMFp4zvmazW4co/s1600/IMG_8359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEby9RH_gfi0vS4Ay4Vdny1v9-ktsEry9LgNI69igvw6HfFTfDuGwxd88Ymb1TWW3E2ou2gwa4IQW9xcDiBJ28SBkLF5MGQ429cJ2dzvzNDX8FMD-f-OFHiVDO1F7W4rMFp4zvmazW4co/s640/IMG_8359.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO8VPIHOLYT5R0pOEPE5GD46my58L8h2S7IeLM-6Wr3BE-1h9f-ohZxpGiZm6yoOt92kU2p57NYswN-EhR_SRIldeqpud0ZqLyf-ON0uWLiJegnkMXze8jnUlKptrWnfKCKwYXad5vi14/s1600/IMG_8355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO8VPIHOLYT5R0pOEPE5GD46my58L8h2S7IeLM-6Wr3BE-1h9f-ohZxpGiZm6yoOt92kU2p57NYswN-EhR_SRIldeqpud0ZqLyf-ON0uWLiJegnkMXze8jnUlKptrWnfKCKwYXad5vi14/s640/IMG_8355.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPPyMebAkvl-ke7gMSUTppTu9yk-sTRpECHGuSkXdtN6Qv-h8WzVAhjfLPkmOkW_BFxmIj1ucAvMGMy66vy3pyoiVfJrYlugN6aterKMic93Jlw0OQND4tS4plREhxqC-a7hWFgSsmulo/s1600/IMG_8350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPPyMebAkvl-ke7gMSUTppTu9yk-sTRpECHGuSkXdtN6Qv-h8WzVAhjfLPkmOkW_BFxmIj1ucAvMGMy66vy3pyoiVfJrYlugN6aterKMic93Jlw0OQND4tS4plREhxqC-a7hWFgSsmulo/s640/IMG_8350.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Anyone
want a ride on a Russian helicopter. We declined.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Tomorrow
we have part two of our city exploration. Unless you have a visa, the
only way one can go ashore here is as part of an organised excursion.
</span>
</div>
MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-24111354744190575352019-05-17T05:45:00.000-07:002019-05-17T05:53:51.539-07:00FRIDAY 17TH - TALLIN ESTONIA<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Yesterday
we spent at sea getting from Warnemunde to Tallin, the capital of Estonia so a very quiet day
on the ship but today was really interesting. Tallin is a very modern
busy city surrounding a very well preserved old city – a city of
contrasts.</span>
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXA0lCDXSVn5oF05wxSIFNWTtVg2MuQrkhk0V41GT1Fb5fapq4WmgjGmIMSgE3hojhIgbVqow0paBhpiawtNhwCvIupaZSFH1Pf40bjC2YFj8pEHn2UUkshMy4CiQ3fmnSxJdCQDbew7I/s1600/IMG_8201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXA0lCDXSVn5oF05wxSIFNWTtVg2MuQrkhk0V41GT1Fb5fapq4WmgjGmIMSgE3hojhIgbVqow0paBhpiawtNhwCvIupaZSFH1Pf40bjC2YFj8pEHn2UUkshMy4CiQ3fmnSxJdCQDbew7I/s640/IMG_8201.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">Once
again, the cruise terminal was within easy walking distance of the
old town so we spent the day walking – very virtuous and necessary
after all the food and drink on the ship.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlp6hIgBJWxhtm4W_EXYeVZkVNLP5L76ezYz0qS9M0Q0jFDI-CPezQINstOiQ-vYeK9TqFhrt-gz_HH8Y15_OiOs0liPkqmjQBm7IJD4MV53C2qB4zqL7AOslzfrMq8eAiwuHNpNg7WI/s1600/IMG_8120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlp6hIgBJWxhtm4W_EXYeVZkVNLP5L76ezYz0qS9M0Q0jFDI-CPezQINstOiQ-vYeK9TqFhrt-gz_HH8Y15_OiOs0liPkqmjQBm7IJD4MV53C2qB4zqL7AOslzfrMq8eAiwuHNpNg7WI/s640/IMG_8120.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Tallin
is a city of walls towers and churches as so many old cities are.</span>
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3nJwt5bZ67dZhHd97G6tFWwbL3fFgz3Y7KvkFs4OjMoFK4J3t5PVc7rx2paj7WV51gwMCDgyiXpAOrSk_mUlDG-inVVM95s4e8DlJb-Lc9d9InNNbVPyn6k1GM2ywIh3iCoBVKhQ89K8/s1600/IMG_8198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3nJwt5bZ67dZhHd97G6tFWwbL3fFgz3Y7KvkFs4OjMoFK4J3t5PVc7rx2paj7WV51gwMCDgyiXpAOrSk_mUlDG-inVVM95s4e8DlJb-Lc9d9InNNbVPyn6k1GM2ywIh3iCoBVKhQ89K8/s640/IMG_8198.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFbrlTiT4yPkgzDyJGov-AunGUWuN8NvK2I1XnGOcQXnInY1IdZPjpfxun2wdeH2SgIDRmGfirBsSXJshFmTOfjit__-GG0SCO8_TCKC5hgUX2iCOQGXLOKRjsCd8tLmOjwNcNzAtHKc/s1600/IMG_8158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFbrlTiT4yPkgzDyJGov-AunGUWuN8NvK2I1XnGOcQXnInY1IdZPjpfxun2wdeH2SgIDRmGfirBsSXJshFmTOfjit__-GG0SCO8_TCKC5hgUX2iCOQGXLOKRjsCd8tLmOjwNcNzAtHKc/s640/IMG_8158.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">As
you would expect, we sampled the local brew. Again the weather was
very kind to us.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxMI6TAwsI9KzGyFeeXu2Zi0fREikMqOYK4BtJ-zAYxGn9JhxTh7k8tFJd8RAy8lwV9IEkElAxNYk_NP5g8Yzw4ioNzXc3cKgbZAMQCEeCEkQtcfqZprg5RECD4XYvbAq-mQHVSpMYra4/s1600/20190517_135038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxMI6TAwsI9KzGyFeeXu2Zi0fREikMqOYK4BtJ-zAYxGn9JhxTh7k8tFJd8RAy8lwV9IEkElAxNYk_NP5g8Yzw4ioNzXc3cKgbZAMQCEeCEkQtcfqZprg5RECD4XYvbAq-mQHVSpMYra4/s640/20190517_135038.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Tomorrow
and Sunday, we are touring St. Petersburg. It looks really
interesting and we are spending two full days on organized tours so
should see plenty. I don't know what internet access if any I will
have (other than ship internet access which I refuse to pay for) so
watch this space.</span></div>
MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-41477445031756307842019-05-15T06:21:00.001-07:002019-05-17T05:13:06.705-07:00WEDNESDAY 15TH - WARNEMUNDE AND ROSTOCK<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Warnemunde
is on the German coast. Germany doesn't have much coastline but this
is the port which gives access to Berlin, a two and a half hour train
trip away. There are multiple excursions available to visit Berlin
but, given that the city obviously warrants a visit of more than a
few hours, we passed on those. Trish has already visited the city and
we will get there for a more comprehensive visit one day.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheHU5lUT51W3JC-uFhGgm1G7rB6LhjW5CGA6Rek8QdBDtCBNgkTcjpqc33bWFAB_-jJnawfozSqBEYL-wcSoxJWmpNn-GbWXo20TcCLM2NpfxrCOez4AfLa8fbbT4Tb0Om3LbJsnzQHUk/s1600/IMG_8074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="876" data-original-width="1600" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheHU5lUT51W3JC-uFhGgm1G7rB6LhjW5CGA6Rek8QdBDtCBNgkTcjpqc33bWFAB_-jJnawfozSqBEYL-wcSoxJWmpNn-GbWXo20TcCLM2NpfxrCOez4AfLa8fbbT4Tb0Om3LbJsnzQHUk/s640/IMG_8074.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Warnemunde
is quite small but a very popular summer resort with an endless
number of beach chairs, none of which were occupied on this 17 degree
day. It's attractions include an historic lighthouse and a building
called the teepot, allegedly because it resembles a teapot – bit
obscure for us.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2mAenA-EYYIvyi45CH5Na9A-yiYi84zaKGkTLPXFEcCzrctubK_7dxIW0pC0tEk3GvPFW5fqjPMc7Q6k3ChEVNb-wE1sS4XeEeh1dr1_MMHjc2Koq9O7SQqBo2aAprP0ylPPo6yGR7E/s1600/IMG_8078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2mAenA-EYYIvyi45CH5Na9A-yiYi84zaKGkTLPXFEcCzrctubK_7dxIW0pC0tEk3GvPFW5fqjPMc7Q6k3ChEVNb-wE1sS4XeEeh1dr1_MMHjc2Koq9O7SQqBo2aAprP0ylPPo6yGR7E/s640/IMG_8078.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Like
Amsterdam and Copenhagen, it has a canal system but on a much smaller
scale. It is however a very substantial port with a lot of river
traffic.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUYoZwdn-7ul41TWWDjBCrQKwKhmv9JfbBiEe64fYjT3Glepx4U45vmd6leQda8WvmyYfc831eaQftypSnNCv3IC2EUjAUpcWQDUOcF1TNmMY5cIuFk4VcglNiW9h8JTKSfPctvVNvu7c/s1600/IMG_8059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUYoZwdn-7ul41TWWDjBCrQKwKhmv9JfbBiEe64fYjT3Glepx4U45vmd6leQda8WvmyYfc831eaQftypSnNCv3IC2EUjAUpcWQDUOcF1TNmMY5cIuFk4VcglNiW9h8JTKSfPctvVNvu7c/s640/IMG_8059.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">As
suggested by the tour director, we tried out the local public
transport system. After completing our walk around Warnemunde, we
paid a total of 16 euros for the four of us to travel by train and
tram to Rostock. It was almost completely destroyed in World War II
but the old town was faithfully rebuilt after the war in
substantially the same form We were glad we took the trouble to go
there.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cfly2Y2Y77vKa8pWRMJjDTTVihn9hABQNjbOfNu0F3gXLTP34RaYa74n6aqxa2nRJ9i-40ol37bUKPXUhhiWFCd3H0FsL65H_iKAQi_9OxozEI17_ug0FK7qacmZI26lVdOjmnQwM3U/s1600/IMG_8092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cfly2Y2Y77vKa8pWRMJjDTTVihn9hABQNjbOfNu0F3gXLTP34RaYa74n6aqxa2nRJ9i-40ol37bUKPXUhhiWFCd3H0FsL65H_iKAQi_9OxozEI17_ug0FK7qacmZI26lVdOjmnQwM3U/s640/IMG_8092.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">On
the way back to the ship, we had our customary beer, this time a
Krombacher.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGeoak9uTzGNXflzE6gk-SMVYZA3mC97HoWRXQgf14Qod_7V3Y-lo_oQo8mbxaFhNDvsxz3IVN8ZQTcgfcr6QUFuoJmoJGDWDd1BUmDIMzdBCbromJUFvXVMRxaLIPn8eVNyhW6NsAVQ/s1600/IMG_8097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGeoak9uTzGNXflzE6gk-SMVYZA3mC97HoWRXQgf14Qod_7V3Y-lo_oQo8mbxaFhNDvsxz3IVN8ZQTcgfcr6QUFuoJmoJGDWDd1BUmDIMzdBCbromJUFvXVMRxaLIPn8eVNyhW6NsAVQ/s640/IMG_8097.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Last
night's sunset at about 10:00pm was pretty impressive.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAOjLJ4uLMLJpl2QTAO12ECR-MjEiYu4PDkwTJrb4xchlxdIkdSJ3lE_kggQgT9cbqzkaonNIw5l4qdl5LTDVf97kWJtgNUF41dc6WwyCpoxJi6R_jPnXWeJdHiyE_3qjHoLubdrCjpl0/s1600/IMG_8057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAOjLJ4uLMLJpl2QTAO12ECR-MjEiYu4PDkwTJrb4xchlxdIkdSJ3lE_kggQgT9cbqzkaonNIw5l4qdl5LTDVf97kWJtgNUF41dc6WwyCpoxJi6R_jPnXWeJdHiyE_3qjHoLubdrCjpl0/s640/IMG_8057.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span> </div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-46093262756376877102019-05-14T06:30:00.003-07:002019-05-14T21:59:44.022-07:00TUESDAY 14TH - COPENHAGEN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPEbFJuHWeL7mEfLVGT9kFgKy57FaMTC1mrQzkF-CVfpPhrcv3ZOKjz5sEkgSCkWy5p2NP_AR6n7AcNG9O8CMlNhxPi5YzrNUbXieSv6LNkB64Ufg7MqRfVS_fo6UPmyEVx9jRuesa8R4/s1600/20190513_101439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPEbFJuHWeL7mEfLVGT9kFgKy57FaMTC1mrQzkF-CVfpPhrcv3ZOKjz5sEkgSCkWy5p2NP_AR6n7AcNG9O8CMlNhxPi5YzrNUbXieSv6LNkB64Ufg7MqRfVS_fo6UPmyEVx9jRuesa8R4/s640/20190513_101439.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A
great day. Perfect weather for walking the streets of the old town of
Copenhagen and a canal cruise which gave us a broader view of the
central city.</span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPmzA9UmfOALdj36-5ozXNS8NfkbPKxAQe0HLnKHSDz68pA61q3ag8xWkOQdAGTu0jKg5LmEXGLl-yeP-VotWZ5vFHNqnX7c3qSPGrqtfGhtE5xjGGAO_RhIVIeL7er6kvJTd99bV2cI/s1600/IMG_8001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPmzA9UmfOALdj36-5ozXNS8NfkbPKxAQe0HLnKHSDz68pA61q3ag8xWkOQdAGTu0jKg5LmEXGLl-yeP-VotWZ5vFHNqnX7c3qSPGrqtfGhtE5xjGGAO_RhIVIeL7er6kvJTd99bV2cI/s640/IMG_8001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Communication
is a little challenging in that the ship obviously has some way of
blocking normal mobile signal when under way. I was able to connect
easily to the internet using the phone hotspot while in port (much
cheaper than the ship's internet) but, as soon as we got under way,
the connection was lost even though I appeared to still have plenty
of phone signal.</span>
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwACy1XAQcE4KjH6fFi2SnpV1IMgkRuOBHfwY-tDa0VNYRVBk4IVJ-7c77nBt3JP7QwaCQ7txq1-jcCK7AuQRcWFw-VEN6ZqAtIyhr2kQKKZa4IFos7zncfeEKBICmJAO119WfwH2xuc/s1600/IMG_7948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwACy1XAQcE4KjH6fFi2SnpV1IMgkRuOBHfwY-tDa0VNYRVBk4IVJ-7c77nBt3JP7QwaCQ7txq1-jcCK7AuQRcWFw-VEN6ZqAtIyhr2kQKKZa4IFos7zncfeEKBICmJAO119WfwH2xuc/s640/IMG_7948.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">The
ship docked within easy walking distance of the old city. We had to
walk right past the Little Mermaid and, notwithstanding the crowd,
were able to get some photos which did it justice.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtloWHYI71hIMfGHxXeIb3ylIlnCvQyDB4r9ephxGNR7zlqzJZlftY0ZMXC81ly01d59j3DUUo7boSXxQb9B5Li-3DKvavczhInWrMMI3LyNV6AR3BSqk5uB_rpSQm_TY9pBcrp8TuqcQ/s1600/20190514_140839.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtloWHYI71hIMfGHxXeIb3ylIlnCvQyDB4r9ephxGNR7zlqzJZlftY0ZMXC81ly01d59j3DUUo7boSXxQb9B5Li-3DKvavczhInWrMMI3LyNV6AR3BSqk5uB_rpSQm_TY9pBcrp8TuqcQ/s640/20190514_140839.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">The
focal point from a tourist perspective is Nyhavn, a man made canal
bordered by very colourful buildings dating back to the 1700's. We
also got to see the changing of the guard at the Royal Palace, not
quite Buckingham Palace but not too bad.</span>
<br />
<br />
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</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">We
finished the day by having a Carlsberg on the way back to the ship.
A German port tomorrow.</span></div>
</span><br /></div>
MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-30800168615140590912019-05-14T06:28:00.005-07:002019-05-14T06:54:02.891-07:00SUNDAY 12TH - DEPARTING AMSTERDAM<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyYCbDEdNI0Rn1mxhOyapnvmk5YUq8PWw9Hg770P9hv5HqxBwGegkqGySPHGQHdC-ahaNwjmqXXYMmtovJmb4m31sWEbq6D-p36V_DO2WRt1lycKZs3X2hqOIaRUHzb4ib14rEPwEqp4g/s1600/20190512_094947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyYCbDEdNI0Rn1mxhOyapnvmk5YUq8PWw9Hg770P9hv5HqxBwGegkqGySPHGQHdC-ahaNwjmqXXYMmtovJmb4m31sWEbq6D-p36V_DO2WRt1lycKZs3X2hqOIaRUHzb4ib14rEPwEqp4g/s640/20190512_094947.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">As
you will have noticed, the blog has been quiet for a few days. As
expected, internet access on the ship is quite expensive so I am
limiting the update of the blog to once every few days.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZBF-JNcWX4o7fFeg8888sA3qRYRZXvbVakruAOug4C9nOdkyh-SMhKB2LrxPfj-1TWiGUOVanTYPsCr8Gz7tzUc5wI0ix13dKewrLhIDA3r32dgmMbYYbv0zML58azJ4oYCKFVZjMBE/s1600/IMG_7861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZBF-JNcWX4o7fFeg8888sA3qRYRZXvbVakruAOug4C9nOdkyh-SMhKB2LrxPfj-1TWiGUOVanTYPsCr8Gz7tzUc5wI0ix13dKewrLhIDA3r32dgmMbYYbv0zML58azJ4oYCKFVZjMBE/s640/IMG_7861.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">Once
again, everything went like clockwork in leaving our hotel,
transferring to the cruise terminal and getting on to the ship. The
only question was when the attendant was looking at our photos of the
last time we cruised Holland America. She thought about updating
Trish's photo because she looked a little different. Mine hadn't
changed a bit.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUvDqX4H9HzwLSH4NZiVjG1ouor_6_dP8BvTZ5E7h_NAuXrwpiHEK_E9pmV6E7rByAFXgOyHZygAyMlEKlYj4iC5_N68D7Qf-OTKAMMz2a_Z4EoK5OIbQbyiT1fPWf02m5bwMtOlezEI/s1600/20190512_132855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUvDqX4H9HzwLSH4NZiVjG1ouor_6_dP8BvTZ5E7h_NAuXrwpiHEK_E9pmV6E7rByAFXgOyHZygAyMlEKlYj4iC5_N68D7Qf-OTKAMMz2a_Z4EoK5OIbQbyiT1fPWf02m5bwMtOlezEI/s640/20190512_132855.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">The
local port authority boat gave us an escort, obviously a chance to
show off the power of their pumps.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8GVCx4cG70lK_10DfGBm2IHeZHLgDFQy8pLrARwN_F4IiCrMPNr1cjPmv3V80DvuRcqaRylQXfSSG-ocV0AsctQaAmULIBLFyke-Wexl7A2gBBv4uo-nvBgkaCB5kRGXbKJeCF-gB-JU/s1600/IMG_7855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8GVCx4cG70lK_10DfGBm2IHeZHLgDFQy8pLrARwN_F4IiCrMPNr1cjPmv3V80DvuRcqaRylQXfSSG-ocV0AsctQaAmULIBLFyke-Wexl7A2gBBv4uo-nvBgkaCB5kRGXbKJeCF-gB-JU/s640/IMG_7855.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">The
river/canal we traversed to get to the North Sea gave us excellent
exposure to the incredible amount of industrial activity in this part
of the world.</span>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">We
are now very comfortably settled in our cabin. Tomorrow is a sea day
before we get to Copenhagen. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6EwToID7gUpavYZen6ckfXidFFoCFbljg1RmcNf_nft9wJ_3CGPO7t12ua4RpgjXvNaMhlKZxNyBPkVjBdGktBtWhut9itTpiyjmyiGINQYSasLAhhkISbgQqbm-pof83rPJtxZlJKg/s1600/IMG_7830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6EwToID7gUpavYZen6ckfXidFFoCFbljg1RmcNf_nft9wJ_3CGPO7t12ua4RpgjXvNaMhlKZxNyBPkVjBdGktBtWhut9itTpiyjmyiGINQYSasLAhhkISbgQqbm-pof83rPJtxZlJKg/s640/IMG_7830.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-24201839482722743012019-05-11T09:03:00.001-07:002019-05-11T09:21:20.157-07:00SATURDAY 12TH - EXPLORING AMSTERDAM<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS8zO3fQRonL9jv4KxE4xw6hc1DDwDJyP8D09XbRfW7AQjeh0_9mKQ0aG2ue1QlMpEGB4KC6frMUAMqzaF0FMsSsLl_PlqmhE_KTI8OUlDIWV2rSdtsl7PDt33VIdX7oxZq0yunoKbUw4/s1600/20190511_093054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS8zO3fQRonL9jv4KxE4xw6hc1DDwDJyP8D09XbRfW7AQjeh0_9mKQ0aG2ue1QlMpEGB4KC6frMUAMqzaF0FMsSsLl_PlqmhE_KTI8OUlDIWV2rSdtsl7PDt33VIdX7oxZq0yunoKbUw4/s640/20190511_093054.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">As
anticipated, we spent the day hopping on and off the hop on hop off
bus and boat. The weather today was brilliant, a little cool but
clear and sunny. Apparently there has been some rain recently so it
seems that we have brought the delightful weather with us.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG267Qykh4mVBKpLlIUEuK3vTl_oUAZCcOPEnFN6ajVrrCBKCnu901YVv2fJP1BInpfrcOt9ztM7gIqzHpDTiu_obPA2G34mF_iYvInp4Kz5UyolGJdzVztcwlYU_oWigcAaPg9v0xjbA/s1600/20190511_101148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG267Qykh4mVBKpLlIUEuK3vTl_oUAZCcOPEnFN6ajVrrCBKCnu901YVv2fJP1BInpfrcOt9ztM7gIqzHpDTiu_obPA2G34mF_iYvInp4Kz5UyolGJdzVztcwlYU_oWigcAaPg9v0xjbA/s640/20190511_101148.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Our
first destination on the bus was the Gassan diamond factory where,
apart from watching the diamond cutters in action, we were shown a
variety of diamonds up to a value of 29 thousand euros. Needless to
say, we didn't buy any.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">There
are two canal boat routes. We did one yesterday afternoon and the
other this morning after we finished on the bus. We are quite expert
at watching the busy weekend canal traffic all avoid hitting each
other but, as on all waterways, there were some sights to be seen. </span>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">There
are hundreds of canal boats permanently moored on which people live.
This family was spending some time in their back yard, albeit a very
public one.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYYB4T3M13_XcW-DZGHcWnVwrph9muEHdaFuWxO7QFmGkATsjCIvSi9pEa9j_jsN-NAMfpwWR4HY03r6tVyJfhx2XY_gRDW9vp8Q4IIu_PBUp_aRWmLIOETBfzAClgrm6SnSmsCz9QrY/s1600/20190510_164334.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYYB4T3M13_XcW-DZGHcWnVwrph9muEHdaFuWxO7QFmGkATsjCIvSi9pEa9j_jsN-NAMfpwWR4HY03r6tVyJfhx2XY_gRDW9vp8Q4IIu_PBUp_aRWmLIOETBfzAClgrm6SnSmsCz9QrY/s640/20190510_164334.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">There
are numerous opening bridges to allow those boats not designed to fit
under the low bridges to get around – very impressive to watch.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyXb5R7FFMhQEYLYIzSzHOKGZZBD5vsi3nk_glh0-EtATKfeplQi8z-ZsBGXZwYXl0YYt7Eqv9ZFJOOqjiwLk-eFS3O7ZB5YNRMIVzC-j0hmNXl9G_Y16Tml8WkPyzsSQ0WkqW26zXC8I/s1600/20190511_113853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyXb5R7FFMhQEYLYIzSzHOKGZZBD5vsi3nk_glh0-EtATKfeplQi8z-ZsBGXZwYXl0YYt7Eqv9ZFJOOqjiwLk-eFS3O7ZB5YNRMIVzC-j0hmNXl9G_Y16Tml8WkPyzsSQ0WkqW26zXC8I/s640/20190511_113853.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">This
photo shows a particular straight stretch of canal where there are
seven bridges to navigate as a boat goes down it.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi76reTM5uOUBtm02brBxH1aOVA2Jadu9jiUCJX0_aNu7n3BB31CDOst9LlMArdkruOfQftC8D1IHFKmj5B4bcFBWezXuVuAB8FvxJvmzQ2wwPCmi5aPrIB5HyYZn-JM2TMsvS2lZ4KXoM/s1600/20190510_164154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="1600" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi76reTM5uOUBtm02brBxH1aOVA2Jadu9jiUCJX0_aNu7n3BB31CDOst9LlMArdkruOfQftC8D1IHFKmj5B4bcFBWezXuVuAB8FvxJvmzQ2wwPCmi5aPrIB5HyYZn-JM2TMsvS2lZ4KXoM/s640/20190510_164154.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">As
you would expect in Amsterdam, there is the obligatory windmill. It
was rotating but didn't appear to be serving any useful purpose. We
have also seen a few of the modern versions, wind turbines.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZmL4jsGc_un-noPrDTAof_2krI1O3X5nyDsQOczuU0X2JAjgnsPxAuhunbbnQXWavKhT-pfqUUL0fs4ynKzYW65DKDpsMtAh1YMhTqv9SzSYQns-wcYW3Kei8bFfts8Vyj_x9ai1-2T4/s1600/20190511_155137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZmL4jsGc_un-noPrDTAof_2krI1O3X5nyDsQOczuU0X2JAjgnsPxAuhunbbnQXWavKhT-pfqUUL0fs4ynKzYW65DKDpsMtAh1YMhTqv9SzSYQns-wcYW3Kei8bFfts8Vyj_x9ai1-2T4/s640/20190511_155137.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">Apparently
there is quite a bike theft problem in Amsterdam. Obviously some of
the stolen ones end up in the canals from which these have been
retrieved.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW3Nn1lF9ClgVlr5FOJtj6gPL5dr6fFRcyb0xIbRpna7kfXgJjcDoDZP7w20m70pYNvfb3qatt5DHrH4x9KXhyrJSrsBad3xQu9GCkX_3gRRzNFB_Nmh0zGoTkzU5kb0nnpdTkqcnBXiI/s1600/20190511_165143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW3Nn1lF9ClgVlr5FOJtj6gPL5dr6fFRcyb0xIbRpna7kfXgJjcDoDZP7w20m70pYNvfb3qatt5DHrH4x9KXhyrJSrsBad3xQu9GCkX_3gRRzNFB_Nmh0zGoTkzU5kb0nnpdTkqcnBXiI/s640/20190511_165143.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Tomorrow
the ship.</span></div>
</div>
MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-48891952893597101342019-05-10T05:11:00.001-07:002019-05-11T09:21:49.546-07:00FRIDAY 10TH - AMSTERDAM<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVFVgpxHez6GehxYd_E0_oIrcXgmpp9fIFoVs0GqEFCDL357Y_iv1tP_iiJN7sI5XX_egB1I6Aucj5VITo7AhdysIbqCBPRYj8eR2U_mxHnUEfY-Usv5jFBcTCIP1cmxWGdVv5aNGSxKA/s1600/20190510_111213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVFVgpxHez6GehxYd_E0_oIrcXgmpp9fIFoVs0GqEFCDL357Y_iv1tP_iiJN7sI5XX_egB1I6Aucj5VITo7AhdysIbqCBPRYj8eR2U_mxHnUEfY-Usv5jFBcTCIP1cmxWGdVv5aNGSxKA/s640/20190510_111213.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">The
blog is back, this time from Amsterdam as we prepare for our
embarkation on Sunday for the Baltic Cruise.</span>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Our
flights from Brisbane to Singapore to Amsterdam were delightfully
uneventful.</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2mxg01NpHT7_9EwWUtWU3noMOjwW5X_AfbIvF7gyvOWKPf7nV4q_wIX7EyKlUkP17wrdXp99vQ7TgsNsQTGRo_e9FoxUB59jjaGBQoyu6YXyR4udgD96YIqKpFPb10SyXt0Hn9_KkpGQ/s1600/20190510_112654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2mxg01NpHT7_9EwWUtWU3noMOjwW5X_AfbIvF7gyvOWKPf7nV4q_wIX7EyKlUkP17wrdXp99vQ7TgsNsQTGRo_e9FoxUB59jjaGBQoyu6YXyR4udgD96YIqKpFPb10SyXt0Hn9_KkpGQ/s640/20190510_112654.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">We
arrived this morning and spent the morning exploring the old city in
the middle of which our hotel is located – a city of bikes and
canals. The great challenge is to be aware of the incredible number
of bikes which are likely to come at you from any direction. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNO5v5zm44cTxt3tu_9UaJGuXwNC_G8pEg-G1ocePOv6cUXSXosdbOOnZ9epVjcKUBkE4AGN3wDFmJ9T1ZS5cKQVNfwMp9p9BlGUM8jycWWAKvtXZ3RtkEUhyphenhyphenMjVCgkIx-_jjn4HIQnJE/s1600/20190510_114405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNO5v5zm44cTxt3tu_9UaJGuXwNC_G8pEg-G1ocePOv6cUXSXosdbOOnZ9epVjcKUBkE4AGN3wDFmJ9T1ZS5cKQVNfwMp9p9BlGUM8jycWWAKvtXZ3RtkEUhyphenhyphenMjVCgkIx-_jjn4HIQnJE/s640/20190510_114405.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Another feature is the architecture - 1600's buildings, many leaning at precarious angles.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDyzkxR2HGFu9fmh-vt9IGHUjyyVyHSdhfey03o0B3TbxL4TyTnRrMZKhcQ_ZY2pVFXtOd1pWCYGo0db-TMiMQBJIVcqwxGg-aC63mbpvNnUKc4u6WVL5q2-e7wj-FWygnJM4DnmJDZOc/s1600/20190510_104520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDyzkxR2HGFu9fmh-vt9IGHUjyyVyHSdhfey03o0B3TbxL4TyTnRrMZKhcQ_ZY2pVFXtOd1pWCYGo0db-TMiMQBJIVcqwxGg-aC63mbpvNnUKc4u6WVL5q2-e7wj-FWygnJM4DnmJDZOc/s640/20190510_104520.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Our
plan is to get a 24 hour ticket on the hop on hop off bus which also
includes a hop on hop off canal boat. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1743695743947308831.post-25611369862205851012018-10-16T01:46:00.001-07:002018-10-16T01:46:06.918-07:00TUESDAY 16TH - LAST DAY
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2i0MpPHC9Zhn0TIlzwSh-PxOKJVtWRwWOcrDDEP_bqAS0WjjRM8r81jWRiG01n_qgxI39_qIWHnRjNq0n9MHr60_bFaJP46QJ8savNNLlrPudQ_WQRq7zfaa_ZWLz6R1qT5290yGzCE/s1600/20181016_111203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="1600" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2i0MpPHC9Zhn0TIlzwSh-PxOKJVtWRwWOcrDDEP_bqAS0WjjRM8r81jWRiG01n_qgxI39_qIWHnRjNq0n9MHr60_bFaJP46QJ8savNNLlrPudQ_WQRq7zfaa_ZWLz6R1qT5290yGzCE/s640/20181016_111203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">As
you may have gathered, not much happened yesterday. We were proposing
to go to the nearby Maritime Museum before heading to the airport but
it was closed so our only activity yesterday was a slightly more wide
ranging walk around Daiba, the area where our hotel is located.</span>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">After
an uneventful transfer to the airport and a seven hour flight, we
arrived here in Singapore at about 2:00am this morning.</span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyHAq0JgTcgWUvuBLzGB_Mj5sS3NZMEbNpwwcyY-VYTbIwueduRjECE5cWSHVLTIzPR5SbRrC4RcMxBxsBBdtp9e10YX9Ow4aIchgduVxWU5Zy5u8tU7wCETmq_7DolHveHEnlrnilZ7Q/s1600/20181016_111841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyHAq0JgTcgWUvuBLzGB_Mj5sS3NZMEbNpwwcyY-VYTbIwueduRjECE5cWSHVLTIzPR5SbRrC4RcMxBxsBBdtp9e10YX9Ow4aIchgduVxWU5Zy5u8tU7wCETmq_7DolHveHEnlrnilZ7Q/s640/20181016_111841.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Today
we headed off to master the Singapore rail system which we
successfully did and spent most of the day giving Gardens by the Bay
a thorough workover.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip6NNzB5XZj9pduhyphenhyphenoYKEkYbaH_loF6-mo9h8wD3BKzAphiRJEKVSJcZmqJslyQCExP9NrN7qKbPdkhpKoywgHpyQPrJVCig89unqQYWaU-s1PrNLP5NfNHlGuKLuNzrMeibEXONj8coU/s1600/20181016_134110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip6NNzB5XZj9pduhyphenhyphenoYKEkYbaH_loF6-mo9h8wD3BKzAphiRJEKVSJcZmqJslyQCExP9NrN7qKbPdkhpKoywgHpyQPrJVCig89unqQYWaU-s1PrNLP5NfNHlGuKLuNzrMeibEXONj8coU/s640/20181016_134110.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">We
are now waiting to board our final flight, our 14<sup>th</sup> in the
last eight weeks and expect to arrive in Brisbane at 6:00am tomorrow.</span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEkg5T2Q-iQ0y8_iKgcZRMJNvqYbSQuLmhdirbo9reJiJ2eXSjQnhQLfKsGraFZgrp3aM6EeRZDLZdJaa1ZvZdlAFNivfkpJGTyIrPmlOB7C3-9D5esKcXjT9aqtIoBNRjivfA0pK-Hxg/s1600/20181016_121533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEkg5T2Q-iQ0y8_iKgcZRMJNvqYbSQuLmhdirbo9reJiJ2eXSjQnhQLfKsGraFZgrp3aM6EeRZDLZdJaa1ZvZdlAFNivfkpJGTyIrPmlOB7C3-9D5esKcXjT9aqtIoBNRjivfA0pK-Hxg/s640/20181016_121533.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">As
I have said on a number of occasions, what a fabulous adventure we
have had. It will be hard to beat.</span><br />
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MichaelKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963803157757587006noreply@blogger.com0