Florida & Cruise to Europe (2013)

Prolog

After sailing to Alaska last year (August 2012), Tova had a wish: “Next cruise, I would like to cross the Atlantic”.  I researched and found a Royal Caribbean’s cruise, on board the “Vision of the Seas” that fits her wish.  It was a 17 day transatlantic cruise from Florida to Denmark.  Few weeks later I met with my friend Brian Chisick and mentioned to him about this cruise, which was set to sail away in the middle of April 2013.  Brian called his wife Sarah and she agreed that they join us.  We made the reservations and as this cruise was a “Repositioning” cruise we were able to afford to book a Grand Suite on board.  This would be our third voyage with this same ship and we were very excited.  A couple of months later, to our disappointment, Brian & Sarah decided to cancel their reservations.  Tova & I decided that we should spend a couple of extra days in the Miami area before the cruise and a couple of days in Copenhagen after the cruise.  All the reservations were completed by December 2012 and we started to count the days…

Day 1: April 15^th, 2013

We spent last night at Sharone & Gary and at 5:00 Am Sharone took us to LAX to catch the Southwest flight to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  After a layover in Austin, Texas we arrived to a rainy Fort Lauderdale around 5:30.

As we landed I turned on my cell phone and learned about the bombing that took place in Boston, at the finish line of the annual Marathon.

We received our awaited car at Hertz and drove to the Hyatt Hotel in town.

We were tired and the weather did not make us feel like going out as we planned.  We opted to stay in the hotel and had a sandwich for dinner.

We were sound asleep around 9:00 PM

Day 2: April 16^th, 2013

We woke up at 5:30 AM (2:30 in the West Coast) and headed to the nearby Starbucks, where he had a bagel and a wonderful cup of coffee for breakfast.

We decided to have a trip to the Florida Keys, which begin at the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula, about 15 miles south of Miami, and extend in a gentle arc south-southwest and then westward to Key West, the westernmost of the inhabited islands.

Our first stop was at the largest key, Key Largo, which I wanted to visit since I have seen the movie with the same title, starring Humphrey Bogart.  We drove around for awhile and then continued our way westward, passing by different keys (there are over 30 keys from Key Largo to Key West). 

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The view was astonishing and the bright sky, full with sunshine added to the beauty around us.  On our way we passed The Seven Mile Bridge, one of the longest bridges when it was built, the bridge connects Knight's Key to Little Duck Key in the Lower Keys.

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We arrived at Key West around 11:00.  The place is famous for being the Winter White House of President Truman, having the home of Ernest Hemingway, where he wrote Farewell to Arms and of course the proximity to Cuba (only ninety miles away) and a target for merciless hurricanes.

    

When I planned the trip I found out that the Brown Pelicans visit the key once a year around the middle of April and it was just perfect timing for us.  We headed to the wharf and asked around where we can see the pelicans.  A marine museum’s guide told us to hang around and the pelicans will show up when the fishing boats are being cleaned.  They are drowned to the smell of blood.

We walked around the wharf and visited many boutiques and small shops and then we saw them coming.  They all hurdled in a small area where the fishermen were washing the deck of their ship.  It was an amazing sight!

  

We drove our car and parked nearby a concrete marker visited by thousands of people every year and is one of the most visited and photographed attractions in Florida.  The sign declared that this was the Southernmost point of the continental USA.

    

Our next stop was the Hemingway House, where the famous author lived from 1931 to 1938.  The house is actually a museum and since we did not have time to visit the inside of the property, we were allowed to walk around the beautiful garden. 

Nearby we found a prominent lighthouse, a 65 feet tower, which was completed in 1825.

    

We headed back towards North Miami and decided to have dinner at Etzel Itzik, a famous Israeli restaurant in the area.  The food and the service were superb.

We were back at the hotel at 9:00.

Day 3: April 17^th, 2013

We woke up at 8:30 and after breakfast headed to the nearby Publix store to purchase some items for our upcoming voyage.

We returned the car to Hertz, which is conveniently located at the Crown Plaza hotel and also offers free shuttle to the port.

During yesterday and today, I received emails from RCCL regarding an intestinal epidemic that was on the previous leg of the ship.  The crew was ordered to clean every square inch of the ship and therefore the initial boarding was delayed to 3:30 PM.

After the pre-boarding routine we were asked to go to the Windjammer Restaurant, on the 9^th deck until further notice.  We had lunch and at around 4:00 pm we were allowed to our suite.  The room was spacious with a large living room, extra large bathroom, and a large balcony.  The cabin number was 8018.  Our cabin’s steward name was Elizabeth, who introduced herself and asked if there is anything she can do for us.  She also informed us that since we became Diamond members we are entitled to visit a private cocktails party everyday from 5:00 to 8:30 at the Viking Crown Lounge.

After the lifeboats orientation we unpacked, took a shower and rested until 6:00 when it was time to go to dinner.

We found our table, number 198, and introduced ourselves to three other couples: Donna & Russ from California, Noel & Nerie from Puerto Rico, and Pat & Harry from Pennsylvania.  We instantly liked each other and I knew that we will become good friends before this cruise was over.  Our waiter name was Anthony and his assistant name was Cassandra Masuku.

After dinner we checked into the Internet Café to check our emails.  While sitting there we saw a man, which was intoxicated, bumping into a wall, which knocked him out.  As he was bleeding on the carpet I called 911 and let them know the situation.  I also asked Elizabeth, who was nearby, to go get some ice, which we applied on his bleeding nose.  The doctor showed up few minutes later and the gentleman was wheeled away.

At 9:15 we headed to the Masquerade Theater to view the “Welcome aboard Show”, which featured the RCCL Singers & Dancers and comedy routine of Ralph Achillies, which was so-so.  We also were introduced to the cruise director, Mike Hunnerup and to the captain of the ship, Liz Lauritzen, who we sailed with during our cruise in Brazil (February 2012).

Back in our cabin, we watched the movie Moonrise Kingdom.

We finally went to sleep at 1:00 AM.

Day 4: April 18^th, 2013

Day at Sea!

I woke up at 8:30.  Tova was still asleep.

I headed down to the dining room for breakfast where I met a 2 sisters from Boston.

I sat at the poolside and read a book until 11:30.  I then joined a full-house in the theater where Dr. Sidney Soclof, gave us a PowerPoint multimedia presentations about the Azores Islands in Portugal.  It was very interesting and informative.

At noon we forwarded our watches one hour ahead.  After lunch and a visit to the Internet Café I took a nap and at 5:00 we dressed up in formal attire and headed to the lounge to enjoy cocktail and delicious appetizers.  We then went down to the Dining Room where at one point , Patrick (our waiter from the Brazilian cruise), came to visit us (Cassandra arranged that!) and we were so happy to see him.

Our “partners” at the table already became good friends and we had a fantastic time with them.  We became instant friends with Donna & Russ.

Tonight’s show, following dinner, featured the man of 1,000 voices, Paul Boland.  He was great, imitating voices such as Elvis, Elton John, Sammy Davis Jr., Tom Jones, Sonny & Cher and more.  At one point he asked his daughter and another girl to participate in a Kermit the Frog routine and then his daughter took the microphone and asked to sing a song to honor the incident in Boston.  She sang America the Beautiful as the entire crowd rose to their feet, singing along. It was an unforgettable sight.

Click on the following link to review highlights of the show:  http://youtu.be/44z9vRPSSKk

 

When we returned to our cabin, we watched CNN and found out that Boston Police had killed “Suspect Number 1” and are now on the lookout for his younger brother (suspect #2).

Day 5: April 19^th, 2013

Day at Sea!

The trick of enjoying cruising, while “at sea”, is to always find something to do. 

After breakfast I visited the Internet Café, checked my emails and surf the net.  At 11:00 I was invited to a “Diamonds Party” where the Diamond members mingled and met the officers of the ship.  Reading at the poolside was my next activity and after lunch I was invited to a “Bridge Tour” where a young officer explained the logistics and technology involved in handling such a big boat.  Almost everything is done by a sophisticated computer systems, which navigates, predicts the speed of the vessel and informs of nearby obstacles.

       

Some facts (that I remember) are: Vision of The Seas was first launched in 1998.  It has a capacity of 2400+ guests and a crew of about 760.  It weighs about 78,000 tons.  In our voyage there are 1,900 guests.

My next activity was playing Bingo and then Tova & I joined Noel and Nerie at the cocktail lounge before dinner.

After a delicious meal we enjoyed the comedy of Kelly Monteith at the Masquerade Theater and afterwards we were invited to a party on the 9^th deck where we danced for a couple of hours and enjoyed the deserts buffet.

When we returned to the cabin we watched CNN and found out that Suspect #2, of the Boston Marathon bombing, was captured at someone’s backyard.

Day 6: April 20^th, 2013

Day at Sea!

After breakfast I once again went to the Internet Café.  At one point I heard people speaking Hebrew.  I met Mira & David and helped them create an account, so they could email their family.

Tova woke up late and I kept her company at breakfast.  Mira, David, Donna & Russ had joined our table and we sat there, talking about the world problems, until we were asked to leave, as the Windjammer crew started to prepare for lunch.

At Noon we forwarded our watches one hour ahead.

   

After reading at the poolside for awhile, I returned to the cabin and napped until 4:00.  We then dressed for the evening and joined Donna & Russ for cocktails at the Crown & Anchor Lounge.

After dinner we enjoyed the talents of Count Dimas, a pianist from the mountains of Transylvania, who mesmerized us with his performance.

Donna joined us as we enjoyed the 50’s and 60’s party at the Some Enchantment Evening Lounge, where we drank, danced and had a lot of fun.

Day 7: April 21^st, 2013

Day at Sea!

After the breakfast and Internet Café routines I joined a lecture by Dr. Soclof, about Le Havre, France.

I then went to the pool for few laps & continued in the Jacuzzi at the Solarium and after reading for a couple of hours, I sweat it off in the steam room.

I returned to the cabin and napped for a while and then we joined Harry& Pat and Noel & Nerie for appetizers and cocktails.

The show tonight, after dinner, was the music of Hal Frazier, a great singer who was very famous in the 60’s and 70’s.  During his career he performed at the Johnny Carson Tonight Show, Mike Douglas Show and the Ed Sullivan show.  He was also the opening act for Don Rickles.  His deep voice was something else!

Donna, David & Mira joined us to the Latin Party at the Crown Lounge as we watched Noel & Nerie showing the other couples how it is supposed to be done!

We returned to the cabin after midnight!

Day 8: April 22^nd, 2013

Day at Sea!

I woke up at 8:30 and after breakfast and a visit to the Internet Café, I joined the lecture on Belgium by Dr. Sidney Soclof. I returned to the cabin to watch the movie Trouble With The Curves with Clint Eastwood.

At 12:00 we moved our clock one hour forward.

At 5:00 we joined our new friends to the daily cocktail party and then we all went to dinner.

The show tonight featured Boogie Night – A tribute to the 70’s Disco era.

Donna & I joined the Trivia gang and tonight subject was the Beatles songs. 

At 10:30 we sat down at the Some Enchanted Lounge for the game show 60 seconds or less, where contestants needed to complete a task in less than a minute.  Tova was one of the participants and actually won first place when she needed to get rid of 10 golf balls stuffed in a tissue box, and wrapped around her waist, without any help of her hands.

We stayed around for the Latin Party and then retired at around 2:00 am.

Day 9: April 23^rd, 2013

Today is our last day at sea at the Atlantic Ocean.

I woke up at my usual hour (8:30) and had my routine morning (Breakfast, Internet, reading my book alongside the pool).

At noon we forwarded our watches one hour ahead.

Dr. Sidney Soclof’s lecture today was about the Netherlands.

    

After a rest in the afternoon we joined our gang for cocktails and after dinner Donna and I joined the trivia game about music from the big screen.  Our group won!!

Tonight show was so and so, as we listened to a singer named David Pengley.  At 10:30 we joined David & Mira to the Some Enchanted lounge and watched the “Battle of The Sexes”.  It was fun!

We were back at the cabin at 1:00

Day 10: April 24^th, 2013

     

We woke up at 7:30 to watch as the ship makes its first docking in 7 days.  We arrived to Ponta Delgada, in the Azores Islands.

  

We had breakfast at the Windjammer and then joined Noel, Nerie, David, and Mira for a day full of fun.

We managed to find two taxis, for a reasonable amount, and since I prepared for this trip ahead, I explained to the two drivers what we have in mind.

We had a brief description of the Azores islands in general and about Ponta Delgado: The group of the islands is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about 930 miles west of Lisbon (Portugal’s Capital). Its main industries are agriculture, dairy farming (for cheese and butter products primarily), livestock ranching, fishing, and tourism, which is becoming the major service activity in the region. In addition to this, the government of the Azores employs a large percentage of the population directly or indirectly in many aspects of the service and tertiary sectors.  There is a controversial about who discovered the islands but the official “finder” is Gonzalo Velho Cabral, a Captain in the service of the Portuguese Navy, who reported on the islands in 1431.  Ponta Delgada  is a city and municipality on the island of Sao Miguel. It includes about 44,000 residents in the urban area, and approximately 20,000 residents in the three central parishes that comprise the historical city: Sao Pedro, Sao Sebastiao, and Sao José.

We made our way out of Ponte Delgada and after about 10 miles, arrived to the picturesque town of Ribeira Grande (Portuguese for "great ravine"), in the northern pat of the island.  

      


   

The town is located on a volcanic plateau above the sea.  We found a charming historic center, whose narrow streets as well as the municipal garden, which contains some magnificent specimens of the New Zealand Christmas tree - are lined with pretty examples of urban architecture from the 17th and 18th centuries, among which the Town hall, with its impressive exterior stairs. Particularly notable was the parish church of Espírito Santo from the 17th century with its sumptuous facade, one of the most attractive Baroque structures in the islands. There was also an interesting bridge with eight arches from the 18th century.

After a brief description of the tour guide I went wandering in the narrow streets and made a full circle of the town before joining the others. 

We climbed a steep mountain and stopped to take unbelievable panoramic pictures of the mountain side and the ocean, before arriving to a tea factory named Porto Formoso Tea Factory, where we stopped to look at the techniques of making the local tea.


      

 We toured the ground, took many pictures of the beautiful surrounding, and discovered the beautiful tea fields before entering the building.  
We sat down in the reception area and a guide was assigned to us.  His English was flawless as he explained: The island of San Miguel has the only two tea plantations for industrial purposes. This place is one of them.  We toured the factory and then were invited to taste several tea varieties in the beautiful room that displays a typical kitchen of St. Miguel.

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A short drive later we were at Furnas, a village next to a geothermal system. 

     

A history of volcanic activity a legacy had left impressive natural geysers, hot springs, and calderas (Large volcanic craters). 

      

 

  

We toured around the volcanic pools for awhile and then decided to walk the picturesque streets of the village.  We arrived at a beautiful church.

Back to our cars and a short drive later, we arrived to another geothermal system, right next to a lake – Lago Furnas.

    

We spent 20 minutes walking around the pools and then drove to the famous Sete Cidades.  The weather had changed for the worse and a thick fog covered the road.  Visibility was 10 feet ahead and I was worried that we are doomed, as according to my expectation, this was one of the most beautiful attractions on the island.  

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 We drove slowly to the top of the mountain (1900 feet) and as we arrived, as if God was with us, the sky cleared and down below we viewed a magnificent attraction: Two lakes, adjacent to each other where one was deep blue, reflecting the sky, while the other was bright green, due to the beautiful setting of the lush crater walls, which are rich in vegetation.  We then drove down the mountain and arrived at the bridge that connects the two lakes.

This was our last stop of the tour.  After a 30 minutes drive, we were back at Ponta Delgada.

   

  

 

We visited a local mall where Tova bought a nice necklace and after sipping a delicious cappuccino we walked to the Historic Quarter.  We walked on the cobble stones streets and arrived to the Church of San Pedro, with its fantastic facade, it took 200 hundred years to finish its constructions (From the 15^th century to the 17^th).

As raindrops started to fall we passed the city gates: Portas des Cidade, which mark the city entry gates.

The rain was by now pouring and we ran to the ship, which was about 100 yards away.  The time was a little bit after 4:00.

After resting a bit in our cabin we joined the others at the cocktails lounge and then we all went to dinner.

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Donna and I were talking about a trip or cruise that we can do together next year.

“Love & Marriage” is one of those shows that you can see and never get bored.  Tonight’s memorable moment was when a woman was asked: “Where was the strangest place you made love to your husband?”  The woman answered: “In the balcony of our stateroom”, to which the host answered: “Yes! We know! We have cameras at each and every balcony of the ship”.  We were on the floor…

After a visit to the Internet café we finally made it back to our cabin.

Day 11: April 25^th, 2013

Day at sea!

 We needed it, as we came back yesterday, from the trip, exhausted.

I woke up at 8:30 and after breakfast and a trip to the Internet Café, where I met a lovely couple: Jim & Diane Engen from Vancouver Island.  I helped with thier laptop and we ended up talking a lot.  We decided also that we should spend the day together, in Ireland, in a couple of days.

I joined the seminar by Dr. Sidney Soclof.  Today’s subject was Oslo, Norway.

Before returning to the cabin I spent a couple of hours at the poolside, reading and swimming.

After a short nap we joined our gang at the cocktail lounge and after dinner, Tova, Donna and I played the Michael Jackson trivia. 

Today’s show featured a magician.  His name was Brent Sherwood and he was amazing!

Afterwards we went to the Some Enchanted lounge to participate in the Who Wants to be a Millionaire game, and then retired to our cabin at 1:00 AM.

We ended up watching a movie with the title “Boss of Bosses” until 3:00 AM.

Day 12: April 26^th, 2013

Day at sea!

I woke up at 8:30 and once again I did my morning routine at sea: breakfast, Internet Café’ and then joined a lecture about Copenhagen, Denmark.

Before dinner we participated in the Shabbat Services.

After dinner Donna and us participated in the “Rat Pack” trivia game and then went together to the Masquerade Theater for tonight’s show, featuring a vocalist named Brenda Cochrane.  She was pretty good.

We decided to try our luck (and knowledge) again in yet another trivia game about the Beatles (part 2) and then participated in another game called “Majority Rules”.

We were back in the cabin around 1:00 AM.

Day 13: April 27^th, 2013

I woke up at 7:00 to watch our ship arriving to Cobh, Ireland.

We met with Jim, Diane, David, and Mira at the Windjammer Café’ and went to shore at around 9:00 AM.

 

We managed to find a van with a great guide named James Sheene.

We told James what we have in mind and since Jim & Diane already visited the area, they contributed a lot of what is necessary to visit today.

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James told us about Cobh, the last port for the Titanic, before the tragic circumstances: The name of the city was originally Cove, and then changed its name to Queenstown before having the current name to Cobh (pronounced as Cove) in 1920.  It is a very popular stop for cruise liners and about 100,000 passengers visit the place every year as it is the only dedicated Cruise terminal in Ireland.  In the morning of April 11^th, 1912, the R.M.S Titanic left the port on its way to the USA, when it struck an iceberg 3 days later. 1,517 passengers lost their life.  The city has a memorial and a museum honoring the victims.

  

We used a ferry to transport us to the other bank of the canal and started our journey.  We drove through the country road for awhile, admiring the beauty of this beautiful country. 

Our first stop was at Charles Fort, located on the water's edge, at the southern end of the village of Summer Cove, on Kinsale Harbor.  James told us a bit about the fort:

Charles Fort is built on the site of an earlier stronghold known as Ringcurran Castle, which featured prominently during the Siege of Kinsale in 1601. The fort is named after Charles II  and was built in the late 17^th century.  It is designed as a star shape. As one of the largest military installations in the country, Charles Fort has been associated with some of the most momentous events in Irish history. The most significant of these are the Williamite War 1689-91 and the Civil War 1922-23.

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The views from this place were amazing as it sits on the edge of the land for strategic reason.

The city of Kinsale was in the near distance and was our next leg of our trip.  James dropped us off in one the main street and we walked the narrow streets breathing in the Irish air.

           

This fishing village is located some 15 miles south of Cork City and has a population of approximately 2,200 which increases substantially during the summer months when the tourist season is at its peak and when the boating fraternity arrive in large numbers.

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We drove through the country roads, stopping a couple of times to take photos of the amazing surroundings and arrived to the Black Rock Castle, a 16th-century castle with a round tower that was constructed to safeguard against pirates "carrying away" vessels entering the harbor. The circular tower is located right on the water's edge and its reflection on the water was a memorable sight.

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We opted not to tour the inside of the castle as time was of an issue and continued to our next destination: the city of Cork, the second largest city In Ireland with a population of approximately 120,000.  The city is built on the River Lee.

    

We stopped at magnificent City Hall and then James allowed us 30 minutes to walk the main street

Saint Patrick, which obtains its curved shape due to its location over an arm of the river.  It is home to a number of notable retail outlets.

 We walked the street and arrived at the beautiful St Peter and Paul Church.  

   

The attention to detail in the architecture is exquisite. I'm not a catholic but there's a very spiritual feeling in this church.

On our way back to the van we stopped at a local café and had a delicious cappuccino.

James was waiting for us and after a short drive we arrived to the English Market, comprises tow markets:  Prince’s Street Market and Grand Parade Market, and is a municipal food market in the center of the city. 

     

The market is very popular with the locals and tourists.  In 2011 Queen Elizabeth visited this place during her state visit.  My favorite section in the market was the fish section.

 

  

A short drive later we arrived at a beautiful structure of St Finn Barre’s Cathedral, located at what used to be the entrance to medieval Cork. This church has gorgeous architecture, stained glass windows, houses a 3,000 pipe organ, and is full of history. It was completed in 1879.  The whole location is picturesque.  Spiky spires and rich sculpture make up the exterior of this Protestant cathedral. Local legend says that the golden angel on the eastern side will blow its horn when the Apocalypse is due to start… Yikes!

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We spent twenty minutes there, continued our beautiful day and arrived at UCC University, which was established in 1845.  The campus is a mix of the ancient with the modern.  It is one of the oldest universities in Ireland.  The student body of roughly 10,000 is a part of the National University of Ireland. The Honan Collegiate Chapel was built in 1916.

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Our next stop was at the Cork City Gaol.

  

This castle-like building contains the appearance of a 19^th-century prison. The former Female Prison was opened in 1824, and closed in 1923 after a great escape by a group of IRA women, that were later caught in a tunnel, outside the city.

 

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Our next stop was at Blarney Castle, which originally dates from before 1200, when a wooden structure was believed to have been built on the site, although no evidence remains of this. Around 1210 this was replaced by a stone fortification.

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This medieval fortress draws visitors each year who wish to kiss the famous Blarney Stone. According to Irish folklore, anyone who kisses the stone receives the ability to speak with eloquence, or “The Gift of the Gab.” Although the McCarthy Clan constructed Blarney Castle, different families possessed it over the centuries. The current Blarney Castle is the third castle constructed on this site.  The first Blarney Castle, built in the 10th century, consisted of a wooden structure. Two centuries later, around 1210, a stone reinforcement replaced the original wooden structure.

       

 

David, Mira, Jim & Diane opted not to enter the castle.  Tova & I had already planned to make this a must visit and we went in.

On the way to the castle we passed an open field with many colorful flowers, bridges, and trees.  We entered the castle and started climbing the 127 steep steps to get to the battlements. 

While waiting in line, we admired the views of the wooded River Lee valley and chuckled over what we read about how the name of the castle came to mean what it does: Blarney means: Talk that aims to charm, pleasantly flatter, or persuade. As the story goes, Queen Elizabeth the First wanted Lord McCarthy of Blarney to will his castle to the Crown, but he refused her requests with eloquent excuses and soothing compliments.  Exhausted by his comments, the queen reportedly exclaimed, “This is all Blarney.  What he says he rarely means.”

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In order to kiss the stone we had to lay down on the battlements, hold on to a gentleman, and lean our head way back. It was fun! 

On the way back to the street, we took a pleasant walk around the castle grounds.

We met the gang, who visited a pub while we were touring the castle.

James took us back to Cobh and since we still had a couple of hours to be aboard our vessel, we decided to visit the breathtaking Colman’s Cathedral that according to James has the best view of the city as it is situated on top of a hill.  James was right as the views from the Cathedral were amazing.

     

The church is one of the largest in the British Isles and is prized for many reasons. A cathedral very much of its time, it is the masterpiece of two important architects, heavily influenced by French cathedrals. It stands in a sensational location above the terraces of colorfully-painted houses overlooking the harbor here. Inside as well, it is striking: its spacious and unobstructed interiors. Famous for its carillon of 47 bells, the largest both in Ireland and Britain and played regularly, it also stands as a symbol of national pride, and has tremendous spiritual and sentimental values as the last landmark seen by Irish emigrants setting sail from Cobh for the New World.

     

   

We walked down the hill and arrived at the main street.  We found a local pub where we had Irish coffee, Fish & Chips and of course local beer (Tova had Shandy, a mixture of beer and sprite!).

We passed the Titanic Memorial on our way to the ship and stopped at the statue of Annie Moore and her brothers on the waterfront. Annie Moore was the first person to be admitted to the United States of America through the new immigration center at Ellis Island, New York in 1892.  Moore arrived from County Cork aboard the steamship Nevada.  It was reported that her arrival was on her 15th birthday. As the first person to be processed at the newly opened facility, she was presented with an American $10 gold piece from an American Officials.

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We boarded the Vision, and after a shower we joined our now old friends for the traditionally cocktail drinking.  Since we were late for our main dining room (we were supposed to be there at 6:30 the latest) we arranged to eat at the second seating and entered the dining room at 8:30.  We ended up sitting by ourselves.  Yikes!

   

 After dinner we enjoyed a show by an Irish group called Graffiti Classics.  Their routines were amazing and we left the show with a huge smile on our faces.

Click on the following link to view some highlights of their show: http://youtu.be/br0kJeO8ykc

A party was going on the 9^th deck and we joined the dancing, drinks, and delicious deserts.

We finally returned to our cabin at 1:30 AM.

Day 14: April 28^th, 2013

Day at sea!

After breakfast, I went to the pool and for some swimming and reading, which followed with an hour long at the steam room.

After the afternoon nap we went to the cocktails lounge and then joined the others at the dining room.

A couple of nights ago I asked Joao (the dining room assistant manager) if at any day we will have Fettuccini Alfredo (one of my favorite’s dishes).  Donna, Nerie & Pam said that they would love it too. He said that he will see how he can help us.

Tonight at the dining room Anthony came to us and with him was that dish.  It was delicious!!  Thanks Joao!!

After dinner Donna joined us to the cards room and I taught her how to play the card game “Touch”.  We had a great time!!

At the theater we watched (and listened) to a pianist named Claire Maidin.  He was terrific.

We returned tour cabin at around 11:30.

Day 15: April 29^th, 2013

We arrived to Le Havre, France.  It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Seine on the English Channel.

We woke up at around 6:30.

We met David & Mira at the Windjammer Café and after breakfast we left the ship (At 7:30!) and found Europecar not far from the port.  I made reservations earlier to rent a car from them and our car was ready for us, including a GPS device.

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We headed north-east and drove through beautiful country roads.  The green & yellow fields were amazing.  We arrived at Deauville and went to a local supermarket to ask for a map.  It was so funny, as no one in the supermarket knew any English and we didn't know how to say in French: "Map", but with the help of our hands, David & I tried to explain what we are looking for. Suddenly I saw a map nailed to the wall.  The rest was easy: The manager of the store took a map book and scanned the page we were looking for.  Before we left the store we bought a fresh baguette, which we consumed while driving to our next stop: Fecamp, a picturesque town with a small but an amazing port where we stopped to take some photos of the lighthouse at the edge of the port.  We then continued towards the middle of the town and found a parking spot right next to a beautiful church named: St Etienne De Fecamp, which was constructed in the 16^th century.  We went to a local café and enjoyed a delicious cappuccino.  Outside the café we found a monument, in honor of the local soldiers who had perished in both World Wars.

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Once again we used the country roads and arrived to Etretat, best known for its cliffs, including three natural arches and the pointed "needle". We parked our car next to the beach and walked around the town.  The sights were amazing and we wished we had more time to spend in this beautiful resort.

     

 At around noon we left and drove south on the main highway.  Once we arrived back in La Havre we crossed the most beautiful bridge: Pont De Normandie.   It is a cable-stayed road bridge that spans the River Seine linking Le Havre to Honfleur in Normandy.  Its total length is some 7,000 ft and around 2,800 ft between the two piers. We noticed that despite being a motor way toll bridge, there was a footpath as well as a narrow cycle lane in each direction allowing pedestrians and cyclists to cross the bridge free of charge.  After crossing the bridge we stopped at the other end to take some amazing picture of the amazing bridge.

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We arrived to Bayeux and stopped next to a bronze statue in memory of General Eisenhower.  Bayeux was the first place to be liberated from Germany in WW II, and is located within a short ride of Omaha Beach.

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We entered this charming village, found a parking spot and walked the narrow streets to arrive to one of the most beautiful cathedral I have ever seen: Cathedral Notre Dame de Bayeux.  This magnificent church was constructed in 1077 and was once occupied by Roman sanctuaries!  The building was stunning both inside and out. (I personally liked it better then Notre Dame de Paris).  As we walked inside I couldn’t stop saying “wow’s” as I looked at the stainless glass windows.  Inside we also read some of the history surrounding this place:  The structure is a mix of Romanesque in the 11th century crypt and glorious Gothic in the 13th-century nave. 

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Reluctantly, we had to continue our trip as time was in essence.

        

We arrived at the Cemetery and Memorial of Omaha Beach, located in Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, that honors American soldiers who died in Europe  during World War II.

When I planned the trip, this place for me was the highlight of the trip.  As a movie buff, I had watched almost every movie and read so many books about June 6^th, 1944 also known as D-Day (The first day of landing by the USA, Britain, and Canada troops).

  

 

Like all other overseas American cemeteries in France for World War I and II, France has granted the United States a special, perpetual concession to the land occupied by the cemetery, free of any charge or any tax. This cemetery is managed by the American government, under Congressional acts that provide yearly financial support for maintaining them, with most military and civil personnel employed abroad. The U.S. flag flies over these granted soils.

The cemetery is located on a bluff overlooking Omaha Beach (one of the landing beaches of the Normandy Invasion) and the English Channel. It covers 172 acres, and contains the remains of 9,387 American military dead, most of who were killed during the invasion of Normandy and ensuing military operations in World War II. Included are graves of Army Air Corps crews shot down over France as early as 1942.

We walked along the cliff and right beneath us was the beach where thousands of fighters started the end of the Third Reich.  A short trail led us to the cemetery.  I was overwhelmed looking at the thousands of the graves, many without any names, but simply state: ”Here Rests in Honored Glory a Comrade in Arms Known but to God”.

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We toured the grounds and then walked toward the memorial.  This part consists of a semi circle platform with a veranda at each end containing maps and narratives of the military operations. At the center is a 22-foot bronze statue entitled: The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves.  Facing west at the memorial, we saw in the foreground the reflecting pool and the mall with burial areas to both side and the circular chapel beyond. Behind the chapel we saw symbolic figures representing the

United States and France.  An orientation table overlooks the beach and depicts the landings at Normandy.  On our way out we saw the names of 1,557 Americans who lost their lives in the Normandy Campaign but could not be located and/or identified are inscribed on the walls of a semicircular garden at the east side of the memorial.

We headed back to our car. I made myself a promise to return here and spend a full day in this meaningful place.

We drove back to La Havre and stopped at Honfleur, located on the southern bank of the estuary of the Seine across from Le Havre.  

This old, beautiful picturesque port, characterized by its houses with slate-covered frontages, painted many times by artists, including in particular Gustave Courbet, Eugène Boudin, Claude Monet and Johan Jongkind, forming the Honfleur School, which contributed to the appearance of the Impressionist Movement.

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As time approached 6:30 we decided to visit only Sainte-Catherine church.  We walked for about 10 minutes and found the church, which has a bell tower separate from the principal building.  It is the largest church made out of wood in France and was built by ships' carpenters around 1500.

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It was time to leave.  We returned to our car and arrived at a hotel where we were told to return the car if we to return after 6:00.  We tried to refuel the car before returning it, but did not have any luck.  There is a curfew on diesel in France after 7:00 PM and we had no choice but to return it empty of fuel and pay premium price for this.

A taxi took us back to the ship at 8:00 PM (The All Aboard time was 8:30!)

We ate at the dining room and then returned to our cabin.

Day 16: April 30^th, 2013

Our ship arrived to Zeebrugge, Belgium.

We woke up at 7:45 and had breakfast in the dining room and then met with David & Mira on the fifth deck.

We hired a taxi driver to take us to the historic city of Brugge, located in the northwest of the country.  The city is named in some articles from the 9^th century; however, very few traces of human activity in Brugge date from the Pre-Roman Gaul era in the first century.  We found an ancient town where the rhythm of medieval life resonates from every street corner.

We learned from our driver (his name was Keith) that the historic center of Brugge has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000 thanks to its status as one of the commercial and cultural capitals of Europe and its enduring Gothic architecture. :”The Belgian city center is cited as a great example of a medieval historic settlement, even while it has evolved over the years”, he concluded.

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 Our driver stopped for us at Market Square, located in the heart of the city and covers an area of about 1 hectare. Some historical highlights around the square include the 12th-century Belfort Tower and the Provincial Court, which in 1787 was demolished and replaced by a classicist building that from 1850 served as provincial court and after a fire in 1878 was rebuilt in a neo-Gothic style in 1887. In the center of the market stands the statue of Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck, who are credited with leading a violent uprising against the king of France in the 14^th century and are considered heroes in this country.

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Our first visit was at the Belfort Tower, also called The Belfry of Brugge.  It is the most significant landmark of the city.  Mira and Tova opted not to climb the medieval tower and David & I stood in line for 45 minutes (there was a limit of how many people can be at the tower at the same time – I think 70) and then climbed 366 narrow steps on our way to the top of the 250 feet tower.  While waiting in line, we read some of the articles, displayed on the walls in the waiting room.  We learned that this city's most prominent symbols, had formerly housed a treasury and the municipal archives, and served as an observation post for spotting fires and other danger.

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 On our way to the top we discovered an impressive clock work of mechanism and a carillon with 47 bells.  The climb was rewarded when we reached the top of the tower and found the most beautiful 360 degrees breathtaking view of the city and the surrounding countryside.

We found Tova & Mira down in the street level, sitting on a bench.  We continued and looked at a beautiful building: The Town Hall, which was built in 1376 and amazingly, the city has been governed from this building for more than 700 years. Not far from the magnificent structure we found the former court house.

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We found our way to Blinder Ezelstraat (Blind Donkey Alley), and arrived to the Fish Market, where we saw people buying fresh fish.  The fish market is housed there since the 18th century.  We overheard a tour guide that led a group of people.  He explained why it is called The Blind Donkey Alley: Once upon a time locals from Brugge stole a dragon that used to be the symbol of another town called Ghent. The people of Ghent, came here to take it back with a cart that was attached to a donkey. The problem was that the donkey didn’t want to pass the gate so they had to blindfold it so they can pass and take the dragon back! Nice story! :)

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A system of canals is surrounding the city, which explains its nickname: The Venice of the North. We saw many boats in the canal, full with tourists.  The tours take the passengers around the city.

We entered a huge square where we found St Savior’s Cathedral (Holy Savior Cathedral), the oldest parish church in Brugge.  

           

This Gothic church, built in the late 1,100s, has several turrets - small towers on top of larger towers.  In the 1800s a Romanesque design was added to the tower.  

     

We continued our tour and passed by Gruuthuse Hof, a famous restaurant in the city and arrived to Church of Our Lady (Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk), which features a 720 ft spire -   the tallest structure in the city and the second tallest brickwork tower in the world (!) and what is claimed to be the only Michelangelo statue (Madonna and Child), created in 1504, to have left Italy in his lifetime.   

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We entered the narrow busy street, looking at the dozens of chocolate stores.  

              

      

Belgium is known for its delicious chocolate is considered to be a nirvana for lovers of chocolate, and we were looking to buy the best.  We ended up at Chocoholic, an attractive little store, and bought assorted chocolates.  They were d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s!

We were looking for the narrowest street in the city and we believe we found it.  

     

Stoofstraat, the narrowest street of Brugge with the 'stoves', the public baths, (where not only the bathing water was hot…). It was pure delight with wine, cherries, music and beautiful woman...The “Stoofstraat” still exists, the public baths no longer. 

Tova put her arms out and was able to touch both sides of the alley.  The alley had many stores and pubs and was quite busy.

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In another spot we found beautiful white swans in one of the canals.

   

We returned to Market Place and reached our next site to visit:  The Basilica of the Holy Blood, a Roman Catholic minor basilica. 

         

Originally built in the 12th century as the chapel of the residence of the Count of Flanders, the church houses a venerated relic of the Holy Blood allegedly collected from the Holy Land by Thierry of Alsace, Count of Flanders. Built between 1134 and 1157, it was promoted to minor basilica in 1923. Inside the basilica it was pitch black and my feeling was that I am standing in a very holy place.

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We bought some Belgian Waffles from a vendor, next to the old court house and consumed them, sitting down in a park nearby.

  

It was time to return to the ship.  Keith was waiting for us at the Market Square and we hopped into his taxi for the twenty minutes ride back to the port.

Once on the ship we climbed to the 11^th deck and inside the Viking Crown Lounge we met our gang and had few drinks, and exchanging our experience of today, before going to the dining room for a big feast.

Donna joined us for the Trivia Game.  This time it was about the musicals and we got the second best points.

The Headliner Showtime, in the Masquerade Theater, featured Domenick Allen, from the legendary group Foreigner.

We were back in the cabin at around midnight.

It was my best day of the trip!

Day 17: May 1^st, 2013

We woke up at 6:45, exactly when the ship was approaching Amsterdam, Netherlands.

After breakfast we met with Mira & David and left the ship at 8:00 AM.

  

An information booth was at the port and I wanted to buy tickets for the Tulips Festival.  When Mira & David heard the price, which included the bus transfer plus the entry fees (35 Euro per person), they refused and we decided to go on our own.

We walked to Amsterdam Centraal (about 15 minutes) and once we reached the beautiful station we looked for our tour.  

     

The place was, as usual, very busy.  Amsterdam main train station is the real heart of the city - central not only by the name, but also as the biggest public transport transfer spot, serving not only visitors to Amsterdam, but also city inhabitants. Every day 250 000 people go through the Amsterdam Central Station.

We found the travel company Tour & Tickets and were shocked by the number of people standing outside the offices, waiting to get in.  I was able to maneuver my way in and stood in front of a guy, name Ahmed.  I showed him the tickets and he said: “Oh, you are in a stand by statues.”  When I asked for the meaning of it, he explained: “You did not buy the tickets from us, and therefore, we do not make enough money on the tickets and are giving first priority to those that purchased them here”.  When I asked him when our scheduled time is, he said: “1:30 pm” (it was 8:45 when he told me this).  I was really upset and told the guy that I am writing a blog and will mention what just happened here.  To my pleasant surprise, this changed everything and we were on the next bus to the festival.  I also wanted to mention that once the bus left the station, there were about a dozen or so available seats and I felt sorry for those still waiting to get a pass for the bus.

We drove southwest and arrived to Keukenhof about 25 minutes later.

 

Known as the Garden of Europe, it is the world's largest flower garden. According to the official website for the Keukenhof Park, approximately 7,000,000 (seven million!) flower bulbs are planted annually in the park, which covers an area of 79 acres and is visited by almost a million visitors every year.  This is an amazing number, considering that the tulips festival lasts only two months a year (March 21^st through May 20^th).

   

                        

As soon as we got in we were overwhelmed.  First was the size of the place and then the millions of tulips displayed in so many shapes, colors and arrangements.  I have never seen anything like this where among the tulips we found daffodils, hyacinths, spring bulbs and gorgeous trees where in such harmony of colors.  Amidst the flowers there were exquisite pieces of sculpture and other works of art to admire.  At one point we entered an exhibition of the tulips, which was amazing as well.  A windmill is stationed at the edge of the garden and when we looked outside we could see the colorful and amazing fields with the tulips that are used for sale to the florists all around the globe.

                      

We also learned from the brochure we received that this place was once a 15th century estate that belonged to the Countess of Holland, Jacoba van Beieren. In the 19th century, a German landscaper designed a park that is the basis for today’s gardens.  The tulip arrived in Holland in 1593 from Constantinople, today’s Istanbul in Turkey. By the 1630s a “tulip mania” had gripped the Dutch. Legend has it that an Amsterdam canal house was once traded away for a single bulb. When, in 1637, the tulip bulb market was sagging, fortunes were lost and the tulip was again just another flower.  The first spring flower show was held at Keukenhof in 1949, when 40 bulb growers from the Lisse area got together to show off their flower bulbs.  When the weather finally warms up, millions of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths will be blooming in colorful bursts of red, yellow, blue, pink, violet and white.

      

                                

       

We spent 4 hours strolling around the paths winding past flower beds, ponds and fountains. Statues by various artists line the paths and dot the gardens as well.

We found the bus that took us back to the city.  This time the drive took about an hour and a half, as traffic inside the city was extremely congested.

With no time to do anything in particular, we decided to walk the nearby streets.  

                

Amsterdam is known as a clean city but to our disappointment we found the streets to be filthy.  The reason: There was a major events the day before: On Queen’s Day (a National Holiday), the queen of this country, Queen Beatrix, passed the throne to her son. From 2014 and on this will be known as King’s Day.  We stopped at Dam Square (or simply The Dam) where hundreds of people were sitting around the monuments or walking with beer bottles in their hands. One of them told us that he has been there since 5:00 PM yesterday.

We found a vendor that sells French Fries with mayonnaise, a favorite “junk food” to the Dutch’s people.  We bought a large portion and enjoyed the taste of this “forbidden food”.

  

We walked back to the ship, passing the Red Lights District, which leaves nothing to the imagination.

We were aboard our ship at 5:00 and after the regular routine of cocktails and dinner, we invited Donna & Russ to our cabin to watch as our ship went through the locks of Holland, part of what is known as The Delta Works, which has been declared one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

    

 Later on I found out the following details about the Delta Works: With over a third of its land below sea level, the Netherlands have been fighting against the sea for hundreds of years. Over the centuries they have built dykes, dams and windmills to stop sea water from getting into the country.  A big disaster occurred in 1953. A storm that swept across the North Sea killed over 2000 people and flooded thousands of square kilometers of land. After this catastrophe something had to be done. A new plan, called the Delta Works, created a series of dams, locks, dykes and other barriers to protect the coastal areas from the sea.  The mouths of the major rivers were closed and the coastline was shortened by about 500 km. As a result the water behind the dams turned into freshwater lakes. It took over 30 years to complete the Delta Works and officials say it is the world’s best defense system.

      

As sunset was over the horizons, I was able to capture some great shots with me reliable camera.

At 9:15 we all went to the theater to watch the ship’s singers and dancers in Broadway Rhythm & Rhyme and then went to the Internet Café before retiring to our cabin a bit after midnight.

Day 18: May 2^nd, 2013

We woke up at 8:30 and after breakfast we were invited to the Gallery Tour, which is an intensive tour of the kitchen and all facilities that have anything to do with food on the ship.

             

    

 We enjoyed the tour tremendously.  The Assistant Chef of the ship was the guide and through his sense of humor and knowledge explained and demonstrated each angle of the kitchen.

While Tova went to the gym I went to the pool for a swim, reading, and then relaxed for an hour in the steam room.

     

After the afternoon rest we dressed formal and met with our friends for cocktails and then enjoyed the lobster dish at dinner.

 

Tonight’s show was pleasant as we listened to the songs of The Drifters & The Platters sang by a group called American Dream, which one of its member was an original Drifter and another member was from the Jackson’s family (yes, the one with Michael and Janet…).

After a visit to the Internet Café we returned to our cabin.

Day 19 May 3^rd, 2013

I woke up at 5:00 in the morning to witness the ship entering Oslo fjord, Norway.

I dressed up with warm cloths (2 layers, gloves, scarf and a woolen hat), as the temperatures were in the 20’s, which explains the fact that there was only one other person on the 11^th deck, who was crazy enough (like me) to take the punishment of the cold air, just to find this one of a lifetime photo shot.

The Oslo fjord is an inlet in the south-east of Norway. It is part of the Skagerrak Strait, connecting the North Sea and the Kattegat Sea area, which leads to the Baltic Sea.

Sunrise was on the horizons and I witnessed the most beautiful scene, as the fjord started to light up, discovering boats, people sitting for breakfast at their homes, lighthouses, many islands, and cars driving on shore, taking people to the awaiting bus boats.  We passed many islands along the way; each of the islands in the innermost part of the fjord has its own identity and distinguishing history. Among them were Hovedoya, Lindoya, Nakholmen, Bleikoya, Gressholmen, and Langoyene.   I learned later that the Germans used this fjord to launch their invasion of Norway in 1940.

        

The ship passed through a system of dozens lighthouses and since I am obsessed with lighthouses, I had a “field day”.

        

 

  

As we approached Oslo, the capital of Norway, I returned to our cabin.  Tova was already awake and together we stepped out to our balcony to get a first glance of this city.  We met David & Mira for breakfast and left the ship at 7:45 to start our excursions.

The ship docked in the middle of the city, at the end of the fjord, right alongside of Akershus Castle, which naturally made it our first stop.

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We entered the enormous castle grounds and learned about this place: It was built in the 13^th century as a medieval castle to protect the city and was used as a royal resident before converting into a fortress.  It was also used as a prison.  The fortress has never been successfully captured by a foreign enemy. It surrendered without combat to Nazi Germany in 1940 when the Norwegian government evacuated the capital in the face of the unprovoked German assault on Denmark and Norway.  During World War II, several people were executed here by the German occupiers. The fortress was liberated on May 11^th, 1945, when it was handed over on behalf of the Norwegian resistance movement. After the war, eight Norwegian traitors who had been tried for war crimes and sentenced to death were also executed at the fortress. 

We enjoyed walking around as well as seeing cool views of the harbor and city. The museum was closed but it was fine with us as we planned to tour and visit many other places of the city.

On our way to the city we passed a beautiful sculpture of a woman holding a hand of a boy, who is trying to pick a shell from the ground.  We also passed a huge sailboat, which reminded me of the days of the Vikings.  Norway is world famous for building small and big boats.

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In front of City Hall we saw a (mini) park full with statues and fountains.  Later on we learned that the sculptures were created by the famous Gustav Vigeland (I will write more about this great artist later on).  City Hall houses the city council, city administration, and art studios and galleries.  The building is striking with its beauty.  As we approached the building, we saw many commuters leaving their bus-boat and heading to work.

Few steps away from City Hall we found the Nobel Peace Center, where the prestigious award is presented every year on December 10^th, since 1901.  President Barack Obama won it 2009 and Jimmy Carter in 2002. In 1994 Yitzhak Rabin, Israeli PM had won it along with Arafat and Shimon Peres.  In 1993 Nelson Mandela was the recipient.

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We walked along the street towards the old city and arrived to Karl Johan Gate, the main street of the city. The street was named in honor of  King Charles III, who was King of Sweden.  The street was already busy with vendors, shoppers, kids going to school, and of course tourists.  In some places the street became very wide where in other was very narrow. 

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We passed by The Oslo Cathedral, the main church for the Oslo bishopric of the Church of Norway, as well as the parish church for downtown Oslo. The present building dates from 1694-1697.

Our next stop was at a beautiful building, The Parliament of Norway, established in 1866.  It is situated across the National Theater, Norway's largest and most prominent venues for performance of dramatic arts, built in 1899.

         

We walked for 25 minutes, using the side streets and finally were rewarded when we arrived to Vigeland Park, the world's largest sculpture park made by a single artist.  The artist is the famous Gustav Vigeland, who was a Norwegian sculptor. Gustav Vigeland occupies a special position among Norwegian sculptors, both in the power of his creative imagination and in his productivity. He is most associated with the Vigeland Sculpture Arrangement in this park. He was also the designer of the Nobel Peace Prize medal.

The unique sculpture park is Gustav Vigeland’s lifework with more than 200 nude sculptures in bronze, granite and wrought iron.  He was also in charge of the design and architectural layout of the park until his death in 1943.

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The park is Gustav Vigeland's artistic statement about the typical themes of life and relationships. We walked on a 100 yards long bridge situated along a waterfall, each path decorated with large bronze wheels, while the bridge itself is ornamented with granite shapes of humans at various stages of life, including Angry Boy, one of the most prominent sculptures in the park. Its other highlights include sculptures such as The Fountain, The Monolith, and The Wheel of Life.

   

It was one of the most beautiful and impressive public parks I have ever seen. The sculptures of the artist are very expressive and impressive.  There are over a million visitors, who come to this park every year!

We toured the park for over 2 hours and then exited and took a taxi to our next destination.  The price of the ride was 40 Euros ($60) for a drive of about 3 miles!  Yes, Norway is (very) expensive!!  The driver dropped us off at a café and we had delicious cappuccinos.  The tag was 32 Euro ($48 for 4 coffees!).

We came just in time to The Royal Palace and for the Changing of the Guards.

   

         

The Royal Palace in Oslo was built in the first half of the 19th century as the Norwegian residence of King Charles III, who also reigned as king of Sweden and otherwise resided there, and is the official residence of the present Norwegian monarch.  We waited around for about 5 minutes as a unit of soldiers “performed” the changing of the guards.  It was quite entertaining to see the gestures of the soldiers, while acting in the ceremony.

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On our way back to the ship, we stopped at the Central Station and looked at Afghanistan refugees, in front of the entrance, performing a musical concert and collecting donations.

We were back at 1:30, exactly at the “All Aboard” time and went to the Windjammer Café for a delicious lunch.  Once back in our cabin we started the most hated part of a cruise: Packing!  Tomorrow we will say goodbye to the ship.

After cocktails and dinner, we joined the theater to view Flash & Fever, average entertainers who were trying to impress us with loop and ropes and then enjoyed very much the Farewell Variety Show, hosted by Mike Hunnerup, our cruise director.

   

 Once back in the cabin, we lined up our luggage in the hallway, to be picked up by the crew, for tomorrow disembarkation.

Day 20 May 4^th, 2013

We woke up at 6:30 and through our balcony looked at the city of Copenhagen.

This was our last day at the cruise and we said our goodbyes to whoever we had met in the last 17 days.

We talked to Donna & Russ and decided to meet them in their hotel later on today, around

noon, and explore the city together.

After breakfast we stood in line for the immigration & Custom process and then fetched a taxi, which took us to Adina Hotel.  Our room was specious and extremely clean.  It was actually an apartment, converted into a hotel room.

We checked in and started our journey to the Marriot Hotel to meet the Clarks (Donna & Russ).  We decided to walk, instead of using a cab, so we could get a head start exploring the city.

Copenhagen is the capital of  Denmark and its most populous city, with a metropolitan population of two millions people, founded over a thousand years ago.

Our first stop was at The Little Mermaid statue, nearby the hotel.  The bronze statue is based on the fairy tale of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen. The small statue is a Copenhagen icon and has been a major tourist attraction since 1913.

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We walked on the trail and arrived to St Alban’s Anglican Church, locally often referred to simply as the English Church.  It was built in the late 19^th century for the growing English congregation in the city. We did not enter the church and spent few minutes admiring the fountain next to the building. The Gefion Fountain features a large-scale group of animal figures being driven by the legendary and famous heroes in the Scandinavian folklore. It is the largest monument in Copenhagen and used as a wishing well.

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Next stop was at The War Museum, dedicated to the Danish resistant to the German occupation during World War II. To our disappointment we found a burnt building that was destroyed by a fire just few days ago.

 We kept walking and arrived to the Royal Palace, which is also called Amalienborg. 

     

It is the winter home of the Danish Royal Family. What we found was four identical classicizing palace facades with rococo interiors around an octagonal courtyard. In the center of the square is a monumental equestrian statue of Amalienborg's founder, King Frederick V, the king of Denmark in the 18^th century.  Guards, dressed in custom uniforms are stationed at each door of the complex.

   

Using the map, which was given to us in the hotel, we continued our journey and arrived to a small and amazing marina.  There café shops at both banks of a river with hundreds of people sitting around.

Christiansborg Palace was our next stop. This magnificent building is situated in central Copenhagen and is the seat of the Danish Parliament, the Danish Prime Minister's Office and the Danish Supreme Court. Also, several parts of the palace are used by the monarchy, including the Royal Reception Rooms, the Palace Chapel and the Royal Stables.  The palace is thus the house of Denmark's three supreme powers: the executive power, the legislative power, and the judicial power. It is the only building in the world that houses all three of a country's branches of government.  The present building, the third to be built on the site, is the last in a series of successive castles and palaces constructed on the
same site since the erection of the first castle in 1167. Since the early fifteenth century, the various buildings have served as the base of the central administration; until 1794 as the principal residence of the Danish kings and after 1849 as the seat of parliament.

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We walked for another mile, before arriving to the Marriot Hotel.  We found out that Donna & Russ were still checking in.  Their room was not ready and they were a bit upset.  We sat in the lobby, sipping a complimentary latte and few minutes later they called Donna.  They checked in and few minutes later joined us and we decided to use the “Hop on, Hop off” bus service.  The bus station was right next to the hotel.  Unfortunately, this was a waist of time (and money).  The distances between the attractions was not worth it.  We finally arrived to Tivoli Gardens where we happened to bump into Pam & Harry.

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We started to walk and arrived to the nearby City Hall Square and to the famous Hans Christian Andersen statue, The Danish author and poet, best remembered for his fairy tales.  

   

To my mind came early pictures when I used to read  (in Hebrew) great classics such as The Tinderbox, The Princess and the Pea, Thumbelina, The Little Mermaid, and The Emperor's New Clothes. 

We took some photos and then walked into the center of the large square, admiring the beautiful City Hall, The Dragon Fountain, (displaying a bull and a dragon in combat), The Lur Blowers monument and the surrounding buildings.

     

     

The square is located at the south-western end of the pedestrian street Strogett.  We strolled the cobblestone street and I understood why it is so popular (there were thousands of people in the street). It is in the center of town and the longest pedestrian shopping area in Europe - 1,111 meter long).  On the way we saw few passengers we had met during the cruise.  It was really nice!!

We arrived to Kongens Nytorv (The King’s new square), the other large square of the city center.

   

Along the way we passed Gammeltorv (The Old Market), Nytorv (The New Market) and Amagertorv Square.  There were hundreds of stores, cafes, and restaurants along the way.  At the King’s New Square we passed by the famous Stork Fountain and then the most famous statue of the city: Statue of Absalo, who was the foremost politician and church father of Denmark in the second half of the 12th century and is considered to be the founder of the city.  The equestrian statue was erected in 1902.

We couldn’t resist the aroma of the smell coming out of one of the vendors and found ourselves biting into the juicy and delicious sausage.  Few minutes later the aroma of fresh bread came out of a bakery and we purchased a delicious baguette.  We completed our lunch with a flavor ice cream.

Not far we found a 17^th century tower: The Round Tower.  

Tova & I decided to go to the top (while Donna & Russ rested).  We found out that this tower is the oldest functioning observatory in

Europe and stars have been watched here since 1642.  The tower is the one referred to in Hans Christian Andersen's story "The Tinder Box".

On the way to the top of the tower, using the spiral walkway, we stopped at the Syria’s Art of Resistance Exhibition, which was very interesting, as it demonstrated the free spirit of some artist, who fled Syria’s civil war, now in its 3^rd year.

   

We reached the top and discovered a magnificent panoramic view of the city.

    

On the horizons we saw The Vision of the Seas and could just imagine that new passengers are now occupying cabin number 8018.

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We joined Donna & Russ and after few minutes arrived to Rosenberg Palace, built by Christian IV between some 400 years ago as a summer palace and used by the Danish Royal Family from the middle of the 18^th century as a spring and autumn residence.

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To our disappointment the palace was closed for visitors (it opens only until 1:30 PM) and we ended up touring the garden, which is the oldest and most visited garden in the city.

We found the bus stop and used our tickets we had purchased earlier, to ride to Tivoli Garden.  Before entering the famous gardens we stopped at the Tourist Information and found a café inside the building.  We sat there for about half an hour and also had a chance to see Noel & Nerie, our new friends from the cruise.

We entered Tivoli Garden and realized why this place is “a must see” place to visit in this city and why it is the most visited place in the city.  It is open from mid-April to mid-September and is a world-class amusement park. We found thousand of flowers, more than two dozen rides, in addition to live entertainment and more than 30 eateries.  It was nice to stroll through the gardens, sit down at the outside theaters and listen to kids performing their heart out.  We saw hundreds of families enjoying the sunny and comfortable day.

       

    

   

We decided to stay and wait for the light show at the lake.  It starts at around 9:00, so we ended up sitting at “all you can eat” steakhouse.  It was delicious and very reasonable.

The night “Lake Show” was amazing as the lake was illuminated by many colorful lights.

    

We said goodbyes to Donna & Russ and exited the park.  Outside we found bus #26, which took us back to the hotel.


Day 21 May 5^th, 2013

Today is our last day of the trip.

We woke up at around 8:00 and had typical Danish breakfast at the hotel.  It was delicious. The hotel receptionist ordered a cab for us and we arrived to Copenhagen International Airport at around 11:30.



Our first leg of the long flight home was Iceland.  The views from the airplane were unbelievable.

      

After a short layover we flew to Seattle, Washington.  To our disappointment, the food, in this international flight was not complimentary.  Luckily for us, we purchased a couple of sandwiches earlier in the airport.

After the immigration process in Seattle we were notified that due to a furlough of the air controllers in LAX, our flight was delayed by three hours (!)

We finally made it home at around 11:00 pm.

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