We made it back home this afternoon. It's now 8:15 and I am watching the Rays game trying to keep my eyes open as my body is still on London time (1:15am).
We left the hotel this morning at 8:30am for the bus ride to Gatwick airport. We allowed ourselves 2 hours to get there in case the traffic was heavy, but it only took just over 1 hour. We got checked in and through security without any difficulties and waitd in the British Airways lounge until boarding time. The lounge has a nice kid's play, which helped the boys pass the time.
Our flight departed around 12:45pm and was just under 9 hours enroute to Tampa. Justin slept for much of the flight and all the boys behaved really well overall until the captain announced 20 minutes until landing. That's when Brandon & Justin got bored and started horsing around, laughing, etc. I wasn't too tough on them considering they didn't give us any trouble for the first 8 & 1/2 hours.
We finally got to our house around 6pm, about 15 hours since we left the hotel this morning. We're going to try to stay up as late as we can to get back on Eastern time, but we are fading fast.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
London - Day #2
We woke to grey, rainy skies this morning. The forecast called for continued rain and highs in the low 60’s. Undaunted, we met up with the family at 9:30am and headed to our first stop: The London Eye, which is like a gigantic ferris wheel on the bank of the Thames River. We arrived about 30 minutes before our “flight” time and I went to check us in. I noticed they were advertising “private capsules” and found that they were only a bit more than what I had already spent for 15 tickets. They agreed to upgrade us so our group would have a capsule all to ourselves.
We gathered the kids and climbed on board. When viewed from a distance, you can barely perceive that the Eye is moving at all. However, up close, I can assure you that it is. Once on board, they sealed us in and we began our 20 – 30 minutes ride around. Even though the skies were a bit cloudy, it wasn’t raining and the view was spectacular! I think everyone had a great time and I was really glad I upgraded our tickets.
Afterwards, we were starting to get hungry already. Brandon suggested the Hard Rock Café and everyone seemed to like the idea, so we hopped back on our bus and headed that way. We were still pretty early, so they were able to accommodate our party of 15 without advance notice. We all enjoyed some American comfort-food.
After lunch, we dropped off Mom & Dad and Kent & his family off at the hotel. The rest of us headed out for more sightseeing at the Tower of London. It took FOREVER to get through London traffic and the boys were starting to go stir-crazy by the time we got there. We jumped out of the bus just as it started really raining hard. We had to take shelter near the parking garage for a while and wait it out. Soon, the rain subsided and we went inside. We had a good time walking around and taking in the sights. Our favorite areas were the crown jewels and the armor displays.
We sat through heavy traffic again on the way back to the hotel and it was about 5:30 when we arrived. We decided to grab an early dinner at a nearby Italian restaurant before going in for the evening. Now, it’s time to get packed up again and head home tomorrow!
We gathered the kids and climbed on board. When viewed from a distance, you can barely perceive that the Eye is moving at all. However, up close, I can assure you that it is. Once on board, they sealed us in and we began our 20 – 30 minutes ride around. Even though the skies were a bit cloudy, it wasn’t raining and the view was spectacular! I think everyone had a great time and I was really glad I upgraded our tickets.
Afterwards, we were starting to get hungry already. Brandon suggested the Hard Rock Café and everyone seemed to like the idea, so we hopped back on our bus and headed that way. We were still pretty early, so they were able to accommodate our party of 15 without advance notice. We all enjoyed some American comfort-food.
After lunch, we dropped off Mom & Dad and Kent & his family off at the hotel. The rest of us headed out for more sightseeing at the Tower of London. It took FOREVER to get through London traffic and the boys were starting to go stir-crazy by the time we got there. We jumped out of the bus just as it started really raining hard. We had to take shelter near the parking garage for a while and wait it out. Soon, the rain subsided and we went inside. We had a good time walking around and taking in the sights. Our favorite areas were the crown jewels and the armor displays.
We sat through heavy traffic again on the way back to the hotel and it was about 5:30 when we arrived. We decided to grab an early dinner at a nearby Italian restaurant before going in for the evening. Now, it’s time to get packed up again and head home tomorrow!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
London, England
Wow, the boat was really rocking last night! I was feeling a little green around the gills by the time we laid down for bed, but I managed to drift off to sleep. I woke up around 4am to the sound of the stern thrusters rumbling as the captain docked the ship back in Harwich. Try as I might, I just couldn’t get back to sleep. I got up, showered, and hit the breakfast buffet when it opened at 5:30am. I came back to the room and got the rest of the crew up around 6am.
They grabbed a bite and we met up with the rest of the family at our assigned departure time: 7:30am. Getting off the ship went very smoothly, and by 8am we had our bags and were ready to catch the bus to London. There was just one problem: No one got in touch with our driver to let him know we were going to be early. He was expecting to pick us up at 10:30am, which would leave us hanging out in the cruise terminal with 7 kids for 2 ½ hours. Not good.
After trying several numbers, Kent finally got through to the bus company and we were happy to hear that they could be there by 9am. We had decent chairs to sit down and there was a coffee bar next door. One hour was doable. Sure enough, the bus rolled in just after 9am and off we went.
It should have been about a 2 hour drive to the hotel, but traffic in London was terrible. We crawled along the last few miles in bumper to bumper traffic. It was close to noon when we finally pulled up to the hotel. We could wait to get off that bus!
After checking in and dropping our luggage, we took a walk to a nearby pub for lunch. The kitchen was a bit slow, but the food was great and the portions generous. The waitress made sure to tell us that Michelle Obama and her daughters had eaten there a couple weeks ago. After lunch, we went back to the room and took a short nap. I was out like light!
We were supposed to see Michael Jackson at the O2 Arena tonight, but that was obviously cancelled. We tried to book show tickets, but our top picks were all sold out. Instead, Michele & I took the boys out for a movie this evening. We started with a walk and sightseeing, eventually making our way to Picadilly Circus, which is a little like Time Square in NYC. We saw Ice Age 3D at a nearby movie theater and then grabbed a late dinner at Burger King. When we came out, it was raining, so we hailed a cab instead of walking home.
Tomorrow, we have tickets to the London Eye (gigantic ferris wheel) at 10:30am. We may go visit the London Tower / Bridge afterwards. Michele would also like to go to Harrod’s (huge department store). Sounds like another full day coming up!
They grabbed a bite and we met up with the rest of the family at our assigned departure time: 7:30am. Getting off the ship went very smoothly, and by 8am we had our bags and were ready to catch the bus to London. There was just one problem: No one got in touch with our driver to let him know we were going to be early. He was expecting to pick us up at 10:30am, which would leave us hanging out in the cruise terminal with 7 kids for 2 ½ hours. Not good.
After trying several numbers, Kent finally got through to the bus company and we were happy to hear that they could be there by 9am. We had decent chairs to sit down and there was a coffee bar next door. One hour was doable. Sure enough, the bus rolled in just after 9am and off we went.
It should have been about a 2 hour drive to the hotel, but traffic in London was terrible. We crawled along the last few miles in bumper to bumper traffic. It was close to noon when we finally pulled up to the hotel. We could wait to get off that bus!
After checking in and dropping our luggage, we took a walk to a nearby pub for lunch. The kitchen was a bit slow, but the food was great and the portions generous. The waitress made sure to tell us that Michelle Obama and her daughters had eaten there a couple weeks ago. After lunch, we went back to the room and took a short nap. I was out like light!
We were supposed to see Michael Jackson at the O2 Arena tonight, but that was obviously cancelled. We tried to book show tickets, but our top picks were all sold out. Instead, Michele & I took the boys out for a movie this evening. We started with a walk and sightseeing, eventually making our way to Picadilly Circus, which is a little like Time Square in NYC. We saw Ice Age 3D at a nearby movie theater and then grabbed a late dinner at Burger King. When we came out, it was raining, so we hailed a cab instead of walking home.
Tomorrow, we have tickets to the London Eye (gigantic ferris wheel) at 10:30am. We may go visit the London Tower / Bridge afterwards. Michele would also like to go to Harrod’s (huge department store). Sounds like another full day coming up!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Day at Sea
Wow, hard to believe it’s our last day on the cruise! Last night, Brandon stayed for the “after party” at the kid’s club. Michele and I were both tired, so we went to bed around 10pm. It felt funny going to sleep with Brandon still not home, but we both trust him. I got up to use the bathroom around 1:30 and was happy to see he was sleeping peacefully in his bed. He said he got in around midnight.
Today was mostly uneventful. I was up early and went up for coffee where I met the other early risers in our group: Mom, Dad, Pi & Tina. I checked my e-mail and went back to the room. Soon, Michele & the boys were up and around, so we went up for breakfast. Afterwards, we came back to the room and began packing up some of our stuff. I went to the gym for a while around 11am and then met up with Michele & the kids for lunch after I got cleaned up.
The kids went in the camp for a while this afternoon while Michele got a massage and I met up with Kent, Dad, & Pi at the casino to play Roulette. I lost badly at first and almost left, but the guys convinced me to hang in there. A couple hours later, I was almost even, so I didn’t feel so bad.
At dinner, the wait staff brought me some Key Lime Pie with a candle and sang Happy Birthday, which was nice. We handed out our tips and then the kids wanted to go back to the club again. Michele and I just finished our packing. In a few minutes, I will update the blog and then pick up the kids and start getting them settled down for bed.
Tomorrow, we have to meet at 7:15am to get off the ship, so we’ll be getting up pretty early for breakfast. With any luck, we’ll be checking into our hotel in London around lunchtime.
Today was mostly uneventful. I was up early and went up for coffee where I met the other early risers in our group: Mom, Dad, Pi & Tina. I checked my e-mail and went back to the room. Soon, Michele & the boys were up and around, so we went up for breakfast. Afterwards, we came back to the room and began packing up some of our stuff. I went to the gym for a while around 11am and then met up with Michele & the kids for lunch after I got cleaned up.
The kids went in the camp for a while this afternoon while Michele got a massage and I met up with Kent, Dad, & Pi at the casino to play Roulette. I lost badly at first and almost left, but the guys convinced me to hang in there. A couple hours later, I was almost even, so I didn’t feel so bad.
At dinner, the wait staff brought me some Key Lime Pie with a candle and sang Happy Birthday, which was nice. We handed out our tips and then the kids wanted to go back to the club again. Michele and I just finished our packing. In a few minutes, I will update the blog and then pick up the kids and start getting them settled down for bed.
Tomorrow, we have to meet at 7:15am to get off the ship, so we’ll be getting up pretty early for breakfast. With any luck, we’ll be checking into our hotel in London around lunchtime.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Oslo, Norway
Happy Birthday to me! We weren’t scheduled to get to Oslo until 2pm, so we slept in late this morning. Brandon & I were up first at 8:45 and we went upstairs to get breakfast. Afterwards, I spent some time on the computer researching shows & sightseeing in London later this week.
When I got back to the room, Michele was heading out to breakfast with the other two boys. Brandon went with them and I went to the gym for a little while. After lunch, I had time for a short nap before it was time to meet up for our tour.
It was a rough afternoon. The boys had been up late last night and didn’t get a nap today. Justin & Cameron were super-tired and cranky. After leaving the ship, we got on a bus and headed out. Our guide explained that we would be heading away from town and visiting 3 Viking museums. Until that point, I think I didn’t realize exactly what we were getting into.
At the first museum, we all tried to listen in to what the guide was telling us, but he was talking very softly, the museum was very loud, and the kids were restless, so we soon abandoned that idea. Cristina took Justin outside and the rest of us walked around the museum, viewing the exhibits at our own pace. However, it was crowded and dark, and the English translations were very small, so we soon tired of it and went outside with the others.
There was a nice lawn out front, so I encourage the kids to run and play. This quickly deteriorated into a fistfight between Cameron & Justin. I restrained Justin, but Cameron kept swinging and popped Justin pretty hard in the face triggering a nuclear meltdown for Justin. 1 museum down, 2 to go. I kept scanning the area for taxi’s so we could get out of this tour and head back to town, but there were none to be found.
Soon, we climbed back on the bus for a short drive to the next Viking museum. We walked through that one in similar fashion and then I took the boys outside to play, while I continued to scan for cabs. When the tour guide came by, I asked him about getting a taxi and he suggested we could take the ferry instead. We decided to give it a try.
It was a short walk down to the ferry dock where we got in line and waited…and waited…and waited. Finally the ferry arrived. It looked pretty full, but surely some people will be getting off, right? Wrong. The line inched forward, but the ferry became full before we got to the front. We didn’t want to wait 30 minutes for the next ferry, so we walked back to the museum to catch the bus.
We got back to the ship around 6pm. I felt bad that I hadn’t really hadn’t seen much of Oslo. Michele generously offered to take the kids on the ship and let me go for a walk in the city. I had a nice time walking around and taking in the sites. I walked by the City Hall, National Gallery, Royal Palace and Parliament. I stopped in the Hard Rock Café for a beer and bought a couple T-shirts to add to my collection. I was back on the ship by 7:15pm and met up with the family at dinner.
Now, the Brandon & Justin are in the club and Cameron is just about ready for bed. Tomorrow is another day at sea and then we’ll be back in Harwich, England on Thursday morning.
When I got back to the room, Michele was heading out to breakfast with the other two boys. Brandon went with them and I went to the gym for a little while. After lunch, I had time for a short nap before it was time to meet up for our tour.
It was a rough afternoon. The boys had been up late last night and didn’t get a nap today. Justin & Cameron were super-tired and cranky. After leaving the ship, we got on a bus and headed out. Our guide explained that we would be heading away from town and visiting 3 Viking museums. Until that point, I think I didn’t realize exactly what we were getting into.
At the first museum, we all tried to listen in to what the guide was telling us, but he was talking very softly, the museum was very loud, and the kids were restless, so we soon abandoned that idea. Cristina took Justin outside and the rest of us walked around the museum, viewing the exhibits at our own pace. However, it was crowded and dark, and the English translations were very small, so we soon tired of it and went outside with the others.
There was a nice lawn out front, so I encourage the kids to run and play. This quickly deteriorated into a fistfight between Cameron & Justin. I restrained Justin, but Cameron kept swinging and popped Justin pretty hard in the face triggering a nuclear meltdown for Justin. 1 museum down, 2 to go. I kept scanning the area for taxi’s so we could get out of this tour and head back to town, but there were none to be found.
Soon, we climbed back on the bus for a short drive to the next Viking museum. We walked through that one in similar fashion and then I took the boys outside to play, while I continued to scan for cabs. When the tour guide came by, I asked him about getting a taxi and he suggested we could take the ferry instead. We decided to give it a try.
It was a short walk down to the ferry dock where we got in line and waited…and waited…and waited. Finally the ferry arrived. It looked pretty full, but surely some people will be getting off, right? Wrong. The line inched forward, but the ferry became full before we got to the front. We didn’t want to wait 30 minutes for the next ferry, so we walked back to the museum to catch the bus.
We got back to the ship around 6pm. I felt bad that I hadn’t really hadn’t seen much of Oslo. Michele generously offered to take the kids on the ship and let me go for a walk in the city. I had a nice time walking around and taking in the sites. I walked by the City Hall, National Gallery, Royal Palace and Parliament. I stopped in the Hard Rock Café for a beer and bought a couple T-shirts to add to my collection. I was back on the ship by 7:15pm and met up with the family at dinner.
Now, the Brandon & Justin are in the club and Cameron is just about ready for bed. Tomorrow is another day at sea and then we’ll be back in Harwich, England on Thursday morning.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Day at Sea
It was very nice to sleep in this morning and not have to rush off for a tour. We went up for breakfast around 8:45am and then came back to the room to relax for a while. Michele had a massage at 9:15. When she got back, I went to the gym for a while. It was cold & rainy outside, so there wasn’t really much for the boys to do, but I think they enjoyed just doing nothing for a change.
After lunch, Michele took the kids to the indoor pool for a while. It is located in an area normally reserved for adults only, but they relaxed the rules today because of the inclement weather. Meanwhile, I met up with Kent, Dad, & Pi at the casino. Kent talked me into playing in a Texas Hold’em poker tournament at 1:30. I did better than I expected. My strategy of patient folding at the beginning and more aggressive bets later on was paying off well through the first half. When we took a 20 minutes break, several players were already out (including Kent & Dad, Pi was just watching) and I had the most chips. After the break, one of the players bought back in and several others bought more chips, but I did not. I bet big on a couple decent hands, but I lost and was soon out as well.
When I got back to the room, Michele was napping and the kids were restless and asked to go to the club for a while. After dropping them off, I came back to the room and took a short nap before dinner. All the adults went to Portafino restaurant this evening, so the kids were back in the club for a while. All-in-all, a very relaxing day!
Tomorrow, we will be on Oslo, Norway. Unlike our other ports so far, we won’t be getting in until 2pm, so we get to sleep in again, then we have a tour of a Nordic museum in the afternoon.
After lunch, Michele took the kids to the indoor pool for a while. It is located in an area normally reserved for adults only, but they relaxed the rules today because of the inclement weather. Meanwhile, I met up with Kent, Dad, & Pi at the casino. Kent talked me into playing in a Texas Hold’em poker tournament at 1:30. I did better than I expected. My strategy of patient folding at the beginning and more aggressive bets later on was paying off well through the first half. When we took a 20 minutes break, several players were already out (including Kent & Dad, Pi was just watching) and I had the most chips. After the break, one of the players bought back in and several others bought more chips, but I did not. I bet big on a couple decent hands, but I lost and was soon out as well.
When I got back to the room, Michele was napping and the kids were restless and asked to go to the club for a while. After dropping them off, I came back to the room and took a short nap before dinner. All the adults went to Portafino restaurant this evening, so the kids were back in the club for a while. All-in-all, a very relaxing day!
Tomorrow, we will be on Oslo, Norway. Unlike our other ports so far, we won’t be getting in until 2pm, so we get to sleep in again, then we have a tour of a Nordic museum in the afternoon.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Tallinn, Estonia
I think we all appreciated having an extra hour of sleep last night! I went up and played soccer on the sports deck with the kids again and got them all worn out (or maybe wound up?) and we got to bed around 11pm.
We had to get up extra early this morning for our walking tour of Tallinn. We ate a quick breakfast in the room about 6:45am, then dropped the kids at camp around 7:00 and met up with our group at 7:15am. I had given the kids the option of A) going on a 4-hour walking tour of the city, or B) staying the kid’s club instead. They chose B. I was kind of hoping Brandon might join us, but I can’t say I blame him. Kent’s girls stayed in the club also, but Pi & Tina brought their girls along. The weather wasn’t great when I stepped out on the balcony this morning: cold (50’s?) and wet with grey skies.
We had a short bus ride into town and then we got out and started…standing. That is my main complaint about the tour: Too much standing versus walking. We would walk a short distance and then stand for 10 minutes while our guide gave us an oral history of Estonia. During the tour, we were pleased to see the sun come out and the temperatures gradually warmed up to the low 60’s.
Back in the 1400’s after several bad fires, Tallinn enacted a law that any new structure must be built of stone. As a result, the town today looks like it came straight out of a medieval storybook. I felt like I had been taken back in time as we walked the city streets. Adding to this feeling were many shopkeepers and merchants that dressed in medieval garb. Some of the merchants in the square were making pottery on a primitive spinning wheel as we strolled by.
After the tour concluded, we decided to stay in town for more shopping, sightseeing, and lunch. We ate at a medieval themed restaurant called the Peppersack, where we sample specialties such as black rye bread, honey beer, and borsch. Kent & I enjoyed reading some of the botched menu translations such as “Mummy salad with smocked chicken”, but the girls just thought we were being juvenile. Soon we were on our way again. Kent found an antique shop with lots of cool old stuff from both the German and Soviet occupations. We both got some old currency notes and military medals as souvenirs.
Finally, everyone was getting tired and we started heading to the shuttle bus stop. Pi & his family took the shuttle, while Michele & Cristina shared a cab. Kent & I decided to walk back to the ship and take in the sights a bit longer. The walk should normally take about 30 minutes, but we made a couple detours and had to stop for refreshments now and then. We got back around 3:00pm, just 30 minutes before the “all-aboard” time.
Believe it or not, the kids wanted to go BACK to the camp again after dinner tonight. Michele is getting her nails done in the spa, so I am all alone enjoying a few minutes of peace & quiet. Maybe after I update the blog, I will sit on the balcony and read for a while….
We had to get up extra early this morning for our walking tour of Tallinn. We ate a quick breakfast in the room about 6:45am, then dropped the kids at camp around 7:00 and met up with our group at 7:15am. I had given the kids the option of A) going on a 4-hour walking tour of the city, or B) staying the kid’s club instead. They chose B. I was kind of hoping Brandon might join us, but I can’t say I blame him. Kent’s girls stayed in the club also, but Pi & Tina brought their girls along. The weather wasn’t great when I stepped out on the balcony this morning: cold (50’s?) and wet with grey skies.
We had a short bus ride into town and then we got out and started…standing. That is my main complaint about the tour: Too much standing versus walking. We would walk a short distance and then stand for 10 minutes while our guide gave us an oral history of Estonia. During the tour, we were pleased to see the sun come out and the temperatures gradually warmed up to the low 60’s.
Back in the 1400’s after several bad fires, Tallinn enacted a law that any new structure must be built of stone. As a result, the town today looks like it came straight out of a medieval storybook. I felt like I had been taken back in time as we walked the city streets. Adding to this feeling were many shopkeepers and merchants that dressed in medieval garb. Some of the merchants in the square were making pottery on a primitive spinning wheel as we strolled by.
After the tour concluded, we decided to stay in town for more shopping, sightseeing, and lunch. We ate at a medieval themed restaurant called the Peppersack, where we sample specialties such as black rye bread, honey beer, and borsch. Kent & I enjoyed reading some of the botched menu translations such as “Mummy salad with smocked chicken”, but the girls just thought we were being juvenile. Soon we were on our way again. Kent found an antique shop with lots of cool old stuff from both the German and Soviet occupations. We both got some old currency notes and military medals as souvenirs.
Finally, everyone was getting tired and we started heading to the shuttle bus stop. Pi & his family took the shuttle, while Michele & Cristina shared a cab. Kent & I decided to walk back to the ship and take in the sights a bit longer. The walk should normally take about 30 minutes, but we made a couple detours and had to stop for refreshments now and then. We got back around 3:00pm, just 30 minutes before the “all-aboard” time.
Believe it or not, the kids wanted to go BACK to the camp again after dinner tonight. Michele is getting her nails done in the spa, so I am all alone enjoying a few minutes of peace & quiet. Maybe after I update the blog, I will sit on the balcony and read for a while….
Saturday, July 11, 2009
St. Petersburg, Russia - Day #2
After we picked the kids up from camp last night at 10pm, we visited the late night café for a snack and then took a walk around the top deck of the ship. The sun barely sets here at the latitude during the summer, so it was still broad daylight outside. We ended up at the sports deck playing soccer with the boys for a while. We again had trouble getting the kids to lay down and go to sleep . I sure will be happy when we start heading East again and gain some hours back!
This morning, we headed out on our 2nd day of the private van tour. Our first stop was a local Russian Orthodox Church that was in use, so we could see how the common people worshiped. We were permitted to step inside for a few minutes to observe the ceremonies. The choir was beautiful: Men chanting a low rhythm while the women sang the melody. Mom, Dad, & Michele went inside first while the rest of us took the kids for a short walk to a nearby playground.
Once we got our group back together, we headed to the main event for the day: The Hermitage museum of Western European Art. Because we were with a small, private, tour, we were able to go inside before the museum opened to the public for the day. Keeping in mind the boys tolerance for appreciating fine art, we asked our guide to give us an abbreviated tour, just hitting the highlights.
The museum is housed in the former palace of the Russian nobility, which was stunning beautiful in itself. Inside, we saw many masterpieces from DaVinci, Monet, Rembrandt, Greco, and more. The kids favorite part was toward the end when we visited a display of medieval armor, including a pint-size suit just about the right size for Justin. They also enjoyed the Egyptian room including a well-preserved mummy.
After a couple hours, we were all tired and ready for a change of pace. After exiting the museum, we exited into a beautiful square and the kids could run and make noise for a while. On the way back to the ship, we stopped by a Russian military warship that was on display. The boys enjoyed climbing all over the ship and playing with the cannons.
Soon, it was time to go and we headed back to the Jewel of the Seas. Tomorrow, we will be in Tallin, Estonia, a country which I had never even heard of before this cruise. We have a 4 hour walking tour scheduled first thing in the morning. I plan to offer the boys the choice of coming with us, or staying aboard in the kid’s camp.
This morning, we headed out on our 2nd day of the private van tour. Our first stop was a local Russian Orthodox Church that was in use, so we could see how the common people worshiped. We were permitted to step inside for a few minutes to observe the ceremonies. The choir was beautiful: Men chanting a low rhythm while the women sang the melody. Mom, Dad, & Michele went inside first while the rest of us took the kids for a short walk to a nearby playground.
Once we got our group back together, we headed to the main event for the day: The Hermitage museum of Western European Art. Because we were with a small, private, tour, we were able to go inside before the museum opened to the public for the day. Keeping in mind the boys tolerance for appreciating fine art, we asked our guide to give us an abbreviated tour, just hitting the highlights.
The museum is housed in the former palace of the Russian nobility, which was stunning beautiful in itself. Inside, we saw many masterpieces from DaVinci, Monet, Rembrandt, Greco, and more. The kids favorite part was toward the end when we visited a display of medieval armor, including a pint-size suit just about the right size for Justin. They also enjoyed the Egyptian room including a well-preserved mummy.
After a couple hours, we were all tired and ready for a change of pace. After exiting the museum, we exited into a beautiful square and the kids could run and make noise for a while. On the way back to the ship, we stopped by a Russian military warship that was on display. The boys enjoyed climbing all over the ship and playing with the cannons.
Soon, it was time to go and we headed back to the Jewel of the Seas. Tomorrow, we will be in Tallin, Estonia, a country which I had never even heard of before this cruise. We have a 4 hour walking tour scheduled first thing in the morning. I plan to offer the boys the choice of coming with us, or staying aboard in the kid’s camp.
Friday, July 10, 2009
St. Petersburg, Russia - Day #1
The kids were all wound up last night and it was very tough to get them to lay down for bed. Also, we had to set the clock ahead one hour (again). As a result, we didn’t get to sleep until around 1am local time and we had to get up at 6:30am to start getting ready for first day in Russia! The local time is now 8 hours ahead of our home time zone (Eastern). As I write this, it is late afternoon (4pm), but I know you all are just starting your day back home (8am).
We managed to get everybody going this morning, had breakfast in the room, and met up with the rest of the family on deck 4 at 8am before heading off the ship. Unlike other ports, we had to pass through customs after getting off the boat. It was a pretty simple process and now we have Russian stamps in our passports! The weather was beautiful today with clear skies, sunshine, around 70 degrees.
Our tour today was a private van from 8:30 – 12:30 --2 vans for our entire group. The itinerary is flexible as long as we start & end on time. Cruise ship passengers must be with an official “tour” at all times unless we have secured a special Russian visa in advance (we did not). This means that we must get back on the ship and stay there after our tour is over. By then, we were ready for lunch and a nap, so that was OK with us.
Our first stop today was for a scenic photo-op near the river, where we managed to get a group photo with all 15 of us. Next, we visited a beautiful l square for a photo-op near St. Isaac’s Cathedral. There was a big gift shop there and we picked up a few Russian souveniers and made a “comfort stop” (bathroom break). Our next stop was the beautiful Church of Spilled Blood with it’s colorful spires and stunning mosaic artwork. We enjoyed a tour of the interior and then took a few photos outside. Next, we went to the Peter and Paul Fortress, walked around the grounds, and toured another cathedral. In between stops, the van gave us a “panoramic” (driving) tour of the city and our guide narrated the sites of interest.
By noon, we were all getting tired and the kids were starting to get cranky and act up. Luckily, it was time to head back to the ship. We got back right on time, had lunch on the boat, and laid down for a much-needed nap. Now, the kids are watching a movie on TV while I update my journal a bit early tonight.
We enjoyed our dinner at Chop’s so much before, we decided to do it again this evening. We’ll take the kids up for an early dinner at 6pm and then drop them off at the club, while we dine at the adults-only restaurant at 7pm. I usually update my journal after dinner, but maybe tonight I will go to the casino or take in a show.
The plan for tomorrow is to be in a van again with the same tour guide. Initially, he was going to take us to the Hermitage art museum for several hours, but we are going to modify that plan since the kids will probably not do well in there for so long. Our guide had some other ideas of places to go with some areas for the kids to get out and run if the weather is nice again. Also, Dad would very much like to eat at a traditional Russian restaurant for lunch, so we will try to work that in before we head back to the ship tomorrow.
We managed to get everybody going this morning, had breakfast in the room, and met up with the rest of the family on deck 4 at 8am before heading off the ship. Unlike other ports, we had to pass through customs after getting off the boat. It was a pretty simple process and now we have Russian stamps in our passports! The weather was beautiful today with clear skies, sunshine, around 70 degrees.
Our tour today was a private van from 8:30 – 12:30 --2 vans for our entire group. The itinerary is flexible as long as we start & end on time. Cruise ship passengers must be with an official “tour” at all times unless we have secured a special Russian visa in advance (we did not). This means that we must get back on the ship and stay there after our tour is over. By then, we were ready for lunch and a nap, so that was OK with us.
Our first stop today was for a scenic photo-op near the river, where we managed to get a group photo with all 15 of us. Next, we visited a beautiful l square for a photo-op near St. Isaac’s Cathedral. There was a big gift shop there and we picked up a few Russian souveniers and made a “comfort stop” (bathroom break). Our next stop was the beautiful Church of Spilled Blood with it’s colorful spires and stunning mosaic artwork. We enjoyed a tour of the interior and then took a few photos outside. Next, we went to the Peter and Paul Fortress, walked around the grounds, and toured another cathedral. In between stops, the van gave us a “panoramic” (driving) tour of the city and our guide narrated the sites of interest.
By noon, we were all getting tired and the kids were starting to get cranky and act up. Luckily, it was time to head back to the ship. We got back right on time, had lunch on the boat, and laid down for a much-needed nap. Now, the kids are watching a movie on TV while I update my journal a bit early tonight.
We enjoyed our dinner at Chop’s so much before, we decided to do it again this evening. We’ll take the kids up for an early dinner at 6pm and then drop them off at the club, while we dine at the adults-only restaurant at 7pm. I usually update my journal after dinner, but maybe tonight I will go to the casino or take in a show.
The plan for tomorrow is to be in a van again with the same tour guide. Initially, he was going to take us to the Hermitage art museum for several hours, but we are going to modify that plan since the kids will probably not do well in there for so long. Our guide had some other ideas of places to go with some areas for the kids to get out and run if the weather is nice again. Also, Dad would very much like to eat at a traditional Russian restaurant for lunch, so we will try to work that in before we head back to the ship tomorrow.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Helsinki, Finland
After waking up this morning, I threw open the curtains to see if we were in port yet and I was dismayed to see grey clouds and rain. The boat was rocking like crazy and there was rain all over the sliding glass door. I opened the door and stuck my head out to check the temperature: brrr! Not a good omen for our outdoor tour today of Suemenlinna Fortress.
We met up with the rest of the family at 8:00am and headed off the boat. We walked briskly to our bus through the chilly, windy weather. Once underway on the bus, the rain started again and Pi, Kent, & I exchanged looks: It’s going to be a rough morning. After getting off the bus at the ferry docks, we scurried through the light rain and jumped on our ferry boat.
It was about a ten minute ride from downtown to the island fortress. We were snug & cozy at tables inside the boat, but I soon became too warm and went up on deck to cool off and get some fresh air. Much to my delight, it had stopped raining and the skies looked brighter ahead. There were only a couple people on the top deck. I was standing by the rail enjoying the view. When one of them stood up and strided purposefully toward me. He appeared to be middle-Eastern, kind of scruffy looking, and had a strange intensity. I immediately got a “bad vibe” and moved away from the rail as he approached.
As I moved to a safer position, he asked, “Can you swim?” I said yes, but it was too cold for a swim today. He asked where I was from and I told him. He told me he was from Iraq and began a tirade about American soldiers stealing money from his mother. I informed him that I am not a soldier nor do I set US foreign policy and that seemd to appease him somewhat. By this time, we were pulling up to the dock, so I was happy to get away from that character!
The weather cleared up nicely and the sun even came out for a while. It was in the low 60’s. As we had hoped, there were plenty of wide-open spaces and the kids had fun running, climbing, and exploring the fort. They especially loved playing on the cannon’s. Our tour guide led us for a 1 hour walk around the area and we ended up back near the dock with about 30 minutes of free time. We went into the café for a few minutes and grabbed a quick snack. Guess who stopped by our table to say hello? Yes, my new Iraqi friend. He asked Brandon where he was from. I told Brandon it was OK to answer, he did, and our friend wandered off again. Weird! I was definitely keeping an eye on that guy!
Soon, it was time to board the ferry again and return to Helsinki. We elected to get off the bus downtown to walk around the city and explore on our own. We went into a couple shops and found the IceBar, but it didn’t open until much later. It started to rain again, so we hopping in a cab and went back to the ship.
Tomorrow, we will be in Russia and we have a private van hired for the morning. I’m not sure why, but I am very excited to visit here. Maybe because we were cold-war enemies for so long. Anyway, tune in tomorrow to see how it goes.
We met up with the rest of the family at 8:00am and headed off the boat. We walked briskly to our bus through the chilly, windy weather. Once underway on the bus, the rain started again and Pi, Kent, & I exchanged looks: It’s going to be a rough morning. After getting off the bus at the ferry docks, we scurried through the light rain and jumped on our ferry boat.
It was about a ten minute ride from downtown to the island fortress. We were snug & cozy at tables inside the boat, but I soon became too warm and went up on deck to cool off and get some fresh air. Much to my delight, it had stopped raining and the skies looked brighter ahead. There were only a couple people on the top deck. I was standing by the rail enjoying the view. When one of them stood up and strided purposefully toward me. He appeared to be middle-Eastern, kind of scruffy looking, and had a strange intensity. I immediately got a “bad vibe” and moved away from the rail as he approached.
As I moved to a safer position, he asked, “Can you swim?” I said yes, but it was too cold for a swim today. He asked where I was from and I told him. He told me he was from Iraq and began a tirade about American soldiers stealing money from his mother. I informed him that I am not a soldier nor do I set US foreign policy and that seemd to appease him somewhat. By this time, we were pulling up to the dock, so I was happy to get away from that character!
The weather cleared up nicely and the sun even came out for a while. It was in the low 60’s. As we had hoped, there were plenty of wide-open spaces and the kids had fun running, climbing, and exploring the fort. They especially loved playing on the cannon’s. Our tour guide led us for a 1 hour walk around the area and we ended up back near the dock with about 30 minutes of free time. We went into the café for a few minutes and grabbed a quick snack. Guess who stopped by our table to say hello? Yes, my new Iraqi friend. He asked Brandon where he was from. I told Brandon it was OK to answer, he did, and our friend wandered off again. Weird! I was definitely keeping an eye on that guy!
Soon, it was time to board the ferry again and return to Helsinki. We elected to get off the bus downtown to walk around the city and explore on our own. We went into a couple shops and found the IceBar, but it didn’t open until much later. It started to rain again, so we hopping in a cab and went back to the ship.
Tomorrow, we will be in Russia and we have a private van hired for the morning. I’m not sure why, but I am very excited to visit here. Maybe because we were cold-war enemies for so long. Anyway, tune in tomorrow to see how it goes.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Stockholm,Sweden
We met up with the rest of the family for our tour today at 9:30am. We boarded buses outside the ship for the 15 minute ride into town and then visited the Swedish Fairy Tale Museum and the Vassa Museum, which are located close to each other near a lovely park. The weather was great again: clear skies, sunshine, and low 70’s.
Our first stop was the Fairy Tale Museum, which seemed very popular. We had to wait outside about 10 minutes before we could get in. Once inside, we were told to explore on our own, but to be back at the “train” ride at 11:00am, which gave us about 20 minutes to look around. There was a nice bookstore / gift shop and a big play area for the kids.
Soon, it was time to take our train ride. We were disappointed the find a huge line, but the kids didn’t care as the line snaked through another fun play area. They ran, climbed, laughed, and play for about 30 minutes while we waited in line. Finally, it was our turn and we got on board a small, gondola-type vehicle that was suspended from the ceiling. There was a narrated recording in English as we glided past various models of storybook scenes. The car went up, down, and all around for the 10 minute ride. It was very impressive and we all enjoyed it.
When we got off the train, we found our way through yet another play area, a café, and then back through the bookstore where our guide was waiting. She was distressed that we were running about 15 minutes late, but there’s nothing we could have done about it. I think Royal Caribbean needs to revise their time estimates for this tour!
Next, we walked to the nearby Vassa museum. The Vassa was a large warship built in the 1600’s, during the Vassa dynasty. During the construction, the designer / builder died and someone else took over. When the ship was finally ready, the King ordered that more cannon’s be installed. When the ship was launched in the harbor the first time and set the sails, it was too top-heavy and promptly tipped over and sank! It lay at the bottom of the harbor until several years ago when they recovered it and placed it in the museum. It is a magnificent vessel with lots of intricate carvings, especially on the stern. Too bad we were running late and didn’t get to stay very long. We grabbed a quick snack at the café and then it was time to head back to the bus.
The bus made a stop downtown for those that wanted to stay in Stockholm a bit longer, and we elected to get off. We enjoyed strolling down the busy streets and taking in the sites. The kids were getting pretty tired by now and we finally worked our way to the Absolut Ice Bar for a quick drink. Then, we caught a cab and came back to the ship.
All the kids are in the club tonight and Michele and I are enjoying some quiet time as the ship glides past the many islands surrounding Stockholm on our way back out to sea.
Our first stop was the Fairy Tale Museum, which seemed very popular. We had to wait outside about 10 minutes before we could get in. Once inside, we were told to explore on our own, but to be back at the “train” ride at 11:00am, which gave us about 20 minutes to look around. There was a nice bookstore / gift shop and a big play area for the kids.
Soon, it was time to take our train ride. We were disappointed the find a huge line, but the kids didn’t care as the line snaked through another fun play area. They ran, climbed, laughed, and play for about 30 minutes while we waited in line. Finally, it was our turn and we got on board a small, gondola-type vehicle that was suspended from the ceiling. There was a narrated recording in English as we glided past various models of storybook scenes. The car went up, down, and all around for the 10 minute ride. It was very impressive and we all enjoyed it.
When we got off the train, we found our way through yet another play area, a café, and then back through the bookstore where our guide was waiting. She was distressed that we were running about 15 minutes late, but there’s nothing we could have done about it. I think Royal Caribbean needs to revise their time estimates for this tour!
Next, we walked to the nearby Vassa museum. The Vassa was a large warship built in the 1600’s, during the Vassa dynasty. During the construction, the designer / builder died and someone else took over. When the ship was finally ready, the King ordered that more cannon’s be installed. When the ship was launched in the harbor the first time and set the sails, it was too top-heavy and promptly tipped over and sank! It lay at the bottom of the harbor until several years ago when they recovered it and placed it in the museum. It is a magnificent vessel with lots of intricate carvings, especially on the stern. Too bad we were running late and didn’t get to stay very long. We grabbed a quick snack at the café and then it was time to head back to the bus.
The bus made a stop downtown for those that wanted to stay in Stockholm a bit longer, and we elected to get off. We enjoyed strolling down the busy streets and taking in the sites. The kids were getting pretty tired by now and we finally worked our way to the Absolut Ice Bar for a quick drink. Then, we caught a cab and came back to the ship.
All the kids are in the club tonight and Michele and I are enjoying some quiet time as the ship glides past the many islands surrounding Stockholm on our way back out to sea.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Day at Sea
We enjoyed another relaxing day at sea today. We got up late and went up for breakfast around 10:30am. After breakfast, we walked around the boat for a while to see what was going on up on deck. We played some ping-pong. We grabbed lunch around 1pm and all the kids went back to Kent & Cristina’s room for a little while to play. She dropped them off at camp while Michele and I came back to the room to read & take a nap.
We picked the kids up from camp around 3:30 and walked around the deck some more. We ended up playing mini-golf. We came back to the room and I tried to get the kids to take a nap. Brandon & Cameron laid down, but Justin was all wound up and would not lay still. I let him read his book instead.
Pi booked dinner for all the adults at “Chops”, one of the premium adult-only restaurants on board. First, we took the kids to our normal dinner seating and got them fed. Then, we dropped them off at camp. The restaurant was terrific! I had a fantastic filet mignon and we ordered a bunch of sides to share. The service was great, too. The only downside is that you have to pay $25 per person cover charge, when normally all meals are free.
After dinner, we picked up the kids and played some games in the arcade. Now, we are getting them settled down for bed. Tomorrow, we will be in Stockholm, Sweden and we have a tour at 10am. It is supposed to rain tomorrow, but let’s hope the forecast is wrong.
We picked the kids up from camp around 3:30 and walked around the deck some more. We ended up playing mini-golf. We came back to the room and I tried to get the kids to take a nap. Brandon & Cameron laid down, but Justin was all wound up and would not lay still. I let him read his book instead.
Pi booked dinner for all the adults at “Chops”, one of the premium adult-only restaurants on board. First, we took the kids to our normal dinner seating and got them fed. Then, we dropped them off at camp. The restaurant was terrific! I had a fantastic filet mignon and we ordered a bunch of sides to share. The service was great, too. The only downside is that you have to pay $25 per person cover charge, when normally all meals are free.
After dinner, we picked up the kids and played some games in the arcade. Now, we are getting them settled down for bed. Tomorrow, we will be in Stockholm, Sweden and we have a tour at 10am. It is supposed to rain tomorrow, but let’s hope the forecast is wrong.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Copenhagen, Denmark
We got up early this morning for our tour of Copenhagen. We had breakfast around 7:30 and then met up with the rest of the family at 8:45am for tour check-in. Although we all booked the same tour, we arrived and checked in at different times and each family had been assigned a different group number. Kent generously offered to go up with all our tickets and get it straightened out. He got all but 2 of us together, but Mom & Dad were still in a different group. Michele managed to talk another couple into switching groups on the pier, so we finally were able to get all together. Lesson learned for next time: Check-in together as one, big group.
Our walking tour started right at the cruise terminal docks. We saw the famous “Little Mermaid” statue and many other interesting sights. The weather was great: Low 70’s, clear skies & sunshine. I enjoyed the walk and took lots of pictures along the way. The boys behaved themselves very well, although they did complain a little toward the end. We worked our way through the city and finally ended up the river docks for a boat tour. The boat took us around the harbor and then dropped us off back at the cruise ship around 1:30pm.
By now, I was starving and could not think about much else besides getting lunch. We hopped back on board the cruise ship for a quick lunch at the buffet. After lunch, we dropped the kids off at the club and Michele and I headed back off the ship to do some shopping. We decided to skip the shops just outside the boat and catch a taxi into town.
We got out near the Tivoli gardens, but we only had about an hour before we needed to head back to the ship, so we didn’t go inside. Instead, we did some shopping. Next, we walked a couple blocks to the Ice Bar. We paid for the one-drink minimum to go inside. Next, they outfitted us with some parka’s and led us down a few stairs into the bar. It was REALLY cold in there! There were only a couple other people inside, so we had plenty of room to walk around and take a few pictures. We enjoyed our cocktails served in glasses made from frozen river-ice.
Time was running short, so we finished our drinks, left the ice-bar, and hailed a cab back to the cruise ship terminal. We made it back in plenty of time, so Michele stayed out to do a bit more shopping, while I picked up the kids from the club. Cameron was having a great time in there with Sofia and did not want to leave, so we left him in until 5pm.
At dinner tonight, we did kids at one table, grown-up’s at the other. The kids behaved well –they all had their faces buried in their iPod Touch’s. We had a very pleasant meal and enjoyed reliving the days adventures. Tomorrow is a day at sea, so we are looking forward to sleeping in and relaxing most of the day.
Our walking tour started right at the cruise terminal docks. We saw the famous “Little Mermaid” statue and many other interesting sights. The weather was great: Low 70’s, clear skies & sunshine. I enjoyed the walk and took lots of pictures along the way. The boys behaved themselves very well, although they did complain a little toward the end. We worked our way through the city and finally ended up the river docks for a boat tour. The boat took us around the harbor and then dropped us off back at the cruise ship around 1:30pm.
By now, I was starving and could not think about much else besides getting lunch. We hopped back on board the cruise ship for a quick lunch at the buffet. After lunch, we dropped the kids off at the club and Michele and I headed back off the ship to do some shopping. We decided to skip the shops just outside the boat and catch a taxi into town.
We got out near the Tivoli gardens, but we only had about an hour before we needed to head back to the ship, so we didn’t go inside. Instead, we did some shopping. Next, we walked a couple blocks to the Ice Bar. We paid for the one-drink minimum to go inside. Next, they outfitted us with some parka’s and led us down a few stairs into the bar. It was REALLY cold in there! There were only a couple other people inside, so we had plenty of room to walk around and take a few pictures. We enjoyed our cocktails served in glasses made from frozen river-ice.
Time was running short, so we finished our drinks, left the ice-bar, and hailed a cab back to the cruise ship terminal. We made it back in plenty of time, so Michele stayed out to do a bit more shopping, while I picked up the kids from the club. Cameron was having a great time in there with Sofia and did not want to leave, so we left him in until 5pm.
At dinner tonight, we did kids at one table, grown-up’s at the other. The kids behaved well –they all had their faces buried in their iPod Touch’s. We had a very pleasant meal and enjoyed reliving the days adventures. Tomorrow is a day at sea, so we are looking forward to sleeping in and relaxing most of the day.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Relaxing Day at Sea
We were a little slow getting up this morning. The time zone changed again last night (forward 1 hour). The boys were kind of wound up and excited last night, so we didn’t get them laid down until about 11pm –which was really 12 midnight with the time change. Then, at 2am, I heard some noises from their room and Justin & Cameron were still awake! When the alarm went off this morning at 9am, we rolled back over.
We finally got up and went up to breakfast around 10:15am. After breakfast, we came back to the room & changed, then decided to go to the pool for a while. The weather was gorgeous: Clear blue skies, sunshine, in the low 70’s with a light breeze. I was comfortable sitting in the sun reading, but I had a feeling the kids wouldn’t last long in the chilly water.After the swim, we dried off and went back to the cabin to change (again) and relax for a little while. We met up with Kent & Pi & co. for lunch around 1pm and made plans to drop the kids at the kid’s club later.
We went up to the club a little early and got the boys registered and then played some video game & air hockey in the nearby video arcade until the club opened at 2pm. We dropped the kids off without incident and then came back to the room. Michele immediately laid down for a nap. I took a shower and read my book for a while longer. After an hour, I called up to see how the boys were doing. Justin was the one I was most concerned about, since he seemed the most apprehensive about being dropped off. He said he was having fun and asked if he could stay longer. Of course you can! J I picked Justin & Cameron up around 4:30, but Brandon said he wanted to stay longer.
Tonight was formal night for dinner, so we had to get dressed up a bit before we headed to the dining room. The boys looked so handsome in their slacks & dress shirts. We stopped for a photo –I hope it turns out. At dinner tonight, we decided to sit the boys at one table and the girls at another. Cameron fell asleep almost immediately. The rest of the boys enjoyed farting, burping, and telling dirty jokes –it was great fun. Pop-pop really zinged Brandon with a couple of good ones like “Brandon, do you have a match? I do: Your face and my butt!” The boys were giggling hysterically by the end of the meal.
Now the boys are back at camp for a little while as I update the blog. We’re going to try to get them to bed early tonight, because we have a tour of Copenhagen first thing in the morning.
We finally got up and went up to breakfast around 10:15am. After breakfast, we came back to the room & changed, then decided to go to the pool for a while. The weather was gorgeous: Clear blue skies, sunshine, in the low 70’s with a light breeze. I was comfortable sitting in the sun reading, but I had a feeling the kids wouldn’t last long in the chilly water.After the swim, we dried off and went back to the cabin to change (again) and relax for a little while. We met up with Kent & Pi & co. for lunch around 1pm and made plans to drop the kids at the kid’s club later.
We went up to the club a little early and got the boys registered and then played some video game & air hockey in the nearby video arcade until the club opened at 2pm. We dropped the kids off without incident and then came back to the room. Michele immediately laid down for a nap. I took a shower and read my book for a while longer. After an hour, I called up to see how the boys were doing. Justin was the one I was most concerned about, since he seemed the most apprehensive about being dropped off. He said he was having fun and asked if he could stay longer. Of course you can! J I picked Justin & Cameron up around 4:30, but Brandon said he wanted to stay longer.
Tonight was formal night for dinner, so we had to get dressed up a bit before we headed to the dining room. The boys looked so handsome in their slacks & dress shirts. We stopped for a photo –I hope it turns out. At dinner tonight, we decided to sit the boys at one table and the girls at another. Cameron fell asleep almost immediately. The rest of the boys enjoyed farting, burping, and telling dirty jokes –it was great fun. Pop-pop really zinged Brandon with a couple of good ones like “Brandon, do you have a match? I do: Your face and my butt!” The boys were giggling hysterically by the end of the meal.
Now the boys are back at camp for a little while as I update the blog. We’re going to try to get them to bed early tonight, because we have a tour of Copenhagen first thing in the morning.
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