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.
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