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Our European Cruise


this trip we made in May-June 1997 A European Cruise, that started in London England and ended in Paris France. We visited eleven Countries, all with...

..."The Love Boat"


The Island Princess


Music on or off

England


London Tower Bridge
left to right
Irmgard, Rosel and Bill


The weather was good, it was warm and sonny when we arrived in the UK at one of the two largest international airports in London: Heathrow Airport, about 15 miles west of the city. A bus took us to our hotel the London Gloucester.
We spend a few day's in England and visited a lot of nice and historic places, like the Tower Bridge and Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey. We also made a trip to the city of Bath to see the famous Roman Bathing Pools and to Stonehenge, a place surrounded by a lot of mysteries. On Sunday we took time out from sightseeing to visit with our old friends the Wagners. It was a pleasure to them again after 14 years. On Monday May 19th we took a bus to Dover in southeast of England, to board the Island Princess, the same liner that we took to south east Asia just a year before with six other couples. This time we only went with one other couple, our friends Rosel and Rudi Mosel.



(The distance from Dover to Amsterdam is 150 Nautical Miles)
We left England in the late afternoon and cruised the English Channel for the night. We arrived in Holland by daybreak. So we where able to see the inland waterways that lead to Amsterdam Harbor.


Holland

On Tuesday at 8:AM we arrived in Amsterdam Holland. We disembarked right after docking and went to down town. With only one day in port, we had to hurry so we went to the most important places which included of coarse the Flower Market. It was disappointing to see so many plastic tulips for sale, other then that is was nice.
We saw the Royal Palace, Dam Square, also many of the Canals that the city is
  famous for. Worth to mention is the house of
  Mr. Tripp's Coachman, a tiny house as wide as a front
 door.

  The Island Princess sailed about 6:PM through an
 array of inland waterways northeast in to the North
  Sea. Destination Denmark.


Bill and Rudi in Holland



(The distance from Amsterdam to Copenhagen is 535 Nautical Miles)
When we left Holland we had one whole day at sea. A day like that comes really handy. We where still suffering from the eight hour time change
Los Angeles-London. Ones we where in open waters we started relaxing. There is so much to do on board an ocean going liner. More about that later. Our rout took us through part of the English Channel, then we crossed the North Sea passing Helgoland into the Straight of Skagerrak and down the east coast of Denmark to Copenhagen. .


Denmark

Ones in Copenhagen harbor (Yderhaven) we took a bus and went to see TivoIi Gardens a world-renown amusement park with shops, rides, and restaurants.
Then it was on to City Hall Square, ("Radhus Pladsen") The center of Copenhagen's commercial district and the site of Kobenhagens Radhus, (Copenhagen's City Hall).
An interesting site was Amalienborg - Winter residence of the Danish Royal Family since 1784. the palace has four identical Rococo buildings situated on one of the most beautiful squares in Europe.
We also visited Nyhavn "New Harbor" Colorful waterfront and canal district with restaurants, shops, and antique stores in an authentic 18th-century maritime atmosphere.
Other places we saw where Our Savior's Church, the Round Tower, and on our way to our Ship, we saw "The Little Mermaid - Den Lille Havefrue" - Copenhagen's enduring symbol, this 1913 statue commemorates the lovelorn creation of Hans Christian Andersen.



(The distance from Copenhagen to Stockholm Sweden is 587 Nautical Miles)
Leaving Denmark we again had a day at sea. That always means more resting, playing and Eating all that good food.
A typical day on board the Island Princess started with Breakfast from 6:30 am to 8:15am. Luncheon on Deck from Noon to 2: pm Luncheon in the Dining Room 1:30, Afternoon Tea Time 3:00 to 4:30 pm Dinner from 6:15 pm to 8:15 pm for the late sitting. And last the Midnight Buffet. In between there was all kinds of activity, like Games, Shows, Dancing, Gambling, Movies and lots more.
So, we hardly noticed that we where steaming through the Baltic Sea northeast ward to our next stop Stockholm Sweden.


Sweden

Stockholm is a sort of Venice of the North, since it is built across 14 distinct islands, linked by boat's and bridges. It is a truly a beautiful city, which boasts many parks and splendid panoramas. Since the Swedes have not been at war since Napoleon's time, they have been spared the sort of' wholesale destruction that other European cities have suffered.
After getting of the boat, we took a shuttle bus to the historic heart of the city called "Gamla Stan" or Old Town which is build on a single island. Some buildings are dating back as early as the 11th century. Picturesque shops, restaurants and art galleries give it a wonderful atmosphere.
We went on to see the Royal Palace (No longer the royal residence). The Stadhuset -City Hall- is one of the most impressive pieces of modern architecture in Europe, and the site of the Nobel Prize-giving banquet, so we where told. Another beautiful building was the Cathedral, the 700 year old church is the place where a lot of past monarchs are buried. We had a fantastic time unfortunately it was to short. We’ll probably will go back some day and stay longer. It was very late when we got back to the ship, but just in time. Leaving Sweden was a great experience as well, because of all the small island we passed. There where hundreds of them. Some with only one house on it, some with two, three or more. It sure is an interesting part of our world.




(The distance from Stockholm to Helsinki is 190 Nautical Miles)
If you ever want to see a wonderland, this is it. I is impossible to describe the beauty of the scenery we sailed through, the hundreds of waterways and islands framed in natures most lushes spring colors. Houses and boats going from one tiny Island to another.
Just unbelievable. After all this, we finally steamed back in to the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland, destination Helsinki.


Finland

Like always we arrived in Helsinki early in the morning, just right to grab a shuttle bus to go to Senate Square. This popular spot is surrounded by the Lutheran Cathedral, Helsinki Cathedral and a variety of stores (for our ladies) and restaurants.
After we visited the Presidents Palace (Presdentinlinna), and the City Hall next door, we ended up where else, but the Market Square called Kauppatori. It is Helsinki’s colorful and popular outdoor market where one can find everything from fruits and flowers to local handicrafts and souvenirs for sale.
Last we saw Uspenski Cathedral the main cathedral of the Russian Orthodox religion in Finland with its glistening onion domes. On our way back to the Princess we passed through Well Park a picturesque park surrounded by expensive private residences and embassies. It was a very cold and overcast day, so we where glad to go back to the ship, our warm cabin and a hot dinner.




(The distance from Helsinki to St. Petersburg is 146 Nautical Miles)
Since it is only a short trip through the Gulf of Finland to St. Petersburg in Russia, we left later that evening, and sailed through the night and arrived early in the morning. What an experience. Our stay in Russia was for two days. We slept on board the ship and made a few excursion trips with the appropriate guides of course.


Russia

There is a Live Image Camera located in St. Petersburg, curtsey of LANCK computers and communication. Be aware that the time in St. Petersburg is about 11 hours ahead of California time.


Irmgard & Bill 		Lunch in
St. Petersburg
Russia
Rosel & Rudi


For our first day in St. Petersburg we booked an all day tour that took nine hours. We became aquatinted with the City’s major sights. We saw the Smolny Cathedral, the Admiralty, the bronze Horseman and Peter and Paul Fortress. Interesting where the Rostal Columns on the River Neva also the bridges over the river where very ornate.
We had an authentic Russian lunch, as you can see in the pictures above, and we also ventured into the countryside to visit Catharine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo. The palace is nearly 1,000 feet in length with a blue facade and shiny golden onion domes above it’s chapel. The palace is breathtaking in its size and elegance.
On the way back we stooped to see two more cathedrals, the St. Isaac’s Cathedral and the Church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood.
At night after dinner we had a Russian Ballet Company on board to perform some real Russian ballet and dances.
After a good nights sleep we took two tours the next day. One of the tours took us to the Hermitage Museum. The "Winter Palace" and its four adjacent buildings house works such as those of Da Vinci, Rembrand, Raphael Titan among others. We walked through the many display rooms and our knowledgeable guide told us about the Museum’s history, art and architecture.
Our second tour took us to Yusupov Place and shopping. The Yusupov Place was a historically significant wealthy family residents of central St. Petersburg before the Russian Revolution. We went in the very cellar where Rusputin was poisoned and then shot.
Prince Felix Yusupov and his accomplices plotted this act, because the monarchy felt threatened by Rasputin.
One side note : we all agreed that the treasures of St. Petersburg are slowly deteriorating. It's going to take a lot of man-power and money to restore it to its original beauty. .



(The distance from St. Petersburg to Tallinn is 166 Nautical Miles)
Again traveling through the Gulf of Finland we where steaming towards Estonia and the city of Tallinn. Our ladies where contemplating at dinner time where to buy the Amber Jewelry that they so desperately wanted. Well, We’ll find out later.


Estonia

Like the other times we took the bus to the Dome Church which is right in town we started to precede to Toompea Hill, also known as Upper Town. The focal point up there was the Palace Square, with the Tompea Castle the home to the Estonian Parliament. On the other side of the castle stands the Pikk Hermann Tower. Dominating the square is Alexander Nevsky Cathedral a Russian Orthodox Church.
The Palace Square is the main activity center with lots of cafes restaurants and shops. After having a small lunch, we walked down the hill towards Lower Town. We stopped at various outlook points and enjoyed the view of the old but very clean buildings in the lower laying aeries of Tallinn. On the way we passed a lot of street vendors with souvenirs and other goodies. Irmgard bought two small handmade leather pictures. (they are now prominently displayed in our living-room)
Ones in Lower Town we shopped and bought some Amber. It was now time to return to the ship. Going back we passed the Lower Tower and the city’s ancient protective walls with gates and watchtowers one of them the Fat Margaret Tower. Also we saw the Viru Hotel, The Concert Hall, the Ballet Theater and the Opera.
Worth mentioning is that Estonia has a population of only about 1,600,000




(The distance from Tallinn to Riga is 285 Nautical Miles)
We are now going south through the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea to our next pot of call The capitol city of Latvia, Riga.


Latvia

In Riga we did our own walking tour, and really enjoyed the day. We spend all day roaming the city sightseeing the castles and churches, like the Riga Castle, St. Peters Church, and the Dome Cathedral. Walking through Riga is like walking through time periods. You have the Hanseatic time that left a certain mark, then there is the time when Riga was occupied by Germany, then by Russia and now its recent 1991 independence again.
While in Old Riga we took our time to browse among the vendors and the shops that where offering souvenirs, amber jewelry ceramics and paintings. Going back to the harbor we talked about our next country Poland the birth-country of Irmgard.




(The distance from Riga to Gdynia is 325 Nautical Miles)
This time it took a little longer to sail to our next pot of call. The Baltic sea was not cooperating. The sea was choppy but no one got sea sick. Poland here we come.


Poland


Neptune Fountain In Danzig Poland
On the way back from Poland


It was on Friday morning when we arrived in Gdynia Poland. We made sure that we had reservation for the Gdansk (formally Danzig) tour. Danzig was like Riga and Tallinn members of the Hanseatic League of Merchants. Other members where Hamburg and Lubeck etc.
The drive from Gdynia to Gdansk took about an hour. Driving through the county side was a pleasure that you can only experience if your there. Driving in to Gdansk one could see that the polish people are trying to put they’re country back in shape.
The Gdansk Shipyards and Solidarity Square where some of the places we past on our way. The Old Town of the city is really something to see. We entered through an ornamental archway called the Golden Gate, in front of you is a street called Long Street, with the Neptune Fountain in the center, the street is lined with Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styled Buildings with shops, restaurants, cafes and offices. We saw St. Mary’s Church, a church that can accommodate 25,000 worshippers.
At the other end of Long Street is another archway that leads to the waterfront canal and the grain houses where the ships are being loaded.
From here we went up St. Mary’s Street and enjoyed the lively atmosphere, the shops and the terraced buildings. Everybody was hungry by this time, so, the bus stopped at a local hotel and we experienced a typical polish meal, consisting of boiled potatoes, boiled cabbage and boiled Beef. I liked it so much that I ask Irmgard often to make it for me at home.
After lunch we went on to Oliwa Cathedral located on the grounds of an old Cistercian monastery. In the Cathedral we experienced the music of an impressive complex of three organs all in one, with a total of 7,876 tin or wood pipes. We listened to works from classical organ composers, such as Bach etc. Next we walked though the Abbot’s garden that surrounds the cathedral and then we started on our way back to the Ship.
Poland was for Irmgard and me one of the most memorable stops on our voyage. I’m sure the reason was that Irmgard was born only 100 miles from Gdansk, even so, she was only 9 years old when the family left, it is after all the country of her birth, and she will always remember that. I just wish, I could have taken her to her old hometown, but because of time it was impossible to do so.
"Some Day I will Take her there"
We embarked the Ship late in the evening, and got on the way to the open Baltic Sea just to witness a beautiful sunset. .



(The distance from Gdynia to the Kiel Canal is 325 Nautical Miles)
Leaving the security of the Gdynia harbor and sail into the open waters of the Baltic sea was something that we will not easy forget. The Baltic was not very kind that evening, at least not for some people. The ruff sea made a lot of people sick, but fortunately it only lasted a few hours. In the morning everything was forgotten and we had a wonderful days at sea.


Germany (Kiel Canal)

Our excitement grow as we neared the entrance to the Kiel Canal. The Canal was build in the late 19th century, designed to link the Baltic and the North Seas. It was opened in1895 and originally called Kaiser Wilhelm Canal. Today it is the busiest artificial waterway in the world (about 45,000 ships a year), surpassing even the Suez and Panama Canals in number of ships.
The town of Kiel is a very attractive Baltic port, with a magnificent harbor. Along the deep bay are many resorts and also a navel base and a shipyard. A war memorial at Laboe honors the dead of the German navy and merchant fleet.
We entered the canal through a lock which took about an hour to fill. In short we passed under 10 major bridges. There is one road tunnel near the town of Rendsburg. It was in that aerie that we spotted the Eider river flowing along side the canal for some time. All along the banks of the canal, we spotted parks, sport grounds and outdoor restaurants and cafes. People where walking and biking on the path along the waterway. They where sitting in the café gardens sipping coffee having cake and watching the ship go by. Many of them waved and bid us a good journey.
Speaking of a good journey, in Kiel a German Sailor boarded our ship with his Accordion, he played for us on deck old and new German and English/American Songs. That really added to the vast festive atmosphere that the whole Kiel Canal transit radiated. In the evening we reached the Brunsbuttel locks near the mouth of the Elbe river, the west-end of the canal. A fantastic day came to an end. Auf Wiedersehen




(The distance from Kiel to Dover England is 320 Nautical Miles)
From the Kiel Canal (Brunbuttel)we steamed in to the night destination Dover England, where we arrived two days later. We disembarked what was our home for the last two weeks the Island Princess. Thank you for a nice experience and a wonderful cruise.


France

From Dover we took the bus to the Ashford Intl. Eurostar Station. Where we then boarded the train to Paris. The experience riding the Eurostar was real exiting. The train speed was at times 300km or 185miles in hour. Going under the English Channel was something else.
Ones we arrived in Paris we transferred to the hotel Concorde Saint-Lazare where we had reservations. The same night we took a 4 hour tour on the Seine River. Paris at night what a dream come true.
The next day in the morning we familiarized us with the Metro (Underground) a fantastic transportation system. For the next few days we visited places like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Arc the Triumph, the Opera, Montmartre and last but not least the Louvre with its unbelievable treasures.



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Here is some information on the Countries we visited.

Information on: England Holland Denmark Sweden Finland
Russia Estonia Latvia Poland Germany France
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Email: WRauchhaus@prodigy.net