Tuesday 17th June London

London Tube mastered. Yahoo!

We were at a dilemma as how we travel across London at minimal expense. The thought of the taxi cost to our purse seemed to be spiral our budget. Our concierge suggested the Tube firstly, then second choice, a bus. I am not particular to the stop start travel of bus, then my consideration to Paul in accessing the tube via steps had me in a contrary, what to do? I discussed the choices with Paul and he decided to attempt the stairs in the Tube. 

Off we went, armed with tube maps and our trusty new tap and go MCD to pay for our travel. Very dear friends advised us of a new MCD they used whilst travelling last year, so taking their lead, we applied and left home armed with this card. It doesn't charge conversion rates and has 55 day interest free. We have used this all through the Baltics and UK and has been great. On the tube we just tapped the entry gates with the card and again when we existed. Great!. So easy peasy. 

We boarded in Gloucester Road, changed at Holbom and exited at St Paul's station. It took a while to find our bearings to St Paul's Cathedral but got there. Once there we were surprised to find a 17.50 pound entry charge each so made our visit count. 

                                                                 On the Tube.

                                                       Front of St Paul's Cathedral.

                                                         Inside St Paul's Cathedral.

The internal view of the dome.

                                                 Ceiling of St Paul's Cathedral.

I left my Paul sitting under the dome whilst I ventured downstairs to the Crypt. Firstly I walked to the artists section where Christopher Wren has his tomb, the painter Turner another. It is most interesting to see various areas dedicated to what the interred did.  Alexander Fleming in the scientist's area, Soldiers and veterans in another. 

Sir Christopher Wren's Tomb.

                                                                Nelson's Tomb.

                                                            Wellington's Tomb.

                                                Florence Nightingale's memorial.

When I ascended from the crypt I searched out Paul. There he was sitting under the dome bathed in light streaming through only one window. No where else had the sunlight beaming onto it, only where Paul was sitting. SO EERIE. I just had to take a photo. It is like God is giving him a special blessing! Paul in St Paul's Cathedral!

We sat for a while, considering if we wanted to attend Eucharist but decided not to. Again with local advice, we tried another first...the bus transport to travel to Imperial War Museum. Again tap and go.  Ha, getting the hang of this!. 

Freebie entrench to the museum, the porters even suggested Paul have the use of a wheelchair. Wow, did that make things easier. We headed to WW1 section and spent over 90 minutes wandering around, taking in the history of the British armed forces. 

I didn't take a photo of it but the remains of a bombed out car from a Baghdad suicide bomber, made a big impact. 

Cannons at the front of the Imperial War Museum.

Note the Shard in the distance.

Towards to end of our visit, Paul decided to walk for a while.

                                            At the front of Imperial War Museum.

Our return flight home on Cathy Pacific via Hong Kong was a comfortable journey. When we transited Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 in Hong Kong, Paul had a person push him in a wheelchair and help us through various check-ins and security points which was just as well as he would not have managed to walk the distance in time. Once we arrived home we had plenty of time to unpack and wash several loads of laundry before we went to bed. BUT........the jet lag from this trip continued for a good 10 days and a little longer. 

A great trip and cruise, one of the best and I highly recommend.

Sunday 16th London

Natural History Museum

We took our time to walk from our hotel to the Natural History Museum.

Once inside we were amazed to see the internal structure of this building, it reminded me of Harry Potter's Hogworts School. Pacing ourselves, we took in the dinosour 'blue' zone, the special moon room which held a large recreation of the moon, earthquake room, Human Evolution, The Vault and many more displays. 

View from our hotel window. It was a cloudy, warm day with a couple of showers.

                                      Paul in from of the Natural History Museum.

                                               A skeletal comparison of a giraffe.

                             Ice Age relative of the elephant which roamed in North America
                                                       until 13,000 years ago.

                              Dinosaur bones discovered on the Isle of Wight in 1914.
                          This is one of the most complete dinosaurs ever found in UK.

                            In the blue zone where displays of dinosaurs abounded.
                                               Angus would appreciated this area.

                  In the dinosaur zone. Here were many casts of dinosaur bones.

                            The moon room. Featuring meticulously detailed NASA
                                                 imagery of the lunar surface.

                                                  Human Evolution exhibition.

                                            Internal bridge in the entrance hall.

                                     Giant whale skeleton hanging in main hall.

                                                           In the minerals display.

Last Three Sea Days

Gdansk to Southampton

We had smooth sailing all the way, even when we were in the North Sea. I keep busy with ukulele lessons and no, I can't play, but I had fun. We caught up with a last get together with people we met on Cruise Critic on our last day when we wished everyone safe travels. A few people are staying on the ship for a back to back cruise, this time heading north along the coast of Norway. 

Whilst on board we were very fortunate to reconnect with friends we met on our 2011 WC, Colin and Judy. It was extra special to be able to spend quality time with them. It is a pity we live so far away from them, each of us living in different states. 

At the initial cruise critic get together we got chatting with a couple from England, each talking about our cruising history, only to find we had never met but were so connected through our very dear friends we had cruised with over the years. Brian and Ros, Roger and Merilyn and Gary and Joanne. On a cruise we had to cancel through Paul's ill health, they ended up joining our friends' private tours in our place. So here we are living on the other side of the world from each other, never met but just happen to be on the same cruise and meet up. Mike and Pauline had not sailed with Princess since the 2014 cruise and now we just start chatting and find we have a connection. 

Sometimes it is very easy to miss interesting sights the ship is cruising past, just by distractions of on board life. On this occasion I had been looking out our window to see the ship about to sail under the E20 highway which connects several islands of Denmark and Sweden to the rest of Europe. I raced down to Promenade deck to take these photos.

My timing was spot on this day.

Our arrival at Southampton went so smoothly. As I had booked a 11.05am National Coach to London, I considered to arrange to disembark by around 9am. Thinking we would have a series of delays. First would be collecting our luggage, customs and immigration and finally getting a taxi, but nothing held us up. Our suitcases were where they were supposed to be, there was no customs and immigration, we just walked through to the taxi rank and hired the first one there. Easy peasy. Except we had a 2 hour wait at a crowded coach station! The wait seemed to go quickly while we talked with other cruisers. Our 2hour 20 min trip into London went well and by 1.45pm we opened the door to our hotel room. 

Tallin, Estonia. 10th June 2019

Beautiful old town of Tallin.

Paul and I decided to catch a HOHO Bus to take us around the old walled city of Tallin. Paul would return to the ship after it had circled back but I would hop off at the highest section of the old town, Toopera Hill to discover the cathedral, town hall and lookouts over the lower section of the town, before walking down the stairs to walk around and enjoy its attractions, then walk back to the ship. 

Great plan, 99. Paul eventually got back to the ship after the driver pulled into an area near the wharf, too far away for him to walk, then circled back to the old town where he instructed all on the bus to disembark. Paul wasn't prepared to accept getting off here, so when the driver spoke to Paul about why he wasn't getting off, he explained he wanted to go back to the wharf....the area where he alighted the bus. No worries, the driver drove back to the original pick-up area, dropped Paul, his only passenger, off then drove further up the wharf and stopped. Paul was happy to continue to walk back to the ship and call it a day.

My experience walking around Tallinn was a hoot. The place was swarming with tours and their guides blocking the narrow streets whilst they gave their spill about what ever they happened to be standing in front of. I would walk up, stop and listen then move on to another site and listen to another guide talking about that area.

                                                              Toompea Castle.

Russian Orthodox Alexeander Nevsky Cathedral.

Check out the Cathedral domes.

the crowds going into the Cathedral.

Oldest church in Tallin. St Mary's Cathedral. Originally RC, it became Lutheran in 16C.

On several stages I was confused to know which cobbled street to go down. Groups were walking towards me, others turning off in different streets or walking away. Either coming from or going to somewhere of interest. On stage I stopped to listen to a guide who started to say his group was an ideal size to go into the shop alongside us, walk through, turn left and go down some stairs. He would give them 20 minutes if they decided to go.  Well, I was happy to see what they were going to see, so followed. When I got to the basement/cellar (which just happened to be the old cellar in Toompera Hill), I found a serious line up of people waiting for the toilets! Well why not? So I waited for my turn in line and avoided having to search one out later on.

                           The intersection where I heard about going into the building
                                                which is on the left of the photo.

                                    I don't know how he coped with the 'crush' (pun) of people                                                  around him but I think he did a great trade selling crushed                                                                            pomegranate juice.

                                         The line up in the Oldest Cellar in Tallin.

But up on the cobbled streets again I decided to head in the direction of where people where coming from. It was one of the famous lookouts over the old walled city. Bingo!

There were hundreds of tourists all there trying to get to an advantage stop to take their photos. I'm not kidding, a press of at least 20 people deep, all vying to get a photo. this is where I like the fact I am tall.

                                  OMG! The crowds at this lookout is unbelievable.

View from Lookout.

View St Olaf's Church in middle background of view over the Lower old Town.

                      The old trading city of Tallin. Lots of beautiful old buildings.

Photos taken, I head back and make my way following another group to discover another lookout which wasn't as crowded. I check my map to work out where I could be and notice there are stairs which will take me into the lower town but they come out to the side of the old wall. Do I take them or find others which will take me into the heart of the lower town?  I then spot a couple about my age who seem to be either Brits or American (an asumption) going down the steps without hestitation. So off I follow. Good choice. I get down to the bottom and wander in via the Nun's Gate.

                                                    the crowds at the other lookout.

                View from this lookout taking in the old walled section of the town.

                                   Half way down the stairs from Toompea Hill.

       Alongside part of the old city walls and an entrance gate. Note the tarrets.

I am rather chuffed with myself so celebrate by going into a bakery and having a coffee. Whilst there I join a couple at a table and have a lovely natter with them to find out they are from the Sapphire Princess as well but had not been up to Toompera Hill. They gave me some tips on where to head on my continued walk. 

So I wander around this beautiful town full of brightly decorated buildings. The locals seemed to smile more than the people I encounted in SPB. I spent about another two hours walking around, stopping every now and again to listen to a tour group and referring to my map to make sure I am in the area I think I am.

                                     In a cobbled street sided by beautiful old buildings
                                               and packed with the many tourists.

                                     Town Hall Square with the Gothic Town Hall.

I found the area where people come in from the countryside to sell their hand knitted
goods. (some, I think might not be). But this lady with her grand daughter pictured alongside her, knitted this cap. I just had to buy it. 

My feet were starting to tire as well as my back, so headed back to the ship with no problems. 

Gdansk, Poland 12th June 2019

Walk around the Old Town of Gdansk and St Mary's Basilica

I can't believe the weather we have had during our port days on this cruise. Most days have been in the high 20's and a couple of days were in the low 30's. Today is no exception. 31c at its peak. So most of the time we were seeking shady areas to stop with our guide to listen to her spill about a particular event or place.

Paul decided to stay on board, forfeiting the cost of the tour we had paid, whilst I discovered Gdansk with a guided, orientation tour. It took us about an hour on a bus to arrive at Gdansk, from the port area of Gdynia. We travelled past the famous Solidarity Square, the site of striking ship yard workers who protested against the rule of Communist Russia in 1980, leading to a Independent Poland we saw today.
Poland's resurrection from communist rule started in the shipyards in 1970, then in 1980 under the leadership of Lech Walesa the workers won the right to have a free trade union without communist intervention and later democratic changes in 1989.

Gdansk had been one of the richest ports on the Baltic due mainly to merchant trade. It drew artists and intellectuals from across Europe to visit and marvel at its attractions. It had been ruled by Denmark in the 15th and 16 centuries. Sadly with the event of WW11, most of it had been pillaged and destroyed by firstly the Germans and then the Russians. Then to a bleak period under Communist rule. The guide explained that the locals do not smile easily at foreigners not wanting to attract the attention; or people who used to smile at them during the last century were not be trusted. Sad isn't it.

                                    Green Gate entrance to the old town of Gdansk.
                                  This side are the canals. Built as a Royal Castle of
                                     Gdansk but no King has ever stayed overnight.

      The canal accesses to the sea enabling olden day ships to enter

   and dock to unload their cargo. In the far right of the picture

  is an olden day crane used to off load cargo. It had a lifting

capacity of 4 tons.

                         Photo taken after WW11 showing the remains of buildings.
                            The town has been completely rebuilt in the style.

                         Gdansk does not have a main square but instead, a large wide                                                                  pedestrian street.  Mariacki Street.

               Reconstructed Medieval buildings, a mixture of Gothic, Renaissance and                                                                               Baroque.

                         Neptune's fountain, hidden during the war and replaced.
                                     Town hall in background (red building).

                Walkway to the Golden Gate, the 'start' of the main pedestrian walkway.

              St Mary's Basilica, the largest brick building in Gothic style in the world.

                               Inside the Basilica. Has accommodated 25,000 worshipers.
                                   Interesting as Gdansk has a population of 26,000!

                                                                      The altar

                                               Statue of Mary Magdeline and Jesus.