Russian around the Baltic with some spice to finish off!

[Pushka]

And someone has put in an appearance.


I'm using the ship wifi as it's in our package. So far it's fast but suspect most haven't logged on yet.

 

[Pushka]

Wow. What a stunning departure. Captain said the views last for 5 hours. And some very narrow passages.

We are off with the sea birds in the wake

 

[Pushka]

It is really bad news when the markets in Helsinki accept credit cards and I am here alone while MrP is kayaking in the Finnish Archipelago.

 

[love_the_life]

It is really bad news when the markets in Helsinki accept credit cards and I am here alone while MrP is kayaking in the Finnish Archipelago.

And you bought?

 

[Austman]

Farm-fresh peas-in-the-pod? To eat fresh as you are strolling? Just saying... because the Finns love them! Pea pods everywhere around markets in Summer.

 

[Pushka]

And you bought?

Well, MrP was one shy of a scarf. Aka - he didn't bring one. Started looking in the Department stores and 100 euro a tad much. Strolled through to the markets and thought they were just fruit/veg. And then they went through to some really nice handknits plus scarves, jewellery, leather, fur etc. I don't wear fur but some beautiful items.

In the end I bought 3 scarves for 10 Euro (1 for me and a matching cap); these gorgeous reindeer pattern throws - god knows where they are going to be packed; I passed on the wonderful leather gloves etc; two fridge magnets (I'm a sucker for them and buy one in every new country I go to) and these special circulation socks for MrP. Nothing like the sapphire bracelet spend but fun just the same.

Farm-fresh peas-in-the-pod? To eat fresh as you are strolling? Just saying... because the Finns love them! Pea pods everywhere around markets in Summer.

That explains why the peas in the pod were right next to beautiful cherries, strawberries and raspberries. Just looked very weird.

MrP still out rowing his boat but came back to show he'd disrespected Grumpy cat a little - my Stockholm troll magnet got him all tied up.



Some pictures to follow now I have a cuppa in the very quiet solarium.

 

[Pushka]

Dinner last night after a couple of wines was nice.


Mushroom soup

Salmon

Special creme brûlée. Extra caramel or something.


We are near Russia.


Sorry. Off to get a G&T with my card. Bbl.

 

[Pushka]

Have I mentioned how I love my special card

Right. Sorted.
We cruised along through such narrow areas and quite fast. Clearly no wake issues and the channel must be very deep. It felt like we could touch the houses.
Slept well last night but lost an hour but not arriving into Helsinki until 11am helped.
I'll post buffet pictures on a sea day.

Here is a tip. Don't feed the gulls from your balcony

I caught the first hoho bus and toured around. I didn't get off until a few stops into the trip as the destination was the markets. The flea market looked interesting but decided against. The weather was brilliant sunshine and quite hot up top. It's a little hard to take pictures on their bus but didn't see a great deal to snap anyway.

Gorgeous day for the locals to picnic

 

[Pushka]

Nah.








The boat trip was very popular but as Rick Steves described this trip as a great way to catch up on Facebook with free wifi I declined to queue.

 

[OZDUCK]

Lovely photos of Helsinki Pushka. This is the sort of weather we got on our return transit through there. It absolutely transformed the place.

 

[Pushka]

St Petersburg. We'd been told of delays with immigration and that turned out to be the case. We set the alarm for 6am with a plan of 7am off the ship. The queue to disembark was already long and growing constantly. They announced there was a clearance delay but we could see them moving out ship excursions. Yep. We were being held back. A few cruises ago people were queued at immigration only to have ship excursion folk being moved ahead and there was a lot of angst. Clearly they'd devised a different strategy.

At around 8am we were finally allowed off. Only to queue at immigration for another hour. And it was so cold they were handing out hot chocolate.

Caught up with everyone on the excursion (15) and off around 9.30. A Marathon being run tomorrow meant we were off to Faberge Museum. I've always loved the eggs and the story.
The very first creation. Egg. Gold Egg. Chicken.


The second egg. The detail is wonderful.

 

[Pushka]

Religious icons with exquisite detail
Filigree silver


These are seed pearls

 

[Pushka]

These are inlaid diamonds

 

[Pushka]

Then it was off to the Church on Spilled Blood where the Czar Alexander was murdered in 1881

 

[Pushka]

It's 6.30am and alarm will go off for another full day in StP so will try finish off yesterday.

A short break then off to the Orthodox Church where the Czars are tombed. A lot of gold and bling as is fitting.

Here are the tombs of the other Czars.


Gold and more gold.


This area is dedicated to Czar Nicholas and his family plus his children who were murdered during the Bolshevik Revolution. DNA testing has confirmed it. Two other children who were murdered separately will be buried there later this year. Two loyal servants are also buried there.


Exquisite chandeliers.

 

[Pushka]

A short break as we drive off to the fabulous Peterhoff Gardens. I think I had a nanna nap.
These gardens are just amazing. So cleverly designed. And within a few weeks the weather will change and snow starts falling in October. By late year the sea will be frozen into the bay. The fountains will be stopped and the statues covered in boxes.

 

[Pushka]

Much of the buildings and statues were destroyed or damaged by the naz_s especially as they were leaving.

 

[Pushka]

And whimsical features like rocks that spray water when walked on and seats when sat on. Works in Australia where it's hot - not convinced about that here.





The original aviary

 

[Pushka]

Last night. 10.30 pm. Sunset. And a very crowded port.
The ships were bathed in gold for a few minutes.









Up to date. Breakfast done and now we are off.

 

[RooFlyer]

Isn't St Petersburg a great place? Did you see the Amber Room at Catherin's Palace?

Fountains at Peterhof are all gravity fed.