Tallinn, Estonia

Our stop in Tallinn was one of our favourite tours of the entire trip! We didn't really know much about Estonia so we weren't quite sure what to expect on our walking tour of the Old Town. As our guide explained to us, Tallinn is one of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe with many of the original walls and turrets still standing and in excellent condition. Our bus dropped us off at the top of Toompea Hill where we began our tour by strolling through the lovely gardens adjacent to the old Estonian royal palace, which is now the Parliament building. Painted pink and white, it is not what usually comes to mind when one thinks of the seat of government! We then made our way across the square to the beautiful Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, a Russian Orthodox Church. Its numerous onion domes were imposing, but the inside was even more magnificent with the gilded decorations and icons, beautiful religious paintings on the walls and ceiling, and the stunning blue dome decorated with hundreds of golden stars. Unfortunately we were not able to take any photographs inside, so you'll just have to use your imagination! Our guide next led us down cobblestone streets past women selling spiced almonds and pecans from small stalls to an overlook from which we were treated to a panoramic view of the city and the harbour below. We then visited the oldest church in Tallinn, a Lutheran church which was built by the Danes in the 13^th Century. It is so old that the foundations have sunk and you have to walk down a series of stairs to reach the main floor! The walls are covered with wooden coats of arms of the families that worshipped there, and the individual pews are enclosed in wooden boxes with a gate-like door at the end through which the family would enter – mum was particularly fascinated by this set-up! We continued our journey down the steep and narrow Short Leg Street to yet another church. Turned into a storage room under Communist rule, it has recently been restored and is now used as a museum and concert hall. Inside we were treated to a wonderful concert of medieval music, complete with period costumes and original instruments. The singer had the voice of an angel, and of course the acoustics in the church were marvellous! The church contained some interesting sculptures and paintings including a fragment of a large 15^th century painting of the Danse Macabre complete with portraits of important people of the time in which it was produced. Our final stop of the day was at the town square which is surrounded by buildings that have been there for at least 500 years. As luck would have it we were there on a Wednesday which is the day that they have an open-air market set up in medieval style. There was medieval music playing in the background, and many of the stall-holders were dressed up in medieval costumes, including a couple of jesters leaping around in the background. Mum and I enjoyed investigating the stalls of hand-embroidered linens, carved wooden utensils, knitted goods, furs, wild and wonderful hats and various souvenirs. After parting with some of our Euros (only too happily I might add!) we found a shady spot on some stone steps and enjoyed watching the spectacle before us until it was time to rejoin our group for the return trip to the pier.

Copenhagen, Denmark

After a day at sea to recharge our batteries we arrived in Copenhagen at the crack of dawn and were soon off on our tour of North Zealand's castles. Once again we drove through small villages and rich agricultural land where flowers and lilac bushes were in bloom. Our first stop was at Frederiksborg Castle, a Renaissance castle which has been restored and turned into the National Museum of History. Like many of the castles and palaces we have visited, the original castle was destroyed in a fire with only the chapel surviving, and the rest was rebuilt in the 17^th century following the original plans. The castle was immense and the rooms were full of paintings, tapestries, crystal chandeliers, porcelain vases and intricately carved wooden furniture. The rooms themselves were adorned with stucco mouldings and details, and even the ceilings were covered with paintings and stucco figures. Outside the castle there were extensive formal gardens reminiscent of those found at Versailles but time would not allow us to do more then admire them from the castle windows. In the courtyard at the front of the castle there was a huge fountain surrounded by mythological figures and wild animals spraying water in every direction – an impressive sight! Our second stop was at Fredensborg Palace, the summer home of the Danish royal family. Because they were in residence we were only allowed to view the outside, but as luck would have it we arrived at noon, just in time to witness the changing of the guard. The soldiers with their bearskin helmets came out from the barracks accompanied by fife and drum and marched right past us to the guardhouse where they went through a series of maneuvers while trading places with the guards who had been on duty. It was great to be in the right place at the right time! Our final stop of the day was at Kronborg Castle, better known as Hamlet's Castle as it is the site of Shakespeare's play “Hamlet, Prince of Denmark”. While the castle is impressive from the outside, sadly it has fallen into disrepair over the years and is just now being restored as money becomes available. Still, it was a thrill to stroll the hallways and gaze out at the harbour below. Kronborg Castle has the largest banquet hall/ballroom in northern Europe according to our guide. She said that sometimes the royal family holds special events there. Recently they held a ball where everybody had to dress up in period costumes. Every summer there are live performances of Hamlet at the castle and in one room there is a display showing pictures of the many companies and famous actors who have performed here over the years.

Dover, England

On May 29^th our ship docked at Dover to let off passengers on the first leg of the cruise and pick up passengers who wanted to see the Baltic. A small contingent of us were remaining on board to complete the entire 21 day tour. It seems strange to us that a 10 or 11 day cruise was the standard length for most people and that completing the entire 21 days was a really big deal for most! Mum and I took the opportunity to visit Leeds Castle, something we have wanted to do for years. Our guide was a real character. Although the Americans on our tour didn't get most of his jokes or literary references, mum and I thoroughly enjoyed his colourful commentary! The English countryside is beautiful at this time of the year – lush green fields with sheep and cattle grazing, hawthorne and wild fruit trees in full bloom adding a lovely display of pink and white blossoms to the woods and hedgerows. After being dropped off at the entrance to the castle grounds we had an enjoyable half hour stroll through the woods, past duck ponds and streams, fields and flower beds to reach the castle itself. We saw a few black swans floating downstream and several peacocks displaying their beautiful feathers. A lucky few spotted the family of albino peacocks which live on the grounds and who our guide said are even stupider than the regular peacocks! Leeds Castle is built on two islands in the middle of a small lake, so the setting is spectacular. After crossing the moat and skirting the castle walls we entered through the wine cellar, climbed a spiral staircase past suits of armour, and entered the main building where we toured a series of rooms displaying medieval furnishings, paintings, tapestries and treasures. Because it was the weekend there were English families touring the castle and grounds and having picnics on the lawns. Unfortunately, by the time we came out of the castle the heavens had opened and the rain was pouring down! As we had left our umbrella behind once again, we were forced to take refuge in the castle store until the mini-train arrived to transport us back to the main entrance. Rather than wait on the bus, we took shelter under the trees along the garden path and spent an enjoyable half hour talking to one of the ship's crew who happened to be from Montreal. It was so nice to talk to another Canadian! On our trip back to the ship the bus driver and guide took us through some typical English villages just because they wanted us to see more than the motorway. It was wonderful to be back in Britain, even if only for a few hours.

Rouen, France

On May 28^th we docked at Le Havre in France. I know this is going to sound snooty, but since mum and I have both been to Paris and neither one of us is in a hurry to go back, we opted for a tour of Rouen instead. After a 90 minute drive through lush green farmland we arrived at the city whose skyline is dominated by the spires of the impressive Gothic cathedral. Our bus dropped us off near the cathedral where we began our walking tour through the medieval section of the town which is one of the few sections of Rouen which was not destroyed by bombs during WWII. Once again we felt as if we had stepped back in time as we strolled down the cobblestone streets, past the timbered houses which have existed since the 15^th and 16^th centuries. Our guide took us through a stone archway, along a narrow laneway and into a courtyard which was used as a mass burial ground during the Black Plague of the 14^th century. Today it is a peaceful park with shady trees and comfortable benches. In the 16^th century the Ossuary St. Maclou was erected around the four sides of the square to hold the victims of another plague because there wasn't enough room to bury all the bodies. The building itself was very interesting because it is a good example of the timber and clay construction of the time and it is decorated with scenes of the Danse Macabre – skulls, crossbones, gravediggers tools, etc. Archaeologists even dug up the petrified skeleton of a black cat believed to have been buried in the foundations of the building to ward off evil spirits. The poor cat is on display and looked very grotesque! Once we'd finished our medieval walk, we visited the interior of the Rouen Cathedral, a fine example of the Gothic style of architecture. With its beautiful stained glass windows, numerous statues and vaulted ceilings, it was an awe-inspiring sight. Once outside the cathedral our guide led us down yet another cobblestone street to view the Gros Horloge, a colourful astronomical clock dating from the 16^th century. We passed below the arched clock tower and entered the old marketplace which is now full of small shops and cafes. Eventually we were led to the spot where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431. We were then hustled back to the bus for the return trip to Le Havre. What a pleasant and interesting way to spend our day in France!

St. Peter Port, Guernsey

There's really not much to say about our day in Guernsey. Because space was extremely limited on the ship's tours we were unable to book anything as we had waited too long to make our choice. We didn't arrive at St. Peter Port until the afternoon of May 27^th and the sky was an ominous shade of grey. Fortunately by the time we were able to catch a tender to shore the clouds had cleared and the sun was shining brightly. As time was somewhat limited we had the choice of either walking around the harbour to the castle or climbing up to the intriguing looking spires which rose above the town at the top of the hill. We decided to be adventurous and explore the town. The spires turned out to be part of the college, so mystery solved! We spent a pleasant two hours wandering through narrow residential streets and down through the main shopping area of the town, and then enjoyed some time sitting on a bench beside the water watching the comings and goings in the busy harbour. Guernsey is a lovely, peaceful and picturesque island and would make a great holiday destination in the future.

Lisbon, Portugal

Our luck couldn't last forever and although the sun was shining upon our arrival in Lisbon the rain started to pour down as we began our tour. Still, the city tour was very interesting and we were able to admire the many lovely buildings, colourful homes and mosaic-lined sidewalks. Luckily the rain didn't last long and by the time we reached our first stop at the Maritime Museum it was only drizzling lightly. The museum was full of models of ships used in Portugal since the 15^th century, historical paintings and navigational items, and we had a nice wander around. The museum is located in part of the magnificent Jeronimos Monastery which we visited next. Built in the early 16^th century the monastery houses the tomb of navigator Vasco da Gama. With its gothic archways and the deteriorating faces on some of the statues it was a bit spooky inside! Next up was a stop at Belem Tower which sits on the shore of the Tagus River and was commissioned as part of a defence system of said river. While many rushed off to shop at nearby stores, mum and I took a stroll through the park and as the rain had finally stopped completely we found a quiet bench away from the crowds and just enjoyed the atmosphere. Our drive back to the port took us past the Monument to the Discoveries, and from the pier we had a good view of the enormous Cristo-Rei statue which stands across the river from Lisbon and was inspired by the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro. I wish we'd been able to cross the bridge and see it up close, but alas there was no time. Our sail-away took us past the Monument to the Discoveries and I was able to get a good look at the front of it – much more impressive than the view from the bus!

Seville, Spain

We continued our travels in Spain, this time stopping at the port of Cadiz. Our excursion took us to Seville for a tour of the palaces – a worthy way to spend mum's birthday! The drive into Seville was lovely and the city was covered in beautiful flowering shrubs and trees. Most impressive were the jacaranda trees which lined many streets and were magnificent with their gorgeous purple blooms. Our guide told us that they'd been having miserable weather but we got lucky yet again and the sun was shining brightly for our walking tour. We left the bus and traveled a short distance to the Casa de Pilatos, an Andalusian palace that was completed in 1540 and is said to be a copy of the Palace of Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem. The owner, a 92 year old countess, still lives in a set of rooms upstairs. Once inside we entered a large courtyard with a fountain in the middle and surrounded by statues and busts of Spanish kings and Roman emperors. The many rooms in the palace have fine frescoes, paintings and beautiful ceramic tile, and we took a walk through two very peaceful and lovely gardens in full bloom. Our next stop on the tour was at the Lebrija Palace and to get there we had to traverse many narrow streets, past stores and cafes, dodging traffic of both the vehicular and pedestrian variety. There were so many beautiful and colourful buildings to look at – the architecture in Seville is wonderful! About 100 years ago the Countess of Lebrija decided to restore her family's mansion and redecorated the palace with mosaics and other archaeological items that were found in the ruins of the Roman town Italica. Nearly every room in the palace had these wonderful mosaics on the floor, and the many rooms were jammed full of various treasures. Quite a sight to behold! We next made our way to the the old Jewish area of Seville where we had lunch tapas style at one of the many restaurants in the area – delicious! Once everybody was completely stuffed our group slowly made its way back to the bus and we drove to the Plaza de Espana which was built in 1928 for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929. The square is crossed by a water canal and the walls of the Plaza have lovely tiled alcoves, each representing a different province of Spain. Mum was done in by this point and stayed on the bus, but despite a less than attractive exterior, the interior of the plaza was well worth the extra steps!

Barcelona, Spain

Rather than spending the day touring Barcelona, we decided to head off to the mountains for a visit to the Montserrat Monastery. Founded in the 11^th century by the Benedictine monks, it has been an important religious site for pilgrims down through the ages. Our bus driver stopped at the base of the mountain so that we could get our first view of the monastery clinging to the cliffside far above our heads. If you look closely at the first picture, you will be able to see it high on the mountainside. Unlike early pilgrims who had to walk up the steep slopes to reach their goal, we were able to drive up on a narrow, winding roadway which was not for the faint of heart! Unfortunately the monastery has become quite commercialized. Our first close up views were of large parking lots, a three story restaurant, gift shops and stalls of people selling cheeses, honey, herbs and baked goods. Once we passed the commercial area however, we were able to imagine that we had taken a step back in time to a period when the monks were able to dedicate themselves to a peaceful life of prayer, work and welcoming pilgrims. Our guide told us that Montserrat is also home to the Escolans – the oldest boys' choir in Europe. We enjoyed strolling past tall dormitories, up narrow stone passageways and across a wide statue-filled courtyard to the church itself. Once inside we were awestruck by the vibrant stained glass windows, graceful archways, beautiful religious paintings and mosaics. In the background we could hear organ music playing as we climbed the narrow winding stone stairway to view the statue of the Black Madonna who was the main object of worship for the pilgrims to this monastery. After visiting a small prayer chapel we made our way back down to the bus, enjoying the panoramic views and interesting rock formations along the way. The monastery is accessible by car, bike, tram, funicular and of course on foot, so if you ever find yourself in Barcelona this side trip is well worth the visit!