Re: Summer Holidays
This mad, insane, whirlwind cruise thing is approaching rapidly -- less than two weeks away.
Unfortunately, roaming St. Petersburg is out. One must go where the tour goes and only where the tour goes, which is as expensive as it is stifling. And that's if there are no complications resulting from the present political situation.
However, in Copenhagen, Berlin, Tallinn, Helsinki, Amsterdam, and London, we are free to roam as the spirit moves, thank goodness. Besides touring the Anne Frank house, lunching in Bertel Brecht's basement, and seeing what vandalism has been committed upon The Little Mermaid lately, anyone have any literary-minded suggestions for these destinations? Statues? Burial places? Plaques on the wall about who slept where with whom?
Mr. Dickens, Tallinn is looking to be one of my favorite ports o' call -- so compact and medieval. I've found a lovely walking tour and several positive reviews from people who have visited.
Berlin, on the other hand, is looking absolutely maddening. Six hours of our time in port has to be devoted to train rides between Warnemunde, where we dock, and Berlin. I like train rides through the countryside, getting little glimpses into people's back gardens, and whatever local scenery passes by (we get the same treatment traveling from Gatwick to Dover in England), but Berlin is so big and there's so much to see...to be practical one has to cross several items off the itinerary in order to enjoy what can sanely be seen in a day. Tough choices in a city that offers so much.
Anyway, any suggestions are very welcomed.
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