As we get older we begin to think more about our bucket list. What do we want to do; where do we want to go; and with whom do we want to share the experiences? For the past year or so, my wife and I have decided that it’s time to begin filling the bucket, so we have set a goal of one long trip per year and a shorter trip every quarter to visit places we’ve never been and see things we’ve never seen.
Last year we embarked on a 12 day cruise from Amsterdam through the Baltic Sea, visiting Rostock, Germany; Stockholm, Sweden; Helsinki, Finland; St. Petersburg, Russia; Tallinn, Estonia; and Copenhagen, Denmark. Now, to be honest, in the dead of winter in 1995, I spent several weeks in Russia, both Moscow and St. Petersburg, but it was worth a return engagement. The Baltic States are unique in culture and architecture, and extremely receptive to tourists.
With the exception of St. Petersburg, we were allowed to roam freely throughout the cities, and learned to really appreciate the Stop and Hop Buses. They travel on a regular schedule throughout the day, and you’re free to get on and off at will, and see the cities at your own pace.
The biggest surprise we had was in the city of Tallinn, Estonia. It is one of the top 10 digital cities in the world, and its old world charm is refreshing. Once in the old town square you are immediately transported in time back to the 16th century.
The other cities were equally interesting and each had its own particular charm. Rostock’s most popular fountain has sculptures that show groups of humans and animals enjoying themselves in various ways. Officially it is named the “Joy of Life Fountain”; unofficially, it is also known as the “Porn Fountain” as you can see from the photo on the left.
Guarding the Helsinki harbor is a weird looking giant statue called Bad Bad Boy. He isn’t embarrassed by what he is doing so he continues to do what he wants there. The city abounds in fortresses and parks. Of particular interest was a park with silver pipes that resembled organ pipes suspended in air. Members of our party gathered under the pipes for a fairly imposing rendition of “Amazing Grace,” much to the delight of the gathering crowd.
St. Petersburg is known as the Venice of the North due to all of its bridges and waterways. It was built by Peter the Great, and designed by architects imported from mainland Europe. Of course everyone has heard about the Hermitage Museum (the Winter Palace), but equally exciting are Catherine’s Palace at Pushkin and the Peterhoff Palace. Their beauty and antiquity are almost indescribable. And then there is the Church of the Spilt Blood and St. James and John Fortress with their own special features. An in depth review of this city alone would fill volumes, and I encourage you to “google” it in your free time. It’s an adventure in contrasts.
We hadn’t learned about the Stop and Hop buses until leaving Stockholm, so our experience there was somewhat limited by the tour director. The highlight of the stay was probably lunch at a local café on the square. Stop and Hops allowed us to spend our day exploring Copenhagen, and we were immediately struck by the many attractive young people riding their bikes to and from school, work or shopping. It is one of the “greenest” cities in the world, and home of the “Little Mermaid.”
This post has turned into a travelogue on the Baltic countries, though that wasn’t the intent when I began. My intent was, and is, to encourage you, senior citizen or not, to add travel to your individual bucket list. We live in a wonderful world. Take any and all opportunities to explore it, near and far, while you can. You’ll find the reward far exceeds the cost (which can be quite reasonable with a little planning and forethought).