Since we were flying from Kalispell, and the Darts & Leifsons were flying from Salt Lake City, our connections in Seattle didn't line up together, so we arrived in Copenhagen early in the morning and they arrived later that afternoon. We dropped our bags at the hotel and set out to find some breakfast. The sun was shining but the air was brisk and I was already wishing I had dressed warmer. Luckily, just a block from the hotel, we found a 7/11 convenience store! It had a little counter along the windows facing the street, which was a perfect spot to enjoy the morning rush hour with some hot chocolate and a Danish pastry. It was fascinating to watch more than 50% of the commuters on bicycles! Everyone -- old, young, men, women, children -- riding all kinds of bicycles with baskets, carts, trailers, etc. We had purchased vouchers for the "48-hour Hop On/Hop Off Bus & Boat Tour" so we decided to at least hop on the bus and get an idea of where we might want to hop off once our friends arrived. Once everyone was checked in to the hotel, we set out exploring the city. We had a very yummy dinner at a lovely little restaurant across the street from Tivoli Gardens, then spent the evening wandering through Denmark's famous amusement park. We found some ice cream to enjoy while watching a mime/ballet show at one of Tivoli's outdoor theaters.
We indulged in the hotel's breakfast buffet once again before heading to the pier to board the Norwegian Getaway. Our staterooms on deck 13 were next door to each other, and we each had our own little balcony. We unpacked, had lunch at the Garden Café, made reservations for shows throughout the cruise, and were ready for the Sail Away and beginning of our cruise!
Early the next morning the ship docked in Warnemunde, Germany, where we boarded a train for a 3-hour ride through the German countryside to Berlin. We spent the day with a local tour guide who showed us the most iconic highlights of the city, including the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, the Holocaust Memorial, the Brandenburg Gate, and the Bebelplatz. We enjoyed a traditional German pub-style lunch at a local restaurant, and had an outside visit of Charlottenburg Palace. Another 3-hour train ride back to the ship made for a long day in Germany.
The next day was spent at sea which gave me the chance to try out the jogging track onboard the ship. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in one of the restaurants and did some exploring on the ship. That evening we had reservations to see the show Burn the Floor.
June 6th the ship docked in Tallinn, Estonia, where we met a local tour guide for our day in Tallinn. We loved the scenic drive through the cultural heart of town, visiting the towers of the Knights of the Sword Castle, Kadriorg Park, and the Forest Cemetery. We had fun shopping in Estonia's little shops, and were back onboard the ship in time for dinner and another show.
The next stop was Helsinki, Finland, which was an absolute breath of fresh air after the overwhelming extravagance and oppressive feeling of the palaces of the Tsars of Russia. We began our tour of Finland by sightseeing boat among the series of small interconnected islands near Helsinki. We visited Sibelius Park and took a photo with the monument of over 600 steel pipes which honor the great Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. A stroll through Senate Square and then Market Square, where Lee found the unique souvenir he had been looking for -- a handmade leather helmut with lambs wool lining!
Our last destination was Sweden. We docked in Nynashamn, then a bus transfer to Stockholm where we began our tour with a boat cruise along the waterways that link Stockholm's 14 islands together. We visited the Vasa Museum, which is built around the restored 17th century warship which sank in Stockholm's inner harbor on her maiden voyage in 1628. Then on to Old Town, where we strolled along the narrow, twisting alleys and cobblestone streets of Stockholm's oldest and coziest quarters. We had unique, but yummy, pizza at a little bakery, and loved the medieval intimacy of this living historical monument.
We had one more day at sea to get completely around the Baltic and back to our starting point of Copenhagen. It was great to have the day to do/see all of the last things on the ship, repack our bags, and have a final gourmet dinner onboard the Norwegian Getaway. The cruise was awesome: the accommodations first-class, the entertainment fantastic, and the food amazing. A truly incredible experience.
One more breakfast aboard the ship then we were off to the Copenhagen airport, but this adventure did not end with the cruise... Frank Leifson has Icelandic roots, and since we were making a plane change in Reykjavik anyway, he made arrangements for us to stopover for a few days. Our personal tour guide (and the Branch President in Reykjavik), Gummi, picked us up at the airport and spent the next two days giving us a wonderful, comprehensive immersion in everything Iceland. We stayed at the Eric the Red Guest House, a very unique bed & breakfast house, right in downtown Reykjavik. We spent the first day in and around the city, including visiting the home of Iceland's president, which we could drive right up to the door! That evening we walked in town a bit and found a fun little restaurant for dinner.
Gummi picked us up after a traditional Icelandic breakfast for a day out in the countryside. He taught us all about Iceland's geo-thermal geography, taking us to various steam pots, lakes, geysers, hot springs, etc., and to the amazing Gullfoss Falls. We ate traditional "meat soup" and yummy bread at a little café, and had a wonderful day exploring the wonders of Iceland.
Another old friend and classmate and his wife, Richard and Susan Huff, are serving a Family History Mission in Reykjavik. They have the unique opportunity to serve in the Iceland National Archives. Gummi helped us find them, and they invited us for dinner at their apartment that evening. It was so fun to see them and hear all about their experiences in learning to live and work in this unique country. Who could have guessed we would find friends from "home" in Iceland?!
We spent our last day seeing more of the vast wilderness of Iceland, and visiting more geysers and hot spots. We had lunch in the local café of a little fishing village, and drove along the coast on our way to the airport. Visiting Iceland was truly a rare and wonderful experience! It was a long flight back to Seattle where we had to say "good-bye" to the Darts and Leifsons. They connected to Salt Lake City and we took the final flight back to Kalispell, arriving back to Sigh-Bar well past midnight. Frodlee #3 was a fabulous, once-in-a-lifetime trip, thanks to three high school buddies who have kept the fires of friendship burning for over 50 years. I love this photo that to me says it all...
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