It’s after dinner already and I haven’t written about Copenhagen which is about to be supplanted by Tallinn… How fast this goes. Like a herd of turtles, Chuck and I were off YESTERDAY at 8:27 am. Onto the bus that waited at the foot of the pier to whisk us off into downtown Copenhagen of which there is no "old city." Within 10 minutes within a concert of Danish, French, English, Spanish among other languages 2 young men collected money and tickets (Euro, pounds, dollars) with elan and laughter. The top came off the bus and we were off! Copenhagen is a clean, modern city with palaces, gardens, and tall modern buildings and squares. There is a living queen who has her own palace and her own little building that she waits in while her boat comes to take her to the Royal Yacht. … We jumped on a boat to tour the canals and our guide was (ladies … this is right out of Under the Tuscan Sun) the tall, thin, blond son of Danish gods… standing tall with his blond hair in a pony tail and speaking English and Danish … His name was Viktor (of course) and he advised us to "mind our heads" as we went under low bridges… The boat tour (I bought it with the hop on hop off ticket) took an hour and it was amazing. Like Venice … We got off and chose to spend some time in Tivoli Gardens. (You can’t do everything and rather than a church or museum I chose a place Chuck thought he remembered from 1967) … We went in and asked the young lady (could be our granddaughter) if the garden of life was still there… she said, "a long time ago there was a garden with statues…" and I knew we were lost. Not there anymore. So I asked where we could get good Danish beer and open faced sandwiches, "Ah! now that she can help us with!" So we enjoyed real Danish food and beer at Grafton … which has big heaters and blankets (we saw them everywhere) "in case the sun goes behind a cloud…" After an excellent snack of open faced herring sandwich, beet root and beer we went back to the bus and to the ship. You know with all this amazing splendor, my heart is full of home. My friends and family with whom I correspond daily about illness and needs, pray with and dream with, are so far away… I’d like the freedom of my own kitchen and bedroom… OK! I’m the one who plans all these trips, but then I get here and keep looking homeward. Today was a day at sea with some excitement in the middle…. On the Norfolk day 2 people were taken off for medical emergency and today the Swedish Coast Guard visited the ship and helicopter air lifted off a crew member to the hospital. The Captain told us he is Ok. But thanks to modern technology and communications. We went to shore talks and listened to a lecture about Russia… Then the Captain talked to us. Here’s some facts: We traveled 5200 nautical miles on the Atlantic crossing and will travel 3400 nautical miles on this Baltic crossing. Other facts included why waves are so much more powerful in the Atlantic (ask Chuck) and the fact that the propellers on this ship turn 360 degrees. There are 2166 guests on this Baltic trip. OK! Tomorrow is Tallinn named after a Norse goddess Linda! Poor Tallinn was taken over by the Swedish and the Russians so … who knows what we will see? Currency is the Euro. I’ll write more tomorrow as Chuck and I are doing an independent tour (self guided). God bless you!
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