Bit of a blog – Legend of the Seas - Ultimate Scandinavia & Russia – June 18th 2014

[AussieVisi2r]

I'm glad you got to experience Berlin. Your report was very powerful. Thanks.

And I am so glad you spat on him!!!

 

Raina

Edited June 22, 2014 by AussieVisi2r

[NorbertsNiece]

We should have taken tender tickets before breakfast. Each tender holds 100. We have tender number 9. 0910 they just called number 1 as they have taken those with tours first. As it's choppy out they are running slow. Lady in ticket queue kicking off about not being allowed to disembark.

 

Ticket number 2 just called.

 

Had breakfast in WJ and will continue to now.

They get me GF toast no problem.

 

Observation: not seen room steward since boarding.

[NorbertsNiece]

Clocks went forward last night. They go back tonight. I am relying on the wake up call to be correct. Tenders appear to have stopped.

[NorbertsNiece]

They get :

 

 

I get...... where have I seen these before?

 

 

The decaf coffee is of the instant variety..... no kidding.

 

Chef signs copies of the recipe book which we are given.....

 

 

I head to Latte Tudes for a proper cup of coffee..... lovely server (Marko) sees me coming and consoles me without needing to be told....

 

Loved the food..... learnt about wine.... people were lovely.... keep thinking I should have bitten the bullet and just not said anything.... that brioche with soup looked so good.... and the dessert..... sigh.....

 

Dear Royal Caribbean.... If Freedom of the Seas managed to take real good care of me over a year ago why is Legend so very far behind?

[NorbertsNiece]

Really difficult to describe the day without sounding totally depressed and soulless. I've loads of pics and will post some now and then when I get back may share more. I apologise in advance for some banal irrelevant images..... it's the 21st Century that helped me keep a hold on being grateful to be alive and able to do this.

 

As an example :

 

 

Please describe the above that was served to me at breakfast.

[Beachammo]

Linda

 

Great review so far...

 

We will be on the Legend doing the Baltic next month for 14 nights. Already have one night booked for the Chef's Table. We were thinking about doing a second night there. Do you know if the menu changes nightly or do they do the same menu every night.

 

Thanks

 

Shelton

[NorbertsNiece]

We had an awesome guide, Juris. Unfortunately he had to contend with an appalling microphone and eventually the coach was substituted which was just as well as the little flags were driving me crazy and blocking the view.

 

 

Riga has a wealth of diverse architecture.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 22, 2014 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

The Big Choral Synagogue was built in 1868 and was the biggest and most beautiful synagogue in Riga. It was famous for its singers; many would come to services just to listen. On July 4th, 1941 it was burned to the ground with 250 inside. There is little to see of what was once there....

 

The memorial stone .....

 

 

 

There's an outstanding memorial to Janis Lipke, a non-Jew, who rescued many in Riga who were escaping oppression..... more about him later....

 

 

 

 

Edited June 22, 2014 by NorbertsNiece

[PattyG12]

Patty if you're following what does this remind you of?

 

 

hahahaha ... again!!

[NorbertsNiece]

I'm sat in my favourite spot to blog from.... and the air has been polluted with a Park West 'Auction' announcement..... and they're going to use the Centrum shortly for something or other..... once that starts I will log off and return later..... sorry.... did want to get this down in one go.....

 

The Jewish Cemetery..... local propaganda served to encourage the Jewish population to move into the neighbourhood surrounding the cemetery where they would be 'safe'. Virtually a ghetto in nature. The stones that were here were subsequently desecrated, removed and put to other use by the ****s. Barely anything remains. The occupants are still there though..... unlike the cemetery I visited in Berlin. More about what happened to the people later.....

 

 

 

 

 

Seems CC doesn't like the 'n' word.....

Edited June 22, 2014 by NorbertsNiece

[Jason12]

 

 

 

Dear Royal Caribbean.... If Freedom of the Seas managed to take real good care of me over a year ago why is Legend so very far behind?

 

 

It baffles me how bad some ships are compared to others in the same fleet..?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[NorbertsNiece]

The pine forest at Rumbula is located on the outskirts of Riga.

 

On November 30th and December 8th 1941 in the region of 25,000 Jews were murdered..... either here, or if they were too poorly to make the march, on the way here. That is one horrifying statistic isn't it..... in 2 days..... most of them were from the Riga ghetto, the others were transported in from Germany.

 

I can't, or won't, go into detail here... it's too much.... the information about how this was actioned is 'out there'.

 

Whilst we were there the heavens opened..... I walked as far as the railway line then turned back. You can read more here The date 1944 appears on the memorial..... Jews who had been forced to assist with executions elsewhere were brought here and murdered in an effort to cover tracks.....

 

 

When Jews visit a memorial site or grave a stone is placed in reverence to the deceased.....

 

 

 

A site of a mass grave.....

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

 

I hope you can read the inscription here..... I have no words....

 

 

Our guide, whose grasp of this specific time seems impeccable, believes that my cousin would have been transported to the Bikernieki forest. He went into some detail about how the murders took place.... again too graphic for me to share. Unfortunately we did not go there.

[NorbertsNiece]

We headed back into town and stood outside the synagogue. Unfortunately this is Shabbat, our Sabbath, so it was not possible for us to enter.

 

A beautiful building, with finely crafted architecture.

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

A few posts back I showed you the memorial to Janis Lipke which was placed on the site of the Choral Synagogue.

 

He was a dock worker in Riga. Witnessing acts of violence towards his fellow countrymen he determined to do what he could to rescue as many as he could.

 

The actual site of his acts of heroism is still used by the family; they, however, created a museum, telling the story of how, why and what he did. All those he rescued survived. His story is here

 

He created a bunker under his house, under a woodpile, where people were secreted.

 

 

We look down, deep down, there is a video playing of his wife talking about what they did.

 

 

He is recognised as Righteous Amongst Nations, an extremely cherished award given to those whose sacrifice and selflessness saved lives.

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

The museum is just across from where we are docked.

 

 

More ship facts.....

 

 

Not seen this before....sorry about the blur....

 

 

 

Who nicked the helipad?

 

 

Refreshment package virgin colada..... we have gone to play trivia.... we didn't win....

 

[NorbertsNiece]

MDR dinner tonight is 'Saffron'

 

Nancy has polenta

 

 

GF clam chowder

 

 

Manhattan strip steak GF..... my shoes would've tasted better....

 

 

Nancy's Pad Thai

 

 

GF Bananas Foster (?)

 

 

Nancy's souffle..... how good does that look!!!

 

 

Very kindly they bring me a bowl of berries too..... I hand it to a table mate..... have to say we have shared our table with different people most nights and they have all been fun.

[NorbertsNiece]

Think I'm mixed up with menu titles. Above is Coconut.

 

Pulling in to Helsinki. Sea is extremely calm. Sun is out. Cold out on deck. Previous concerns about needing an umbrella may be unnecessary. 'Angry Birds' shop is on my itinerary today.

 

Clocks went forward an hour last night and will again tonight. Am feeling it.

[NorbertsNiece]

GPS.

 

Whoever invented it.... Thank you.

 

The easiest way to find your way around a foreign city.

[Clarea]

GPS.

 

Whoever invented it.... Thank you.

 

The easiest way to find your way around a foreign city.

It was Al Gore.;)

[NorbertsNiece]

It was Al Gore.;)

 

Always learning.

 

Took shuttle in to town. €10 round trip. Clever marketing. They'd hidden the HOHO around behind the shed selling fur coats and candy.

 

They just drop off. No "this is where you are" hence the need for GPS. Sascha in D lounge had given me a map, I had one I'd downloaded, taken the shopping one from the Compass and grabbed the one from the bus.

 

I used GPS as I had the addresses of 3 places I wanted to visit. Bearing in mind I've only been planning this for 15 months you'd think I would've used Google maps to properly prepare.

 

The 3 addresses happen to be in easy walking distance of the drop off / pick up point. I plotted the first route. Did not occur to me to check where stop 3 was until after I'd left stop 2..... It was around the corner from 1. Lol. More about where I've been with pics later.

 

This next bit should really have a thread all to itself......

 

Honey Stung Chicken in WJ for lunch!!!

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Linda....I'm enjoying your review. Your pictures and commentary are wonderful. Thanks for taking us along.

 

We'll be on Legend Sept 7 for the Transatlantic from Hamburg. RCI is in the process of having vouchers for 3 drinks/day on your Seapass card for Diamond and above. If you get a chance could you ask Sascha if he knows when Legend will be starting this? Thanks.......and enjoy. :)

[pspercy]

It was Al Gore.;)

 

:eek: Joking of course.

 

Having been involved with "satnav" most of my working life I just have to comment:D

 

Good summary of the whole is at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Positioning_System

[Clarea]

:eek: Joking of course.

 

Having been involved with "satnav" most of my working life I just have to comment:D

 

Good summary of the whole is at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Positioning_System

Yes, joking. I was going to post that GPS came from a US DOD project, but then Al popped into my head and I couldn't resist.

[Redrobo]

How does legend compare sizewise to Adventure, does it sail well?

Edited June 23, 2014 by Redrobo