Rare John&LaLa Posted September 2, 2020 Author #176 Share Posted September 2, 2020 (edited) Time to say goodbye to the doggies and see what else is here I did the kiddie slide Rode a reindeer On the look out for St Nick He's a little stiff and very cold, typical of Finnish men, I hear Laura found another sled These suits have the same reflective tape my oil field coverall did Another stop at the bar Flash off to capture the color better Igloo And Santa's workshop Headed back to town That was fun Edited September 2, 2020 by John&LaLa 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted September 2, 2020 Author #177 Share Posted September 2, 2020 (edited) On the road to the Helsinki Cathedral Sorry about the reflections Looks like we are here Edited September 2, 2020 by John&LaLa 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted September 2, 2020 Author #178 Share Posted September 2, 2020 Still a gorgeous morning To many steps for me Especially with no handrails Panoramic mode This is probably me taking the above picture😉 Selfie time Finnish sculptures are more modest Back to the bus, which is now uphill from the square Didn't I shoot this yesterday🤔 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted September 2, 2020 Author #179 Share Posted September 2, 2020 Headed to Church in the Rock National Theater Train station, Art Deco style Tour guide, a woman, said this is the typical expression of all Finish men Nice giraffes I think we're here Bus parked at Helsinki Art Museum I'm beat, I'll have to finish in the morning. Get it, Finnish😉 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Sea Dog Posted September 2, 2020 #180 Share Posted September 2, 2020 12 hours ago, John&LaLa said: And Santa's workshop Anytime you can visit Santa that's a great trip. I'm a believer. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted September 2, 2020 Author #181 Share Posted September 2, 2020 Apologies for being behind, it seems CC was not working this morning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted September 2, 2020 Author #182 Share Posted September 2, 2020 Church of the Rock Technically it's in the rock😉 So back in the 60's, someone decided to dig a hole in bedrock, put a giant copper skillet on top, and call it a church. The result was breathtaking on the inside This might be my favorite picture of the whole trip Obligatory selfie I could never capture the scale of the building with my phone 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted September 2, 2020 Author #183 Share Posted September 2, 2020 (edited) We had fun outside as well LOL Rule Breaker This guy was from the previous stop Vintage 500, I think Waiting for everyone to get back Edited September 2, 2020 by John&LaLa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crzndeb Posted September 2, 2020 #184 Share Posted September 2, 2020 I just realized you were doing a belated review. It brings back memories. It was nice meeting you and LaLa up in Viking Crown Lounge, or what ever it’s called now. The TA was really spectacular, and sorry you missed it. For those doing the B2B, we all gathered in Safari Lounge which they also used for the Diamond and above events, and were able to log out and log back in with new cards. Unfortunately, we were stuck there for about 2 hours, while they either did an inspection or deep cleaning. But every morning, they did a full blown breakfast, not just continental. I spotted my friends in one of your dining pictures too. They like the MDR, but I just usually grab something at Windjammer. This B2B was one I wouldn’t mind repeating. I have the Ovation booked after you next year...Singapore to Yokohama, end of Apr, and then Yokohama home to Seattle. These are the last 2 booked I had existing....6 were cancelled. Great pictures, by the way! Debbie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goodtime Cruizin Posted September 2, 2020 #185 Share Posted September 2, 2020 (edited) Did you see this guy? Our Helsinki tour started early that morning and one of the first thing we saw leaving the port was this statue. It's called Bad Bad Boy. The story has it that is was introduced in 2014 and placed in the East harbor but eventually moved to the West Harbor in 2016. It got my attention for sure. LOL The second image is when it was at the East Harbor which I found on the web. Edited September 2, 2020 by Goodtime Cruizin 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted September 2, 2020 Author #186 Share Posted September 2, 2020 (edited) 16 minutes ago, Goodtime Cruizin said: Did you see this guy? Our Helsinki tour started early that morning and one of the first thing we saw leaving the port was this statue. It's called Bad Bad Boy. The story has it that is was introduced in 2014 and placed in the East harbor but eventually moved to the West Harbor in 2016. It got my attention for sure. LOL The second image is when it was at the East Harbor which I found on the web. Honestly don't recall seeing him, or there would be a picture. I like quirky things And speaking of the internet, I did find the composition of the ceiling I could't take on Wikipedia. BTW, the official name of the structure is Temppeliaukio Church Capacity is 750 people and it has fantastic acoustics Edited September 2, 2020 by John&LaLa 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goodtime Cruizin Posted September 2, 2020 #187 Share Posted September 2, 2020 The Church of the Rock was a great stop. It's beauty is hard to describe. IMO, one has to be a visionary to imagine such things. We took sometime to enjoy a bit of shopping about a block away. It's always hard to find things you can actually pack in your luggage besides T-Shirts. But we found the grandson some finger puppets w/ a folding cardboard stage. Goodtimes! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted September 2, 2020 Author #188 Share Posted September 2, 2020 3 minutes ago, Goodtime Cruizin said: The Church of the Rock was a great stop. It's beauty is hard to describe. IMO, one has to be a visionary to imagine such things. We took sometime to enjoy a bit of shopping about a block away. It's always hard to find things you can actually pack in your luggage besides T-Shirts. But we found the grandson some finger puppets w/ a folding cardboard stage. Goodtimes! We got a few Christmas ornaments and a stuffed Husky to commemorate Laura's sled ride 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nami Posted September 2, 2020 #189 Share Posted September 2, 2020 Thank you for this review. I love it. I should be right now on the newly renovated Allure somewhere in the Mediterranean, but instead of that I’m entertaining myself with your cruise near me (I live in Finland). On 8/31/2020 at 6:28 AM, John&LaLa said: A couple of ferries. These things load and unload quick, just a few hours to turn around Lots of shoppers from both Sweden and Finland from what I understand These ferries, which are operating by tree different company, cross the Baltic Sea between Tallinn and Helsinki about ten times a day (before Covid-19). It is only few hours trip, and the tickets are inexpensive. Almost everything cost less in Estonia than in Finland, so it’s very popular to go shopping to Tallinn. On the Ferry you can eat buffet, ala carte or drink in bars. Usually there is live music, some kind of entertainment like bingo, and a huge shop where you can buy cosmetic, candies and alcohol. Lot to do for two and half hour trip. There are basic cabins on the ferry, so you can sleep on the ferry either in Tallinn or in Helsinki harbor. Main reason for us Finns to go to Tallinn, or only to ferry is cheap alcohol. It’s much cheaper in the ferry than in Finland and even cheaper in Tallinn. So it’s typical to make the trip with your own car (you can drive car to some ferries, even if you don’t go to land at all) and by as much beer, wine and liquor as you can fit to your car. Similar ferries are operating between Stockholm and Tallinn and between Stockholm and Helsinki, but it takes more time and in Sweden alcohol is expensive. If you ever have land vacation in Tallinn, Helsinki or Stockholm, I highly recommended this kind of a cruise. You can’t get this experience anywhere else. The green one on your picture is Tallink Megastar, built in Meyer Turku, Finland. 15 hours ago, John&LaLa said: Here is my best musher pose Or maybe it was a ice walker for the in-firmed Kicksled is in common use in Finland, especially in countryside where roads are not sanded or salted. It’s not unusual to see it on someone’s car roof rack on his way to ice fishing to frozen lake. We also have summer models with wheels, usually used by old women. I use to go to school with kicksled when I was a child. Mine was also blue. Keep going, I really enjoy this threat! 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted September 2, 2020 Author #190 Share Posted September 2, 2020 (edited) @Nami one of my favorite parts of the day was hearing about your love for the solitude of the sauna from our tour guide. Laura and I have definitely changed our pronunciation of sauna Really enjoyed your country. Edited September 2, 2020 by John&LaLa 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted September 2, 2020 Author #191 Share Posted September 2, 2020 Back to the ship It's been a busy day, I'm actually hungry enough for this And we're back, we have an early departure of 2pm While we were getting off the bus we were informed that the ship would have lunch in the MDR starting at 1pm That almost never happens on a port day, I guess it was related to our early departure It was a nice touch and they had a lovely spread Pushing away from the pier Laura needed some wine I needed a nap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted September 2, 2020 Author #192 Share Posted September 2, 2020 Video of the wake is a give when you have an aft balcony 20180824_142822.mp4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted September 2, 2020 Author #193 Share Posted September 2, 2020 Drug the big camera out for sail away pictures Sailboat? Or motor boat? I like to pan the birds that chase us. Image stabilization is key for that if you are using a long lens This was a 70-300mm zoom 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Domino D Posted September 2, 2020 #194 Share Posted September 2, 2020 17 hours ago, John&LaLa said: Did I mention you can ride a dog sled The dogs are crazy, they just want to run I am a little offended on Bella's behalf. She was left home, why you all were out with other dog's. Not cool. Especially when you are flaunting it with pictures and video. (Although it does look like fun) Note: I did not quote pictures out of fear that it would bring on angry comments. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted September 2, 2020 Author #195 Share Posted September 2, 2020 Tonight is Formal Night, I can tell by the black tuxedo This may become a mystery later Our concierge, Mario, performed for us in the Safari Club He's on the Bass Ran upstairs to the CL looking for friends It was windy outside Vidalia onion tart, I think Abandoned the premium seats upstairs to get up close with the show girls Now here is the mystery, why did I change my jacket to white? I have no idea I love these outfits, they roll away for a quick change They look very different from up front The girl on the right is a little short for this costume Very sparkly Nachos up in Park Cafe after the show This isn't good, trip is almost over That's it for yesterday, hopefully I will get to our sea day tonight 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted September 2, 2020 Author #196 Share Posted September 2, 2020 Just now, Domino D said: I am a little offended on Bella's behalf. She was left home, why you all were out with other dog's. Not cool. Especially when you are flaunting it with pictures and video. (Although it does look like fun) Note: I did not quote pictures out of fear that it would bring on angry comments. As @Ocean Boy will point out, Bella likes to stay home and be treated like a princess while we are gone😉 I'll see if I can come up with any proof of life pics that coincide with this trip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocean Boy Posted September 2, 2020 #197 Share Posted September 2, 2020 44 minutes ago, Domino D said: I am a little offended on Bella's behalf. She was left home, why you all were out with other dog's. Not cool. Especially when you are flaunting it with pictures and video. (Although it does look like fun) Note: I did not quote pictures out of fear that it would bring on angry comments. 41 minutes ago, John&LaLa said: As @Ocean Boy will point out, Bella likes to stay home and be treated like a princess while we are gone😉 I'll see if I can come up with any proof of life pics that coincide with this trip Bella can't wait for cruising to start up again so she can get back to her normal life and routines. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Domino D Posted September 3, 2020 #198 Share Posted September 3, 2020 3 hours ago, John&LaLa said: As @Ocean Boy will point out, Bella likes to stay home and be treated like a princess while we are gone😉 I'll see if I can come up with any proof of life pics that coincide with this trip 3 hours ago, Ocean Boy said: Bella can't wait for cruising to start up again so she can get back to her normal life and routines. I eagerly await your proof and will reserve final thoughts until such time. The train station looked to have some interesting architecture. The gold sign where you are sitting on the rocks (Church I assume) looked like a giant pinnacle name tag. For a second I thought you are in a hospital bed, in that nap photo. I really need a cruise, clearly. Or at least a day off. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted September 3, 2020 Author #199 Share Posted September 3, 2020 39 minutes ago, Domino D said: I eagerly await your proof and will reserve final thoughts until such time. The train station looked to have some interesting architecture. The gold sign where you are sitting on the rocks (Church I assume) looked like a giant pinnacle name tag. For a second I thought you are in a hospital bed, in that nap photo. I really need a cruise, clearly. Or at least a day off. Art Devo is always pretty cool. I also like Mid-century. Almost bought a Mid-century home in Atlanta. The nap was on a balcony lounger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted September 3, 2020 Author #200 Share Posted September 3, 2020 August 25, 2018 - Day 7 - At Sea Our final day on Serenade Not much going on, had a bridge tour at 9am I've done this tour more than any other, not sure why, but I almost always go if I can Flags they fly in port are always cool, I see Estonia Looking Nauti Looking at the deep balconies on Deck 7. I don't think I'd like that short wall on the end Pinnacle Lunch is usually today. This is all I have, must be the dessert I'm sure it was lovely Wake view during packing most likely Wake view after dinner, several ships on the horizon Cruise Director from the show last night Still not sure why I changed jackets last night, but I did find this in the same folder as above Maybe Laura looked better in white Drinks are probably from the Casino. Newcastle and Midori Lemonade if I had to guess That's pretty much it from the ship Tomorrow we do the HOHO, stay at Bethel, and enjoy Nyhaven Goodnight 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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