Wow...great trip
EDIT: Pics online as well. Usual stuff: http://www.rp-originals.cjb.net
At first I wasn't really looking forward to spend 2x 17 hours on a boat, but it was pretty good.
Anyway, left the house at 2.30PM to go to the Sportsacademy to watch the start of the F1. Seen the first couple of laps and then rushed to the boat. We had to wait 9 mins for the tram to arrive, so we decided to walk and ended up to be at the terminal before the tram (wise choice). Recieved our ticket and walked onto the boat. We were on deck 5, right above the cardeck. Only shame was that we were somewhere in the middle, so we didn't have a window Left our stuff there to look for a TV. *yay* found one in the far end of the boat and watched the last 26 laps. Quite boring, stupid winner, so I am pretty glad I missed half of it as it wasn't too interesting I think. Just dunno what happend with Ralf and Juan :S
At 5 the boat left Helsinki and we stood outside to have a look at the town and whatever was coming on our way. We passed Suomenlinna as well and it was magnificent to see it from this angle, as it's so beautiful from the boat. We had to go to a very narrow waterway, the boat just fitted through it. During the time we spend outside it rained pretty much all the time, but from the 3 of us, I was the only one with an umbrella, so Rodrigue, Orsy and me hid underneath a VERY pink umbrella :D But in general the view was great. As it was also getting quite windy and me + umbrella were nearly blown of the deck, we went inside and sat down at a cosy place at the window to chat and laugh. We saw the sunset. And unlike when we got back from Tallinn the pics are a little better now. God...wonder why ;)
In the evening we went to a bar where it was nice. There were people dancing and there was a band playing. Music was not too loud and the music they played was pretty good. So yeah, I did amuse myself there :)
Went to bed at about 1, after passing totally wasted people. Yes, wherever you go by boat, the people drink like the earth will explode tomorrow...
Slept pretty well. Woke up a couple of times. First at 4.15 as it was pretty noisy in the boat. According to Mirka (or whatever her name is) it was storming outside. Well I was pretty sleepy, but a) we were in the middle of the ship b) the ship wasn't moving at all, like it would do in a storm and c) I couldn't really be arsed to tell her, as you expected that kind of stuff from a blonde, not a brunette! Went back to sleep and then woke up again because Mirka's phone went. Great...turn the bloody thing off when you go to bed!
Stood up sometime after and when to deck 12 again, to see if there was something to see. Oh hell yeah! We were sailing on sea, with land on both sides. It was truly magnificent. All green and biiiiiig houses there!
At the terminal there was no passportcontrol at all. Kinda strange, as there were also many russians on board. But perhaps they've have been checked in Russia and such. Dunno but anyway, we had to walk about 500m to go to the metro, which would bring us tot the citycentre. We first went to Slussen (or so) and then took the lift up to watch a few churches and enjoy the view on Stockholm. After that we went to Gamla Stan (Old town) and wandered around there for a bit. We were looking for the place where the change of guards would be and we couldn't find it, so I ended up asking a guard who told me it was about 50m away from where we were *sigh* Managed to stand on some kind of whatever so I stood above the people. Was pretty uncomfy, but a good spot for pics. It was just that the change lasted for over 40 mins and we got bored, so we left and I didn't feel my right knee anymore, because of sort of standing on there... Then did some souvenirshopping. Still needed a new tea mug as my dad broke my lovely Jos Verstappen tea mug. But now I've found a brilliant one! Just hope I'll get it back home in one piece... :S
We walked through the shopping street and ended up for a quick lunch at the Mac. We were in the street where the Subway was supposed to be, but that one was nowhere to be found... Then went to another church and then back to gamla stan. Went to another island to take a few pics of the view and then we had to rush back to the boat, as that one would leave at 5.
Back on the boat we first sat outside for a while, but as it was getting cold, we went inside and most of the others were asleep, but I couldn't be arsed to so I just read in the cabin and at about 8 we went to one of the window seats to watch the islands go by and the sun setting in the sea. Later that evening we again went to the dancebar and there was an absolutely wasted woman in there. She spend more time lying on the floor or falling of the stairs than dancing...And the saddest part was that her kids had to babysit her. Bad bad bad mother! But yeah, music wasn't very different as yesterday. To be precise, it was exactly the same, though the midnight show was different. The group performing was ehm...well...a little over the top from time to time and not that good, but it was nice amusement...After that we went to sleep.
Once again Mirka's phone went off *sigh*. Woke up the next morning and after I was finished packing I went again to deck 12 to notice we were already in Helsinki! The boat was coming closer to suomenlinna and I stood in the front of the boat, to see the buildings getting bigger and such. Went back in to get my stuff and to wait until we could go off the boat.
Stockholm is a very very pretty town. But just 6.5 hours there was too short, you need at least a full day. We've also been very fortunate with the weather as it was very sunny, with clouds appearing late in the afternoon. People always told me Stockholm was the nicer town than Helsinki, which I never really understood. I do understand now ;)
I took 285 pics (shock) of which a selection will be online...some day... :S
At first I wasn't really looking forward to spend 2x 17 hours on a boat, but it was pretty good.
Anyway, left the house at 2.30PM to go to the Sportsacademy to watch the start of the F1. Seen the first couple of laps and then rushed to the boat. We had to wait 9 mins for the tram to arrive, so we decided to walk and ended up to be at the terminal before the tram (wise choice). Recieved our ticket and walked onto the boat. We were on deck 5, right above the cardeck. Only shame was that we were somewhere in the middle, so we didn't have a window Left our stuff there to look for a TV. *yay* found one in the far end of the boat and watched the last 26 laps. Quite boring, stupid winner, so I am pretty glad I missed half of it as it wasn't too interesting I think. Just dunno what happend with Ralf and Juan :S
At 5 the boat left Helsinki and we stood outside to have a look at the town and whatever was coming on our way. We passed Suomenlinna as well and it was magnificent to see it from this angle, as it's so beautiful from the boat. We had to go to a very narrow waterway, the boat just fitted through it. During the time we spend outside it rained pretty much all the time, but from the 3 of us, I was the only one with an umbrella, so Rodrigue, Orsy and me hid underneath a VERY pink umbrella :D But in general the view was great. As it was also getting quite windy and me + umbrella were nearly blown of the deck, we went inside and sat down at a cosy place at the window to chat and laugh. We saw the sunset. And unlike when we got back from Tallinn the pics are a little better now. God...wonder why ;)
In the evening we went to a bar where it was nice. There were people dancing and there was a band playing. Music was not too loud and the music they played was pretty good. So yeah, I did amuse myself there :)
Went to bed at about 1, after passing totally wasted people. Yes, wherever you go by boat, the people drink like the earth will explode tomorrow...
Slept pretty well. Woke up a couple of times. First at 4.15 as it was pretty noisy in the boat. According to Mirka (or whatever her name is) it was storming outside. Well I was pretty sleepy, but a) we were in the middle of the ship b) the ship wasn't moving at all, like it would do in a storm and c) I couldn't really be arsed to tell her, as you expected that kind of stuff from a blonde, not a brunette! Went back to sleep and then woke up again because Mirka's phone went. Great...turn the bloody thing off when you go to bed!
Stood up sometime after and when to deck 12 again, to see if there was something to see. Oh hell yeah! We were sailing on sea, with land on both sides. It was truly magnificent. All green and biiiiiig houses there!
At the terminal there was no passportcontrol at all. Kinda strange, as there were also many russians on board. But perhaps they've have been checked in Russia and such. Dunno but anyway, we had to walk about 500m to go to the metro, which would bring us tot the citycentre. We first went to Slussen (or so) and then took the lift up to watch a few churches and enjoy the view on Stockholm. After that we went to Gamla Stan (Old town) and wandered around there for a bit. We were looking for the place where the change of guards would be and we couldn't find it, so I ended up asking a guard who told me it was about 50m away from where we were *sigh* Managed to stand on some kind of whatever so I stood above the people. Was pretty uncomfy, but a good spot for pics. It was just that the change lasted for over 40 mins and we got bored, so we left and I didn't feel my right knee anymore, because of sort of standing on there... Then did some souvenirshopping. Still needed a new tea mug as my dad broke my lovely Jos Verstappen tea mug. But now I've found a brilliant one! Just hope I'll get it back home in one piece... :S
We walked through the shopping street and ended up for a quick lunch at the Mac. We were in the street where the Subway was supposed to be, but that one was nowhere to be found... Then went to another church and then back to gamla stan. Went to another island to take a few pics of the view and then we had to rush back to the boat, as that one would leave at 5.
Back on the boat we first sat outside for a while, but as it was getting cold, we went inside and most of the others were asleep, but I couldn't be arsed to so I just read in the cabin and at about 8 we went to one of the window seats to watch the islands go by and the sun setting in the sea. Later that evening we again went to the dancebar and there was an absolutely wasted woman in there. She spend more time lying on the floor or falling of the stairs than dancing...And the saddest part was that her kids had to babysit her. Bad bad bad mother! But yeah, music wasn't very different as yesterday. To be precise, it was exactly the same, though the midnight show was different. The group performing was ehm...well...a little over the top from time to time and not that good, but it was nice amusement...After that we went to sleep.
Once again Mirka's phone went off *sigh*. Woke up the next morning and after I was finished packing I went again to deck 12 to notice we were already in Helsinki! The boat was coming closer to suomenlinna and I stood in the front of the boat, to see the buildings getting bigger and such. Went back in to get my stuff and to wait until we could go off the boat.
Stockholm is a very very pretty town. But just 6.5 hours there was too short, you need at least a full day. We've also been very fortunate with the weather as it was very sunny, with clouds appearing late in the afternoon. People always told me Stockholm was the nicer town than Helsinki, which I never really understood. I do understand now ;)
I took 285 pics (shock) of which a selection will be online...some day... :S