riga, Latvia

I have to type quickly as the computer signs me off quickly...not very wired here...

Anyway, Riga is another old world country..in fact the restaurant we just had dinner at was built in 1201...fun to see the style and read about the history.
Took a walking tour today with our guide ....lots of stories about the architecture and the people.  Then, David and I took a tour to Ethnographic outdoor museum...kind of like our Mumford- crafts people doing things as they were done100 years ago- pretty forest setting...could have spent hours there.
It's very different from western Europe...they're really just getting into tourism here -
lots of photo ops: red tile roofs, colorful buildings, decorative art with a 
story...I'll have those vacation cd's rolling once again- beware!
off to Lithuania tomorrow...will try to check in then...
gotta scoot....       

Estonia

Estonia is very Old World: red tiled roofs, winding ( aka steep hills) alleys, pastel colored buildings, ornate churches, lots of colorful outdoor cafes ( talk about hardy: people were sitting outdoors-drinking beer- in the cold weather..brrr). Call us wimps, but we headed indoors for hot, mulled wine and pasta:)
Spent the day around Old Town: outdoor stalls selling hand-woven sweaters, gloves, hats...bit pricey due to Tallinn being a port for all the cruise ships.  We have been advised to wait til Lithuania and Poland to buy amber and hand-crafted items..I am not very good at waiting ( as most of you know!) but I'll see if I can hold off.
I got to try the sauna this afternoon...hot, hot, hot...it warms your shackles!!!!
And during the ferry ride over last night I noticed dozens of sailboats sailing the same course...hmmmm....it appears that it was a sailing race...Guess Wed night is race night no matter where you are in the world!!!!!  They brace rougher seas from the Finnish Bay to Baltic Sea.....I tried to check out some of the kinds of boats cause I know my sailing buddies will ask.
Will scoot for now as others are waiting for computer..
Stay tuned for more travels...

few more thoughts

Since I have access to computer- for the moment- I'll add a few more comments:

people are lovely...waitress at Finnish restaurant was so sweet in explaining the whole menu and what the dish actually was....when I asked if "service" was included in bill, she said it wasn't necessary in Finland, naturally, I gave her a tip anyway.
Cathedral in Senate Square is Neo-Classic design: clean lines, fresh appearance after all the ornate architecture in the Baroque era...inside was pretty plain, though ( and we climbed a zillion stairs to see it...yes- there really were a zillion!)  
All the hotels here include breakfast...good deal! Nicely arranged buffet: fresh cheeses, fruit, salami and ham , wonderful crusty bread ( rye is their specialty here..Kate, you would love all the bread choices), eggs, granola etc....good start to the day ( and some contraband fresh fruit for the road!)

Coach tour today for 1 1/2 hours...lots of water all around, still filled with sailboats..pretty hardy sailors, I'd say!  And, the guide said they DO swim in the ice-covered water ( cut holes like our ice fisherman do); then jump into a sauna ( hopefully, it's the "right" hour for your group to go in...). David ventured out on his own later ( while I took siesta) and checked out botanical gardens...Fall flowers and leaves are starting to change color ( it snows in Oct...glad we missed snow on the tree tops).

Okay, time to chill out- errrrr-warm up- with a glass of hearty red wine and read up on Estonia for tomorrow....maybe I can at least learn to say g'day and please/ thank you...

more finland

Open air market is right on waterfront,  many booths with fruits, veggies, crafts, food tents...people sitting outside and it´s only 48 degrees...brrrr.....hardy folks...we bought meat pies -mystery meat, rice,  spices and brought it back to hotel, .........cruise ships dock here..lots of activity and a boost to the economy. 
Had  planned on  `finnish sauna`` but missed he  time slot for women.( which is mid afternoon)....darn.....men have taken it over now..( they get prime time after dinner)
Rock Church was so unique.....built using the mountain as backdrop, instead of drilling through it and destroying it....walls are all  irregular  rocks ... it was the most amazing structure...you felt like you were outside- due to the rocks all around- but it actually seemed  cozy because it was an enclosed structure...nice place to meditate or attend a service. 

Helsinki is a  very vibrant city!  The square is interesting: paths leading to sections of the city with themes:  for instance, one street led to the museums: art, textile gallery, design museum, Finnish history museum...we did the design museum, but it was pretty "far out" / abstract/ dark subjects, compared to mainstream designs that you actually see in the world around you.  Another path led to the government buildings and cathedral-...one seemed to be businesses related to finance, and there were always cute restaurants and cafes tucked into the side streets. 
Again, this is "off season" so the good news  is that the crowds are reduced; the down side is that many of the side tours have stopped for the season ...they have ferries to the other islands ....and a fortified castle across the bay....and one small island with just one house on  it.....still in use, I heard.  We did fine with only 2 days to see the main sights.

Finnish adventure

Here we are exploring Finland....first meal was at an authentic Finnish restaurant, I had sauteed reindeer ( can you believe it?)- it tasted like braised beef...David had char- a fish only found this far north...so, we´re into the Finnish culture already!! And we learned the "toast "in Finnish: keepus..so, we'll test it out a bit ( have to drink red wine for medicinal purposes--to ward off the cold temps).
Took a sightseeing bus tour today....fun to hear all about the history and architecture etc. 
Hotel is on a pedestrian zone...lots of upscale shops ( translation: too pricey to shop, but fun to window-shop) and restaurants galore.... rooms are good size and have very modern furniture and art deco touches ( although there's the WC confusion as always--adds to the fun...some wc's  actually have pics to show how to use them.....there's 2 shower hoses and 2 buttons on the wc....just keep pushing til it all works:)

more to explore tomorrow. probably art galleries, then cruise to Estonia....next time I log on,  we`ll be across the sea...
bye for now....
Jan

"Natural Sailors"

Another special time on the water.....lovely morning, nice breeze, very peaceful...
Our youngest sailors did a great job of  learning to steer the boat and trim sails....
Jenna and Joelle with their mom, Mary. 

They said they loved sailing and Capt David said they really picked it up quickly ....we all enjoyed our time on the water!!

(download)