Cruising To St. Petersburg And Beyond Poem by Deanna Samuels

Deanna Samuels - November 2022 - Reminiscences of January 2017.

Opportunity for a Baltic Cruise with friend arose, ports of great attraction.
St Petersburg, too - oh my! On my wish list to see The Hermitage!
Count-down, four weeks, four days - then, calamity! Friend dislodged back,
couldn't go; should I cancel out? No! I want to go! Sailing day arrived.
Flew to Amsterdam, Ann Frank Memories evoked. Boarded Celebrity ‘Silhouette'.
Each day, there would be meals served, various activities, shows in evening.
First port - Warnemunde, Germany, street singer, a park with voluptuous statue.
Docking at Tallinn, Estonia, was a really worthwhile, educating experience.
An old walled town, almost unchanged through the last 600 years, real history.
Buildings of interest pointed out, an open market and the Hausen store, wow!
Keeping strictly to 1500's mode - shoes, candles, dresses, made now as then.
A heavenly interlude in the old church by string quartet, ‘Eine Kleine Nachtmusik'.
Next morning, arrival in St Petersburg, the tour ‘Local Life Experience', let's see! .
Bus Hall packed, many shops and booths of gifts, memorabilia, babushka dolls.
Short trip through busy streets, arrived at subway and descended on very long
escalators into the abyss of this deep, old-fashioned fancy station. Whew!
Two metro trains later, emerged atop in suburban area of mundane streets,
a rudimentary local fish and produce market, a tea place for coffee and cake,
all perched beneath multiple stories of seemingly drab and dreary apartments.
Next morning, at last, visit to The Hermitage, built by Tzar Peter the Great,1700's.
Tour guide commented on skyline and buildings while driving alongside Neva River.
The Hermitage, cream and green, huge and impressive, larger than The Louvre.
Entered, took breath away at decorative gold motifs, impressive stairwells and halls,
which hosted famous works by renowned painters. The Gold Room had gold ob d'ja, precious metals, stones, artifacts owned by Katherine the Great, tzars, other royalty.
Tour continued into rooms of art of famous painters and sculptors, Rembrandt,
Botticelli, Van Dyke, Van Gogh, overwhelming, so much in one building, one hall!
Wondrous treasure amidst profound poverty - for which Romanov's paid ultimate price.
Docked at Helsinki, capital of Finland, tour included trip to Sibelius Sculpture, looking like stainless steel organ pipes. Toured around town and harbor with island boat ride.
Stockholm next, capital of Sweden, often called Vienna of the North, a tour passed
Nobel Prize Museum; short canal cruise; strolled through quay. Democracy that works,
same as I saw in Copenhagen, capital of Denmark, with famed Tivoli Gardens, Amalienborg Palace of current monarchy, and famous statue of The Little Mermaid.
Final day at sea, Silhouette arrived in Amsterdam. Disembarked, flew home.
A most fascinating Baltic cruise, awash with new perspective. Bucket list - check!