Catch Up Game :)

I forgot to write in a blurb about my zoo trip in Stockholm, Sweden, so I’m going to do it now! Erin, Brit and I took the bus and walked around the giant park. Not only was this a zoo for animals, they also had an exhibit with historical farmland and towns from Sweden’s colonial age. We were able to pet reindeer and see baby panthers run and play in the grass.

July 20^th was our last time in Copenhagen, Denmark. Erin and I bought train tickets to make our way into the city and to the world famous, Tivoli Gardens! Walt Disney based the design of Disneyland on this park. There was even a ride similar to It’s A Small World, but much creepier, if you can imagine! The stories portrayed in this ride were all from Hans Christian Anderson, author of Snow White, The Little Mermaid and many other stories I remembered from my childhood. We rode on a few awesome roller coasters and had a lot of laughs in a shooting game (like the Buzz Lightyear ride in Disney). We finished our perfect day with delicious treats on a stick, dipped in chocolate.

July 24^th we sailed into a new port for me, Skjolden, Norway. On my last contract, Norway was one of my top favorites, with the beautiful mountains and gorgeous lakes in the fjords. Skjolden was no disappointment! Freddie, Erin, Brit and I went off together to wander. We walked around the picturesque lake towards a small waterfall cascading down the mountain.

Our day in Dublin on July 29^th was a lot of fun! We toured around the city, stopping in several shops and pubs to enjoy Ireland the way the locals do. I happened upon the same store I bought my claddagh ring 2 years ago! I loved having the chance to return to one of my favorite cities! We also ported in Amsterdam four times in August, and I was so grateful to be back! I was able to get those amazing Dutch pancakes again, and I did some shopping in one of my fav shops, Bershka.

Since we had a lot of overnights in St. Petersburg, Russia, I was finally able to visit the Yusupov Palace where Rasputin was murdered. In 1916, a group of the city’s social elite conspired to assassinate Grigory Rasputin, a self proclaimed holy man who won favor with the Tzar thru his “supernatural powers”. He developed quite a lot of power and control over the Tzar family, which threatened the empire. This visit completed everything in St. Petersburg that I wanted to see of Disney’s tale of Anastasia!