Cruising the Baltic Sea 2023

Arriving in England	Leaving Heathrow Airport	Row Houses in Southampton, England	Holy Trinity (Anglican) Church (1870) in Southampton, England	Island Princess docked in the Port of Southampton, England
Mini-suite B431 on Deck 11 of the Island Princess	Southampton Water is classified as a 'drowned valley' of the English Channel	Complimentary dipped strawberries	24K Gold Margaritas on our Balcony in the Port of Southampton, England	Really good seafood platter for dinner
Sail-away from Southampton, England	In the atrium of the Island Princess	Champagne Waterfall on the Island Princess	First Production Show called 'Encore'	Princess Singers in 'Encore' Finale
Bonnie the bartender juggling 3 liquor bottles	Bartender, Susan, Karen (Cruise Director), & Sandy shaking martinis	Pouring finished martinis	Bonnie (head bartender at Crooners Bar) filling 9 Martini glasses at one time	Milky Way Martinis at Crooner's Bar
Passing under the 11-mile long 'Great Belt Bridge' connecting the Islands of Zealand & Funen, Denmark	St. Nicolas' Church in Ronne, Denmark contains remnants of the original 13th Century Church	Sun on Baltic Sea with Wind Farm in the distance	Formal Night on Island Princess	Karan doing 'Good Spirits at Sea' Cocktail Demonstration
Specialty Cocktail prepared by Karan for us	Trivia with Jessica & Megan in Explorer's Lounge	Roenne is the largest town on Bornholm Island, Denmark	Ronne has about 13,800 residents on the Island of Bornholm, Denmark	The Ronne lighthouse was built in 1880 and decommissioned in 1989
Wind Turbine Towers awaiting shipment from the Port of Roenne	Wind Turbine Blades in the Port of Roenne, Denmark	Wind Turbine Nacelles awaiting shipment from the Port of Roenne, Denmark	Another view of St. Nicolas' Church in Roenne, Denmark	Roenne's former railway station is now operated as a hotel and restaurant
Wind turbines on the island of Bornholm, Denmark	Farming is the main industry on the island of Bornholm, Denmark	Farmhouse and barn on the island of Bornholm, Denmark	Wind farms are not popular with Bornholm residents and are being moved offshore	Visiting Hammershus Fortress on the Island of Bornholm, Denmark
Hammershus was built in the 13th Century	Hammershus was Scandinavia's largest Medieval Fortification	Antique Cars on Bornholm Island, Denmark	Half-timbered house on Bornholm Island, Denmark	House painted 'Bornholm Red' on Bornholm Island, Denmark
Lilac field on Bornholm Island, Denmark	Visiting Baltic Sea Glass Studio on Bornholm Island, Denmark	Glass-blowing at Baltic Sea Glass Studio on Bornholm Island, Denmark	Behind Baltic Sea Glass was checkpoint for car rally around the Island of Bornholm, Denmark	Classic Citroen Station Wagon at Bornholm Car Rally
Single-spoke steering wheel in classic Citroen Station Wagon at Bornholm Car Rally	One of over 200 cars participating in the Bornholm Island Car Rally	Bill with a 1955 Thunderbird at Bornholm Car Rally Checkpoint	1953 Chevy in front of a 1959 Chevy	Distinctive tail lights on 1959 Chevy
Jowett Jupiter (year unknown) at Bronholm Island Car Rally	Bill loved this 1957 Chrysler Windsor at Bornholm Island Car Rally	Baltic Sea on the northeast side of Bornholm Island, Denmark	Birds off the coast of Bornholm Island, Denmark	Eiders are 'seaducks' commonly found near Bornholm Island, Denmark
Half-timered house in the fishing village of Gudhjem, Denmark	Houses with tall chimneys in the fishing village of Gudhjem, Denmark are now (or were previously) used to smoke fish	At one time it was estimated that there were 100 smokehouses in the fishing village of Gudhjem, Denmark	Gudhjem Parish Church (1893) on the island of Bornholm, Denmark	Trying the local beer in the fishing village of Gudhjem, Denmark
Boats on the dock at Gudhjem, Denmark	Gudhjem Windmill (1893) was used until it was taken out of service in 1962	The Osterlars Church (1150) on Bornholm Island, Denmark	Four round churches on Bornholm Island also served as a shelter and fortress during war	14th Century Frescoes in Osterlars Church on Bornholm Island, Denmark
14th Century Frescoes in Osterlars Church express cardinal points in the life of Christ	The Roman baptismal font in the center pillar of Osterlars Church dates to the 12th century	Although many parishioners couldn't see the priest, the acoustics allowed everyone to hear	Acoustics in the Osterlars Church are so good that it is used for concerts	Tombstones in multiple sections surrounding the Osterlars Church
Osterlars Church Belfry has two bells (0ne from 1640 & one from 1684)	Horse-drawn hearse (1920) in the Osterlars Church stable	Horses wearing 'fly-covers' on Bornholm Island, Denmark	Returning to the harbor of Bornholm Island, Denmark	Sailing into Stockholm, Sweden
Sailing through the Stockholm Archipelago in Sweden	Island in the Stockholm Archipelago in Sweden	Sailboats in the Stockholm Archipelago, Sweden	Castle-like villa Tacka Udden (1869) on the island of Djurgarden in the Stockholm Archipelago	Manila School (established 1809) is located on the island of Djurgarden in the Stockholm Archipelago
Sailing close to an island in the Stockholm Archipelago	The Elite Marina Tower Hotel in Stockholm is in a converted flour mill	House on a hill across from where we are docked in Stockholm	Grona Lund (1883) in Stockholm is Sweden's oldest amusement park	Stockholm's old town (Gamla Stan) dates to the 13th century
Boarding a sightseeing boat in Stockholm, Sweden	Royal Swedish Opera House is on north side of the Norrström river in Stockholm	Strandvägen is home to some of the most expensive waterfront properties in Stockholm	Bunsowska Huset was completed in 1888 and it is the most impressive of all buildings at Strandvägen in Stockholm	Statues of Norse gods adorn the Djurgardsbron Bridge in Stockholm
Villa Akerlund (1932) on the far left has been the residence of the U.S. Ambassador to Sweden since 1947	Sculling on Djurgårdsbrunnskanalen ('The Djurgården Well Canal') in Stockholm	Moai sculptures in Stockholm by Hakan Sanchis & Anna Johansen for the set of 'The Last Tree'	Building from 1915 overlooking the entrance to Stockholm Harbour is a home for the elderly	The Island Princess docked in Stockholm, Sweden
Church of Catherine in Stockholm was consecrated in 1724	The former Church of Carl Johan in Stockholm is now the Eric Ericson Hall	Sjogudvn (Sea God) is a 1913 red granite sculpture on a quay in Stockholm's Gamla Stan	The covered bridge in Northern Bank Alley in Stockholm was added in 1770	Statue of Evert Taube -- Sweden's much-loved balladeer
Susan climbing the narrowest stairway in Stockholm, Sweden	Stockholm statue called Boy Mounting Horse	A closer look at 'Boy Mounting Horse' statue in Stockholm	The copper-covered spire on the German Church in Stockholm was completed in 1878	Public water fountain from 1787 in Stockholm, Sweden
The Nobel Prize Museum in Stockholm	Stortorget well in Stockholm dates to 1778	Bill and Susan in front of the Stortorget well in Stockholm	Susan poses with a lion (a lion is the mascot for Phi Mu)	Storkyrkan is the oldest church in Stockholm (1306)
Storkyrkan is also know as Stockholm Cathedral	Ebony and silver altarpiece in Stockholm Cathedral was donated in 1652	Bronze depiction of the Last Supper in Stockholm Cathedral	Saint George and the Dragon (1489) inside Stockholm Cathedral	An elaborate marker for someone buried in Stockholm Cathedral
The facade of the pipe organ in Stockholm Cathedral was created in 1789	Vadersolstavlan is a 1636 oil-on-panel painting depicting a halo display over Stockholm on 20 April 1535	Stockholm Royal Palace (1697-1760) contains offices of the Swedish Royal Family	Stockholm Royal Palace (Kungliga slottet) Guard	The Silver Throne in Stockholm Royal Palace dates to the 1700's
The Royal Order of the Seraphim is a Swedish order of chivalry	The Royal Order of the Seraphim is awarded to visiting heads of state and coats of arms are displayed in the Royal Apartments	Visiting Heads of State are given the title of Knights of the Order of the Seraphim	The coat of arms of Thailand is interesting	There are over 37 coats of arms on display in the Royal Apartments of Stockholm's Royal Palace
'The Wave and the Beach' Statue (1898) in the Stockholm Royal Palace	18th Century Meissen Porcelain collection in the Stockholm Royal Palace	The Council Chamber in Stockholm Royal Palace was used by Gustav III (1771-92) as his principal dining room	Karl XI's gallery in Stockholm's Royal Palace is use for banquets of up to 170 guests	Bill and Susan in Karl XI's gallery in Stockholm's Royal Palace
The floor in the White Room of the Stockholm Royal Palace was completed in 1845	Queen Ulrika's Audience Chamber and 1750 coronation throne in Stockholm Royal Palace	Guard outside the Stockholm Royal Palace	Charles XIV Johan King of Sweden and King of Norway from 1818 until his death in 1844	Band leads the changing of the guard at Stockholm Royal Palace in the rain
Changing of the guard at Stockholm Royal Palace in the rain	Guards finishing their shift at Stockholm's Royal Palace	Walking down Slottsbacken (Castle Slope) leading from Stockholm Cathedral to the waterfront of Old Town	Waterfall on the exterior of the Royal Palace in Stockholm Sweden (1898-1902)	Stockholm City Hal (1923) and Riddarholmen Church (14th Century)
Hooded crow in Stockholm, Sweden	National Museum of Fine Arts in Stockholm, Sweden	Interesting buildings in Stockholm, Sweden	View of Royal Palace from Stockholms ström (The Stream of Stockholm)	The Stockholm Grand Hotel and Bolinger Palace Hotel (next to it) were both built in 1874
Stockholm's Vasa Museum displays the only almost fully intact 17th-century ship that has ever been salvaged	Apartments in Stockholm built over the water	Apartments on outskirts of Stockholm, Sweden	Small cove on one of the islands in the Stockholm Archipelago	Watching Seagulls from our balcony in the Stockholm Archipelago
House on a hill on an island in the Stockholm Archipelago	Seagull flying alongside our balcony in the Stockholm Archipelago	The Stockholm Archipelago has around 24,000 islands and islets	Solitary life in the Stockholm Archipelago	Bill on deck for 4th of July celebration
Fredriksborg Fortress (1735) in the Stockholm Archipelago is now a luxury hotel	Rainbow on the Stockholm Archipelago	Almost out of the Stockholm Archipelago	Fourth of July party on pool deck of Island Princess	Stars & Stripes on the dance floor
Fortuna, Kymbelie, Stacey, Amber & Karen (Cruise Director)	Hot dog eating contest on the 4th of July	4th of July Cake outside the dining room	Susan at dinner on the 4th of July	4th of July photo shoot
Island Princess Production of 'Do You Wanna Dance'	Island Princess production of 'Do You Wanna Dance'	Tribute to Ireland in 'Do You Wanna Dance'	View of new and old Tallin, Estonia from our balcony on the Island Princess	Skyline of Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia
The Estonian Parliament was built in the courtyard of the 13th Century Toompea Castle	Tall Herman Tower in Tallinn was built in 3 stages from the 14th to the 16th centuries	The Estonian Parliament building in Tallinn was completed in 1922	Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (1900) in Tallinn, Estonia	Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is Tallinn's largest orthodox cupola church
A mosaic of Mary with an infant Jesus on the front of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Tallinn	A mosaic on the front of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Tallinn	A mosaic of Alexander Nevsky above the side entrance of Alexander Nevsky Cathedral	Altarpiece in the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Tallinn	The Old Town walls (14th Century) of Tallinn are some of the best-preserved medieval fortifications in Europe
Tallinn still has 26 of the original 46 defense towers intact	Inside the Old City walls of Tallinn, Estonia	One of the three monk statues inside the Tallinn Old City walls	In front of St. Nicholas Church (13th Century) in Tallinn, Estonia	Inside view of Old City Walls of Tallinn, Estonia
Tallinn, Estonia Panorama	St. Mary's Cathedral (founded in 1219) in Tallinn is the oldest church in Estonia	St. Mary's Cathedral in Tallinn has around 110 coats of arms from the 17th Century	Tallinn has the 2nd largest collection of family trees and coats of arms on Baltic German – Estonian nobility	St. Mary's Cathedral in Tallinn is also known as Dome Church
Another view of St. Mary's Cathedral in Tallinn, Estonia	St. Olaf's Church in Tallinn (12th Centruy) may have been tallest building in the world from 1549 to 1625	St. Olaf's Church became a Baptist church in 1950 and still is today	Tallinn's Town Hall Square	Tallinn, Estonia's Town Hall was completed in 1404
Town Hall Pharmacyin Tallinn has operated in this building since 1422	Medieval mediacl symbol on the door of the Old Town Pharmacy in Tallinn, Estonia	Town Hall Pharmacy in Tallinn is still an active pharmacy after 700 years	We toured the small museum in Town Hall Pharmacy in Tallinn	Coat of arms of the Burcharts -- who owned this pharmacy for 10 generations beginning in 1582
The coat of arms of Tsarist Russia was on the facade of Town Hall Pharmacy from 1902-1917	Mural believed to be part of the original 1422 Town Hall Pharmacy building	Town Hall Pharmacy Museum has examples of early methods used for healing	Drinking homemade Claret at Town Hall Pharmacy in Tallinn, Estonia	The 13th Century Church of the Holy Ghost in Tallinn was the first church in Estonia to hold services in Estonian
17th Century clock on the side of the Church of the Holy Ghost is the oldest public clock in Tallinn	The Great Guild Hall (1410) in Tallinn now houses the Estonian History Museum	Weather vane atop the Great Guild Hall in Tallinn, Estonia	Nesting dolls for sale in Tallin, Estonia	Lunch at Trofe restaurant in Tallinn, Estonia
Enjoying local beer in Tallinn, Estonia	The House of Blackheads in Tallinn belonged to an association of local unmarried male merchants, ship-owners, and foreigners	The door on the House of Blackheads in Tallinn dates to 1640	Emblem above the door on the House of the Blackheads in Tallinn, Estonia	Signs in front of the Russian Embassy in Tallinn, Estonia
More signs in front of the Russian Embassy in Tallinn	Estonians feel like the Ukranians are fighting the war for them as well	Apartments built between Tallinn's medieval defense towers	Enjoying the afternoon sunshine on our balcony in Tallinn, Estonia	Sun over the Baltic Sea at 10 PM
Jessica & Susan doing Fireball Shots	Formal Night	Production of 'On the Bayou' on Island Princess	Two attempts in a week to visit Gotland Island, Sweden was foiled by high winds	Our view of Visby, Gotland Island, Sweden at a distance from our balcony
Zoomed from our balcony to see Visby, Sweden's Medieval Church (consecrated in 1225)	Sailboat in high winds off Gotland Island, Sweden	Morning view of Riga, Latvia from our stateroom balcony	St. Peter and St. Paul Church (1780's) is the oldest Orthodox church surviving in Riga, Latvia	The Nativity of Christ Cathedral in Riga is the Baltic's largest Orthodox cathedral
Island Princess docked in Riga, Latvia	Railway Bridge across the Daugava River in Riga, Latvia was first built in 1872	The National Library of Latvia (founded 1919) was moved into this building in 2014	On the Daugava River in Riga, Latvia	Saint Jacob's Roman Catholic Church Spire and Riga Dome Cathedral Tower in Riga, Latvia
The Shroud Bridge in Riga, Latvia was built during the Communist regime (1981)	The Latvian National Theatre (1902) in Riga, Latvia	Banner in front of Ukranian Embassy says, 'We will win together'	Riga, Latvia is well-known for its Art Nouveau architecture	First floor ceiling in Riga Art Nouveau Center (1903 building)
Winding staircase from 1903 in Riga, Latvia	Modern apartments with Bonzai trees above Art Nouveau building in Riga, Latvia	The Embassy of Ireland is in this Art Nouveau building in Riga, Latvia	1908 building in Riga, Latvia mixes Art Nouveau with Italian Renaissance	Alberta Street in Riga, Latvia is packed with stunning Art Nouveau buildings
Detailed designs on Art Nouveau in Riga, Latvia	Built in 1904, this building has 8 apartments and the Hungarian Embassy	Medusa is the leading figure in this Art Nouveau building in Riga, Latvia	Winged dragons guard the entry where apartments cost $770 per sq ft.	This building (1906) is a potpourri of Neo-Classic, Neo-Egyptian and Art Nouveau
Ornamental decoration at the top of the building at 2A Alberta Iela, Riga, Latvia	One of two female sphinxes at the entrance to building at 2A Alberta Iela, Riga, Latvia	Dragons guard the entrance to this 1904 Art Nouveau building in Riga, Latvia	Building at 10b Elizabetes Street was designed by Mikhail Eisenstein, Riga, Latvia (1903)	Some ornamentation is highly stylized, some more figurative and there is no uniform scale
1901 building is Mikhail Eisenstein's first use of Art Nouveau ornamental motifs	Very pink window display in Riga, Latvia	Corner market in Latvia, Estonia	Banner on the Museum of Medical History faces the Russian Embassy in Riga, Latvia	Church of the Holy Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky in Riga (consecrated 1825)
The 'Palace of Justice' (1938) in Riga, Latvia	Preparing for the Nationwide Latvian Song and Dance Festival in RIga, Latvia	2023 marked 150 years of the Nationwide Latvian Song and XVII Dance Festival	Nationwide Latvian Song and XVII Dance Festival involves more than 40,000 people	French Embassy in Riga, Latvia
Jacob's Barracks building in Riga shows coats of arms for most Latvian cities	Public toilets in Riga have a lot of rules	City Canal in Riga, Latvia	The Powder Tower (1650) is the only remaining tower of Riga's defense system	Reconstructed fragment of Riga city wall (approximately 8.2 feet thick)
'The Ghost' is part of a public art project in Riga, Latvia	The Swedish Gate (1698) is the only one of the original 8 remaining in Riga, Latvia	Walking surface on many of our tours of the Baltic States	As close as we were allowed to the entrance of Latvian Parliament Building (1867)	St James's Cathedral (1225) in Riga, Latvia
Apartments and businesses in building next to Dome Square in Riga, Latvia	Riga Cathedral, commonly called the Dome Cathedral, was first built in 1211	Riga Cathedral is considered the largest medieval church in the Baltic States	Susan in Riga, Latvia	Tower of St Peter’s Church is the tallest in Riga, Latvia at 426.5 feet
St. John's Church is the oldest house of worship in Riga, Latvia	Riga statue based on Grimm Brothers tale, 'Bremen Town Musicians'	People have rubbed the noses of these animals for good luck	St. Peter's Church in Riga has undergone six major restorations since 1209	Riga, Latvia Town Hall Square was bombed to ruins by the Germans in WWII
Buildings in Riga Town Hall Square were rebuilt from 1996-99	House of Blackheads on the Town Hall Square in Riga, Latvia	Brotherhood of Blackheads (guild for unmarried merchants, shipowners, foreigners)	Historical cellar is the only original part of the House of Blackheads that survived WWII	Statue of Saint Roland (patron saint of Riga, Latvia) in Town Hall Square
St. Peter's Tower looks like part of this modern building in Riga, Latvia	Rooster weather vane atop St. Peter's Church in Riga first appeared in 1491	Afternoon sun on the Nativity of Christ Cathedral in Riga, Latvia	Memorial to Latvian Riflemen who fought for Tsar against Germany in WWI	Sailing out of Riga, Latvia on the Daugava River
Bauhaus-style Dominante building (1939) seen as we sail from Riga, Latvia	Sailing on the Daugava River in Riga, Latvia	Farewell from Latvian girls on the Daugava River	Forestry and timber were the largest cargo transshipped in the port of Riga in 2022	Fishing in the Daugava River in Latvia
Container ship being loaded at the Daugava River port in Latvia	Fertilizer Terminal on the Daugava River in Riga, Latvia	Icebreaker 'VARMA' and Tug 'FOROS' docked on the Daugava River in Riga, Latvia	Mangaļsala Beach is in the Northern District in Riga on the right bank of Daugava River	Passing the Eastern Breakwater between the Daugava River and the Gulf of Riva, Latvia
The Eastern jetty was built 1850-61 under the Tsar's personal supervision	Contrast between water in the Daugava River and the Gulf of Riga (Latvia)	Catamaran on the Daugava River near the Gulf of Riga	The Eastern breakwater (Riga, Latvia) is popular for hiking, leisure and fishing	Eastern Breakwater from Riga, Latvia is 1.4 mi long
Night of Captain's Circle Party	Production of 'The Secret Silk' on the Island Princess	Special effects in 'The Secret Silk' on the Island Princess	Production of 'The Secret Silk' on the Island Princess	Production of 'The Secret Slk' on the Island Princess
Klaipeda, Lithuania is located in a narrow strait called the Sea Channel	Boats in dry dock along the Sea Channel leading to Klaipeda, Lithuania	Houses along the Sea Channel leading to Klaipeda, Lithuania	Enjoying the scenery along the Sea Channel leading to Klaipeda, Lithuania from our balcony	View of Klaipeda, Lithuania from our balcony
On the dock in Klaipeda, Lithuania	Statue of a boy and his dog bidding farewell to ships leaving Klaipeda, Lithuania	Start of our walking tour of Klaipeda, Lithuania	The 18th Century Rice Mill in Klaipeda is now the 'Old Mill Hotel'	The 'Black Ghost' statue near the pedestrian bridge in Klaipeda, Lithuania
This pedestrian bridge in Klaipeda is opened for 15 minutes every hour manually for boats	Men hand-cranking 1855 bridge in Klaipeda for boats to pass through	Watching the manually operated 'rotating' bridge in Klaipeda swing open	Boats passing through the opening created by the 'rotating bridge' in Klaipeda	An 18th century warehouse in Klaipeda, Lithuania is now a boutique hotel
Theater Square in Klaipeda, Lithuania with sculpture of Ann from Tharau	Panorama of Theater Square in Klaipeda, Lithuania	In the middle of Theater Square in Klaipeda, Lithuania	Ship Museum on the Dane River in Klaipeda, Lithuania	Old warehouses along the Dane River pedestrian walk are now bars and restaurants
Klaipeda Town Hall was home to Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm III in 1807-1898	Klaipeda's 'Old Town Cat' has a granite body and bronze face of a gentleman	It is said this sculpture is magical-- rub its tail for secret wishes to come true	Not far from the 'Old Town Cat' in Klaipeda is the 'Magical Mouse'	The 'Magic Mouse' of Klaipeda grants wishes whispered in his ear
Bronze door showing important occupations in medieval Klaipeda, Lithuania	Street art in Klaipeda by Portuguese visual artist Diogo Machado	Entry into the Arts & Crafts Courtyard in Klaipeda, Lithuania	18th Century warehouses in the Arts & Crafts Courtyard in Klaipeda, Lithuania	Wall of tiles created by school kids with representations of Klaipeda
Some tiles that students believed represented Klaidpeda, Lithuania	Shelter over entry in Klaidpeda, Lithuania	Heading to Svyturys Brewery in Klaipeda for a tour and tasting	Svyturys Brewery was established in 1784 in Klaipeda, Lithuania	Švyturys Brewery's filtration system uses powdered seashells
Craft beer development room is staffed by one brewmaster	Craft beer room is called the 'Red Brick Workshop'	Some of the beers brewed by Švyturys Brewery in Klaipeda	Looking down on Švyturys Brewery Gastropub in Klaipeda	Our first taste of Švyturys Beer in Klaipeda, Lithuania
Bill, Susan, and Fred finishing up tasting at Svyturys Brewery	Klaipeda sculpture 'The Wild Man' is at the entrance to Friedrich‘s Passage	Frederick's Passage in Klaipeda combines cosy cafes, restaurants, boutiques & guesthouses	Typical cafe in Frederich's Passage in Klaipeda, Lithuania	Architecture of Klaipeda is influenced by its history of belonging to German states
Houses in Old Town Klaipeda, Lithuania	Interestingly shaped 19th Century timber frame warehouse in Klaipeda	Pleasure cruising on the Dane River in Klaipeda, Lithuania	Sunday afternoon on the Dane River in Klaipeda, Lithuania	Bill's not afraid of the 'Black Ghost' in Klaipeda
Klaipeda bastions measured about 3.5 metres high and outer moats were dug	Our curved balcony on the middle deck (11)	Docked in Gdynia, Poland	Gdansk, Poland Skyline	Driving through the Polish countryside
There are 1.4 million farms in Poland	Milk production is one of the essential parts of the agricultural economy in Poland	Stuck behind a tractor on a 2-lane road in Poland	Cityscape of Malbork, Poland	Mariacka Gate (14th Century) in Malbork, Poland
Malbork castle in Poland is the largest brick structure ever built with human hands	In spite of damage from WWII, most of Malbork's brick outer walls remained intact	Marlbork Castle used 4.5 million bricks and occupies 52 acres	Malbork Castle consists of the Lower Castle, a Middle Castle, & the High Castle	Mary With Child at Malbork Castle is just over 26’ tall and dates to 1340
Panorama of the 'Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork' (Poland)	Restoration with different color bricks on Malbork Castle with darkest bricks from 1280	15th Century St. Lawrence’s chapel was intended for the servants at Malbork	Outer wall of the Lower Castle in Malbork Castle, Poland	Gate over the entrance to the Middle Castle in Malbork Castle
Pedestrian entrance in interior gate at Malbork Castle	Another gate into Malbork Castle	Inside the Malbork Castle Walls	Brickwork inside the walls of the Middle Castle of Malbork	Ceiling and paintings in the Great Refectory of Malbork Castle
The Great Refectory of Malbork Castle had 14 tall windows and could hold 450 people	Inside the Grand Master's Chambers in Malbork Castle	Medieval heating vents in Grand Master's Chambers in Malbork Castle	The Grand Master's private toilet with door in Malbork Castle	Doors to dumbwaiter in Malbork Castle
Door on outside of the Middle Castle of Malbork	Statues of Grand Masters of Malbork from 1209 -1525	Entrance into the High Castle at Malbork	Decorative brickwork on tower in Malbork Castle	Pedestrian drawbridge into the High Castle at Malbork Castle
Entrance to St. George's Chapel in Malbork Castle	Stained glass in St. George's Chapel in Malbork Castle	The High Castle Courtyard in Malbork Castle	Stork feeding her young sits atop the well in the High Castle Courtyard at Malbork	Watch Tower of the High Castle in Malbork Castle
Malbork Castle kitchen	Scales in Marlbork Castle insured that everyone received the same portions at meals	Inside the Church of Blessed Virgin Mary in Malbork Castle	Statue in the main church at Malbork Castle	Susan in the Winter Refectory in Malbork Castle
Stained Glass in the Winter Refectory of Malbork Castle	Stained glass in small, dark room in Malbork Castle	Exiting Malbork Castle in small, steep, low staircase	Malbork Castle across the Nogat River in Poland	Malbork Castle's Bridge Gate is on the Nogat River in Poland
Going to lunch in a restaurant in Gdansk, Poland	The Brovarnia brewery in the Hotel Gdańsk complex (Poland) was founded in 1690	Pierogis and Polish beer for lunch in Gdansk	Crane gate (14th Century) and other buildings along Motlawa River in Gdansk, Poland	Historic houses on the waterfront in Gdansk, Poland
Modern houses opposite historic houses on the Gdansk, Poland waterfront	Interesting sightseeing vehicle in Gdansk, Poland	'Stągiewna Gate' Tower (1519) in Gdansk, Poland	Interesting vehicle in 'Stągiewna Gate' in Gdansk, Poland	The Green Gate (1568) marks the end of the 'Royal Route' in Gdansk
Historic houses on the 'Royal Route' in Gdansk, Poland	Narrow, painted building on the 'Royal Route' in Gdansk, Poland	Dutch influence in Gdansk, Poland comes from being part of Hanseatic League	Golden House (1609) was the home for several of Gdansk's mayors	Statues of Prudence, Justice, Strength, Temperance & Fortune on the Golden House
Neptune's Fountain (1633)stands in front of Artus Court (1350) on the Royal Route in Gdansk	Gdansk, Poland Town Hall (completed in 1488)	The oldest of Gdańsk carillons was installed on the Main Town Hall tower in 1561	Gdansk Town Hall Clock Tower is topped with a gold statute of Polish King Sigismund II Augustus	The Golden Gate (1614) was the second gate the Polish King passed through on the Royal Route
Gdansk, Poland is called 'the capital of amber'	The Great Armory in Gdansk was part of the defensive walls & was built in 1605	Athena statue on the Great Armory in Gdansk, Poland	St. Mary's Church (1343-1502) is one of the world's three largest brick churches	Pieta in St. Mary's Church is made from polychrome, gilded limestone (1420)
Main Altar & Stained Glass in St. Mary's Church in Gdansk, Poland	Gdańsk astronomical clock (1470) in St. Mary's Church in Gdansk	The Black Madonna at the Church of Saint Mary in Gdansk, Poland	Stained glass over main exit of St. Mary's Church in Gdansk, Poland	Royal Chapel (1681) in Gdansk, Poland
The Four Quarters Fountain in Gdansk, Poland	Susan posing with one of the lions on the corners of the Four Corners Fountain	Amber street market in Gdansk, Poland	St. Mary's Gate at the end of Mariacka Street in Gdansk	Cruising on a branch of the Motława River in Gdansk, Poland
The great waterfront Crane of Gdansk (1483) is a well known symbol of the city	Billy's American Restaurant in Gdansk, Poland	Elvis at the entrance to Billy's American Restaurant in Gdansk, Poland	St Mary's Gate in Gdansk, Poland	Internal Security HQ in Gdansk was used as Gestapo HQ in WWII
The 'Upland Gate' (1576) was formerly known as the 'High Gate' in Gdansk, Poland	Gdansk, Poland Train Station with KFC next door	Monument to People of the Sea at the port of Gdynia, Poland	Seagulls on a pile of coal in the port of Gdynia, Poland	Leaving the port of Gdynia, Poland for the open waters of the Baltic Sea
A Silverseas ship leaving Copenhagen, Denmark as we are arriving into port	The Little Mermaid (1913) is a symbol of Copenhagen, Denmark	Preparing to board sightseeing boat in Copenhagen, Denmark	The Ivar Huitfeldt Column in Copenhagen is dedicated to 498 Danes who died in a 1710 naval battle with Sweden	The Royal Danish Naval Academy (established 1710) is the oldest still-existing officers' academy in the world
Dome of the Marble Church (1894) and steeple of St. Alban's Church (1887) in Copenhagen	Amalienborg Palace (1760) is home to the Danish Royal Family	New apartment complex under construction on Paper Island in Copenhagen	Copenhagen Opera House with 'harbor bus' passing in front	Swimming in the rain in 60 degree water in Copenhagen
Isolated house on an island within the Copenhagen city limits	Kaj Hotel in Copenhagen is 172 square feet of 'Danish comfort'	80 sailors a year are trained on the Danmark -- a fully rigged three-masted ship from 1932	HDMS Sælen is a small coastal submarine of the Royal Danish Navy on display in Copenhagen	HDMS Peder Skram (Frigate) docked beside a 1751 Masting Crane in Copenhagen, Denmark
Canal Cruise in Copenhagen, Denmark	Serpentine spire (1752) on Church of Our Saviour in Copenhagen	Circle Bridge is a bicycle and pedestrian bridge spanning the Christianshavn Canal in Copenhagen	The 'Black Diamond' houses a library and public offices in Copenhagen	'Christian IV's Brewhouse' (1608) was constructed for military purposes as a corner bastion in Copenhagen
Marble Bridge (Marmorbro), Copenhagen was completed in 1744	Our tour boat was built so that it barely fits through the Marble Bridge in Copenhagen	Not much room for error passing under the Marble Bridge in Copenhagen	Saint Nicholas Church and statue of Absalon in Copenhagen	Dragon Spire (1775) tops the Old Stock Exchange (1625) in Copenhagen
Visiting Christiansborg Palace (1928) in Copenhagen, Denmark	Columns in Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen	The Alexandar Room in Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen	The Queen's Library in Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen	Ceiling Mural in Christiansborg Palace
Clock in Christianborg Palace in Copenhagen	The Dining Hall in Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen	1898 porcelain in Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen	The Great Hall in Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen	The Great Hall in Christiansborg Palace is decorated with 17 colourful tapestries
Tapestries in the Great Hall in Christiansborg Palace depict prominent figures that have shaped the history of Denmark	Tapestries in the Great Hall depict 1,100 years of Danish history from the Viking Age to the year 2000	The Velvet Room in Chistiansborg Palace is modelled after the Sun King Louis XIV’s bedroom at the Palace of Versailles	Rug with Danish Royal coat of arms in Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen	Throne Room in Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen
Rosenborg Castle was built by Danish king, Christian IV, in 1606	Inside the Church of Our Lady (Cathedral of Copenhagen)	Statues of apostles in the Cathedral of Copenhagen	Inside the Cathedral of Copenhagen	Statues at the altar in the Cathedral of Copenhagen