Day 17 – Back to Boston

We ate breakfast this morning with our new friends that have shared travel experiences during our expedition. Checked our bags at the hotel and received our boarding passes. Checked out of the hotel and boarded the bus to take us back to Kaflavik where our private jet awaited. Collected my tax-free refund in US Dollars at the airport bank, stamped through passport control and onto our jet. Our crew greeted us once again with smiles and flowers at every seat. They could not resist adorning my reindeer with flowers in the antlers—definitely a Kodak moment. Shortly after takeoff, we all roamed the plane to visit with our new friends before we all went our own separate ways. Our flight over Greenland was spectacular. Wayne Ranney, our geological expert was taken aback by our enthusiasm as we all rushed to the windows to take pictures of the glaciers that he had told us about in lectures along the way. Our chef once again prepared a gourmet feast for us to savor on our flight, with all accompaniments—Russian caviar, champagne, etc. Watched a great movie on the way back—For Love of the Game. Bid our last minute farewells to new friends—fellow passengers, crew, lecturers and expedition staff. What an excellent adventure this has been—The Expedition to the Lands of the Midnight Sun!

Day 16 – Reykjavik Whale Watch and the Blue Lagoon

We were part of Group 1-Whale Watch Cruise this morning. As our bus passed the harbor, I pointed out a ship that looked very much like the ship that I sailed to Antarctica in Feburary/March. Looking closer, I saw that it was the SAME ship—Vavilov!
The Akedemik Vavilov was in Reyjavik! Such a small world. From our ship’s three levels for viewing. On the way out to the open ocean, we crusied by Puffin Island to see a large colony of Icelandic Puffins along the shore and in the air. Weather way dry but the seas were a bit rougher with the storm that had passed through yesterday. The first mishap was on the lower deck when a chair collapsed beneath one of our expeditioners and putting the passenger instantly on the floor. Thankfully, she sustained no apparent injuries. Her husband was the second incident, when a large wave upset his balance while standing directly behind his wife. He bounced back as well, and all were thankful that we had our own doctor aboard to assist. This couple is in their eighth decade, and still enjoying travel and life. Hopefully Don and I will still be traveling when we are that age. Not many whales to be seen. Most of the passengers were happy to see smooth waters of the bay on our way into the dock. Many ‘green’ sailors disembarked the whale watching vessel. We met the other group who had hiked in the Heidmork Nature Reserve at the Apotek Bar and Grill in Reykjavik for lunch. Back to the hotel to pickup our bathing suits, back in the bus, and we headed out to visit the famed Blue Lagoon. The huge man-made spa filled with natural warm water is set beside the geothermal plant and is a national landmark for both Icelanders and tourists. We bathed in the refreshing, warm, mineral-rich waters, applied the natural exfoliant by ladel supplied in large wooden boxes along the shore. We sat in the steamroom whose vapor is naturally supplied from the geothermal wells. In the evening we gathered for a festive farewell party at the hotel penthouse restaurant which included a traditional Icelandic meal.

Day 15 Iceland via 4X4

We traveled by four-wheel-drive vehicles through lava fields and fertile farmlands to Thingvellir National Park, a remarkable geological and cultural site where two of the earth’s tectonic plates meet — and where the world’s oldest democratic parliament met for three centuries starting in 930 A.D. We explored Geysir, an area of bubbling hot springs, steaming vents and mud pools, where some 100 geysers periodically erupt in fantastic bursts with one particular geyser shoot water over 80 feet into the air, every 5-8 minutes. We stopped by the scenic Gullfoss, one of the most impressive waterfalls in Europe where most of the group walked down to see the falls up close, only to come back to our white fleet of 4X4s soaking wet. Had my rain pants in my backpack but didn’t go back to put them on. At least I had something to change into when we stopped to enjoy lunch at a local farm. At Langjökull Glacier, weather deteriorated and the thrilling snowmobile ride on the glacier was cancelled. Our vehicles did take us down to the edge of the glacier where we took pictures quickly out the windows to avoid the sleet, wind and rain. Enjoyed conversation with our driver on the 2 hour drive back to the hotel. Romantic dinner for 2 at Laekjarbrekka Restaurant, recommended by our driver. My menu choice was the Lobster Feast, and Don chose the Gormet Feast. Bumped into some of our new friends on the walk back to the hotel.

Day 14 Welcome to Iceland

Our breakfast lecture today was presented by Wayne Ranney: Iceland: Its Geysers, Volcanoes, and Glaciers Through Time. This gave us a primer to the country we were about to visit. Our private jet landed in Keflavik, Iceland at 10:30am after a 3 hour 30 minute flight from Estonia turning our clocks back 3 hours. After clearing customs, we were bussed to Reykjavik (rake-a-vick) about 20 minutes away. The airport at Reykjavik is for domestic flights and not well equipped for larger aircraft. Our guide took us on a tour of the city situated on a volcanic peninsula overlooking the sea. Iceland’s capital was first settled by the Vikings in the ninth century. Arriving in Reykjavik, the northernmost capital city in the world, our guide took us on a tour to the old town center, Parliament building and unique Hallgrimskirkja (church), the country’s tallest building. Aerni suggested the best view was at the “Pearl” a dome structure built in the middle of 5 huge hot water storage tanks located on a hill overlooking the city—a panorama for pictures. Checked into the Radisson in the late afternoon and attended Terje Leiren’s lecture Sagas and the Deomcratic Heritage – Iceland in the Viking Age. On our dine around for this evening, we went to the Café Reykajvik—A large restaurant with a nightly buffet of Icelandic spectalities where we visited Ice Bar #2. Unlike the one in Finland, this Ice Bar had no place to sit. Obviously no one stayed in the “freezer” any longer than necessary for pictures!

Day 13—Tallinn Estonia and Lahemaa National Park

We started the day in Tallinn. Another beautiful morning. Our tour today took us to the countryside. We toured a country Manor and even made our own iron nails. Don's putting the finishing touches on his nail in the photo. From there we went to the Gulf of Finland and took a much needed 3K walk through the woods. The day was not as tiring as some have been on the trip, but we had to pack for further adventures in Iceland nonetheless. Midnight sunset over Tallinn was beautiful.

Day 12—Finland to Estonia

We visited a local reindeer farm this morning. All reindeer in Finland are owned leaving no reindeer in the wild. Each reindeer farmer/owner has their own “brand” which is a notch on the ear. Our group was greeted by a Sami family that guided us into a smoke filled tee-pee like structure for a special ‘crossing the arctic circle ceremony . Each of us were notched on the back of the neck (in pantomime) and given dust of reindeer antler—known to locals as an aphrodisiac. Some fed the reindeer as they swatted flies and mosquitoes from their hoofs with the new large antlers, still covered with velvet. The albino reindeer was quite unusual. Reindeer are actually cousins to caribou, with a sleeker body and longer legs adapted to bounding through much deeper snow. We took a taxi from the reindeer farm to chill out at the Ice Bar—an icy experience in the middle of summer. Located at Santa Park—Santa Claus’ Cavern, we descended about 40 meters into the rock cave. Temperatures in the cavern were more comfortable than the unusual 80°F weather outside with no pesky insects (mosquitoes, flies, etc) and no crowds. The bar at Santa Park is made entirely from ice and reindeer pelts and is a steady -15 degrees Celsius. We met Santa Claus, got his autograph and saw the Elf School. Unfortunately, we were not allowed in the workshop. However, we could hear the Elves, busily working away for next Christmas. Shortly we left Santa Park and met our group at the airport where we once again boarded our private jet and flew to Tallinn, Estonia.
We cleared customs and immigration in Tallinn where buses waited to take us to the Old City. The city of Tallinn spreads south from the edge of Tallinn Bay on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland. We took the walking tour through Upper Town where we saw many structures which were characteristic of medieval Tallinn, then descended stairs to the Lower Town winding through small lanes and courtyards, and visited the St. Nicholas Church with its magnificent icons.

Day 11 – Let’s Fly to Finland

Our flight to Finland from St Petersburg was a quick one—flight time of 1 hr 30 min. We arrived at the official airport of Santa Claus in Roveniemi Finland which is located right on the Arctic Circle. After clearing customs and immigration, we proceeded to Santamus (private) restaurant for lunch. We were greeted with an amber colored beverage in small wooden cups with thin leather lanyards. The drink was one that needed an acquired taste to appreciate, as most of us dumped our cups on the plants, as it tasted like liquid reindeer fertilizer. Santamus is a dream come true for its owner, Matti Korva and Elina Viitala. The 33-cornered building was completely burned down by some German visitors in the sauna that they apparently overheated. Rebuilt two years ago in the shape of a gold nugget, the dim lighted interior contains a small pond, babbling stream, numerous candles and a splendid log fire; which was quite warm with the outside temperatures pushing the mercury to 80°F—very atypical weather for the Finland. Crossing the Arctic Circle is a memorable experience. Music on the kantele played by Matti, chiming bells from the Konevitsa monastery set the mood. The ceremony includes the store of Santamus and a boat that arrives out of the mist to the sounds of the sea. We visited the Arktikum , the Museum of the North, housed in a unique glass-roofed building for a special private visit. Santa’s youngest sister was our guide through the house includes the Provincial Museum of Lapland and the Arctic Science Center. Dinner tonight was at the Vaattunki Lodge, a “Lumberjack House” located just outside Rovaniemi in a beautiful forested area next to a rushing stream. Our entrée was grouse that tasted like it could have possibly been reindeer liver. Preferred the Lumberjack House, not the grouse. Entertainment included Lapland local singing and dance, complete in Lappi costume.

Day 10 – From Catherine’s Palace to a Gala at Peterhoff

Our day began with a ride to the suburb of Tsar’s Village to visit Catherine’s Palace and the Amber Room. This palace was almost destroyed during the Nazi occupation if WWII, but has been under renovation since 1944. Catherine’s Palace currently houses collections of paintings of Western European artists. The Amber Room was just that—a room which was “wall-papered” with mosaic panels of amber. In the afternoon, we had about an hour to visit the flea market in St Petersburg right beside the Church of Spilled Blood with its colorful onion-shaped spires.

Gala at Peterhoff: We all dressed up (as much as travelers can) and were bussed to the banks of the Neva River. We boarded a very comfortable hydrofoil that jetted our group across the Gulf of Finland in fine fashion to Petrodvorets (Peter’s Palace). The Palace, also known as Peterhoff, was the summer palace of Peter the Great, an eminent Tsar of Russia, as extravagant as palace at Versailles (France). Long rectangular reflecting ponds accommodated the string of fountains that enhanced the walkway that led to the palace. The fountains are not normally activated for the public—only by special request. We watched as the grand streams of water added to the ambience of the walkway. Our group was ushered to the terrace for a champagne toast, while the general public, restricted from our reception, must have wondered who we were and where we were from. We enjoyed a special late opening after the palace was closed to the public, as our tour guides pointed out particulars of the palace. All of our small tour groups gathered as the doors of the Golden Ball Room opened to reveal the spectacular gala dinner setting, just for us. As we entered the room, the string quartet dressed in the fashion that reminded me of colonial days in America complete with powder-white wigs, played music appropriate for a royal dinner party. The courtly wait staff were decked out in their white/gold colonial costumes which matched the décor of the room—tall wall palace walls decorated in gold leaf. I felt like a Queen, and Don a King, as we were seated at our table. Entertainment also included a performance by a noted Russian Opera soprano who sang two songs for our dinner pleasure. Her voice was so outstanding, I noticed that no one was eating during her performance. We had a meal beyond my expectations. Our printed dinner menu will remain an icon in our travel journal notebook. I had to ask Don to wake me up, as I felt as if I was dreaming. Our gala dinner in the Golden Ball Room at Peterhoff was definitely fit for a King/Queen.

Day 9 – A Full Day in St Petersburg--From the Hermitage to Giselle

Our wakeup call came too early, but we made it to our private breakfast in the ballroom of the hotel’s Winter Garden Restaurant. Charles presented his lecture: Russian Riches: Scythian Gold, Imberial Collections and Fabrege Eggs. He wanted to give us a preview as to what we were about to see in the treasure of the Hermitage. We began our private tour of the Hermitage Museum earlier than the museum normally opens to the public, thus avoiding crowds. The tour took us through the winter palace of Catherine the Great—the Russian ruler who never wore the same dress twice. She had over 15,000 dresses when she died at age 62. Paintings from Rembrandt, Da Vinci, along with Monet and Van Gogh are in the museum among countless other great artists. Our guide through the treasury was a petite, perky young Russian woman who recited details about the exquisite items in the display cases while using a pointer that reminded me of a chop stick. Made us all wonder how many shots of espresso she had this morning.
We bargained with the vendors outside the Hermitage and collected wooden dolls, magnets for my refrigerator, and a Russian hat made of fox.
We stopped at the Bellini Restaurant for lunch. The Bellini is a new restaurant whose décor is plain with chandelier replicas of the first type used by Peter the Great. The partridge was delightful and the view spectacular. Back on the bus Galina, our local guide let us know that dinner entrees there begin at $200 per plate. We dropped a few off at the hotel and continued with a bus tour of the city stopping occasionally for photos. Nap time followed at the hotel as we had two hours before dinner. We dressed for the ballet and met our group for dinner, before boarding the bus for the St Petersburg Mussorgsky State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater. Giselle, the ballet-fantasy was performed in two acts. The orchestra was grand and the dance superb. All those that attended were impressed.

Day 8 – St Petersburg Russia

Checked out of our hotel in Visby and boarded the bus to take us to the airport where once again, our jet awaited. Our Swedish guide Marguerite gave us a story about the Trolls—If a Troll came out of the forest in front of our bus and cast a spell, we all had the power to lift the spell. Everyone would have to take off their clothes and put them back on inside-out and backwards. The bus driver was careful not to drive close to the forest which would attract the Trolls!

Our short flight to St Petersburg Russia, one of Europe’s grandest cities, was comfortable. We walked down the stairs of the plane, as the airport appears not to have our modern “Jetways.” We had our passports stamped at immigration along with the entrance/departure card. The passport agent neglected to give me my departure half. The Agent came out of her booth and gave it to me. I will need it to get out of the country. We were greeted by our Russian guide who gave us a description of the areas we passed through. We had a great lunch at a hotel beside the War Memorial. We were greeted in fine Russian fashion with a lady in costume presenting us with Russian “salt” bread. Traditional greeting where the guest grabs the bread and breaks off a piece to dip in the salt cup atop the expertly designed round loaf. Russians eat their large meal at lunch, and ours was no exception. Following lunch we toured St Issac’s Cathedral in close proximity to our hotel. The cathedral was ornate and colorful. The columns near the main alter were blue (lapis stone) and green (malachite) made from semi-precious stones constructed in a veneer of lapis (or malachite) over bronze.
We checked into the Hotel Astoria and had a chance to freshen up before dinner. Following dinner, we walked to the Blue Bridge near the hotel for our one hour cruise—where we had our first Russian vodka—along the Neva River and the canals of St Petersburg. Our cruise ended at the pier of the Peter and Paul Fortress, the city’s oldest structure. This fortress is set on beautiful grounds and the historic cathedral with its needle-thin spire and Baroque interior is the burial ground of Russian royalty. We were treated to a special performance by the Russian choir from the Valaam Monastery. Their voices resonated throughout the acoustically designed cathedral where we were the prized audience.
Back at the hotel, we met some fellow travelers in the hotel bar for some better Russian vodka served in a small chilled stemmed glass. It was the local brew and very good.