![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.beckerleytravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/IMG_48621.jpg\" "\\"IMG_4862\\"")
<\/a>The Celebrity Constellation<\/p><\/div>\n
The first day we were at sea. On the July 29 we arrived in Warnemunde, Germany. This is a quaint beach town the Europeans often vacation in. We took a train from there to Rostock. In Rostock we walked about town and enjoyed sitting by the central fountain watching the activity there.It was a lovely sunny day.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Entering Warnemunde<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>The fountain and main square of Rostock<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Warnemunde Beach and lighthouse<\/p><\/div>\n
July 30 was a day at sea. We had great weather and laid by the pool for a while. Love the spa on the Constellation where we could swim indoors and take a sauna. There is a wonderful health food bar where we would eat our breakfast and lunch away from the crowds.<\/p>\n
Day 5 of the cruise we arrived in Stockholm. Here we had a morning tour of the city and visited the “Ice Bar”. This is a bar made all from ice! Very cold. We loved Stockholm. I wish I had more time to explore this city more.<\/p>\n
<\/a>View of Stockholm from the City Hall<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>City street<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>John in the Ice Bar<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Dancing in the Street<\/p><\/div>\n
We walked the City after our tour and joined the “Pride Parade”. That was a huge parade and very entertaining. We were back on board at 5PM.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Firefighters watching the parade<\/p><\/div>\n
Aug 1, 2010<\/p>\n
Our 40th wedding Anniversary found us in Helsinki, another jewel of a City on our incredible journey . Here we experienced the on and off bus. This was a great way to move about and see all the important sights.<\/p>\n
The Uspenski Cathedral<\/p><\/div>\n The Lutheran Church<\/p><\/div>\n Tonight we had a unbelievable meal in the Ocean Liner Restaurant on board the Constellation. It was the best lobster I ever ate! It was a great way to celebrate our anniversary.<\/p>\n Aug. 2 – St. Petersburg<\/p>\n We spent 2 days in St. Petersburg – Day 1 we took a morning excursion which was a bus tour of the City with a few stops then a walking tour of St. Isaacs. After the tour we took a boat ride and visited the Yusupov Palace. It would take weeks to see all of this grand City. The time we had there we accomplished a lot and enjoyed all the sights.<\/p>\n This church is known to Petersburgers as the Church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood - or even just the Church on the Blood - as it marks the spot where Alexander II was fatally wounded in an assassination attempt on March 1, 1881. Designed by Alfred Parland in the style of 16th and 17th-century Russian churches, the Church of the Resurrection provides a stark (some would say jarring) contrast to its surroundings of Baroque, Classical and Modernist architecture.<\/p><\/div>\n The Vacation vignette group in front of St. Isaac's Cathedral<\/p><\/div>\n The second day in St. Petersburg we visited the Hermitage. We were there 3 hours- you need 3 weeks to see this incredible world of architecture and art. With over 3 million items in its collection, it also definitely rewards repeat visits, and new-comers can only hope to get a brief taste of the riches on offer here, from Impressionist masterpieces to fascinating Oriental treasures. One estimate has it that you would need eleven years to view each exhibit on display for just one minute. We took a tour which just touched the highlights.<\/p>\n Part of the Hermitage<\/p><\/div>\n Ceiling in Hermitage<\/p><\/div>\n Sculpture in Hermitage<\/p><\/div>\n We took a informative and wonderfully relaxing boat ride through St. Petersburg. This gave a a wonderful overview of the lay out of this Grand City. Inside the Yusupov Palace<\/p><\/div>\n Cathedral of SS Peter and Paul<\/p><\/div>\n View from the River<\/p><\/div>\n The Mikhailovsky (St Michael's) Castle<\/p><\/div>\n Aug. 4-Tallin<\/p>\n Entering Tallin<\/p><\/div>\n Alexandra Nevski Cathedral- Built at turn of 20th century<\/p><\/div>\n Main town square and Farmer market<\/p><\/div>\n Walking about town<\/p><\/div>\n Aug 5 and 6<\/p>\n We had a day at sea after Tallin which was very relaxing and a nice break after all our touring. In the evening we went out on deck for our sailing under the third largest bridge in the world connecting Sweden and Denmark. It was really pretty all lit up and a gorgeous moon.<\/p>\n Aug. 7 was our last stop – Copenhagen.<\/p>\n We had such a fun day walking Copenhagen. We had wanted to rent bikes , but ended up walking instead and taking a boat ride. Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark, the smallest country in Scandinavia. Famous architects that have worked here include Arne Jacobsen, Jorn Utzon and Henning Larsen. The city is located by the sea on the east coast of Sealand, opposite Sweden. Copenhagen used to be a walled city and the embankments are still visible in Christianshavn.<\/p>\n Entering Copenhagen from the port- St. Alben's Church<\/p><\/div>\n John, the fountain and main square<\/p><\/div>\n The Opera house with flying roof<\/p><\/div>\n colorful canals<\/p><\/div>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>
\nAlthough just 300 years old, St. Petersburg has a rich and exciting history, full of dramatic events and major historical figures. Founded in 1703 by Emperor Peter the Great as his “window on the West”, St. Petersburg enjoys a vibrant, cosmopolitan atmosphere and some of the most beautiful architecture in Europe. For those interested in culture and history, St. Petersburg is the perfect holiday destination<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>Tallin is a very old town and is the capital of Estonia. At the historical and medieval heart of the city is the hill of Toompea, covered in cobbled streets and filled with medieval houses and alleyways.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>