Travel: Warnemunde & Rostock, Germany

Day 11 was one of the most unexpected pleasant surprises! (Day 10 we were at sea - calm and relaxing.)  On this port call, many passengers opted to take the cruisetour to Berlin.  (We had just been two weeks before, so "check, been there"!)  I had read some reviews of the port and many comments mentioned going to Rostock.  A 15 minute train ride and we were in beautiful Rostock.  We stepped off the tram at the large town square and headed for the open market of kiosks selling huge pretzels, sausages on buns, sample platters of sausages and it all smelled "oh-so-good".  Rostock has a long pedestrian street brimming with shops selling breads, or cakes, or (more) sausages, produce, groceries, department stores, electronic goods, shoes, eye-wear, souvenirs and more.  The street wasn't busy with tourists (most were in Berlin) but locals

with shopping carts trailing behind them was a common site.  There was an interesting item though:  a lady who converted a bicycle to a coffee "shop".  Great idea, right?
We walked all through the shops and decided to cross the park and head towards the waterfront.  Rostock waterfront was preparing for a fair and old sailing ship regatta taking place the next few days.  Tents were setting up and many old ships were docked along the seafront.  We walked and walked and walked...realizing we had to find our way back and have lunch.  We circled back through some of the residential streets and, like magic, we were at the town square once again!  Lunch was at the Rathaus - the mayor's building.  Instead of dining in the Rathaus' lower level we opted for a great outdoor lunch served with a refreshing cold beer.  A short walk to the tram and back to Warnemunde!

The train arrives to the Warnemunde, the last stop so no getting lost!  We decide it is early enough in the afternoon and the ship won't depart until late evening (the trip to Berlin is an all day affair).  As we leave the station, we see a few kiosks selling souvenirs and take a "nosy" look at them and continue with  our stroll.  There is a small bridge ahead and when we cross over, we are upon a most delightful seaside village!  There are lots of people strolling about, pushing carriages or lining up to buy freshly prepared fish from a restaurant boat (take out only!) from any one of the dozen or so of this eateries!  There is a lawn area separating the waterside from the shop side of the street...where relaxing holiday makers are sitting on benches under shady trees enjoying ice-cream cones, watching the world walk or sail by.  We had such smiles on our faces - as if we stumbled upon a secret - that Germans actually do relax and let time slip away while doing nothing at all!  At the end of this promenade was the beach - the wide beach stretched for miles and many were soaking up the late afternoon sun.  Dare I say, a few were even in the water! (Brrr - c'mon this is northern Germany, on the Baltic Sea!!)  Skirting back behind the beach was a quiet lane that curved its way to a charming town square and then onto an absolutely adorable street with tiny cottages (A-frame) most of which were available to rent for a week or month.  Mental note made:  we should come here in the height of summer heat and enjoy the uncrowded, relaxed seaside town!  Strolling even farther, we can upon the "downtown" section where groceries, pharmacy and banking could be found.  By this time, we have been walking all day (except for the lunch in Rostock) and needed a rest.  We found a fantastic spot: a quaint little hotel with a shady front porch serving wine (by the glass or bottle) while overlooking all the passersby as they crossed the bridge.  Perfect!  An ice cold bottle of water accompanied our wine...and we sipped for hours watching the life go by - in Italian it is called "la dolce far niente" which means the sweetness of doing nothing.  And so it was...

Now, enjoy the short video of the day....
Fifi

Travel: Cruise Stops - Riga (Latvia) and Klaipeda, Lithuania

Days 8 and 9 were stops in two unique ports:  Latvia and Lithuania.  When we first visited Tallinn, Estonia several years back, we were told that Riga, too, was well worth the visit and still "undiscovered" by mainstream tourists. Klaipeda, Lithuania was a city I knew nothing about and piqued my interest.

Riga, founded in 1201, has both an old town (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and a new town.  Lucky for us, our ship was the only one to arrive that Sunday morning and we had the town to ourselves.  A short walk from the riverfront dock, the old town's spires beckoned.  Wow...it was charming, delightful, peaceful and we could not wait to explore the winding streets and shady lanes.  We wandered up and down the cobblestoned roads, peering into store windows with smiles upon our faces.  As we came upon the side of the beautiful church, there was a young girl (maybe 12 years old?) who was playing a zither and singing so sweetly we had to stop, listen and toss a few coins into the zither case.  It was heavenly!
We walked from old town to the new town which seem to sprawl into quite a large modern city - complete with a few Soviet-era buildings as a reminder of history.  There was a basketball "tournament" going on with several teams competing in the various half-courts - the many spectators found seats, or benches and many enjoyed a beer as the games played on!  A great lunch, with local wine, and the late afternoon sun reminded us, it was time to head back on board.

Klaipeda, Lithuania - the country's name evokes thoughts of the "Iron Curtain" and post-WW2 history classes.  Upon disembarking we were greeted by locals dressed in traditional clothing dancing to folkloric music - absolutely charming!  Afterwards, we walked along a lovely little waterway with fishing boats, a charming hotel and a cute "bridge".  The walk into town was short and found ourselves on the main avenue on the verge of a facelift.  Many of the buildings were freshly painted, unique boutiques with large picture windows showcased creative displays.  An intersecting  avenue was adorned with beautiful flowering pots hanging from street lamps leading one to the main town square where government buildings and the cultural center were located.  The town square was hosting a small market with home-made goods and foods where locals shopped and chatted among themselves.   A little further away, we found our way to another produce/flea market...by this time it was almost noon on a Monday and the few vendors were quietly standing alongside their fruits, veggies or clothing stalls.  While Klaipeda is the third largest city in Lithuania (the capital is Vilnius), it has somehow managed to retain a quaint unhurried way of life - except when 2000 cruise passengers amble their way into town!  Our walk back to the ship was detained for a few minutes...the "cute" bridge was open and was not scheduled to be closed for another 15 minutes.  Bemused passengers waited patiently, some in the shade, some sipping beers or surfing the net (free Wi-Fi).  At the scheduled moment, two men approached a section of bridge, inserted a huge iron "T" into a fitting and with sheer strength began walking in a circle and pushing the iron "T" thus bringing the bridge towards the closed position!  Definitely quaint and certainly unhurried.  I wonder if the next few years of cruise ships calling on Klaipeda will change her...I hope not.

Enjoy the double video!