Baltic journey

Saturday June 16 Taxi to London City airport – quite a long way from the Blackwall Tunnel. Used computer in the terminal. The KLM flight was on a small plane and we saw the Olympic site from the air as it was fine. At Rotterdam airport we waited in the observation area and  were surprised to be able to watch the planes from a balcony. Had soup and then got a taxi to the ship – this took a long time because a tunnel to the bridge had been closed. We then waited for ages to go on board as there had been health scares and the whole ship had been cleaned. Throughout the voyage we were urged to use hand cleaning materials at every opportunity. We eventually set off.

Sunday June 17 8 a.m. Mass Fr Tom from St Petersburg late vocation has children and grandchildren. Dale from USA is the reader. To Aiden’s digital camera classes and learnt a lot about sharing photos, tagging them, etc. Formal dinner and excellent show.

Monday June 18 Tai chi at 8 with Tiemen who is excellent and what a view from the Crow’s Nest. Breakfast is served in our room at 7 a.m. Copenhagen. Walked into the centre and saw the opera house and sandcastles. Birde picked us up and took us to Holte by car where Olive was delighted to see us. She looks well for 94 and lives in a lovely flat. We had delicious smorgasbord and got the train back to town and the bus back to the ship. Rain.  Mass at 5 p.m. Ate at the Lido restaurant Good singer and band at the show and string quartet in the lounge delightful. They are from the Ukraine.

Tuesday June 19 Tai chi. Kiel week on saw we saw the tall ships and went onto the Von Humboldt II. 11 a.m. cruise on the 1905 museum shop – saw HMS St Albans and the ships and boats under sail and the start of the Kiel canal. Burger on ship. St Nikolai church has a fine organ. Monastery exhibition on bells. Lake and children’s entertainment. Zoological museum has fine collection of whale skeletons and a good display about the oceans. Mass at 5 we now have an American who leads us in hymns which she starts too low! Adelaide couple at dinner Elliot Finkel pianist show. String quartet.