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12 SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | SEPTEMBER 2019 By Sharon Cates, Resident SDV residents Steve and Sandra Day are seasoned travelers. Their latest adventure to the Baltic countries, St. Petersburg, Russia and Reykjavik, Iceland, is among the most memorable. The couple's 17-day journey began when they flew on April 23rd from San Diego to Copenhagen, Denmark to meet the 930-passenger Viking Ship Sky. They cruised the Baltic Sea for 15 days. There were six ports of call. The first two days were spent touring Copenhagen. They enjoyed the Tivoli pleasure gardens and the second-oldest operating amusement park in the world. The famous bronze sculpture, the Little Mermaid, sits on a large rock at the Promenade Langelinie. The author of the fairy tale, Hans Christian Anderson, is represented throughout the city. The couple noted that bicycles and motor scooters were popular modes of transportation. The spotless Royal Stables date back to 1790. Well-maintained vintage carriages are used for royal events. It also houses twenty horses, however, in the past there were more than two hundred. Bornholm, Denmark is a 223 square mile island east of the rest of Denmark. Its largest settlement is Ronne. Ronne is known for its historic houses and beautifully crafted grandfather clocks. The fishing village displays a relic Viking ship. Smoked herring is a traditional export. Gotland is Sweden's largest island, 1,229 square miles, population 58,595. The capital city of Visby is a Unesco World Heritage site. It is considered the best-preserved medieval city in Scandinavia and is surrounded by a 3.4-kilometer wall that protects churches and ancient buildings. Tallin is the capital of Estonia and the major financial, industrial, cultural and educational center of the country. From the 13th to the 20th centuries, Tallin was known as Reval. The city honors its past and historic towns are well preserved. Sandra recommends good walking shoes. As in other ancient cities, the cobblestone streets can be hard on the feet. St. Petersburg, Russia has architecture dating back several centuries. The three-hour canal boat excursion gave the couple a feel for the city. The old churches were beautiful as was Catherine's Palace which Steve noted was over whelming with its displays of gold. Cruising into Stockholm through the island chain of the archipelagos was breath taking. The city is the home of the ABBA museum. Sandra noted it was a picturesque city for walking although a bit hilly. To top off their journey, the travelers added another leg. From Stockholm they flew to Reykjavik, the largest city and center of government and cultural activity in Iceland. There they relaxed in the Blue Lagoon, a natural therapeutic hot spring. All buildings are heated by geothermal water. Sandra commented that Scandinavia to Russia to Iceland were all interesting places to visit. You may want to consider adding a trip like this to your bucket list. A Memorable Trip

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