Backfrom the Baltic

Well, here we are back in harness, putting WoW together, catching up with emails and getting the grub in.

We had a wonderful holiday and I take back all I said about cruises. I thought we would be bored but we loved all of it and, after three consecutive days of excursions, we were just so glad to have a day at sea to rest.

Such a good way of seeing the world. I loved Stockholm and Tallin, could happily move to Copenhagen or Lubeck and found Russia interesting but not my favourite.  I had so wanted to see the Hermitage but it was, understandably, not a very long tour and we only saw Western Art. I love the Impressionists but I had so hoped for icons. So St Petersburg was not exactly a dissapoinment, but not as expected. We did love the ceiling in the Hermitage and were very taken by a friendly russian cat who lives at the Peter and Paul fortress. He looked very well fed and we wondered if his name was Killmouseski.

I did lots of sketchbook stuff but it was harder than Australia to find natural colouring materials. You may remember that I challenged myself not to take any art stuff. This is my front page. I did find a bit of mascara was useful sometimes to darken things down and I went on a shipboard class to make paper flowers and so gained some crepe paper which leaked dye beautifully. I also found that I am rubbish at making paper flowers.

The page below shows Copenhagen - a lovely city. Had to use a teabag to colour the pages. Thank goodness for the little pogo printer. I used it such a lot. I know that if I don't do most of the book on holiday it just won't get done at home.

Thes next two pages are also Copenhagen. We had a lovely meal of salted herring, sitting by a canal in the sun and sharing a table with some very jolly Danes. I was pleased with the little folder that the hotel key came in as I was able to make a fastener from a needle threader in my complimentary sewing kit. This held one of those cape gooseberry things that the ship used a lot to decorate puddings - a sweet momento. I couldn't buy glue anywhere and was forced to purchase a puncture repair kit at a bike hire place.

You can also see a house, under renovation, wrapped in lace-printed plastic. Now there's a thought.

This page (below) incorporated a pop up map bought in Denmark. Sadly I didn't find it easier to fold than the usual kind.

This is an Estonian town called Tallin. It was just wonderful with old walls, old towers, decorative gates and doors. Must do some more sketching. It even had balalaika players in the old square. They were very good.

I was very pleased to get a view of the bridge that goes from Denmark to Sweden (I think it is called the Oresund bridge) from the plane as we landed and also from the ship, as we sailed. Pure fluke to get two different types of  vessel in the shot. I couldn't see a body, though, in either pic.

I am sure to have lots more stuff to bore you with but it's time to see what we might eat for tea. Ooh I did love not having to cook.