My Baltic Adventure

My Baltic Adventure

Postby Daffyd » Thu Sep 20, 2007 8:10 pm

I felt it was time to leave these shores
And explore the lands to the North
So I booked myself a Baltic cruise
And I got my money's worth.
I set sail from the Southampton port
The skies were an azure blue
Bearing left through the English channel
Then heading North on the compass true.

Kristiansand was my first port of call
I was greeted by a local moose
Albeit stuffed, and set on wheels
Aye, chained so it would not get loose.
The scenery, the architecture,
The history turned ones head
It was a place I was loathe to leave
But my itinery pointed North instead.

Aye North to Copenhagen
I saw the Mermaid on the rock
Further on to the port of Helsinki
And another fabulous place to dock.
Still further North to St Petersburgh
A magnificent Russian port
Catherine Palace in all its splendour
Ensured you weren't sold short.

One cannot relate the Baltic tale
By omitting ports of call
So full astern me hearties
And I'll try and include them all.
Leaving Copenhagen and the Mermaid on the rock
We headed north to Visbly, an island paradise
A force six gale sprang up
And the swell was not very nice.

We could not berth alongside
Nor use tenders to the shore
So we just had to ride out the sudden storm
We couldn't do much more.
This cruising crowd are hardy
And they enjoy this holiday time at sea
There was little sign of mal-de-mer
We all turned up for tea.

We set a course for Stockholm
And arrived there in great style
With a Swedish band to greet us..... ...
Tour buses lined up, in single file.
A truly wonderful city
Seen on a bright warm sunny day
Wide boulevards and great green parks
Shop assistants, who had a smile and winning way.

I touched upon Helsinki.................
A favourite port of mine
I visited the Olympic Stadium
And sampled a wee glass of the local wine.......
A photographic paradise
Architecture to stun the mind
Finland is a treasure trove
Any fault was hard to find.

St Petersburg, the jewel in the crown
Deserves an accolade of its own
For plain words cannot describe
The spendour that was shown.
The palaces, the massive public squares
The churches, tall spires and golden dome...........
The bridges and the waterways
This is what we came to see, this is why we all left home.

Little Lithuania offered us a newly opened port
Klaipeda, new on the tourist trail
The wooden structured buildings
Tried to impress, they didn't fail
So different from the grandeur
We had encountered upon this cruise
We were met by dancing schoolchildren
Who had been sent to us amuse............

Then we set sail for England
Southampton, and then onward home
Having cruised the Baltic
No more this year to roam.
Daffyd
 

Postby Maywalk » Thu Sep 20, 2007 9:29 pm

That was brilliant Daffyd.

I really enjoyed that cruise.
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Postby Rowan » Thu Sep 20, 2007 11:14 pm

Glad you had such a good time Daffyd
Avoid the evil, and it will avoid thee.
Gaelic Proverb

Ad eundum quo nemo ante iit.
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