Let me begin by saying that in many ways this is the most complicated itinerary I have planned. Would I suggest it for you? If you are comfortable with detail and some uncertainty...then yes! What we saw in ten days is even difficult to summarize on paper. You could do portions of this trip and have an amazing time. Where to begin?
Tip: The long summer days offer a great opportunity for an action packed itinerary in Iceland.
Though most visitors in the past viewed Iceland during a one or two night stopover in Reykjavik on the way to Europe, it has become a popular place to experience the outdoors for an extended length of time. After visiting many amazing destinations, I am not easily impressed. The pressure was on tiny Iceland. The second largest island in Europe, it extends over two continental plates and this explains the occurrence of volcanoes, mountain range formations and remarkable scenic beauty. The adventure began in Reykjavik, the northernmost capital city in the world, approximately 3,000 miles from Chicago. My advise is that when your overnight flight arrives in the early morning it is best to stay up to acclimate your body to the time change. (Relaxing is allowed...no napping!)
We rented a car for our journey and drove 20 minutes to experience pure bliss. I had read about the Blue Lagoon in many travel articles as it has been voted the best medical spa worldwide. The therapeutic, milky blue, mineral rich waters of the Blue Lagoon are heated by the earth's natural forces. The geothermal seawater is known for its healing power and reportedly relieves jet lag. (Of course I had to investigate the validity of this claim. ) We arrived before the Blue Lagoon opened. Breakfast was being served in the Lava Restaurant built into a cliff so it featured a natural lava wall. The roof of the restaurant had a platform with a stunning view of the lagoon and the surrounding area. I was all ready to renew my relationship with nature and we soaked for several hours covering ourselves with white silica mud, an exfoliant which naturally strengthens the skin's barrier, provided in boxes around the lagoon. Reportedly it brings out the skin's inner glow. (Check out their online store.) Needless to say the Blue Lagoon was a huge hit and we were refreshed for our adventure. Interestingly we did not experience jet lag.
A great map was invaluable. I had considered taking a flight from Reykjavik to Hofn, but my research convinced me to drive the southern coast of Iceland. The scenery was spectacular and did not disappoint. There are 15 active volcanoes in Iceland. Along the way we passed the Eyhafhallahokull Volcano which erupted in 2010 and caused chaos in Europe for weeks. Iceland may only have 320,000 people but it's impact on the world can be devastating.
That evening after a long drive with impromptu stops along the way to witness amazing waterfalls and scenery, we stayed at a guest house in Hofn on the southwest coast of the island. Hofn is known to be the lobster capital of northern Europe. We were near the base of the breathtaking Vatnajokull Glacier, the world's largest glacier outside of the arctic regions. This area offers lots of hiking, scenic views, historical sites and quaint towns. The next day with sunrise at 3am, we took a 40 minute boat ride on the mysterious Jokulsarlon Lagoon, only available in the summertime. The lagoon was peaceful. We wound our way through floating luminous bright blue icebergs that had split apart from the glacier. This lagoon has been the setting for four Hollywood movies. Tour operators conduct snowmobile and jeep tours to visit the glacier along the winding lagoon.
Interesting Fact: The lagoon, a mixture of sea and salt water, does not freeze on its own. After two weeks of purposeful salt water deprivation, it froze over for the filming of the James Bond movie Die Another Day.
The next two days we drove for hours in awe of the ever changing landscape. There were so many "stop the car" vistas. Glaciers and mountains are a recipe for abundant waterfalls and those we saw were spectacular. My favorite was Dettifoss which blew me away with its sheer power. The words natural and raw come to mind. No guard rails here! Access to the waterfall was a challenge, but that is part of the intrigue. The drive was rough and rugged, eerily peaceful, and the landscape was lunar....felt like I was on the moon at times. A newly paved road had just been completed. We took the more challenging route. What adventure would there be in a newly paved road?
We drove along the rugged coastline of the East Fjords with their towering mountains and charming fishing villages. Our next overnight was in the northern part of Iceland, near Husavik, reported to be THE place for spotting whales. If you have kept up with my blog, you do know that I have been whale watching several times. Please view these clips below. Humpback whales love to entertain by showing off their acrobatic talents.
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Humpback Whale at the side of the fishing boat, right below me.
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I wanted to take a 30 minute flight to Grimsey, a small island situated directly on the Arctic Circle, but we simply did not have enough time. In the end, I believe that there is no place in the world like Iceland.
Thought: The Icelandic folk tradition is steeped in elves, fairies, giants and trolls. The landscape inspires superstition. It is reported that half of Icelanders still believe in elves.
We took a flight from Akeuryi in the north of Iceland, overnighted in Reykjavik, which could be a blog entry unto itself, and then took a 2 1/2 hr flight to Stockholm, Sweden.
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Part 2: August 15 - 19, 2011
The Baltic Countries
The night before our cruise was to depart we stayed at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm, categorized as one of the Leading Hotels of the World. Today, Stockholm is a cosmopolitan city that remains one of the business centers of northern Europe. With all of the traveling I felt that we needed to slow down just a bit. The Nordic Life Spa at this hotel provided just the answer. The Swedes live by the following treatment. Shower and than visit the warm sauna for five minutes. Immediately take a refreshing plunge in the cold bath provided. (This is the tough part but is essential!) Repeat several times. This releases muscular tension, eliminating toxins and improving circulation. Was I ready for the second part of the adventure!
Made up of 14 islands and part of the mainland, Stockholm has more than 50 bridges connecting all of its different parts. The heart of Stockholm is Gamla Stan (Old Town) which has narrow cobble stoned streets and tourist-friendly shops in buildings dating to the 15th century. There are lively, trendy restaurants and bars everywhere. The Ostermalm District resembles areas of Paris with large tree-lined boulevards and avenues. Stockholm's appreciation of its culture and heritage shows in its theaters, concert halls and galleries.
Tip: A 90 minute ferry to the island of Grinda is suggested. The boat chugs past some of the most stunning scenery. It is never completely dark in Stockholm mid-June to mid-July.
Our ship left out of Stockholm and a cruise was really perfect for the second half of our journey. As we sailed out of Stockholm at 5pm we were treated to miles of more than 24,000 islands that make up the Stockholm archipelago, a paradise for boaters from all over northern Europe. The scenery was magical and breathtaking, and oh so relaxing.
Our first port was Estonia, a former Soviet republic which declared its independence in 1991. Now it is fast gaining popularity as an exciting cruise port destination. We had reserved a private guide through a tour operator that I use often. She was wonderful and gave us an understanding of the struggles which this small country of 1.3 million people had endured to become independent. Over the ages, foreign domination and repression have recurred with regularity in Estonia but its citizens have eventually triumphed. The main attractions of Estonia are medieval architecture, historic sites, scenic islands and the countryside. Many Estonians still have a strong bias against Russians - a result of the decades of Soviet rule in the country. That sentiment came through during our tour.
Observation: Tallin, Esonia seems flooded with Finns and other Scandinavians who've gone over to take advantage of lower prices than they'll find at home. In terms of language, Estonian (official), Russian, English and German are frequently spoken.
Tip: Don't skip lunch and expect a large late dinner. Unlike other European countries, lunch is the main meal and dinner is a light meal served well before 9pm.
The Estonians love to celebrate! As an example, The Song Festival, held in July once every five years, is spectacular. Thousands of singers don ethnic garb and perform traditional Estonian folk songs and dances to huge audiences. A medieval market with music and dancing is held in Tallin during the first week of July. Another interesting event which we witnessed is the International Tallin Flower Festival, which is held from the last week in May through the end of August.
Our third day was in St. Petersburg, Russia. The only country that required a visa on this vacation was Russia. You could not get off the ship in St. Petersburg unless you were on a shore excursion with the ship or if you were bound by an officially licensed tour operator, cleared by the Russian government. Generally when on a cruise I like to book my shore excursions through a company that is not affiliated with the cruise line. The excursions are excellent, the price is comparable to that of the ship or even better, and the groups are generally much smaller. We had to disembark and proceed to immigration control with our passport and the tour ticket. (If you did not present these you could not get off the ship.) During the whole tour we could not be unattended at any point. Serious business!
What a day. We docked in St. Petersburg at 7am and the ship was scheduled to leave that evening at 11:50pm. St Petersburg is the most westernized of Russia's cities. Its grand architecture echoes the great cities of Europe, and there are seemingly endless museums full of staggering quantities of treasure. St. Petersburg sprawls along the banks of the Neva River and runs through the heart of the city, dividing it into 60 islands. It is both the home of the Imperial Royal Family and where the foundations of the Communist Party were laid.
One day in St. Petersburg is simply not enough time but our 10.5 hr tour ( small group of 12 people) did hit the highlights. Our English speaking guide Sophia, was entertaining and relayed a wealth of information during the course of the tour. The most noteworthy sites were The Hermitage, Peterhof, and Catherine's Palace.
The Hermitage Museum ranks among the world's oldest and finest. Its collection in 5 buildings, compromises nearly 3 million items, including the largest collection of paintings in the world. You can breathe in different cultures and reflect upon Russian history, much of which took place within these wall.
The Hermitage Museum
Peterhof is an ensamble of palaces and parks and is the most famous of the suburban palaces. The Grand Palace has luxurious rooms and galleries constructed by Peter the Great. The pride of Peterhof is the 144 fountains spread among the three parks. Versailles was the inspiration for Peter the Great's interest in building an imperial palace outside of St. Petersburg, just as Versailles is outside of Paris. Peterhof was ravaged by German troops during World War II. By the year 1947 it had been fully restored.
In 1717 Catherine I of Russia engaged a German architect to construct a summer palace for her pleasure, with an obscenely lavish exterior. It was rumored that the palace's roof was constructed entirely of gold. It was expanded and rebuilt several times to suit the desire of whomever was in power. ( I'm trying to decide where I would like to locate my summer palace!)
Fact: St. Petersburg's underground network (metro system) is the deepest in the world. Some escalators are more than 500 ft - the longest in the world. The metro was built not only for public transport purposes but also as a potential shelter in case of a nuclear attack.
The operator for our day tour also booked us for the evening ballet. Good thing because the day tour ran late and they brought a car to pick us up and bring us back to the ship. I knew it was going to be tight, but how could we miss the chance to see Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" one of the most revered of classical ballets.... in Russia? Would my family nod off from a day what would be a long one? As I watched their expressions during the performance (and of those around us) eyes were wide open and interest was high.
There were fifty-six exceptional dancers, gorgeous full sets and magnificent costumes. Swan Lake is a tale of love, betrayal, and the triumph of good over evil. Who could have a problem with that theme?
For the first time (and I do not recommend this) we were the last passengers to board the ship at 11:30pm. The next day was a day at sea and was I ready for that. Not familiar with the term? You can relax on your balcony or choose from a myriad of fun and interesting activities offered by the ship. Of course there is the spa and nonstop offerings of delicious food. Again I was reminded of the importance of having a good travel agent qualify your ship ensuring that it is the right match for you. This can make the difference between a fantastic experience and one that is ho hum. I cruise every year, network with agents who have clients that cruise, and have access to objective reviews. I have the ability to price out different lines and often can get special amenities.
Thought: Cruising is a great way to see several ports in a relatively relaxed fashion. Did I mention that its value can be extraordinary?
In conclusion: How fortunate was I to see China and Russia in the same summer? Both countries are projected to be power players in the near future. From witnessing first hand I have some reservations. We shall see. If you love culture and opulent museums and palaces, Russia has so much to offer. A few days in St. Petersburg should be plenty. Please note that the weather can be unpredictable and we tried really hard to make the Russian people smile...without much luck!
Need travel ideas? Please contact me to schedule a free consultation. I can be reached at kathymoran@kmorantravel.com. Would love to hear from you!
