Highlights of Scandinavia and Russia

by Malori

What do kroner, queens and Carlsberg all have in common?  These are some of the local discoveries we made while in Scandinavia (yes, we even got to see the Royals on their yacht in Copenhagen)!  Amazing Journeys just returned with 111 travelers on a cruise to Scandinavia & Russia, seeing seven countries in 12 days, and for those who stayed on with us and visited Iceland, it was another two days and another country!  There were so many high points, and the experiences we shared touched us all in so many different ways. Here are a few highlights:

Copenhagen, Denmark
Tivoli Gardens is a 170 year old amusement park and is the second oldest in the world!  The oldest one is also in Denmark.  It’s iconic Copenhagen and a magical place and we were all so excited to spend the evening there.  We retraced a rescue route used during the Holocaust to save Jews from the Nazis, and moved them safely to Sweden.  The path was long and it took lots of countrymen and women to risk their lives in order to save hundreds of people from death.  The story is an amazing one, and one we heard over and over again on our journey.  Some went on a food tasting tour of local delicacies.  The mouth watering morsels they sampled were appreciated as was the local beer they experienced.

Oslo, Norway
From Viking ships to Vigeland Park, we explored Oslo like the ancient Vikings.  Some discovered on bikes, while others on foot.  Those on the Jewish tour were taken aback about the history of the Resistance in Norway and visiting the Resistance Museum while learning about the Norwegian resistance while under Nazi occupation was a real eye-opener.

Berlin, Germany
The Brandenburg Gate, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, the site of the 1936 Olympic Stadium, and the train tracks from which thousands of Jews were deported were but a few of the amazing sites we saw in and around Berlin.  Some went on a Cold War tour and saw a piece of the Berlin Wall, learned about the Stasi (secret police) and heard stories about time of Communist Rule in Berlin.  Those on the Jewish tour saw synagogues, the Old Jewish Quarter and heard stories of hardship, heartbreak and harrowing experiences.  We learned about the Jews who came to Berlin in search of a better life, only to find that life was not good for Jews anywhere in Europe.  Those who explored the Third Reich learned about Hitler and his home in Berlin, his rise to power and his fall as the Communists moved in.  We all learned about modern Berlin and the “eat, drink and be merry” approach of Berliners.  We dined on local fare as well as yummy pretzels and beer.

Tallinn, Estonia
In Tallinn, we were surprised by this gem of a Medieval town that most were not familiar with.  We began at the Synagogue and a discussion with the Rabbi which was a highlight for us.  He was charming and enthusiastic and began a community where there was none.  He has made a difference in this small town.  We walked through the Upper and Lower towns, and experienced all the charm of this little town.

St. Petersburg and Moscow, Russia
This was the favorite stop by far for our Amazing Journeyers, and the one many took this trip to see.  We had two days to explore Russia and while the majority of our group spent all of their time in St. Petersburg, some spent one day in Moscow and the other in St. Petersburg.  There were so many highlights, it’s hard to name just a few!  In Moscow, we saw the impressive St. Basil’s Cathedral, toured the Kremlin, walked in Red Square, had tea at the famous Metropole Hotel, GUM Department Store (where once this was the only place to shop) and the Armory.

Those who visited St. Petersburg were treated to the opulent architecture which defined the era of the Czars with palace after palace, each trying to outdo their predecessors in France, Austria and others throughout Europe. We saw the impressive Catherine’s Summer Palace, with its defining blue and white exterior, highlighted by gold leaf.  It was a sight to be seen.  Inside, we viewed the lavish lifestyle of the time including the Amber Room, if you can imagine an entire room made from amber!  We got to visit the Throne Room, the Photo Gallery and more.  The grounds were just as impressive as the home itself and we got to view the lake, the French and English Gardens.  This fairytale-like palace was amazing!  After, we visited the Great Choral Synagogue, a spectacular building constructed between 1880-1893.  We were so happy to see this refurbished shul and after a kosher lunch at L’Chaim Restaurant, we listened to stories of growing up Jewish in St. Petersburg during the time of communism and the great suffering and hunger of the people during the time of Stalin. We were then treated to a private violin concert.

The next day we saw an overview of St. Petersburg complete with all of the highlights, followed by a walk through the famous Hermitage Museum,  also known as the Winter Palace.  This amazing structure was filled to the brim with renowned artwork from the European masters as well as other famous artists and styles from around the world.  Because the museum is normally closed on Mondays, it opened just for us – what a treat to be able to walk through without the crowds!  We stopped for a traditional lunch including Russian caviar, vodka shots, borsht and live music.  We completed our visit to Russia with a visit to my favorite palace, Peterhof, also known as Peter the Great’s Summer Palace.  Amazingly beautiful on the inside, but it’s the outside, facing the Gulf of Finland that captures the fun and flavor Peter had in mind for the place, with over 250 fountains adorning the “backyard.”

Helsinki, Finland
Our visit to Helsinki was a gentle stroll through a city where “old meets new.”  We saw classic Russian influenced architecture, paired with a growing modern city filled with architectural gems which is defining the new look of the city.  Some saw by bike, others walked and still some in our group saw the city through the eyes of the Jewish world with a visit to a local synagogue and a talk with someone from the Jewish community. With free time in the afternoon, we loved having some playtime to relax and enjoy whether shopping, walking, photographing or stopping for a local meal.

Stockholm, Sweden
The last stop on our cruise was highlighted by an entrance into the city through the archipelago of Sweden, where 4,000 islands make up this land mass.  We watched our arrival as the sun rose on the Baltic Sea and we welcomed a new day.  We saw the changing of the guards at the palace, enjoyed the old city of Gamla Stan and saw the beautiful mosaics which adorn the City Hall, and home to the Nobel Peace Prize inductions ceremony.  We ended our day with some free time to take it all in.

Reykjavik, Iceland
But wait, there’s more!  Those who ventured with us to Iceland for a post-cruise adventure were so happy they had chosen to do so.  Upon our arrival, we began with the iconic Icelandic experience and went for a dip in the Blue Lagoon.   We slathered ourselves with masks and enjoyed soaking in the warm waters as steam rose from the pools.  We enjoyed saunas, a waterfall and getting treats from the bar, located in the water!  The next day in Iceland was filled with a tour of the Golden Circle where we saw erupting geysers, the enormous and powerful Gulfoss Waterfall and a walk through Thingvellar National Park.  Our nights were filled with the sights and sounds of the busy and fun-loving people of Reykjavik.  We were there for the largest festival of the year – the Cultural Festival.

Our trip was an amazing bounty of cruising, culture, locally defined architecture and Jewish spirituality.  Our travelers happily took it all in and shared the myriad of experiences with their fellow travelers, bonding one to another sharing memories to last a lifetime.