Cruise Diva's CRUISE DIARY
~ Copenhagen to Stockholm ~
"A Taste of the Baltic"
Tallinn, Estonia is a well-kept secret
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A Tallinn merchant expresses her joy... we were delighted to see her as well.
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My walking shoes were ready and so was my wallet. Unfortunately, "ship happens" and Silver Whisper was forced to drop anchor outside the Tallinn harbor to wait out what can best be described as pea-soup fog.
Prospects for a day ashore in Estonia's charming capital city didn't look good. Silver Whisper's 11:00 arrival time came and went as the ship's foghorn bleated into nearly zero visibility. Captain Corsaro kept guests informed about the fog; however, it didn't appear promising.
When all else fails... eat! Which is exactly what we did. Luncheon was a Silversea tradition, the International Galley Brunch. Guests made their way through the galley--getting a peek at its inner workings--admiring ice and fruit carvings while selecting from tempting dishes and desserts from around the world.
Tallinn is the spot to shop for fabulous hand-made sweaters and we cheered when the announcement was made from the bridge that a break in the fog would allow us to dock.
Our time in the medieval Old Town was considerably shorter than planned, but a complimentary shuttle delivered us a block away and we shopped along the cobbled streets, admiring the 13th and 14th century architecture for slightly over two hours. That's not nearly as much time as necessary to see the Upper Town, the oldest part of Tallinn, as well. However, shore excursions proceeded, although somewhat briefer than planned.
We were fortunate to have enough time to admire the medieval houses, towers, churches, and city walls, plus shop in open air markets all the way to Town Hall Square. All too soon it was time to make our way back to the ship.
Back on board, we sailed an hour later than our itinerary called for, but still with plenty of time to arrive in Stockholm tomorrow as scheduled.
Pre-dinner festivities included the Captain's Farewell Cocktail Party and Crew Parade, followed by a show featuring the ship's entertainers. A final dinner and then the most unpleasant feature of every cruise... packing for home, Or, in my case, for two days in Stockholm, Sweden. I plan to be up early to watch our approach.
Unfortunately, the post-Cruise Diary cannot continue until I reach home on July 9th. With everything on our schedule to do in Stockholm, it should be a very full two days of touring and dining in the city.
Next --> Debarkation in Stockholm & Post-cruise Explorations
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