Hamburg, Germany- Copenhagen, Denmark-Oslo, Norway-Aarhus, Denmark, Rostock and Berlin, Germany

Wed. This is a sea day on our way to Germany.  Today as they explore the world they did all nations.  Here are the flags they had on display.

This next picture top left is shot down on the displays next to it some chickens hanging on a rack. Top right he was putting the finishing touches on the flan. Bottom left we had our third formal night and dad got the bottle of champagne that our travel agent gave us. Bottom middle is another chocolate delight from Norman Love’s. The bottom right is a vegetable carving at the evening buffet.

Thur. Hamberg Germany Rainy and high 54. It took over four hours for the ship to come in and dock(that was one long harbor).  There were many things we saw,  St. Michael Church (Hamberg’s best-loved and most historic landmark), Speicherstadt (world’s largest warehouse complex know for it’s Gothic architecture) Hauptbahnhof Train Station (architectural masterpiece), Jungfernstieg (most elegant blvd.), Alster Lake, St Nikolas Church, and 97 foot TV Tower, and notice bottom row 4th picture Linda holding a STARBUCK’S COFFEE!!!!  The Beatles played at that Hard Rock Cafe (Bottom right picture)

 The picture below is of the Planten & Blomen Park, The Rathaus (town Hall) was completely rebuilt after the 1842 fire (middle pictures), and Hamburg’s.

Fri. Seas calm 50.  Today at sea we enjoyed the ship activities and resting.

Sat. Copenhagen, Denmark 50’s  As we took our tour of the city, we saw history in their buildings and statutes.  The pictures below are a few of the statutes.  Note top left is the famous Little Mermaid of Copenhagen(1913 statue is to express gratitude to Hans Christian Anderson and his world-known fairy tales). Hans Christian Anderson picture bottom right.  Top fifth picture is a women plowing with four ox.  The story goes she wanted more land and went to  the Sweden king and he told her what she could plow in one day and night she could have.

Picture below is of churches, castles, and palaces. The first two are of the Old Stock Exchange with a 196 ft “dragon-spire tower.  Next is the Royal Family Guards and statue in middle of Palace square.  The middle row The first three pictures are of the different Palaces making up the Amalienborg Palace, the winter residence of the Royal Family.  There is one other palace under renovation.  The 4th picture is the Church which the 4 palaces surround.  Last row is the inside with pipe organ etc. 

Top left picture is the band that greeted us when we arrived at port. Many different buildings Christiansborg Palace, home to Denmark’s Parliament.  We saw Nyhavn waterfront Holmens church(built1563 and where Royal Wedding took place in 1967.)  We also pasted the Tivoli Gardens which is one of the oldest amusement parks in the world.

Sun. Oslo Norway sunny 42 this morning in 50’s this afternoon.We docked by the Akershus Castle. This medieval castle and surrounding fortress constructed to protect the capital of Norway. (There are 40 islands within Oslo city limits an has 343 lakes)

The Holmenkollen Ski Jump.  This is the site of the 1952 Olympic ski-jumping competition and was chosen to host the 2011 Ski Jump Championship competition.

City Hall  Inaugurated in 1950 the building’s unique architecture an held the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony.

Royal Palace  We got to see the elaborate Changing of the Guard ceremony.

Statues around the city

Beautiful buildings and landscapes. (Black building is the US Embasy)

Mon. Aarhus, Denmark foggy then clear 56. The picture below is of the Aarhus Cathedral. The tallest and longest church in Denmark and one of the oldest redbrick buildings.

The picture below is of downtown Aarhus.  Second largest port next to Hamburg. Bottom two left pictures are taken in a viking museum. In the 10th century a viking home and next to it a skeleton without a head believed to be first murder.

Tues. Rostock, Germany rain and 64.  We got to Rostock early and left for Berlin.  For Dad it was not a good start we walked and walked to get on the train for our 3 hour trip.( He has been fighting a horrible cold) We went through a lot of farmland.  The houses along the tracks were small (less than 400 sq. ft.) they had a small yard which was very well taken care of and they had small garden. This first picture is of some of the churches and buildings. Bottom right a bell tower bombed in WW2 which was to be tore down but the German people wanted to save it and it was redone. Bottom left a building which has things written inbetween the floors. Next to it two buildings that have used different color glass. Middle row 2nd picture the use of gold.

This next picture is of Brandenburg Gate and displays around the gate. This point was blocked off to separate East and West Berlin.

The top five pictures is of the Reichstag and it’s gardens (Building used by Hitler and now the German Parliament). Middle left, one of the many canals found in Berlin. 2nd picture has a picture of that spot after bombing in WW2. Next a tower then the new opera house. Last picture the Schwerin Castle for years home of the dukes and grand dukes today the seat of the state parliamont. Bottom row left two the zoo. Third picture called Noodles. The four countries over Germany (USA, Britian, Russa, and ?. Fourth picture is Ka De We a store. Last picture other side of the Opera House.

This picture is of the statues and other famous buildings. 3rd row picture 2 check point charlie. the last six picture what is left of the Berlin wall. A Picture that I did not put in is the Holocaust Memorial. The place of hope in the heart of Europe and Germany’s capital features 2,711 concrete slabs different heights.  It also described as a “Forest of Pillars”.

The Holocaust Memorial. The place of hope in the heart of Europe and Germany’s capital features 2,711 concrete slabs different heights.  It also described as a “Forest of Pillars”. The car is an Trabant a car drives in East Berlin.  It has a vintage two stroke engine. The third picture is Berliner Fernshturm (TV tower). It was told to us that it was 365 feet high so that school kids could remember the height.