Holiday 2014 Spain

Thursday 31st July 2014

Barcelona

Day 17

It was good to lay in this morning and charge the batteries after a light breakfast we purist a two

day ticket for the red hop on hop off bus it has two routs the orange witch we did today and the

green that one we do tomorrow to days we had stops at the Barcelona Cathedral then via the water

front then the Olympics stadium down to FCBarcelona stardom witch holds 100,000 people and

finally to Casa Batllo master piece of Antonio  Gaudi before finishing back at La Rambla.

 

St Christopher Columbus   Monument  

 

Barcelona Cathedral

 

Casa Batllo

         .

Holiday 2014 Moscow to Barcelona

Wednesday 30th July 2014

Barcelona

Day 16

We left Moscow at 1320 it was a basic flight one run with the drinks water juice or wine then a meal

chicken or lamb we were the only we were the only English speaking people on the plane when the

plane landed the hole plane clapped the flight and landing were good.

on arriving Barcelona the temp was 32 degrees picked up by Mimi bus and a 25 minute ride to our

hotel.

After a freshen up we went for a walk around the local area and found a little supermarket not far

away and a lot of restaurants two minutes walks from our hotel not big ones but the food is excellent

And reasonable price we had dinner there and it was 23 Euro with drinks.

Then to the roof top of the hotel called the Sunset Bar to watch the sun go down over Barcelona.

 

Sun Setting over Barcelona

 

Barcelona at Night

 

 Streets of Barcelona 

Holiday 2014 Staint Petersburg - Moscow

Tuesday 29 July 2014

Moscow

Day 15

Today is our last full day in Moscow it was a busy day we started out at 0830 first stop was the

Kremlin and the Cathedral of the Assumption then to the Kremlin Armory then back to the ship for

lunch.

Then in the afternoon we went to the Memorial museum of Cosmonautics the space museum.

After dinner we saw Moscow by night lights and all from the underground where trains run one

minute apart  to the lights of the Kremlin to St Basil's Cathedral getting back to the ship at 0015

.

 

Len in the Kremlin Grounds

 

The Cathedral of the Assumption

 

Moscow Underground

 

St Basil's  Cathedral at night

  

Holiday 2014 Staint Petersburg to Moscow

Monday 28th July 2014

Day 13

Moscow

Today we left the Uglich reservoir and entered the Moscow canal witch is known as Dubna it is made

up of nine locks that lifts you 49 mts to 162 mts above sea level all up there are 20 locks from St

Petersburg to Moscow   that lift you the 162 meters over all.

 

Len and Val in Moscow

 

St. Basil's Cathedral Moscow

 

Sailing regatta on a lake in Moscow

After lunch it was onto the bus for a sighting ride of Moscow then a stop at Red Square and St Basil's

Cathedral then to the Russian National Dance Show getting back to the ship at 2230 for a late dinner.

 Love

Len and Val

Holiday 2014 Staint Petersburg to Moscow

Sunday 27th July 2014

Day 12

Uglich

To day we only went thru one lock from the Rybtnsk reservoir into the Uglich reservoir back up to

113mts above sea level to the town of Uglich for a walking tour first to the Church of Demetrios

on the Bloodthen to the Cathedral of Christ's Transfiguration.

After some shopping in the local market it was back to the ship for a rest and get ready for the talent

show.

 

The Church of St.Demetrios on the Blood

 

Len and the Best Girls around

 

Len and Anatole

 

Holiday 2014 Staint Petersburg - Moscow

Sunday 27th July 2014

The River Volga

day 13.

Today we berth at Uguch at 0815 there we had a walking tour of the town the site was the

Church of St Demetrios on the Blood and The Caathedral of Christ's Transfiguration then had three

hours of free time  for shopping Val and I found this clock we both loved after three attempts of

bartering we got the clock at the price we wanted.

The afternoon was a relaxing time then it was the captains dinner and then the talent show and a

couple of quiet  drinks in the bar.

 

The church of St .Demetrios  in Uuch

 

Len  and his girls who gave us great service

 

 

Len and Anatole No.1  steward

 

Love

 

 Len and Val 

    

Holiday 2014 Staint Petersburg to Moscow

Saturday 26th July 2014

Yaroslavl

Day 11

We finished last night off with  Russian night and today we left Lake Onega and entered Rybinsk

Reservoir which is apart of The River Volga to Yaroslavl to see the Cathedral of the Dormition

and the Church of Elijah the Prophet it was then back to the ship and before dinner it was the

voting on the best Mat4ryoshka doll results of the voting will be announce tomorrow.

 

Len and Val entering the Russian dinner

 

The Cathedral of the Dormition

 

Joe and Nina at the healing stone in Yaroslovl

 

Love

Len and Val

 

Holiday 2014 Saint Petersburg to Moscow

Friday 25th July 2014

Day 10

Goristy

Today was a relaxing day the day started by going thru the first of six locks lifting from 32 mts to

112 mts above sea level and stopping at Goritsy to where we visited   Kirllo-Belozersk Monastery

leaving Lake Onega and on to the Volga river.

 

 

Ship departing the lock

 

Len hat shopping at Goritsy market

 

Inside the grounds of Kirillo-Belozersk Monastery

 

 

Love

Len and Val

Holiday 2014 Staint petersburg to Moscow

Thursday 24th July 2014

Day 10

Kizhi Island

Today we docked at 0730 and the Pogost on Kizhi Island witch is an open air museum the island is

only 8 kms long and 1km wide and only 6 family's live there now  despite its remote location in the

later part of the middle ages onward it was very prosperous thanks to its trade with timber,furs and

fishing

It was also the site of many invasions from Finland until Peter the Great established sovereignty

in the area.

 

The Pogost

 

Old Wooden Wind Mill on Kizhi Is

 

Wemen working in the Field

 

 

The it was back to the ship Matryoshka doll lesson and painting completion but you will

 

have to wait a coulpe of day to find out the winner and see the photo's

 

Love

Len and Val 

Holiday 2014 St petersburg to Moscow

 

Len and Ira at Mandrogi Island

 

 

Wednesday 23rd July 2014

Day 9

Left Saint Petersburg 1730 a relaxing night on the water after dinner there was a brief lesson. on

Russian history.

A late start to the day went thru the Upper Svir Lock the stopped at Mandrogi Is visted the Vodka

museum got a couple of bottles and had lunch.

 

Holiday 2014 Staint Petersburg

 

Len in the gardens at Peterhof

                                             Val  and Len with one of the many fountains
                                                  

Val in the gardens .

Tuesday 22nd July 2014

St Petersburg

Day 8.

Today we leave St Petersburg not a early start on the bus 1015 for a tour of the Hermitage

 

The Hermitage Museum

 

Ever since Catherine the Great must Russian leaders were assiduous collectors.

 

The museum collection gained rapid growth after the communist revolution

 

when they confiscated works of art from the nobility.

 

After lunch it was a 30 minute drive to Peterhof on the Gulf of Finland with its Grand

 

Cascade and gardens witch was Peter the Great idea for a summer residence during the soviet

 

it was know as Petrodvorets. 

  Monday 21st July 2014

Holiday 2014 Saint Petersburg

Day 7

St Petersburg is a city with a lot to see we left the boat at 0800 first stop was Catherine's Cathedral

 

Then a short drive to the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood  built in 1801          

 

 

   

Len in front of the Church of Savior on Spilled Blood built by Tsar Alexander

 

In the afternoon we went to Catherine's Palace summer residence of the imperial heirs

 

Len inside Catherine Palace

 

The in the evening we went to the Bagatitsa Folklore show 

 

Love

 

Len and Val

 

 

 

Holiday 2014 Dubai - St Petersburg

Sunday 20 July @014

Day 6.

Today was spent flying from Dubai U.A.E. to St Petersburg Russia we landed on time and got to the

boat around 1630 and we were briefed about tomorrow events after tea it was down to the local

supermarket to get some water and beer and turn in for the night.

Holiday 2014 Dubai

Saturday 19 July 2014

Day 5.

Not much planned it was over to the mall got a couple of things from the supermarket then got ready

for the desert safari witch was four wheel driving over the sand dunes in the Arabian desert and

finished with a B.B.Q. banquet and back to our hotel by 2300.

                                        
                                                      Four wheeling over the sand dunes

Holiday 2014 Dubai

Friday 18th July 2014

Day 4

Quite a busy day after breakfast we were on the bus by 1000 first it was of to the Burj Al Arab then

to the Dubai creek and crossed it on a old barge then to the Satwa Souq  (Silk Market) ten walked

around the old town Dera Spice Souq  Dera Gold Souq (spice and gold markets) then stopped at

Jumeirah Mosque the biggest in Dubai then onto the Burj Khalifa and went up to the 124th floor.

Back to the hotel for a shower and get ready for tea some went for a meal on Dubai Creek and

others like Val and I went for the marina boat ride and meal we got back to the hotel at 2300.

                              
                                          In front of one water front apartment's at the palms Dubai
 

                                                                  The Burj Al Arab Dubai.

                                         
                                           Val on the 124th floor of the Burj Khalifa Dubai.

Holiday 2014 Dubai

Thursday 17 July 2014

Day 3

Today was a quite day just a walk to the mall it nice as a cool change had come overnight it is only

39 degrees got a couple of things than back to the hotel and to meet the rest at 1800.

After tea we went to the Ramadan night market a wast of time but you don't know if you don't go.



A view of Dubai from the front of the driverless Metro train. 

Holiday 2014

Wednesday 16 July 2014

Day 2

Good nights sleep 16 hours then breakfast for the first time we had frayed silverside U.A.E. bacon.

Then down to the train station got a day pass for $ 4.50 each which is valid on trains and busses

 the trains which are driverless run every 5 minutes you get a smooth ride and the trains  are every

 clean.

We went to the end of the line to Jebel Ali we then went to the other end past the airport the biggest

 one we have ever seen to Rashidya then back to the hotel for a shower and tea after which we went

 out to have to have a look at the night lights they were not as good as we had hoped cane back via

the Mall it was now 1130 and it was that busy because the don't close till 0100 because of Ramadan

got lunch for tomorrow then to the hotel for a shower and bed.

Holiday 2014

Wednesday 16th July 2014

Day 2

A good nights sleep 16 hours then down to breakfast for the first time we had fried silverside (U.A.E.

 bacon) The temp. was 43 just a little hot. We decided to try the metro so off to the station. A all day
 
ticket was $4.50 it covers all public transport. We travelled to  the end of the line Jebel All then went

 to the other end which was the airport The largest airport I have ever seen. After tea we went to mall

, people everywhere because of Ramadan  everybody was out eating and the shops are open to 1 am.

    We went for a short ride to see to lights then back to the hotel by 1200 and a much needed shower.
 

Holiday 3014

Day 1

Tuesday 15th July

Arrived Dubai 0510 temperature 30 degrees the airport is that big it's got it's own railway from the

 arrival hall to baggage pick up in terminal 3 got to our hotel 0630 but our room would not be ready

till 1100 and the shops because of Ramadan don't open till 1000 so we found two comfy king chairs

and had a early granny nap.

The hotel is just a 5 minute walk from the Mall of the Emirates and the subway station so tomorrow

it is a ride on the Metro with the driverless trains .

Love
Len and Val