St Petersberg Day 2

While I was disappointed that we were unable to wander freely around St Petersberg, I did enjoy all the knowledge our guides imparted to us. The history of St Petersberg is something you should consider learning about while there.

There was no love lost between the family of the Tzars and plenty of drama, but the architecture is something to be admired. The Winter Palace is a prime example of this, which now houses the Hermitage Museum, which in turn houses over million dollars worth of art.

     

We were fortunate to see a folk concert, with an army choir and local folk dancing. Although it was all sung in Russian, the music and melodies were wonderfully emotive. The dancers re-enacted the different kinds of dancing that told stories through the ages.

 You could see the love of the Russian songs by the all-male army choir & band, and the pure enjoyment of the folk dancers. It was an excellent concert and showed the love the Russians have for their land and culture.

     

A must on any agenda is the Hermitage Museum to see the Faberge eggs, also the history of the Babushka dolls and the art on the lid of the renown wooden boxes. Beautiful, skilful art by fabulously talented people. Also, a visit to Peter & Paul's fortress, Peter the Greats and Catherine's resting place allows you to witness the incredible workmanship of the Russians and their love of their Tzar. There are many monuments to Peter the Great throughout St Petersberg that are an example of the way his people felt about him.

Stalin's architecture- stark and uniform & Catherine's resting place - embellished and rich

In contrast, the building Stalin had designed and erected is an entirely different style of architecture.
Its stark architecture feels as oppressive as the time under Stalin's reign.

If you do go to St Petersberg, get your visa and your private guide and do some homework to know what you want to experience. For me, the freedom to explore was sorely missed and of course to have the chance to try the local fare.

St Petersberg

We arrived at St Petersberg for a 2-night stay. The one thing you need to know is that entry into Russia is very tight. If you arrive by ship, you are only allowed off via immigration with your ship organised tour. If you wish to visit on your own, you need a pre-organised visa and a private guide.

We took a night tour and loved the architecture of St Petersberg and the city lights along the rivers and ever so many bridges.  St Petersberg's known as the Venice of the North with all the rivers, canals & bridges. The bridges open and close to allow boats to get through, and can cause havoc in the city at these time with traffic, and with pedestrians trying to get around.

 Catherine's Palace was built by, Catherine I in 1717 and renovated and extended by Empress Elizabeth in 1773, which in turn was completely overhauled again in 1752 to what it looks like now. It is a stunning palace that is slowly being refurbished after the Germans left only a shell when they left at the end of WW2. The German army had left bombs to destroy the palace when they left the Russias were able to find and defuse them before they destroyed the building. It has taken nearly ten years just to bring the ballroom back to its former glory with the all the gold leaf used. There are still many rooms to be brought back to life but what you do see now is the grandeur of the palace and the times and wealth of the Tzars of Russia.

The architecture and design of the Russian churches are quite beautiful and very impressive, the colours and the symmetry is a delight to the eye. Learning more about the history of Russia and St Petersberg, as well as the drama of the Tzar's history shows a turbulent time with a very powerful and competitive family wanting to rule this land.

Baltic Sea Cruise

The day arrived for us to board our cruise ship for the next ten days to explore the Baltic Sea.
We chose to cruise with Regent Seven Seas Voyager a luxury cruise ship that carries approximately 750 passengers. Cruising on the smaller ships allows you to visit ports that the superliners cannot get into, makes disembarking at each port easier and has the feel of a resort where you make new friends easier.
I love the smaller cruise ships, having been on some others up to 3,500 people I found that this size services the traveller who wants to explore places not as often visited and can cater for the serious traveller who enjoys luxury, service and all inclusive prices.

While awaiting to be transferred to the ship from our hotel, I asked one of the crew members that was organising us when we'd be allowed into our cabins after embarkation and was promptly informed 'there are no cabins on this ship, only suites!' Yep, I'd been told! I have to admit that he was right, and you can't call them rooms or cabins they're all too large for that and yes I agree they are all suites.  We enjoyed a penthouse suite about mid range on the cost scale. Being prone to sea sickness and not a good sea traveller I wanted a suite that was high up in the decks, this one was on deck 10 just behind the Captain's bridge.

We had a personal butler, who was friendly and made you feel that nothing you asked for was too much. The Regent Seven Seas is all inclusive from food, alcohol to the tours at our destinations. It wasn't necessary to put your hand in your pocket unless you wanted souvenirs.

This ship has the two main dining rooms, one a la carte and one buffet, plus two speciality restaurants, one French restaurant and one Steak- house and of course, a coffee area with a good Barista, if you're Australian you'll appreciate that, and it served delicious snacks.

Our ship left Copenhagen to arrive in St Petersberg a day & 1/2 later. Being at sea gives you time to relax and explore the ship, enjoy the food, bars, shows and get to know your fellow passengers. The onboard Spa was a hive of activity on an at sea day and the staff are quite gifted in their area of expertise. Not to forget, you can also have a flutter at the casino or end the day at the nightclub. With the ratio of the crew to passengers being 1 to 2, we were taken care of so well.

Copenhagen Denmark

Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark and a beautiful city. It's so clean and orderly; they have the best bicycle paths and traffic conditions for such a large city, it made an impact on me. The architecture of the buildings is both full of history and filled with modern technology. The Tivoli Gardens area delight to explore and at night, the music plays for you to enjoy. It only runs through Summer, and we caught it on its final night.

The shopping district is a 2-kilometre strip that has every luxury brand well represented. Locals and tourists alike wander along shopping or stopping to eat or drink while people-watching. The one thing that stood out to me about the people was that black is the colour of the day, nearly as bad as Melbourne in winter and that the youth were full of vitality and well groomed.  It's very busy, but you can still find somewhere to eat or have a coffee. Even their public restrooms underneath the centre of the shopping strip should be on your list to see.

We stayed at Scandic Copenhagen hotel with its very modern Danish decor. From the graffiti wall decor to the minimalistic hotel room. The view across the city from our room shot out all the way to the sea and the modern windmills. The concierge & reception staff were extremely helpful and
friendly, Happy to chat while efficiently getting on with the job.

We wanted to experience local cuisine and we were directed to a well known local restaurant  Frk. Barners Kaelder, Helgolandsgade 8A, Copenhagen 1653, Denmark. It had such wonderful meals that we returned the following night to try some other dishes. From the local herring dish (not a particular fan of herring but must say this was good) to their yummy stews, liver& bacon and huge schnitzel to a most delightful traditional berry desert. The dishes are hearty, has a higher fat content than we're used to, but they work well in a country that has the cold weather they experience.

All in all, I would love to return to Copenhagen and explore more of the beautiful city and its countryside. Another to add to my long list of places I yearn to return too, but still so many places I haven't seen yet that if it takes the rest of my life,  I'll get there and enjoy every minute of every adventure.

Following my Travels

My travels through Italy lasted three weeks, where we enjoyed staying out of the big cities and exploring the Tuscan and Lombardian regions of Italy.

Legion of the Accommodation where we stayed.

This a map of our travels, we stayed a minimum of 3 nights at our accommodation so we could get a feel for the area. We drove a maximum of 2 1/2 hours by car to get to our next destination, so we could take our time, stop if we wanted too and arrived in time for check-in.

This trip allowed us to experience the best of the areas in the time we had. With so many picturesque and wonderful regions in Italy, we decided to explore Elba's beautiful seascape, the rolling hills of Tuscany and the lovely lake districts of Lombardia.

I would recommend a trip driving through Italy; you do get a feel for the way the locals drive and start to understand what to do, once you do it's easier than you think. The roads are well signed and GPS works well unless you get one like ours that had no idea how many exits there were in a roundabout! A few u-turns and you're easily back on track.

It would be hard to try to choose which area I liked the most as they all were so different and had great qualities; I loved the views of Lake Como but my taste buds were in heaven in the Chianti region. Looking forward to going back and exploring more of this beautiful country, sometime soon.

The next part of this trip took us to the Baltic sea where we jumped on a plane from Milan and got ready to boarded a cruise ship at Copenhagen to explore Northern Europe and Scandinavia.

Lake Como, Lombardia Provence, Italy

Being our first time to Lake Como, we weren't sure where to stay. We knew that Lake Como, situated in the North of Italy in the Lombardia region, and it is the most popular lake of the three in this area, the other two being Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore.

We didn't want to be in the busiest area but still have easy access to the more popular spots. So we checked out the map and chose Menaggio for its position and its triangle with Bellagio & Varenna.

Menaggio

As mentioned in my previous post, this town is less hectic as Bellagio with a smaller town feel. The locals meet & greet daily over coffee in the piazza, and it has a more relaxed feel. The shoreline is lovely and at the end of the promenade they have their Lido - bathing pool area with a beautiful pebble beach. 

Menaggio marina

Bellagio

The town of Bellagio well-known tourist area and home of 'George Clooney', is an easy ferry ride from Menaggio.  The town lined with stores and restaurants that meet all different cuisines and budgets. You can explore the area and keep finding little gems hidden in this city. Having an affinity for water, we always tend to gravitate to areas, accommodation or restaurants that are over the water.

Bellagio has all of this and more, but for us on this trip too many people.

We had heard about a well-known local artist designer of silk scarves & handbags and sought him out. Pierangelo Masciardi designs are unique and in limited editions; his stylish ties have been worn by some the American presidents.

Varenna

Varenna is smaller the Menaggio & Bellagio and has a feel of a medieval fortress, with the heart of the town being behind the port & shoreline.  From the foreshore, you head up to the central Piazza that's towards the back of the neighborhood whereas, with the other places we visited, they were at the foreshore.  The laneways and alleys are narrow and have steps that lead up towards that Piazza. It's nowhere near as touristy yet has some beautiful villas and gardens. Villa Monastero is a must see, unfortunately, the villa was closed the day we went but the gardens where and open and worth a visit on their own.

Views of Varenna

Wherever you stay along Lake Como, you have a feast for your eyes with uninterrupted views of one of the most picturesque lakes in Italy. My recommendation is if you have time and are anywhere near Milan take the opportunity to head to Lake Como and relax over a Spritz (local aperitif) and enjoy the views.

Mennaggio Lake Como Italy

Driving from Tabiano to Menaggio took about 2 1/2 hrs via the Autostrada.  We took the scenic route along Lake Como after bypassing Milan.

Menaggio
Taking in the stunning views of mountains that dive into a beautiful lake with towns and villages perched on its edge made the drive enjoyable.  The road was narrow but comfortable to drive with stop lights in tight spots to allow one-way traffic.

Having decided to go to a less touristy town than somewhere like Bellagio but that was still a short ferry ride away, we chose Menaggio. There are quite a few different options in Menaggio, but we liked the look of the Grand Hotel Victoria Via B. Castelli 9/13 22017 Menaggio, Lago di Como Italia.

The Grand Hotel Victoria built in 1890 for travellers Summer vacation by the lake.  It encompasses a grand old style of class from yesteryear but still has all the modern facilities of this century. The onsite bar and restaurant have breakfast and dinner daily. The breakfast was an ample buffet selection, whereas the dining restaurant is a la carte. The meals were good but just lacked the Italian authenticity of the other local Italian restaurants.

Menaggio is a town on the western banks of Lake Como in the Lombardia Provence. It forms a triangle with Bellagio & Varenna across Lake Como.  The ferry regularly leaves for either passengers or car & passengers to cross. Tickets are easy to purchase at the ferry dock and can be bought per passage or day.

The Food
There are a few restaurants in Menaggio's piazza area that seem to rotate the days that they close. You can go from a top end restaurant to an osteria or a pizza/pasta place. We tried most but had to return to the Osteria Il Pozzo for their home style cooking.  After having many lovely dishes on our travel, we were looking for something simpler and asked even though it wasn't on the menu for a light pasta dish with Alio & Olio (oil & garlic). They were happy to oblige and brought us an excellent hand made pasta of Spaghetti Alio & Olio with a hint of chilli.

The Verdict

The Grand Hotel is a hotel of yesteryear with many British guests as it's on one of the Britain;s premier travel sites that caters for package deals around the world. Therefore, I found the hotel to be geared more towards that particular type of guest.

Menaggio is for the person who enjoys a quieter and more relaxing town with a lovely lake front and the convenience of being able to visit some lovely mountains for views, excellent hiking and Lugano Switzerland (a beautiful lake town) with ease. You can visit Bellagio, Varenna and some other cities quickly with the ferry, as well as get to Milan by train in an hour from Bellagio. A beautiful place to relax and yet be a short distance to the hustle and bustle of larger towns and cities.

Qantas - Emirates Business Class

After travelling the long hauls to Europe, we've finally got to the point in life where we can choose comfort over price.  Still we love to check out the sales, so happening upon a great deal from Qantas, we decided to fly Business class with Qantas to Rome. This flight is a code share flight with Qantas to Dubai and Emirates from Dubai to Rome. Both legs with each carrier were on the A380 so I was able to do a direct comparison.

The Seats

There are major differences in the way the planes are configured, in business class. Although they both have flat beds and good amenities, the amount of space difference is quite substantial. 

Qantas has a configuration of 2-2-2 seats directly behind one another( 2 window - 2 centre - 2 window) with plenty of space between the seat in front & behind. They have less ledge space to put your items on compared to Emirates but still sufficient for your needs.

Courtesy of YouTube.com

Emirates has configured theirs in a tighter pattern of 2-2-2 (2 window - 2 centre - 2 window) with the seat configuration doing an inner - outer type of design. Thus restricting the space when getting up or moving around. It is more restrictive with the way the seating's designed, but there is more ledge space, and you have your personal mini bar at your fingertips.

Both airlines have flat beds, but whereas the Qantas seat reclines entirely into the flat-bed the Emirates seat joins an existing area at the back of the seat in front of you to form the flat-bed. Does this make a difference to your comfort? No, not really. For me, I prefer the extra space of the Qantas seats, made it easier to get in and out for bathroom breaks and stretching your legs.

The Extras
Qantas supplies you with a turndown service and Pj's, which I must add aids in looking less crumpled in the morning.  The bathrooms have a window and are more spacious than usual, therefore, feeling less closet like.
The tighter Emirates configuration gives Business class a bar/ lounge area where you can stretch your legs and enjoy a chat if you're not interested in getting some sleep. Having this area might just be worth the tighter configuration of the seats. It's a pleasure to be able to move around on a plane and have some great surroundings and comforts to take away the monotony of the long-haul flights.

The menu for both airlines was decent in size and the meals enjoyable. The cuisine on Qantas is a Neil Perry - Rockpool inspired menu. Both airlines served foods that are a representative of the regions from where we embarked. The selection is ample, and it covers all the bases. The wine and beverages list is pleasing. Most passengers on the long-haul trips are more about a good sleep then the food; I've noticed. So there's the 'all flight dining' that gives you a chance to get some rest without the thought of missing out when hungry.
The flight's late departure time makes sure that most passengers will get plenty of rest before you reaching Dubai.

The Verdict

Both Airlines have something I like more about them than the other. Qantas for its ample space and comfort, but I do enjoy the novelty of Emirates bar/lounge, although I typically limit drinks when flying due to dehydration, just to be able to move out of your seat and socialize is one big plus for Emirates.

Fabulous Italian Food

        While travelling through Tuscany, we had some wonderful experiences of regional food.

       We enjoyed local produce and fabulous tastes. Our taste buds rejoiced with what we ate.

      The simplicity of the dishes yet the tantalising aromas followed by the real taste of home grown          produce make just about every meal delightful.

      The food didn't need any of the elaborate sauces or jus in the cuisine that is so popular now, the           simplicity of the ingredients and the hand -made egg pasta was divine.

     The pizza was simple yet so tasty. The traditional thin base had the perfect crispness and the                 quality ingredients made it a joy to eat. All  I can say is yum yum yum!

              The only thing that made these meals more enjoyable was the wonderful locally produced 

                Chianti Classico we had with it.