First part of our trip to Germany and St. Petersburg

We returned from our trip to Russia earlier in the month and several people have asked about our non-existent blog.  We've sent photos and notes during some of our trips, but were unable to follow though with our plan due to very limited internet access and inability to upload photos.  We thought we would send along a few photos to give those interested a sense of the trip. 

We began the trip with a visit to Judith Westerkamp and family.  Judith was our Rotary Exchange students in 1996 while Krista was in Brazil for a year.  Judith is a surgeon and lives in Germany with their son Karl.  We spent a day in Helsinki with an incoming rotary exchange student Stella and her family before we took a train to St Petersburg to meet our traveling companions on our river boat/hotel for the 14 day exploration of Russia.  We spent 4 days in St Petersburg visiting churches and great sites -- like the Hermitage.  Attached are a few photos from the trip.  We will send a second set in a few days.

Three Days in Paris recovering from jet lag and canceling lost credit cards

Wolfenbutell Germany with Judith and her family.

The Rossia -- our floating hotel for the 14-day river cruise between St. Petersburg and Moscow -- 1000 miles.

Dinner on board with our shipmates.

Our ship was moored on the Neva River.

Catherine's Palace -- 18th Century.

An evening at the ballet -- Swan Lake.

Peterhof Gardens - build by by Peter the Great  -- early 1700's.

With out travel companions in front of the Church on the Spilled Blood where Czar Alexander II was assassinated in 1881

A St. Petersburg's landmark  Church of the Resurrection (Church on Spilled Blood)

Having fun at the Hermitage -- an amazing art museum.

 

Dave and our friend Lois --- learning new ways to drink Vodka.

We will post more photos of our time on the canals and in Moscow in the next few days.


Dave and Lynne