Like the lines on a draughtsmans boardthe vapor trails criss crossed the sky above Heathrow on a mild earlyFriday summer morning.
Going through immigration was the usualslow painful process, six large aircraft arriving at the same timedid not improve the situation as most were non EU. Since my lastvisit in 2015 the area for immigration has been improved we wereinformed, but even with that in place it still takes too long.
Our journey by coach to Southampton waspleasant going through Winchester, a city with so many ancientbuildings still in good repair and one with so much history. Standing in the middle of the high street a statue of Alfred theGreat.


Southampton has changed so much sincethe days of the liners sailing from there, the main street is nolonger as we knew with all but a couple of the bars and pubsremaining. But I found time to visit the remains of the Merchant Navy church at the top of the street.


Sailing away from there is so muchdifferent now, no longer the crowds on the quay side waving the shipaway, no more cries of, 'don't forget to write' as the ship movedaway, no band to sing them off just the sounds of the on board sailaway party. Now such a clinical process with out the calls of 'castoff aft, cast off forward'. No longer the sound of the tugs horn asthey pulled the ship away, now just the wash of the side thrusters.Once clear of the quay making way along the Solent with Red Funnelferries passing to and from on their journey to the Isle if Wight.


Sunday morning June 4th sawus berth at the quayside of Bruges in Belgium, experience has taughtme that one of the best ways to experience a city is by taking a bustour, this was no different. The drive to the city center was thoughclean well kept suburbs free of litter and graffiti, well keptgardens and rows of apartment blocks. I was soon to discover thatacross the Baltic region there are very few houses, Poland is anexception, as most accommodation is in apartment blocks.


The city center now houses a populationof around 17000, a far cry from Medieval times when it was as many as45000. Around the city flows a canal of great beauty where smallboats glide along taking tourist for a glimpse of the city from adifferent angle. Swans and Ducks swim along side enjoying the view asmuch as the tourists. The city roads all cobblestones with the gentlesounds of 'clip clop' as ancient style horse and buggies take thetourists and locals around. Around any corner one will find anotherpiece of history of the city, there is so much there to be found.
Many of the old building remain all inwell kept condition with shops kept in the style of the middle agesselling all manner of goods with many specializing in BelgiumChocolates of the finest quality.
At the time of construction of many ofthe original building the majority of the population were illiterate.Many of the shops have carved in stone an image of the goods theywould have so the people knew where the butcher, baker etc wereselling their wares.


All this kept in pristine condition bythe locals who have a deep pride in the city. Though small there isroom for modern cars to manage their way though the winding roadsthough there are only a few there.
A number of small flower gardens aresituated in the center of the town whilst along the window sills ofmost houses window boxes filled with flowers giving the town acolorful tone.


Taking the canal cruise one sees thebuildings from a different angle and it is easy to see howconstruction has not been compromised with the footings under water.A very peaceful town with pleasant easy going locals all willing tomix with and talk to the tourists. Many have an extensive knowledgeof the town ad were more than willing to tell all they knew.




Returning to the ship I was able toengage the guide in a conversation and she informed me that each yeararound 300 cruise ships arrive in the Baltic ports. Housing aspreviously stated is in apartment blocks that are on average around75 square meters in size. They are sold according to the size andprices across the Baltic states range from a low of E3000 per squaremeter to as much as E35000 for an ocean view one in Helsinki. Petrolhere retails at around E1.71 per liter.






Tuesday 6th June saw usarrive at the berth for Copenhagen in Denmark, a city of some 7million kept clean and tidy by regular night gangs who clear allrubbish and graffiti daily. The city is set in what was a very rockypart of the land, walls of remaining rock surround many parts of theroads where median strips sit with an array of flowers and plants. Acolorful city though small by international standards it is a popularspot with many European and international tourists. The city housesthe head quarter building of UNICEF and UN employing over 170000persons .


One of the main attractions being theworld famous statue of the Mermaid. On picture postcards looking veryinteresting, but in real life something of a disappointment lookingrather worn and sitting on the edge of the water surrounded bybroken rocks she is far from an inspiring sight. On three occasionsthe head has been stolen so the current one, though sitting well,looks a little different to that of some early photographs.


Being a Monarchy there is a palace, twoin fact, in one lives the Princess Mary a lady from Australia, wellTasmania actually. There are guards at a number of points around thesquare where the palaces are situatednot such a problem here as thetax on vehicles is very high, 200% on cars with VAT at 25% and petrolat E1.71 per liter.
Free education and health cover for allpaid for with tax at 40%.
The system of government includesmembers from the Faeroe Isles and Greenland. They currently hold thebalance of power making life of government somewhat difficult.
The religion, as with most Balticstates is Lutheran.
One of the three less interesting portsof call along with Stockholm and Helsinki, of which I will telllater. Like many of the other Baltic states it has over time beenruled by, or part of, another state.
. Each day at noon there is thechanging of the guard, a service like many mother such. Daily inLondon in Whitehall and on occasions in horse guards parade similartake place.
They are conducted in a veryprofessional manner, such was the case in Denmark but there wassomething different. Was it the uniform, large Busby, blue tunic,black trousers and boots. Or was it just the manner in which it wascarried out. But for some reason even though it was done in aprofessional manner one could not but compare them with to soldiersor chocolate box top soldiers.
However it was interesting to observe.