Deutschland

Here in Germanz, the "y" kez is where the y should be.

it makes it verz difficult to tzpe a verz quicklz.

Photos, as promised.

Photos, as promised. Above, a triumphant American stands before the most well-known Russian icon which, until the day this photo was taken, he always assumed was the Kremlin. It's not, by the way; "The" Kremlin is actually a walled complex adjoining Red Square, which this cathedral, St. Basil's, stands next to. Other interesting facts: "Kremlin" is a generic word like "castle" and refers to any walled fortress. Red Square was not called "red" because it is red or because of communist ties: the old Russian word for beautiful was very near the Russian word for red... "krasivy" vs. "krasiny"... and thus confusion...

This is a few months old. There is a bar in Malaga, Spain, down some random alley, named this. I thought of my roommates in Naples last year at the sight of this.

This museum stands next to Kiek In De Kok tower in Tallinn, Estonia. I should've expected what I got, I guess.

You have one guess where this photo was taken.

Finally, in this random smattering of photos from the past months... a photo of the first few people who arrived at my birthday party. As I think I blogged before, we were at the La Strada Italian restauarant in St. Petersburg, Russia. I have photos of the explosive cake and many more people in red noses and party hats. Many more photos to come. Today we hit Riga, Latvia, which to my surprise has nothing to do with Dr. Doom. Last night I sang loungy tunes at an ill-conceived "James Bond" party night in one of the lounges.

As we tend to say around here, "That's not six-star."

Paka, Moy Krasivy Baltika

I don't have Russian characters on this keyboard (nor do you likely have them in your computer) so I phentically spelled that.

Anyway, today we sailed from Stockholm for the last time. We are now beginning our final assault on the Baltic region aboard the M/S RSSC Seven Seas Voyager.

A ten day cruise.

I'll be saying Das Vydania to Vlad and Katya, who sold me many many DVDs in St Petersburg.

I'll be saying goodbye to the Coca-Cola Plaza in Tallinn, which may well be the best English-language movie theatre in Europe and is paradise in many ways. There is a pub in it, an ice cream bar in it, a bar in it, the concessions are so cheap you wouldn't believe me, the screens are huge. Admission is only 55 Estonian Krooni. That's about 5 bucks.

I already said goodbye to Hel...sinki. It was fine. From now on, if I'm feeling generally fine but not too great one way or the other - just pleasant - I'll say I'm Helsinki.

A few days ago we hit Visby for the last time - we won't hit either Fin- or Got- Lands on this cruise. If you think you've ever seen a good Ren Faire you needed to see the Medieval Festival I ran into last week. Those of you who know me will guess that I nearly birthed a cow at the sights and sounds of a place celebrating battles that actually happened there and forged swords, built Bows, made crafts, and poured Mjod (mead) they'd made with the knowledge passed down from people that actually did this stuff. This was no corporate ... anyway, this was amazing.

I was noticing all the entries I said I'd yet to make... It's crazy, there's so much.

Now we're leaving the Baltic, maybe I'll have more energy. Hitting these same ports over and again has been a bit draining.

Oh yeah - you know, I could really stand to hear from some of you - Sometimes out here I feel a little removed from my life. Drop me a note.

More to tell, but I will have to do that later. our internet connection is at best unreliable.


Have I

No time!

Argh!

In a world...

Coming attractions often start with that deep, gruff voice saying just those words... and this entry is a trailer of sorts, mainly being written for myself to remind what blog topics I've meant to but not had time to hit in the past couple of months. Here's a preview of some upcoming entries:

Unona - The "black market" in St. Petersburg (a little outside, actually) which sells electronics, DVDs, and really any damned thing you want for... what they can get for it. Gypsy kids will knife you there, too.

Brent Spiner's family - I spent a week on the ship visiting with Brent Spiner's mother and stepfather. They were amazingly nice, gracious people and I was trying to maintain my level of geeked-out. I did a little too well, I think, and didn't spend enough time chatting with them.

Crazy Shuttle Driver - One of our crew shuttle drivers, now fired I think, carried a kitchen knife and would take small, unexplained detours and make unscheduled stops when few people were in the shuttle. This is a good one.

English movie theatres in Tallinn

Replacement dancers / ridiculous rehearsal schedules - We lost a dancer! The rehearsals for his replacement are necessary. Other than that, would you believe we run our shows during the day EVERY TIME we do the show? It's beginning to make things a little stale.

Shipping issues or, Russia is still very crooked.

Wishing I were somehow home again Vs. $$$ - What I wouldn't give to be back home again, near friends. The only thing that keeps me on the ship most days? Money.

Lost in Stockholm / Lost in Copenhagen - two separate entries I think about adventures I had getting lost for hours in these cities. Well, really it depends on your definition of "lost"... not all who wander are.

Ship food - Food above deck three = excellent. Food at or below deck three = often INEDIBLE.

Photos coming for many of these. I have to figure a good way to get photos on here more easily. Always at a different internet place, always a different computer.

Bah.

Anyway, friends, family, I miss you. I return to the US in just about 85 days.

Entries on the above yet to come...