I have proof that the Paris Metro has rubber wheels!! See it’s in my photos. Some of you know what I’m going on about. As for the rest of you, I guess its bit of an in joke I’ll explain one day if you like.

So, to pick up where I left off from last time. This cruise Dave has his Dad and wife onboard and Jenny has her parents onboard. As always it’s great to have family onboard, even if they’re not your own… when you’re on ships they become your family.

We commenced this cruise in Stockholm and the next day we were in Tallinn, Estonia where Dave and I did a walking tour. Tallinn is the kind of place you expect Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to drive around the corner. I’ve included a photo of me at the gates to the old town there.

Next port we were back in St Petersburg and I did an afternoon tour of the canals where I again ended up at my favourite market outside the Church of Spilled Blood. Being a Saturday and a beautiful sunny day there, there were loads of brides around the city. Instead of shopping, I went nuts photographing all the brides. In one of my photos I’ve uploaded, you can see a bride in blue on the bridge out side the Church of Spilled Blood.

In Helsinki, I did a tour to the countryside to visit a Finnish home. Finland has some really beautiful scenery. The lady whose house we visited is very homely. Her name is Harriet and she served us a lovely morning tea with homemade vanilla ice cream and strawberries with cake. She showed us her old styled smoke sauna and the lake she jumps into afterward in the winter. I’ve included a photo of her house.

In Amsterdam, where I last wrote, I had a quiet day in the city. I met up with Dave and we both found somewhere where we could use the internet so he could Skype Loren (his girlfriend) and I could Skype Chris.

In Dover, Dave, Stacey and I did a tour to Buckingham Palace. The palace is only open to the public a few weeks of the year while the queen holiday’s in Scotland. I’ve been to a number of palaces now, but to visit Buckingham Palace was different.. It’s Buckingham Palace!!! Plus for the first time ever they had the ballroom set up as it would for a State Dinner. That was really amazing to see.

The following day a group of us travelled into Paris where we visited The Moulin Rouge and Montmartre before taking a stroll down the Champs of Elyse (see photo of Jenny and I).

Now we’ve been at sea for two days and today we are in Lisbon where I’m going to wonder off soon and check out the shops. Lisbon is the best and cheapest for shopping.

I’m not sure when I’ll write again. I’ll be too busy having Chris on board!!! I’ve only 5 sleeps left til he’s here!!!!

Hope you like the photos I’ve included of two of our shows…. ‘Do you wanna dance’ and ‘Motorcity’. Hopefully I’ll have more soon.

Lots of love
Jess xx