“I like to think that the moon is there even if I am not looking at it”  –   Albert Einstein

The boat trip is coming to a close.  This was a sea day.  That usually equates to easy-does-it.  But there were still a lot of “goings on” and activity.  Tonight, we closed out the trip with an extravaganza of a show… lots of singing, dancing, magic, and acrobatics.  And tonight.. the moon lights the ocean as I look out the balcony.

So the recap.  Each and every city we visited brought great wonder and amazement to my senses.  This is a big world in which we live.  They don’t call it a planet for nothing.  But.  At the same time it is very small.

We are each as different as the day is long.  But we share a common thread…. humanity.  We are all in this world together.

So on to the Highlights… of quirkiness.  Amsterdam, the capital and largest city of the Netherlands.  A barrage of culture.  I was moved by the people of this city.  And the four of us were lost…. until we were found.  Sometimes you are standing right by your hotel… and you don’t even know it.

Berlin, Germany.  Great architecture. Old and new. History, history and more history.   Foghorn Leghorn on the bus.  Bill points out the Siemens Headquarters to Foghorn.  Foghorn is delighted…. I say, I say, I say.  HUGE highlight….  Butter  Injected Bread.  And for lunch we ate the best little sausages and sauerkraut ever.

Tallin, Estonia.  Old world…. like you would see in a Fairy Tale.  But the weather was pretty miserable.  Rainy.  We found the Russian restaurant under the city.  No one else found it but us.  Yeah Baby.

St. Petersburg, Russia.  Holy Smackerels.  And Holy Herring.  The Episode of “The Stolen Menu”.  And of course… the knock-down-drag-out Tour Guide… our beloved Helen.  Me and the Security Guard.  Glorious Cabbage Pie.  I want more…. cabbage pie.

Helsinki, Finland.  The Golden Butt Award.  The capital… pop. 579,504… and dwindling.  Great hand towels for Laurie…. and a big stop at the train station.   Swedish name of the city….. Helsingfors.  Pronounced…. Hell sing fours. Like…. Hell sing for you and me both… when in Helsinki.  All Fours of US!

Stockholm, Sweden.   Bathrooms are essential.  Never pass up a restroom…. or a toothpick…. which is my new  and beautiful philosophy in life.  Sigtuna the little town by the lake.  Vasa the ship that sank in the lake.   Old Town.   We needed more time.

Copenhagen, Denmark. Sad Foamy Mermaids Story….  Her tongue cut right out by the witch.  She walk around on knives.  But the Prince lived.  I will never look at sea foam the same again.  I was depressed the rest of the day.  Burger King like none other. Paula Dean on the Canal Boat.

Finally.  When you are at sea….. the topic of Gilligan’s Island seems to come up… more often than not.  We have a LOT of questions about that three hour tour….. like what were the Howell’s doing on a squatty boat like the Minnow.  And why did so many of them have so much luggage and outfits packed for a three hour tour?   And of course… everyone had their favorite character of the very divergent group.

And aren’t we all… one very big assorted group of people.  But whether on sea or on land… near or far… we all see the same sun, the same stars… a the same moon.

“We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.”  –  Frederick Keonig
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“Hitch your wagon to a star.”  –   Ralph Waldo Emerson

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