Settling Into a Rhythm.

Riga, Latvia was up next.  This is the home of the Olympic Latvia Bob Sled team and is its training facility.  They happened to have arrived that day to begin training.  The kids were going to take a run down the training track, driven by a professional woman driver, at 85 mph through the twist and turns.  Ted, Kelly, Bill and I chose not to go.  I got stuck in a bobsled at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Sorings with my friend Eileen.  Two old ladies unable to get out and were helpless laughing our heads off. You need upper body strength to lift your body straight up because you can’t use your legs!  The four of us have enough aches and pains to chance causing more!  So we watched.  Apparently it was exhilarating according to Kara, Pat and Kristin, who went twice! 

Back in town we met our arranged guide to show us around the city center of Riga.  Such beautiful buildings with so much history.  This country was occupied by several neighboring countries at different times and they are working hard to recapture and maintain their culture and language.  We ended up quite a distance from the ship, which we could see, but knew it would take a while to be back before all aboard!  Our guide still had more to show us but we had to leave.  She sang a Happy Birthday song to me right before we left.

We had a rocking and rolling night and were advised early in the morning we were not going to be able to dock in Germany.  The seas and wind were too dangerous for the maneuvers needed for docking.  We celebrated my 80th  birthday, the reason for our trip and also a delayed salute to our April 60th wedding anniversary.  I received two birthday cakes!  

On to Copenhagen, Denmark and our only rain day!

We found Denmark delightful but very expensive for eating.  First thing we did was take a canal boat cruise to see the beautiful new buildings nestled between the ones that have been there over a century.  It wasn’t a great hair day but lots of fun anyway.  We had to stop at the Lego store to buy something you can only get in Copenhagen, and buy some treats from St. Peter’s 400 year old bakery, visit St. Frederick’s Church and a shot of the Little Mermaid from the back.  It reminded me of visitors’ first comment when seeing the Alamo, “that’s it?”

Parliament was starting that day and many dignitaries were in the city.  A motorcade flew by, horns blaring and sirens going off as the King passed by coming or going.  It enabled us to see the Changing of the Guard at Amalienborg Palace.

My comment about expensive to eat was based on our “snack” of nachos and a Coke for me and a pastry and coffee for Ted was $65!  Kara had no drink, only water, and she was charged $5!  They said Oslo is worse!