Baltic Memories
by Theo Steel
Neil told us about his North Carolina birthday; I thought I would write up mine on July 15 2017, on Serenissima with Neil in charge, with a few other reminiscences of some of the less visited ports from our comprehensive trip around the Baltic.
We were 4 days into the cruise which started in Gothenburg and had taken in Elsinor and Copenhagen; had sadly not been able to land at Christiano and Bornholm due to the wind; and then had a good day in Gdansk which had changed out of all recognition since our previous visit with lots of new roads but some details to remind us of the Soviet and earlier eras.
Anyway it was a birthday in Klaipeda Lithuania. We were off early to Lake Plateliah and the cold war rocket base in the dense forest. Quite an underground concrete structure worthy of the "abandoned engineering" series but enlivened by the presence of Sir Michael Burton , our visiting lecturer, the one time British Minister in Berlin and later Czech Ambassador who was seeing it for the first time. The Museum interpretations put across that the Soviets were as scared of the West as we were of them during the Cold War. Later lunch in a private restaurant that seemed to be doing well and then back to the berth for a mid afternoon departure down river from the newish relocated berth near the Opera House and back into the Baltic
To the cabin and a surprise bottle of birthday champagne from Neil and a mutual railway friend for us to celebrate which we took up on deck to sip as we went north.....serendipity on Serenissima!! It was a lovely afternoon weather and companywise and blissful. Sir Michael Burton delivered his lecture on the Baltic in the 20th century which was timely, I recall that Klaipeda(Memel) went to Lithuania by default in 1920 or so!! A cake was shared on our table at the culmination of dinner before Neil's Norway Quiz. All in all a great and busy day!
Next day was spent in Riga, a stunning City with a beautifully restored centre - the planetarium of our previous visit had reverted to its role as the orthodox Cathedral! We were outside the art nouveau mansion flats in Alberta Street and found the plaque to Sir Isiah Berlin who had been born in one of those designed by Eisenstein, father of the filmmaker. At least 4 of us had been to one of his lectures while at University we found. Riga grew from a city of 290k population in 1897 to 550k in 1913 and shows it! The population has fluctuated wildly since and is 700k currently, having been 900k in 1990. There is an as built museum flat dating from 1900 complete with bathroom furniture from Stoke on Trent!! In the evening we visited the Rundale palace which has a superb rose garden. The special concert was super. The Palace was built for the Dukes of Courland and designed by Rastrelli, more famous of course for the Catherine Palace and Peterhof in St Petersburg.
Back for a late night departure down the Daugava river.
After a good sleep it was Parnu Estonia the next morning.Not only was it a maiden port but Serenissima was the first ship to berth at a new pontoon. Noble Caledonia had a representative in Parnu to check that we could berth and it was apparently a case of just in time!! The Mayor led a reception committee supported by a band and we were feted as we arrived. The only downer was that it was raining hard!
Parnu was bombed heavily in part in World War 2, and indeed the cinema at which the Estonian Republic was proclaimed in 1918 was blown up in the 1960's by the Soviets, although the seaside facilities are very elegant and more or less intact and include the famous Ranna Hotel a superb Normandie ship like art deco facility which is now in fine fettle! One of the sites passed was the guide's house where her 6 year old son was out to wave to us!! The tour went on out through the forest and lakes to Olustvere manor where there were a lot of micro craft and clothing businesses in the outbuildings, sadly a number were closed. The Scottish Baronial House built in C19 by a St Petersburg magnate had been nicely restored as a wedding venue and we were provided with a lunch which was not perfect but interesting as an experience as to how enterprise was developing - Phil Airey saved the day wth some extra wine I recall. We later clambered around the fascinating ruins of Viljandi castle. We were serenaded back on board in better weather with the band present. Parnu is the summer capital of Estonia and the third city but I felt that we had been pioneering
Next day we called in for an afternoon at Saaremma island at a remote mole surrounded by birch forest - we stopped off at a remote clearing to be greeted by a choir - very Russalka opera like but wrong country. Then on to the main town Kuressaare with its castle. I also recall a stop for strawberries and cream!! Again a delightful step back in time with lovely people. So sad that the island has been mentioned as being badly affected by the virus.
I will not describe the visits to Stockholm, Tallinn or St Petersburg in detail which were fantastic as ever - at the latter we took in the Faberge museum at St P as well as the new section of the Hermitage for the impressionist collections. Access to Peterhof was also on new roads that soar over the dock approach as well as passing Putin's Constantine Palace. We were moored centrally by a church dripping with gold leaf that had been a warehouse!!
I will, however describe our visit to Mariehamm in the Aaland Isles where Swedish is the language and Finland the country. We were taken out to Badhausberget which was a nice trip but over breakfast I was told by the port agent that he could not understand why we were not going out to the Bombarsund fort site as it had particular relevance to the UK. Actually it was not the only link on the island as the Glasgow built clipper Pommern was moored adjacent to us, albeit being refurbished The adjacent maritime museum was open and I was struck by a postcard sent from someone on holiday in West Hartlepool on exhibition. The pit props tended to be sourced from the Baltic for the mines and the ships used carried a few passengers!! The town was sophisticated Finnish and quite a contrast to some of our previous calls.
So a memorable series of experiences and enough pleasure for us to have stayed in Tallinn, Parnu and Riga since to see the destinations in more depth.
Since this is dedicated to Neil in particular but Noble Caledonia as well I should end with a couple of questions.
1.The first award of a distinguished UK medal was made for an action at Bomarsund, which medal and why?
2.What was the name of the Mayor of Riga from 1900 to 1912.
It was a great experience and has been fun to write down and recall.
