Fall in Stockholm.

We were told that there were no appreciable fall colours in Sweden but we've found the autumn to be very pretty. The forests on the island where we live were awash in yellows and reds and though not as spectacular as a New England fall, we've greatly enjoyed the show.

Departing on the cruise to Helsinki.

Kryssning.

Otherwise known as a Cruise.

As in 2 nights aboard ship, one day of sightseeing in Helsinki. Thirty-six hours of pure, unadultered silliness!

Along with our friend Nick who was visiting us from New Jersey, we boarded the Silja Serenade at 5pm. The boat holds 2852 passengers and 400 vehicles. Every room was taken the night we sailed across the Baltic to Helsinki.

These huge ships have propellers at the sides as well as aft. This allows them to rotate in place and dock without the aid of tug-boats. Quite impressive.

It was a gray, drizzly afternoon when we boarded the ship but on board the weather mattered not because we could SHOP!

We discovered that what Kryssning actually translates to in English is Shopping! On Deck 7, the Promenade Deck, there were a multitude of boutiques, bars and restaurants.

The mother of all shops, however, (and not pictured on our web page, unfortunately...what were we thinking!?) was the Tax and Duty Free Shopping Mecca on a lower deck. It was by far the most popular establishment on board and the real reason many people undertook this Baltic Kryssning. Every time we visited this shop it was filled to the gills with shoppers and we never managed to brave the lines and buy anything.

Ignoring the photographer's penchant for placing his spouse in prominently goofy poses, please note the projected hearts on the far wall of the promenade deck. It truly was a Love Boat Kryssining.

Rising four stories on either side of the Promenade Deck are the windows of some of the 979 rooms (yes, you're doing the math correctly if you're trying to divide 2852 people into 979 rooms!).

What you're unable to see, and more's the pity, is the bank of windows in Joe's Bar overlooking the stern of the ship.

And don't forget the ART. The ghostly images hanging over the beautiful wood floors of the Promenade were meshed wire sculptures of dancers.

Why dancers, you ask. Good question.
We believe that it is in homage to the nightly show called "A Tribute to Riverdance". A show which we, unfortunately, were never able to attend due to its starting at 11:45 pm.

The rooms overlooking the promenade deck were slightly less expensive than our ocean view room. The view from our cabin was well worth the extra few kronor. The seaside cabins can sleep up to four in beds that pull down from the walls. Quite comfortable for two.

The ship contained a towering 12 decks. The uppermost deck contained the Bathing Grotto, which consisted of a couple of saunas, a Turkish bath, a bar, and a half dozen small pools of varying temperatures where adults and children cavorted with abandon. There was even a slide through the faux rock from a hot upper level pool to a cooler lower level pool. Mighty big fun.

By evening's end we looked like prunes.

As we entered the harbor at Helsinki the next morning the sun was huddled over the horizon. The Captain powered the engines back so that we slid silently amongst the mostly barren islands dotting the harbor.

Before we disembarked to explore Helsinki, the photographer posed two very sleepy subjects (nobody rested all that well during their first night at sea) on the deck.