A ballet along the Baltic

A group of 8 of us decided to go on a cruise on a ferry from the capital of Sweden, Stockholm to Riga, Latvia. The day of the cruise was on 21^st December, 2010. Now we knew before hand that food was very costly in the ferry, so we got up early in the morning and prepared food for a day. “We were on a strict budget you see”. Guess we would have been one of a kind travelers on board with so much food packed with us for the trip. We then packed all the food and got ready with at most excitement to catch our ferry. We made sure we charged the digital cameras and packed them. I made sure that I did not miss my laptop for special reasons. The ferry had to be boarded by 4pm and just as ever that happens when 8 guys get along together, we were not on time. We leisurely were strolling towards the wrong direction which lead to an entire other ferry. The lady at the desk there said “guys you have to go down at least a kilometer or two to catch your ferry”. It was the moment were we started running and before we were half the way we were gasping for breath and just before they could close the check in, we rushed in with minutes to spare sweating even at -14 ◦C. Well then the first part of the whole trip was successfully filled with a hustle bustle which I would say actually pepped it up a little.

Now I should never forget to mention about the first sight of the ship, its sheer size was astounding, she was huge and majestic. The thoughts on my mind went straight back to 1912 to the Titanic. I started my own comparisons in my mind. A ship traveling in the sea which eventually is place where the temperature reaches sub zero and also the sea at times is seen with sheets of ice. Well I should admit that being inside a ship for the first time and the wide spread sea did really put a tint of fear in my head that “What if the ship sinks?” Also the very sight and sound of certain terms here and there like, fire door, sea level, life jackets, life boats etc. did not make the job easier. But then just as we stepped in the ship all the bright lights and glamor of the her makes you forget all those fear in a wink and puts you in a total mood to party and not to forget the effect of a couple of drinks. Now we threw our entire luggage in our cabin and started roaming out blinking where to start and end since the ship itself was 9 floors. We were like animals let loose inside the ship going from floor to floor and from place to place. I was really amazed at the ship as it seemed to me like a little city with almost anything available under the sun. There were pubs, discos, casinos, restaurants, spa, sauna, swimming, a market and what not.  If the inside of the ship is one side of the coin, when you flip it you get to see an entire new world outside in the deck. The cool breeze kisses you first as you put your first step outside. Now I immediately ran towards the fore of the ship to see her steer through the Baltic Sea, it was an amazing sight. The gentle yaw and sway felt in the ship felt lounging. After all the loitering I took my laptop went to the wifi room in the ship, yet another facility given to you even when in the middle of the sea.

The ship was filled with parties and events for the passengers. There was lottery, lite music; live bands, games for kids and a wide spread shopping range. The shopping market had an exclusive liquor section where I could constantly hear a clinking sound of bottles clashing with each other due to the vibration in the ship. I bet you would have never ever got a feel from a liquor store like that as got from the one in the ship. We clicked a few shots in and around the ship. As the clock ticked its way into the night life of the ship parties started to unveil just before which we had our own private party in our cabin and then marched towards the dance floors. We had a nice dance amongst us and with strangers who had come from many parts of Europe and other countries. Tired from the dancing we head back to our cabins to hit the bed so as to rise early to catch a glimpse of the sea in daylight from the ship and also click to some pictures. The ship reached the destination and the interesting part was to see how she was steered to her port and anchored with so much precision. I really envied a mariner at that moment. We picked up our back packs and head with a map to the capital city of Riga and we were told the old town of Riga was the most attracted tourist spot in the city.

 Stepping out of the ship into the icy roads of Riga we head to the old town, strolling through the streets with a map and clicking snaps all the way. We walked about a kilometer and we nearly reached the old town and the first thought that engulfed the mind is the city’s medieval architecture. The architecture was so beautiful we felt as we walked the Stone Age roads of Riga. Christmas mood was all over the place and its first encounter was a beautiful Christmas market. There were small shops where little gift articles, eatables, wine and beverages, and many more being sold. “Prices are low in Riga, so shopping is a given”, said a friend of mine, I certainly do not agree with her but still just to prove the point I got a little gift. The people in Riga were unusually very friendly to us, really felt well treated in this place. A warm welcome everywhere with a constant smile on their lips made the walk through the streets more melody.

We then visited a couple of places like the occupation museum, the city hall, and the dome cathedral. We clicked few snaps at all these places and we started back to the ferry and walked back the same way to return to it. On our way back we stopped at the Christmas market took a snap with Santa and pit stopped for tea to get some warmth in ourselves. There we bumped into a traveler from Belgium who has been in tour for almost ten months and heard him explain his journey through several parts of the world and apparently he had visited to India also. He started about the cuisine in India and how he loved the spicy food that he ate there. The talk extended about people, costs, trains and more just while we were sipping our chai (tea). He finally added “I love masala dosai” (an authentic south Indian dish) and put us all also in a drooling hunger for our home food. We with the delight of a pleasant conversation about our home country with a foreigner in a foreign land started back to catch our ferry.

Finally reaching the ferry and we were just having a thought in mind so as to snuggle in the bed and catch a good sleep, but just as we stepped in a crew member welcomes us with a big smile and hands us over a flier with an entire new agenda of parties and events for the second day of the journey. Now without a second thought we again pumped up our adrenaline for more fun and party. The best part of the second day was the group of six singers who really rocked the evening. They were really lively and interactive and just made us standing there without a movement wherein we just came randomly checking into the hall. The second day was also no less fun compared to the first day though we rather winded up the fun a little earlier comparatively and hit the sack for a calm sleep as the giant rocked us gently to a ballet along the Baltic.