The Caravan Club St Petersburg and the North Grand Tour. Sweden

We arrived safely from the gorgeous City of Helsinki on the beautiful ferry the" Serene" What a treat that is. The food,the shops, the comfort. Amazing. I think I can safely say the best ferry that I have ever been on. The only downside to it is that it brought us back again to..Sweden! Not only was it raining but the roads are poor and the whole place just seems dull and boring-no wonder they tried to make an ABBA museum-well you can't make a museum on trees and bloody Volvo can you?!
So we arrived on a campsite,supposedly one of the best in Sweden. Yes we overlook a lake and are in walking distance ( providing you have long legs!) of Orebro.  Our initial thoughts were that it was quite pretty.Lovely toilet blocks and free showers but then.....We are next to a busy road and a train track with goods wagons going by 24/7! It hasn't got dark during the night ime since Denmark, what we would give for a nights sleep! We are all freezing. I have taken to wearing two coats. The temperature may say 19 but it's the constant cold wind. It was funny particularly in Russia when they accused us of bringing the sun and they thought they were having a heatwave. We were again wearing 2 coats! They are a different breed of human! Even here my central heating in the caravan is on full blast,venturing out only to go for essentials and the Swedes are in tents and pic nicking out on the barbecue areas! Are they mad?! It's not just me accustomed to Spain. We have all been buying winter clothes.
Last night I decided to check that this was one of the best sites in Sweden by reading the "caravan europe" handbook. We had tears rolling down our faces and judging by what members had written we should be grateful that we are here! One member had written about a campsite that there were lots of itinerant,  not enough water points and that it gets very muddy and units get stuck but it's ok because the campsite has a tractor! Is this really a civilised country? Is this really part of Europe?  I am beginning to think that this Countries campsites are having a competition with Romania-but at least theirs were cheap!
So tomorrow  on to something else new. Norway.I am looking forward to it but dreading the prices. We have all started drinking heavily as Norway is not part of EU and we can only take very limited amounts of alcohol in with us. I have been warned that after today I will be turning tee total when I see the prices. Oslo. I have no idea what I'm going to see there but it's somewhere different. After that it's back into Sweden (I can't wait!) and then the finishing post at Denmark where we started. That will be the end of the Tour for us but we still have to drive across Germany and Holland and then P and O north sea ferries,  another yuk! But then Hull (is that another yuk?!) At least it will make Hull feel warm and there's family there. So far it's been a great experience with some great people.I do genuinely love travelling and exploring. Some of it has been a real eye opener or do the educated say "broadening my horizons? ! Not sure but it's certainly been fun!

Do I need to put titles? The top 2 are of Helsinki

Camping in a field Sweden!

P. S I don't think I will get a job with the Swedish Tourist Office anytime soon!

http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/overseas-holidays/european-tours/st-petersburg-and-the-north-grand-tour

The Caravan Club St Petersburg and the North Grand Tour 2015 The other side of Russia

I haven't blogged on the go as there really was a strange and uneasy feeling around our visit. The haves and the have not.  One incident really upset me and the boys faces will stay with me forever. I will start at the beginning. We were on a luxury high speed train from Helsinki into St Petersburg. Really flash, travelling at 200 kmph. You know you are entering Russia when the scenery changes drastically from open fields and villages to

and I didn't manage to snap the security Towers! This was also at the time of our Russian Visa checks. Certainly no sign or smile saying "welcome to Russia!"

One day we visited the famous fortress and saw the opulence of where the Czars were buried. It was vulgar in the extreme,yet beautiful. 

These were truly creating an impression for the Tourist. The truth of the matter is that reality is totally different. Having been at a 4 star hotel that ran out of food,milk and beer you do begin to wonder.

One afternoon we decided to treat ourselves to a boat trip. The waterways had been designed by Peter the Great to copy Venice. It was more like Amsterdam meets the River Humber! Did anyone tell Peter the Great that it's bloody cold in Russia and another fact that he's not on the Med and doesnt lovely clear water?! Hey Ho off we go. Duck! There's a bridge coming! Health and safety "what's that?!

Please don't let there be a tidal wave!

Anyhow, whilst managing to hang on to our heads we were suddenly aware that at each bridge we went under there were the same 2 lovely boys waving to us

Some bridges were as much as a mile apart and still they appeared enthusiastically waving at us. On occasions  we watched them running along the embankment to catch up or beat our boat. This amused us all greatly ( sad and easily pleased I know!). It wasn't until I started speaking to a local lady about this that she said "It's sad. They don't stand a chance. They are orphans, probably. The state looks after them until they are 14. They are supposed to give them and apartment but they never get one  they are left to fend for themselves. Orphans here don't stand a chance"  Omg those lovely boys. The lady had no ulterior reason to tell me this that I can think of or was apparant.

We got off the boat and I could see the boys some distance away. They weren't begging or causing a nuisance. I shouted to them and asked them if they were the boys from the bridges and they confirmed that they were They were so young and smiling...I know a big softie.... I got the equivalent of 10 pounds from my pocket and handed it to the smaller boy as I said " thank you" . He hugged me and kept saying "thank you". I don't normally give to beggars and the like but honestly the more I have thought about it,  the more I wish that I had given them 100 pounds! What entrepreneurs. They aren't being a nuisance. They are providing entertainment and keeping themselves fit. They could be pick pocketing or stealing but no...I admire these boys. I wonder what will happen to them in life. They deserve to do well. I can't help but think that this was just a little glimpse of the real Russia. If ever you go there please donate to my lovely "bridge boys!"

Oh yes just selling one of these paintings would feed them and the rest of the orphans for the rest of their lives instead of being on display for the over wealthy tourists. What a sick world we live in.

Well you will be pleased to know that I'm off my soapbox now. Most people have gone into Helsinki but we have had a chill out day or rather mucking out day. We get the super ferry back to Stockholm that is overnight. I'm actually looking forward to it, it's so lovely. We then drive just over 100 miles to the next site in the middle of Sweden. I wonder if my impression of the Country improves any?! After that it's Norway, Back into Sweden and then Denmark and a mad dash alone back to the UK as the Tour finishes in Denmark. I can't wait to bask in the British sunshine it's so BrRrer here!

http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/overseas-holidays/european-tours/st-petersburg-and-the-north-grand-tour

The Caravan Club St Petersburg and the North Grand Tour 2015 Sweden, Estonia and Finland

O so this will come as a surprise to many but the Countries that I so far expected to be IT savvy and sophisticated just weren't!  I do hope that you appreciate that I am having to pay to keep my blog up to date! Ouch!
Sweden. Well what can I say about it? Err lots of bridges,Volvo cars, and trees. Lots of mud, miserable people and I can see why they are miserable! I had a very glamorous pre conception and it was nothing like it! We stayed at one of the better campsites that had a lovely lakeside view. There was a bar and restaurant on site but no one used it as the cost was ridiculous. Over 8 pounds for a local beer and a glass of wine that was more like vinegar. The good thing was we had been given a Stockholm pass that allowed us to use the public transport system for free and access to some museums. You guessed it not the museums that could be remotely interesting! Lol
In fairness the public transport system was quick and efficient but a nightmare to understand. Fortunately nearly everyone spoke English.  Stockholm itself feels very dis jointed as it's made up of lots of areas which are in fact islands. There were some lovely unusual shops, the ABBA museum etc was all extra money and I couldn't understand how you could really make aN interesting museum about a pop group. I have since learnt it was all karaoke style and computerised. If you have ever heard Date and me sing it's probably a very good job that we didn't go there!
We struggled to get the caravans out of the mud as there were no hard standings or drainage on the campsite. We drove to the ferry port that was to take us to Helsinki and what a lovely surprise we got. Ferry? Never! A totally amazing ship that was more like a cruise ship. Shopping malls, restaurants,  bars, entertainment, super cabins.....perfect! As it happened in our group I think we all tried every restaurant and each of us were suitably impressed with our food. As for the beds...fantastic! We disembarked the next morning at Helsinki. First impressions? Stunning! Classy and clean with old wooden sailing ships in the harbour. Impressive ferries going to and fro. Smiling ,friendly faces. I'd arrived in another world! The campsite Rattle was signposted the minute we got off the ship. Lovely hardstanding,  clean toilets, friendly reception. Very lovely. I can't wait to explore it more. We didn't have much time yesterday as we caught another boat...This time to Estonia for the day! Yes I'm pleased that we visited it but I definitely won't be dashing back! Basically we visited Tallin.  Lots of parks and it's a walled city. Lots of touristy shops and consequently touristy prices. We ate in an Italian restaurant and watched the world go by. Interesting the fact that it was occupied by the Danish, the Germans and more recently the Russians. It is now a member of the EUROPEAN union and we felt at home again at least using the euro, not that we spent much. The capital is so small. We would say it's not more than a town. Hull would be 5 or 6 times bigger and that's not big.
So today we are chilling in the van before our next adventure tomorrow..St Petersburg! Muchly excited. Somewhere totally different.  We catch a coach and then a train. Well that's the theory anyway! Better start packing!  Good bye Comrades!

Hmm not sorry to be leaving Sweden, a bit dull to say the least!

We then enter another world!

The shopping mall on board!

Helsinki from the port

Estonia palace but no one of any significance has ever stayed there!

Tallin

 Possibly the best view. Need I say more?! Lol

http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/overseas-holidays/european-tours/st-petersburg-and-the-north-grand-tour