Christmas markets in Europe and Caribbean cruise (RTW)

[SYD]

Pretty sure AY have had connecting gate info (at least for arrivals in HEL) for ages but that looks really impressive for an airport that’s already pretty good for transiting anyway.

Compared with QR which has been pretty hopeless of late providing connecting gate info on their IFE. Zero info on 3 arrivals into DOH this year and I’m not expecting anything useful heading home.

 

[RooFlyer]

The blinds were closed and everyone was fixed on TV at being a day flight (no pyjamas but there were slippers) but I chanced to peek out and stunned as we were flying over the eastern Caucus mountains just past the Caspian Sea









A few minutes further on and the whole range of the Caucuses could be seen stretching out to the NW.

 

[RooFlyer]

Food and wine menus nicely presented







I skipped breakfast as I’ve eaten in the QR lounge and a few hours before landing it was lunch.

Nuts and first drink service but then there’s about a 30 minute break until lunch proper was served.



But boy, was it worth the wait.



From top left anticlockwise, smoked duck breast, smoked salmon tartare and the main of garlic prawns with egg fried rice, etc. German Riesling to go with it.

It was one the nicest airline meals I’ve had in a long time. Every bite was delicious and each part of the dish cooked perfectly. The only thing I left on the plates was the kale.



Mousse dessert.

 

[RooFlyer]

We finally approached Helsinki via a bit of a loop around the bad areas. And descended into Helsinki Airport with the expected frozen wasteland.





The video and graphics on board the flight made me completely aware of what was to happen next. Deboard and make my way to the Shengen end of the terminal; present boarding pass ant electronic gates, go through security - everything out here - carry on some more and through Passport control -very easy, virtually no one there.

Thanks to advice from AFFers I knew I didn’t have to collect bags.

After Passport control, I knew the departure gate was right there but I carried on through the terminal hoping to get to the Finnair lounge and it’s Premium area for at least a look before I bought my flight. Unfortunately I realised that I really wouldn’t make it so I turned around and went down to the gate lounge and discovered that it was a bus gate.

At this point, I regretted not bringing a jumper with me. I was sort of standing out in shirt sleeves against the coated and be-furred and hatted other passengers oh well.

AY1395 HEL-DUS. E190 blocked at 90 mins, with me in 2A ( euro business).

Any scepticism about Euro business is well founded for this flight with the standard 2-2 seating and a blocked seat next to me however I was travelling on a Finnair business class around the world so it really made no difference.





Business class got a meal and wine, a creamy chicken dish in this case and a Spanish blend in the small bottle marking Finnair’s Centenary.




Desert was a nice sweet bun



Interesting that even in economy you could pre-order your paid meal if you wished

 

[RooFlyer]

On to Dusseldorf, my 197th airport. And its pretty good, although I just got my bag and headed for the SkyTrain station. BTW no markings or indication on my checked bag; just walked straight out. I guess it may have been sniffed ex HEL.

E3.70 ticket for Skytrian, connecting to a regional train at the DUS train station for the short trip to Dusseldorf Hbf (sorry, no umlats available for the u in Dusseldorf). Then it was a 10 min walk to the Mercure City Centre. I chose this as being close to the train station as I knew I would be tired and didn't want to faff about further with Uber or taxi.

At about E110 I wasn't expecting anything special and I wasn't disappointed. Window opened immediately as the room was too warm for me, and no cooling aircon.





No recognition of Plat at check-in, but did receive this rather amusing welcome amenity. I was upgraded in status to Diamond, but not room type and something got lost in translation of 'macaroon' (that's a little tub of pear jam).



As for sleeping well. Past readers may recall that I always battle with jetlag and tiredness in general on these trips. Is is a bigger problem than just tiredness, as being tired over a number of days leads to a bit more heart irregularity - not significant in itself, but can make me more susceptible to more serious stuff. I've always carried temazepam but that didn't seem to cut it for jet lag, so this time for the first time I asked my GP for something stronger - and he gave me scrip for 10 Stillnox. I tried one at home to see any side effects and it didn't really give me a huge sleep, but also no side effects.

So, ready for bed at 8pm local, with 2 bad nights behind me, I popped a Stillnox and 2 x 2mg melatonin, put the earplugs in, silenced the phone and watch and settled down to see what would happen. 10 1/4 hours sleep!!!! Pretty broken, but wow. Haven't done that much in living memory. Felt good during the day, too. Great to know I've got a MUST catch up solution.

 

[Flashback]

On to Dusseldorf, my 197th airport. And its pretty good, although I just got my bag and headed for the SkyTrain station. BTW no markings or indication on my checked bag; just walked straight out. I guess it may have been sniffed ex HEL.

E3.70 ticket for Skytrian, connecting to a regional train at the DUS train station for the short trip to Dusseldorf Hbf (sorry, no umlats available for the u in Dusseldorf). Then it was a 10 min walk to the Mercure City Centre. I chose this as being close to the train station as I knew I would be tired and didn't want to faff about further with Uber or taxi.

At about E110 I wasn't expecting anything special and I wasn't disappointed. Window opened immediately as the room was too warm for me, and no cooling aircon.

View attachment 417914

View attachment 417915

No recognition of Plat at check-in, but did receive this rather amusing welcome amenity. I was upgraded in status to Diamond, but not room type and something got lost in translation of 'macaroon' (that's a little tub of pear jam).

View attachment 417913

As for sleeping well. Past readers may recall that I always battle with jetlag and tiredness in general on these trips. Is is a bigger problem than just tiredness, as being tired over a number of days leads to a bit more heart irregularity - not significant in itself, but can make me more susceptible to more serious stuff. I've always carried temazepam but that didn't seem to cut it for jet lag, so this time for the first time I asked my GP for something stronger - and he gave me scrip for 10 Stillnox. I tried one at home to see any side effects and it didn't really give me a huge sleep, but also no side effects.

So, ready for bed at 8pm local, with 2 bad nights behind me, I popped a Stillnox and 2 x 2mg melatonin, put the earplugs in, silenced the phone and watch and settled down to see what would happen. 10 1/4 hours sleep!!!! Pretty broken, but wow. Haven't done that much in living memory. Felt good during the day, too. Great to know I've got a MUST catch up solution.

Seroquel also works very well, better than Stillnox IMHO.

 

[RooFlyer]

I had a bit of a morning wander around the aldstadt of Düsseldorf . Not looking for anything in particular just getting some light and exercise.

Rathaus/ Town Hall from the 1600s, extensively rebuilt after World War II. Christmas markets just waking up at about 10 am.

 

[RooFlyer]

I'm in Cologne as I write this, in the evening and there is the most amazing peel of bells from the Cathedral (Dom) going off, 10 minutes so far ,.. Its very close!

Back to this morning. Walk to the station where I had booked the 30min ride to Cologne in the DB app. The app is very good, once you get the hang of it.



Annoyingly, it departed from the adjacent platform 15 with no advice on the app. At the far end of the platform (1st class wagons) there is no departures sign. It was only that I went over and examined the obviously ICE train on the other platform that i realised it was my ride!

An empty platform 16





Wifi not bad



Arrival Cologne HBf.. The sign at the end refers to the original 47/11 Eau de Cologne perfume, produced in the city.




Stepping outside the Hbf, my first sight of the cathedral, one of the highlights I had come to see and a few minutes later, the Hotel Mondial am Dom, just around to the left.





The bells rang for 20 mins (Sunday night, I guess). And ... they have just started again, marking the hour.

 

[Pushka]

Koln has a wonderful spread of markets from the Cathedral to the river and beyond. They were the last markets we enjoyed on the river cruise.

 

[RooFlyer]

The hotel is pretty good - 4 star? As an Accor Plat I got upgraed to a 'larger room' over the one I booked, a nice spread of fruit and macaroons in my room and a daily 3 x 0.3 litre bottle of booze + snack from their 'marketplace.

No 0.3l wines, so I chose a couple of beers.





Room nothing special - as expected no cooling aircon, but I can open the window.







A nice quiet internal facing room, but I still got a Cathedral view

 

[RooFlyer]

Ventured into the markets just before dusk. There are several areas, seemingly with their own themes in decoration. Hundreds of stalls, selling a mix of Christmas trinkets & decorations, booze (Glogg & Gluhwein mainly, in nice mugs), general merch (lamps, lockets, jewellery etc).





















Dinner

 

[RooFlyer]

Early to the Dom, ready to queue if necessary, but the doors were open and a few people in at 9:30am, whereas opening was at 10:00 according to their web site. To be honest, the inside a little disappointing - HUGE but dimly lit so couldn't appreciate some of it.

Construction began in 1248 and was completed in 1880. 157.4m high, its the third highest church in the world and one of the largest in the gothic style. It survived almost unscathed in WW2, while most of the surrounding buildings were destroyed.

Kölner Dom – Wikipedia

de.wikipedia.org

 

[RooFlyer]

I didn't climb the tower but paid to look at the treasury, underneath the Choir. I was amazed - I was the only one there for about 20 minutes and then only a couple of other people found their way there (abt 8 Euro)

Many of the artifacts pictured here date from the 14th-15th centuries

















Trhe cathedral foundations intersected the Roman city wall

 

[RooFlyer]

I found the outside much more interesting. It's a hulking great mass of stone but with some nice buttressing and ya gotta love a good collection of grotesques.

 

[RooFlyer]

 

[RooFlyer]

 

[RooFlyer]

An interesting building not far from the Dom is the Rathaus / Town Hall. The tower was built in the 1400s; unfortunately it was damaged very severely in WW2 and what we see today is mostly a reconstruction. The external figures were added in the 1980s. Hard to photograph as its hemmed in by new buildings and, at the moment, a construction site. In face most of the Dom area has new buildings going up.













Nearby is St Martin's church, likewise hard to photograph and hemmed in by new construction. Completed in the mid 13th century.

 

[Flashback]

An interesting building not far from the Dom is the Rathaus / Town Hall. The tower was built in the 1400s; unfortunately it was damaged very severely in WW2 and what we see today is mostly a reconstruction. The external figures were added in the 1980s. Hard to photograph as its hemmed in by new buildings and, at the moment, a construction site. In face most of the Dom area has new buildings going up.

View attachment 418055

View attachment 418047

View attachment 418043

View attachment 418044

View attachment 418045

View attachment 418046

Nearby is St Martin's church, likewise hard to photograph and hemmed in by new construction. Completed in the mid 13th century.

View attachment 418050

View attachment 418051

View attachment 418053

At least the new construction is done in a sympathetic way, unlike what's going on in London.......

 

[RooFlyer]

At least the new construction is done in a sympathetic way, unlike what's going on in London.......

I don’t know about what’s going up now, but they haven’t done very well in the past.

The Roman Museum right next to the Dom



A top contender for the worlds ugliest building and probably a contested winner of the least appropriate design.

360 degrees concrete box.

And to make it worse it’s currently closed undergoing renovation. They should’ve just flattened it.

 

[Flashback]

I don’t know about what’s going up now, but they haven’t done very well in the past.

The Roman Museum right next to the Dom

View attachment 418056

A top contender for the worlds ugliest building and probably a contested winner of the least appropriate design.

360 degrees concrete box.

And to make it worse it’s currently closed undergoing renovation. They should’ve just flattened it.

I suppose after flattening things in the past, they choose not to take such routes anymore....