The Brandt Blog

We arrived today in Stockholm – took a walk through the new city and ate in the Old Town (Gamla Stan). Crawfish, Reindeer, Lamb, Turbot and Cod. We don’t look like Swedes but we enjoy eating like them. Tak!

We are on Seurasaari Island where the Midsummer Festival is celebrated with this Finnish traditional flowered pole. It stays up all year until next Midsummer. By the way – the entire rest of Helsinki is closed today for the holiday. Happy Midsummer to all!

Fueling up to enjoy Finland’s Mid Summer Celebration today. It is a National Holiday here. Helsinki is a nice contrast to the cities in Russia we visited. Much slower paced and less crowded. We tried reindeer at dinner last night. My menu selection included a course with horse that I had to decline. ( I […]

Greetings, friends – from behind the formerly Iron Curtain. We are currently en route to our next stop (Helsinki, Finland) aboard the hi-speed train but very happy to share that we had a great time in Russia. As with previous trips, it feels good to sit down! Getting to Russia was a nearly 20-hour affair […]

Enjoying great food with great friends at Palkin Restaurant in Saint Petersburg, Russia. If it gets better than this, I can’t wait to find out.

Such a wonderful time traveling with our friends the Bergren’s in Russia.

After a full day of sight seeing, we stop for a quick coffee…and fuel up for shopping, dinner and late night sightseeing in lovely Saint Petersburg.

We just arrived in St. Petersburg and I’m enjoying that classic Russian soup…borsch. I like. Borsch good.

5am wake up call came too early today. Heading by train to St Petersburg, Russia

Maddie and Stephanie in front of the Kremlin