Shady's Eurotrip

[ShadySands]

Rather than spam the picture thread I thought I would just dump some of my favorite pictures from each city here

 

First up is Narva

 

 

On the left is Ivangorod Fortress in Russia and on the right is Hermann Castle in Estonia and the bridge is the border crossing over the Narva river

 

 

Another shot of Ivangorod Fortress in Ivangorod (lucky coincidence)

 

 

Hermann Castle in Narva again

 

I'll post some more photos from the courtyard and tower as soon as they all copy over to my computer

[Rosbjerg]

What countries are you visiting, mostly eastern Europe?

[ShadySands]

Just Estonia and Russia which I'm pretty sad about. I wanted to and had originally planned go to Amsterdam (for more than a layover) and Helsinki but those plans got dropped due to time

 

EDIT: Almost forgot, more pics!

 

 

and for LoF and/or oby

 

 

They moved this statue of Lenin to the castle courtyard from the town square outside so nobody would vandalize it or something after the Soviet Union fell

Edited August 7, 2013 by ShadySands

[kirottu]

No Helsinki. No points.

[ShadySands]

I don't remember what this park was called but it's just on the other side of the castle

 

 

There were a couple of other really cool things in Narva that I didn't get a picture of because by that time both my camera and phone had died

[Keyrock]

I see you definitely like castles, I like castles too.  I hope the trip went well.  Those are some nice looking areas.

[ShadySands]

Yes, I love castles

 

If I had the money I would get one built somewhere out here

[Amentep]

 

They moved this statue of Lenin to the castle courtyard from the town square outside so nobody would vandalize it or something after the Soviet Union fell

The eyes look different - made out of something other than what the rest of the statue is?

[Hurlshort]

Awesome pics!  I would be happy going on a vacation where all I did was visit castles and breweries.  Or a combination of those two.

[kirottu]

Finland has castles too.

[Rosbjerg]

It most be a little funny that most of what you are seeing predates your own country

 

 

Finland has castles too.

 

And don't let anyone tell you otherwise!

[ShadySands]

Finland has castles too.

 

And don't let anyone tell you otherwise!

 

 

Next up is Tallinn

 

Pretty much all of my pictures are in and around Old Town and I apologize in advance that a couple of the pictures are very blue

 

 

[ShadySands]

more Tallinn

 

[ShadySands]

Up next will be St Petersburg but I probably won't get to it until tomorrow

[ShadySands]

 

 

They moved this statue of Lenin to the castle courtyard from the town square outside so nobody would vandalize it or something after the Soviet Union fell

The eyes look different - made out of something other than what the rest of the statue is?

 

 

No idea about the eyes but I was wondering about it myself but couldn't find much info on the statue other than the name of the person who made it and that it was a really big deal when it was finally moved.

 

It's supposedly the last fully intact Lenin statue in the Baltic states but I couldn't find any sources to that claim

Edited August 7, 2013 by ShadySands

[ShadySands]

Awesome pics!  I would be happy going on a vacation where all I did was visit castles and breweries.  Or a combination of those two.

 

Thanks!

 

Old Town Tallinn was pretty much that and I loved it

[Agiel]

 

 

and for LoF and/or oby

 

 

They moved this statue of Lenin to the castle courtyard from the town square outside so nobody would vandalize it or something after the Soviet Union fell

 

Reminds me of this scene from "Goodbye Lenin!"

 

[LadyCrimson]

If I was rich, I'd buy several acres of land and build my own small version of a castle. I'd want to live in it, so it wouldn't have to be full-scale/huge (not like I'd want to housekeep a real size castle). But it would have a couple of tower/tower rooms, stone walls I could walk on the top of, large inner "courtyard," a cat-stables, and preferably a moat and drawbridge to keep out the peasants.

 

...great pics, btw.

[Hurlshort]

Yeah, I'd build a castle as well.  I'd put in modern insulation though

[ShadySands]

Yeah, there are a few companies that do them, modern castles that it.

 

Castle Magic is the only one I can think of off the top of my head though

 

Also, sorry I haven't gotten the rest of the pictures up yet. Been sick and haven't felt up to it because it's hard work sorting, uploading, and linking photos

Edited August 9, 2013 by ShadySands

[Guard Dog]

Very cool! Looks like it was a great trip. You guys were just exploring at your own pace?

[ShadySands]

Thanks

 

If we would have had more time or gone to more places then we probably would have just wandered a bit but as it was we were either with my wife's friends or family the whole time we mostly just got led around. It was still fun though just a bit more structured than I usually like my vacations and I didn't wan to complain about being smothered since my wife hadn't been "home" in about 10 years and everyone really missed her

 

I'd have the say that the hardest part of the trip was not being able to read the signs and mostly in Russia since the alphabet is different 

[Guard Dog]

That's still a heck of a lot better than a tour group though. You should have them out to Colorado next time. There's no castles but you can always take them drone hunting!

[LadyCrimson]

Castle Magic is the only one I can think of off the top of my head though

*bookmarks site in case she ever wins the Lottery*

...just imagine playing your favorite dungeon crawler game whilst sitting inside your own stone dungeon or tower. That would be awesome.  

 

Look forward to seeing the rest of the pics, when you're feeling better.

[ShadySands]

Here's the first batch of Saint Petersburg photos

 

This was a pretty cool little fort