Chronicling Europe & The Baltics 2018 – The Music Plays On

If I had to find a phrase to describe these unique cruises it would be continual music. It doesn’t matter whether you are asleep in your cabin or on deck for a stroll. There is jazz being played everywhere on the ship from sunrise to sunset. What more could fans from countries around the globe ask for when they truly love the music?

Departing from Helsinki brings a bit of sadness to us, travelers because we know the end is coming. There’s one more full-day at sea and then back to Copenhagen. For the majority of us, we will be heading to the airport and home. So I normally take this time to finish up my notes, make some important observations, and enjoy the last two days apart from the Speed of Life.

Each cruise we’ve gotten the chance to meet people we would not have encountered in the states. That in itself is amazing to think about. We’ve adopted travel parents, brothers, sisters, and friends on these journeys. Maybe this is why so many of the jazz fans and cruisers keep coming each year. It’s difficult to say goodbye but we know the music will play on until we see each other again.

#Rick Braun #Marcus Anderson

Chronicling Europe & The Baltics 2018 – Priceless Impressions

Sunny St. Petersburg Exploration

Day five on board may have started like any other busy morning on these Dave Koz Cruises, but it was unique. Some early risers drank their coffee to the sounds of Kenny Lattimore, Chris Walker, and Javier Colon. Those of us a bit groggy after a late night of music, delectable cuisine, and dancing woke to a beautiful sunny day in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Now, I am aware that there was an elephant in the room when it came to expectations and preconceived notions. My very first impressions of this city were breath-taking. The views of the water and broader landscapes were priceless. The organization for excursions into the city was detailed and understandable.

Ours was a guided tour that journeyed through St. Petersburg ending at the Hermitage. We had three glorious hours to see artwork that could not be viewed anywhere else in the world. Before stepping into this renowned museum, we took tons of photos just like everyone in the crowd of tourists.

I hadn’t expected to ride through a vibrant and bustling cosmopolitan city. The Speed of Life of this day was filled with surprises and education about this particular Baltic port of call.



Chronicling Europe & The Baltics 2018 – The Views of Tallinn

The theme for this year’s cruise was Scandinavia and The Baltic because of the ports of call we would be traveling to. Many of us, who have cruised with Dave Koz and Friends at Sea before, joke that this is more than a terrific way to travel. It is a process from beginning to end that makes dreams come true. I’d never heard of the city of Tallinn but was familiar with the country of Estonia.

Situated along the coast of the Baltic Sea, Estonia is one of three countries that had at one time been a part of the Soviet Union. Today, it is an independent nation which is also a part of the European Union. One of the first things that I noticed, on the chilly morning of our arrival, was the combination of historical and modern structures.

Established as the capital city in medieval times, Estonia is beautiful. Quick commutes to virtually any part of the city makes it convenient for tourists with strict schedules. We visited some of the important attractions and landmarks in the area. These included Old Town, Pirita, and Viimsi. Imagine my surprise when we went in search of a cappuccino and found a fully functional and expansive shopping mall.

The Strawberry Crème Cappuccino was absolutely delicious but it was soon time to return to the ship. Norman Brown, Jonathan Fritzen, and Marcus Anderson were on the lineup for the selection of jazz venues on board and we were ready to enjoy them!

Chronicling Europe 2018 - Reconnecting in Sweden

It’s always nice to be able to reconnect with friends and family members. This is even nicer when the place that you get to do this is in Sweden. One of the unique things about this portion of the cruise with Dave Koz and Friends was that we had family in this part of the world.

I can’t help but repeat that the weather was amazing and warm enough for light clothing. Traveling around the world can make things a bit confusing and challenging. Things like meeting people in a public place with signage in another language. Fortunately this time around, it was quite easy to get together with our family members.

This gave us an opportunity to also see the city through their eyes. Sightseeing with them included off-the-beaten path stops like a royal cathedral and a place for espresso. Shopping and taking home souvenirs for many tourists involves traversing to some of the best streets in the city. We got the chance to visit the Drottninggatan, as well as, Gotgatan areas.

It was possible to buy high-end items and those that were budget-friendly. Walking in Stockholm was nice, easy, and enjoyable with family as the guides.



Chronicling Europe 2018 – Embracing Stockholm

All of the locals that we met along the journey confirmed that the weather was unseasonably warm. I’d thought that heavy clothing would be necessary throughout the entire Baltics Cruise with Dave Koz and Friends at Sea. The sun was a staple as we arrived at Stockholm, Sweden.

The previous night’s main show included our host and special guest Kenny Lattimore in concert. Late nights and jazz in every venue on board couldn’t keep us away from this beautiful city. As usual our hop on-and-off tours allow us to visit historic parts of the city, as well as, those that were filled with business and cosmopolitan life.

The lack of hustle and bustle on the early morning roadways, struck me as different from the typical sights at home during this time of day. Stockholm Palace and City Hall were definitely two landmarks that showcase the brilliance of the past.

Excursions that included the Swedish Opera House, the City Centre, and other popular locations were high on the list of many of our fellow cruisers. Sampling regional and national cuisine is always on my personal list of must-do activities.

Lunch time in the park displayed workers from all backgrounds relaxing and embracing the gorgeous city of Stockholm. There were no Speed of Life struggles that we could see!

Chronicling Europe 2018 – Copenhagen Greets Me

The weather was a little dreary on the first day but by the afternoon the sun came out to greet us, so did the city of Copenhagen. Big Bus tours as some of the best ways to see the sights and sounds of any destination. This is true whether you are traveling domestically or internationally.

We enjoy it because it’s a great way to learn about the history and to find hot spots to go back and explore. The Little Mermaid, Tivoli Gardens, and Frederik’s Church are amazing attractions and landmarks to visit while in the city. We got the chance to hop-on and hop-off at sites that interested us.

Diverse shoppers like me loved hearing about IKEA and its history here in Denmark. Everyone we encountered from the couple from Germany to our British concierge assistant made an impression on the trip.

 

Now like many of the travelers also there during our stay, the goal and destination involved sailing with world-renown musician Dave Koz on the Friends at Sea, Scandinavia and The Baltic Cruise. We would be visiting Stockholm, Sweden, Tallinn, Estonia, St. Petersburg, Russia and Helsinki, Finland.

Our backdrop throughout the journey would include the most amazing jazz being played by equally as amazing artists. Setting sail with Day One Headliners of Michael Lington and Jonathan Butler got us ready for the week!



Freelance Work Opportunities – Scrutinize Client Lists

The Speed of Life is there and waiting for you no matter what your stage of life. Some people are looking for part-time work to supplement their regular incomes. Others require work that allows them to stay-at-home.

Freelance is the perfect solution to both of these interests. It provides workers with varying skill sets the opportunity to earn money online in different fields and industries. Writers are some of the most popular examples of freelance workers.

They perform development activities, as it relates to content, such as articles, blog posts and other materials. These are not, however, the only freelancers. There are technical projects, IT projects and sales projects in this field of work.

One of the first things necessary is to list your marketable skills, to choose your clients. Scrutinizing your client list involves simply determining the types of projects you are interested in. These should be projects that connect your skills along with the requirements of the work.

Websites like Upwork make it easy to find the types of projects that you want. Here are some areas of consider:

• Content Writing
• Customer Service
• Product Sales
• Research Projects