I'm leaving on a jet plane...

In 10 days time my mom and I will be boarding this ship in Stockholm. We're going on a Quilt Cruise!
We spend 10 days on board visiting ports in the Baltic Sea:

Dear Quilters and Friends,
We are very excited to return to Europe in 2012 with a fabulous itinerary! Beautiful cities, rich in history await us as we sail from Stockholm to Amsterdam, with stops in Finland, Russia Germany and Denmark! We'll cruise on Holland America Line's beautiful ship, the ms Eurodam.
As usual, we bring you a wide variety of fabulous classes from which to choose, taught by four of the most award winning, renowned instructors in the world of quilting:
Paula Nadelstern, Mary Sorensen, Cindy Walter and Laura Wasilowski!

Cruise Highlights

• Four award-winning quilting instructors
• Numerous class choices
• Fabulous Holland America cruise
• Autograph party with the instructors!
• Welcome Aboard party!
• Show & Tell at the Farewell party!
• Challenge Block Contest with great prizes!
• Shopping at quilt shops in ports!
• Souvenir Tote Bag and luggage tag!
• Door prizes!
• Get to know your quilt mates at our daily "SEW"cials!

We will begin our cruise in Stockholm, Sweden which was founded as a fortress in the 13th century and is considered one of Europe's most beautiful capitol cities. Our first port of call is Talinn, Estonia where you can wander the cobblestone alleys beneath turrets and red tiled roofs in Medieval old town. We will then head to St. Petersburg, Russia where an overnight stay allows you 2 full days to explore this fascinating city, home of the Hermitage Museum and Cathedrals galore! From St. Petersburg we will travel to Helsinki, Finland, where you can explore the Rock Church and the stylish and sophisticated shops of Esplanade Street. On to Germany where we will make port in Warnemunde, the gateway to Berlin. See the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Brandenburg Gate and Checkpoint Charlie. Next we stop in Kiel. A university town, naval base, and Germany's largest passenger port, Kiel offers the perfect blend of urban charm, culture and history. Kiel also serves as your gateway for Hamburg, a beautiful port city on the Elbe River. Spend a delightful day exploring St. Michael's baroque church, the St. Pauli District, and the gardens and cafés around Alster Lake. Our final port of call is Copenhagen, Denmark where the Little Mermaid greets you as we enter the harbor. At its center is Tivoli, whose gardens, lakes and fountains are said to have inspired Walt Disney. We will end our Baltic Adventure in Amsterdam, home of wooden shoes and windmills. Alongside its graceful canals and gabled houses, Amsterdam offers such world-class sights as the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum.
Relax in our floating hotel...why not try the spa? Sit in on exciting port lectures and find out more about the area we're visiting or plan a few excursions. Or after an exciting day of exploring, visit with your fellow quilters at our evening "Sew"cials and open sewing sessions. Whatever you decide to do, this will be a "trip of a lifetime!" Bring a friend, your spouse or your family - non-quilters will get a discounted rate and are always welcome to join us! They have many activities to pursue while you are in class.
We can't wait to see you in Stockholm!
Best wishes,
Paula Nadlestern, Mary Sorensen, Cindy Walter and Laura Wasilowski


So, only a few more sleeps.... but shall I spoil my excitement by telling you all what I still need to do before I leave? No..... I'm taking the evening off because I'm so tired: tomorrow I will try to move mountains. My one goal for July was to finish Lindie's quilt, but alas, I don't see that happening....