Text Box: A few years ago, I was watching a TV programme featuring the St. Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum Collection. My husband, Sab, and I were so impressed with the enormous collection of art pieces that we told ourselves, “One day, it would be nice to go there and see them”. Recently, I saw on the Internet, my employer, TD Canada Trust, offering a discounted “Baltic Sea Cruise” through the Staff Recreation Club. So, off we went! After a couple of day’s sightseeing in London,England, we boarded the “Norwegian Dream” at Dover and started our 12-day cruise to the Scandinavian capitals. The “Norwegian Dream” is one of the luxury liners of the Norwegian Cruise Lines, which weighs 50,760 tons with a 1,750 passenger capacity. Our stateroom had an ocean view porthole, sitting area and TV. Leaving the impressive White Cliffs of Dover behind, the ship sailed to the southern part of the North Sea overnight to the pilot station at the Kiel Canal which links the North Sea with the Baltic Sea. The canal was built between 1887 and 1895 and initially served the German military. Prior to World War 1, the canal was owned by the Government, but in 1919, the Treaty of Versailles laid down new regulations that internationalized the canal while leaving it under German administration. The canal is 61 miles long and spanned by seven bridges (140 feet high). To pass through the canal, the ship lowers the mast and flips the funnel.The ship sailed slowly at 7 knots/hour, taking about 8 hours to complete the passage. As we travelled Text Box: leisurely along the canal, we enjoyed the charming picturesque north German countryside while being entertained by a German Brass Band throughout the day. The friendly countryside people came to the edge of the canal and began waving their hands as we passed by. There was even one smiling gentleman who was seen playing an accordion.We all waved back. This was one of the highlights of the cruise. After passing through the canal, we sailed for a full day on the Baltic Sea to reach the city of Tallinn, Text Box: -See Travelogue on Page 26 Text Box: Travelogue on Scandinavia - - By Eiko & Sab Yoshioka - - Text Box: -photo by Yosh Uyeda Eiko and Sab Yoshioka are seen with some artefacts collected from their travels to Scandinavia. Their travelogue was presented after the Jan.12th UCW General