Helsinki City Center

Like all European cities, regardless of size, Helsinki's city center is the hub of daily activities.  The streets are crowded but friendly.   Tourists and locals bumping elbows, communicating as best they can, one seeking adventure the other making a living. The city market, shown in this photo, sits right on the harbor, providing a wide …

Warnemunde, Germany

A sleepy little village of 5,000, Warnemunde, Germany has not quite woken up to the advantages of having cruise ships stop here.  Cruise ships began stopping here only about five years ago, so it's not touristy or commercialized yet ... prices are still reasonable. Quaint little shops line the pier with flower-draped lawns sloping gently …