Stockholm, Sweden

The train trip from Copenhagen to Stockholm took 5 hours, but it was a high speed train and a very comfortable ride which included traveling across the long bridge from Denmark to Sweden.

Of course we toured on another boat around the harbor, and again it was beautiful.

We were in Stockholm on a beautiful weekend and noticed how the people in Stockholm love their shoreline.

While I was planning our trip I read about The Vasa Museum and thought it would be an interesting place to visit. Was it ever! The Vasa was a warship that sank on its maiden voyage in Stockholm Harbor in 1628. After over 333 years on the seabed, the ship was salvaged and a building was built around it. The Vasa is the world’s best preserved 17th century ship, and it is 98% original.

The ship is huge and the tops of the masts are outside the building. Bob loves museums with movies, and was very happy with this one. When the ship was new it was colorfully painted, but paint doesn’t last 333 years underwater.

The detailed carvings were so amazing. They also displayed a small model of the ship showing what it must have been like when it was newly built.

We used my Rick Steves guidebook and his walking tour of Stockholm took us past the Royal Palace. I loved this crown on the gate and I told Bob that I need one on the gate to my garden. You can imagine his reply.

In the old town the streets were very narrow, and if you want to have a party and it’s a nice day you just put your tables outside! We walked past and nobody said a word.

This little statue is about 6 inches tall and if you rub his head he’s supposed to bring you good luck. We rubbed his head but didn’t leave any coins. In fact, we didn’t have any coins, or paper money at all while in Scandinavia. We were told at the train station in Copenhagen that we won’t need cash, it’s all plastic money (credit cards) in Scandinavia. The building in the middle is the Nobel Prize Museum and I loved the sign over this store. Could this be Diagon Alley???

We watched the changing of the guards at the Royal Palace. The soldiers marched, the band played, and they left one little girl to do the guarding.

Bob really likes Swedish meatballs with lingonberry sauce, so while we were in Sweden we made sure that he ate some genuine Swedish meatballs. They were a lot better than the meatballs at IKEA!

Stockholm is a beautiful city with a lot of things to see and do, but it’s time to move on. Our train to Oslo leaves at 8 a.m. so we better be there on time!