We just got back from Stockholm last night and I have today off so, no time like the present to update the blog.
It was frigid in Stockholm. By frigid I mean freeze your nose, ears, and toes off if you are not careful. We planned our excursions based on stops to rewarm all our parts. Buses, subways and cafes are great stopping points to re-warm, oh well if we rode the bus in a circle once in a while. Jake and I also determined bus stops should have those motion activated warm blowers (the kind you find in bathrooms to dry your hands).
I noticed Jake keeping slightly closer tabs on me this trip. When I asked what was up he said, I am afraid I will lose you. See, the way Jake normally finds me is he looks over the crowd for the tall blonde. Well, that was not going to work in Stockholm. We have never seen so many tall, blonde hair, blue-eyed people. I would walk into a shop and immediately they would be speaking Swedish to me, it was really nice, although all I could say was , "tack" (thanks).
Stockholm is a metropolitan, international, and tourist friendly city, it is one of our favorite so far. We would go back any time, despite the cold! Please enjoy our pictures.
A man-hole cover
We went to the Vasa Museum. The Vasa was a warship built in Stockholm from 1626-1628 under direct orders from King Gustav. She sunk only 30 minutes into her maiden voyage right off the coast. The Vasa lay in the mud for over 300 years until she was raised in the 1950s and restored. This was an amazing museum, the ship is over 95% original. It is fantastic to stand next to this gigantic artifact.
The Vasa is rigged as though it is dry dock for the winter
The city from the water
Old town Stockholm, also called Gamla Stan
Out tour guide of old-town (in the green jacket). 60 Kronar (about $7) per person for a two hour tour, not bad!
Jake rubbing the head of the little iron boy. This is a very popular monument based on a Finnish fairytale. It is said to posess the same power of a majic lamp, you rub it and your wishes come true. He often gets clothes donated, notice the blue sweater, and has numerous hats and scarves for the local soccer clubs.
We turned a corner and the German church popped out, so I snapped away. According to our tour guide the Germans came and taught the savage Swedes how to administrate a city, build houses, and be civilized.
The oldest door in Gamla Stan-from the 1600's
This was above some of the doorways, it was the old fire insurance cards of the day-the bird phoenix rising out of the ashes.
It was posted above doorways
The brick section is a part of the original city wall
Move over IKEA, Swedish meatballs with mashed potatoes with balsamic vinegar reductions. Fresh lingdonberries and cucumber salad. MMMMMM
On Suday, we went to Skansen, an outdoor museum with old farmsteads and houses from all over Sweden. There are guides dressed up on traditional clothes and you can walk in and out of the buildings as if you are walking through a town from centuries ago. Looks like my ancestors were a bit smaller than me.
Jake and I were so amazed with the glazed wood burning stoves. They were beautiful-we have never seen anything like them. Talking with one of the guides we found out they were quite efficient too. The smoke had to go through a number of different chambers before going out the top and in this way the whole stove became warm and radiated a lot of heat.
An old farmhouse from the north of Sweden.
On of the best parts about the Skansen was its elevation, un-obstructed 360 degree views.
Me and Jake with the Stockholm skyline in the distance
Can you make out the two car like mounds in the left-middle?
The driveway-a little blurry-sorry
Jake cleaning off the BMW
The poor Mini-I wish I had a big wool sweater for the little guy
Me and Jake
Snowy driveway sign- Probably says something about dumb Americans
Trier is the oldest cities in Germany founded on or before 16 BC (thanks Wikipedia).
The market main area.
Pam (freezing her butt off) in the market
Jake in the market
St. Gangolf church from Porta Nigra
A view out of one of the many windows at Porta Nigra
A view down the main market street to St. Gangolf church.
Porta Nigra, the best preserved Roman City Gate north of the Alps
Even the manhole covers are charming
Chocolate houses all ready for the Christmas Market
Jake found his souvenir (sorry Jake, we have one of those already)
A man-hole cover
We went to the Vasa Museum. The Vasa was a warship built in Stockholm from 1626-1628 under direct orders from King Gustav. She sunk only 30 minutes into her maiden voyage right off the coast. The Vasa lay in the mud for over 300 years until she was raised in the 1950s and restored. This was an amazing museum, the ship is over 95% original. It is fantastic to stand next to this gigantic artifact.
The Vasa is rigged as though it is dry dock for the winter
The city from the water
Old town Stockholm, also called Gamla Stan
Out tour guide of old-town (in the green jacket). 60 Kronar (about $7) per person for a two hour tour, not bad!
Jake rubbing the head of the little iron boy. This is a very popular monument based on a Finnish fairytale. It is said to posess the same power of a majic lamp, you rub it and your wishes come true. He often gets clothes donated, notice the blue sweater, and has numerous hats and scarves for the local soccer clubs.
We turned a corner and the German church popped out, so I snapped away. According to our tour guide the Germans came and taught the savage Swedes how to administrate a city, build houses, and be civilized.
The oldest door in Gamla Stan-from the 1600's
This was above some of the doorways, it was the old fire insurance cards of the day-the bird phoenix rising out of the ashes.
It was posted above doorways
The brick section is a part of the original city wall
Move over IKEA, Swedish meatballs with mashed potatoes with balsamic vinegar reductions. Fresh lingdonberries and cucumber salad. MMMMMM
On Suday, we went to Skansen, an outdoor museum with old farmsteads and houses from all over Sweden. There are guides dressed up on traditional clothes and you can walk in and out of the buildings as if you are walking through a town from centuries ago. Looks like my ancestors were a bit smaller than me.
Jake and I were so amazed with the glazed wood burning stoves. They were beautiful-we have never seen anything like them. Talking with one of the guides we found out they were quite efficient too. The smoke had to go through a number of different chambers before going out the top and in this way the whole stove became warm and radiated a lot of heat.
An old farmhouse from the north of Sweden.
On of the best parts about the Skansen was its elevation, un-obstructed 360 degree views.
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I had to keep an eye on Jake, he was going around touching the statues again
A boat in the harbor
