Stockholm

Last weekend, we took our first trip to Scandinavia. In particular, to visit the Swedish capital of Stockholm and the unofficial capital of Scandinavia. Interestingly, Stockholm is nearly the same latitude as both St Petersburg, Russia and Anchorage, Alaska. While the days are short (right now the sun rises at about 8:00 AM and sets at 3:30 PM), it wasn’t as bad as we expected.
Although the temperature and wind were very chilly, we didn’t see much actual ice.

One of our favorite things to do when it’s rainy outside is visit museums. Fortunately, for us, Stockholm had plenty on the first day. In fact, there are about 70 and all of the ones we visited were fascinating.
The first was the Vasa Museum. Although the museum really only has one subject … a seventeenth century warship, it provided hours of entertainment and history lessons. When it was launched in 1628 to aid the Swedish King, Gustavus Adolphus, he was embroiled in a war with Poland. The Thirty Years War didn’t seem to be going very well for the Protestants. Since Sweden was very protestant by this time, the King pressured the ship builders to complete the ship quickly and with two gun decks. Unfortunately, this made the ship very top heavy. On its maiden voyage with only a small crew (and visitors) on board, the ship tested the guns with two barrages to salute the king. Soon after it let out the sail in open water, it encountered stability problems. With the gun ports open it couldn’t right itself and sunk to the bottom in a matter of minutes. It stayed at the bottom for the next 333 years. In 1961 to much international fanfare it was raised to the surface. Over the next two decades, it was painstakingly restored. Amazingly, it is 95% original and to preserve the wood it was covered in polyethylene glycol (which is very similar to ethylene glycol used to deice aircraft).

Here you can see where the 64 guns were placed.



This rather macabre display was also a fascinating look at the life of 17th century sailors.

The Swedish Royal Palace is guarded by troop of soldiers who perform a daily ceremony to rotate in a fresh crew.


These soldiers are serving their compulsory military service. An interesting idea … compulsory military service.



The band provided great music to accompany the ceremony.


Here are a couple images of the Old Town, Gamla Stan.



Although it was campy and ultra-touristy, we stopped by the Ice Bar. We would have preferred to stay in the Ice Hotel, but that was a long way to the north in Lapland. So, this had to do.

Sweden’s famous vodka was flowing freely at the bar.

Although the floor and ceiling are not ice, virtually everything else was … including the cups (the word glass just doesn’t work).

This is what happens if you lean on the table for too long in an ice bar.

They are kind enough to provide parkas to keep everyone warm in the chilly bar.

Another great museum we toured was the Skansen Open-Air Museum. This was founded in 1891 and was the first of its kind. The idea was to show what life was like throughout Sweden. So, houses and buildings were brought in from all over the country, filled with people in period costumes who are eager to answer any question visitors have and
many animals from the country. Unfortunately, the day we were there it was very overcast and bleak. So, we don’t have any pictures of the dwellings, but below are a few images of the native inhabitants of Sweden.
This wolf is very handsome in his winter coat.

It seems I have an affinity for cats and this lynx is no exception.

This Great Gray Owl seemed to be watching everything all at once.


The moose is a favorite of ours from Canada as well.

Beside the local fauna, there was another museum that had a number of more exotic inhabitants. This first image is of Green Boa.


This Bamboo Lemur from Madagascar was non-stop motion.

This is a Red Titi Monkey from South America.

Another transplant from South America, the notoriously slow moving Two Toed Sloth.

A dragon-like Variable Bush Viper from West Africa.

So, that concludes our first foray into Scandinavia. We loved everything we saw and wish for another week to really get to know the city. Perhaps we’ll come back through on our way to the Ice Hotel next year. Or, a trip in the summer to better appreciate the natural beauty of the many islands that are a part of and surround the city.
So, until then…
–Jim