Postcards from the Past: Sweden
Land of The Svea
When and Where: 08/2008
– Stockholm
34th Country Visited; 22nd
European Country Visited
Interesting Facts:
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Stockholm is the largest urban area in
Scandinavia.
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Sweden has over 95,000 lakes and more
than half the land is forested.
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Swedish workers get twice-daily breaks
called Fika where they consume a beverage, eat cake, and chat.
Of all the countries I’ve visited to date with the exception
of the countries I’ve visited on this 2023 cruise, Sweden is at the top of the
list. Back in 2008, I took a Baltic
cruise with my family. I had been to a
few of the ports before (Helsinki Finland and Tallinn Estonia), but there was
much more of Scandinavia and the Baltic region to be discovered. One of the ports I was most excited to visit
was Stockholm Sweden. When I think of
Sweden, I think most about its socially progressive culture and Abba. As we went to book a cruise tour for
Stockholm, there weren’t many options remaining. We basically got stuck with an afternoon Ice
Bar visit and a tour of the old section of Stockholm known as Gamla Stan.
As we weaved our way through the narrow passageways in the
approach to Stockholm, tiny islands dotted the route. Smaller islands were completely forested or
had a home or two. Larger islands had
entire settlements complete with harbors and restaurants. Consistently, all of the islands were
stunning. My anticipation grew as we
approached Stockholm Harbor. The city of
Stockholm is comprised of 14 islands.
Upon arrival in Stockholm, we were whisked away by van to the
Ice Bar. Ice Bars have become more of a
trend in recent years with locations even popping up around the USA. Prior to entering, visitors go to a changing
area where they switch into warm clothes and don a parka. The temperature is below freezing. Adults are treated to a vodka and cranberry
juice cocktail, while kids are given juice.
Most everything in the venue is made of ice including the bar, the barstools,
the walls, and the glasses. We stayed
for about an hour before the cold became too much to handle.
After the Ice Bar, we traveled to the center of Gamla Stan. The
town dates back to the 13th century and has many narrow cobbled
streets, medieval alleyways, and archaic buildings. The stunning Stockholm Cathedral sits by the
port. In addition, the baroque Royal
Palace accents the skyline. We walked
around, stopped for a snack and went souvenir shopping. Aaron wanted a Viking helmet but settled for
a Sweden t-shirt. Although the
temperature was chill, the summer sun was shining brightly down on this lovely cityscape. The sun was glistening off the water
As we departed the harbor, we passed back through the series
of islands. Usually as we approach a
port, I have no desire to see the scenery.
However, the picturesque views captivated me.
A few years after we visited, the Abba museum opened. As a lover of music, I would have loved to visit the museum. The museum is one of many reasons I need to pay a return visit to the city.
One of the many islands on the waterway approaching Stockholm
Gamla Stan
Gamla Stan
Aaron in Stockholm
On the approach to Stockholm
.
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