Copenhagen Airport

Day 10: We flew from Copenhagen, Denmark, to Stockholm, Sweden, today, which took up much of the day. Photo: Statues looking at the airport passengers.

Stockholm Archipelago

Photo: flying over the Stockholm archipelago of over 30,000 islands and rocks that extends from Stockholm to the Baltic Sea.

Stockholm Archipelago

Another photo of the archipelago.

Stockholm

We didn’t have much time left to do much in Stockholm today. Per took us for a walk to show us the Metro station and explain how to use it. Our hotel was a very nice Marriott but not in walking distance of sights.

Per told us that the tickets are less expensive if you purchase them from the ticket machine than if you go to the ticket window. Harry, our tour mate, found out that tickets were even less expensive if you bought them from a kiosk near or in the station. My recollection is that we paid 20 krona, US$2.39, for a ticket at a kiosk. The Metro was easy to take even though all its signs were in Swedish.

Per then walked us to the ATM and the supermarket. These gypsies were in front of the market, which was right near the ATM. Another gypsy was in front of the Metro station.

Dinner tonight was at our hotel.

Stockholm City Hall

Our first stop on our city tour was at the Stockholm City Hall (the Stadhuset), built in 1923.

Stockholm City Hall

This is the Blue Hall in the City Hall and where the Noble Prize banquet is held.

Stockholm City Hall

This wall of murals is in the Golden Hall in the City Hall. The hall is decorated with over 18 million glass and gold mosaic pieces. It is where the Noble Prize winners party after the banquet.

Stockholm City Hall

One of the themes of the big mural is East Meets West. Here, part of the West is our Statue of Liberty and the American flag.

Vasa Museum

Our second stop was at the Vasa Museum. The Vasa ship sank in Stockholm’s harbor in 1628 on its maiden voyage. It was rediscovered 333 years later and was raised in 1961. It is the best representative of a ship of that time.

I have put my photos of the first part of our city tour on a slideshow. Go to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/stockholm–city–tour/

(Slide Shows, Scandinavia/Estonia, Sweden, “Stockholm: City Tour”).

The Royal Palace and Gamla Stan

Our last stop was at the Royal Palace in the Old Town section of Stockholm called Gamla Stan. The Royal Palace is the official residence of the Swedish royal family even though they live at the Drottningholm Palace outside of Stockholm.

Gamla Stan

Gamla Stan is delightful to walk through. This is a photo of its main square of 17th– and 18th–century buildings.

Military Parade

After our city tour of Gamla Stan, we walked back to the Royal Palace to watch the Military Parade. Photo: People lined up to watch the parade.

Military Parade–MOVIE

A movie of the Military Parade.

I have put my photos of Gamla Stan (which we went back to on our own the next day as well) and the Military Parade on a slideshow. Go to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/stockholm–gamla–stan–old–town/

[Slide Shows, Scandinavia/Estonia, Sweden, “Stockholm: Gamla Stan (Old Town)”].

Gay Pride Parade

We next went to see the Gay Pride Parade, which was at the end of the Gay Pride Week in Stockholm. At least 40,000 people marched in the parade and there was a large crowd viewing it. We were surprised (and also delighted) to see Rainbow Flags being flown on city buses, flagpoles, and on top of hotels. The whole city seemed to be celebrating Gay Pride Week.

Photo: There were many great and some very unusual costumes worn by some of the marchers.

Gay Pride Parade

The parade was also very colorful.

I have put my photos of the Gay Pride Parade on a slideshow. Go to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/stockholm–gay–pride–parade/

(Slideshows, Scandinavia/Estonia, Sweden, “Stockholm: Gay Pride Parade”).

Drottningholm Palace

There were two options offered in Stockholm, but neither one had enough people signed up for them to go. One was to Uppsala, the university city, and Sigtuna, the oldest town in Sweden, and the other was to Drottningholm Palace. Lyn and I had signed up for both. Looking back, there probably wasn’t enough time to go to Uppsala without missing other things in Stockholm, but we really wanted to go to Drottningholm Palace and to Sigtuna. A trip on our own to Sigtuna would have taken more time than we had on our last day in Stockholm, but we did make it to Drottningholm Palace.

After viewing the Gay Pride Parade, we walked to the dock to take the ferry to Drottningholm Palace. The very pleasant boat ride to the palace was about an hour long. Photo: our ferry.

Drottningholm Palace

Drottningholm Palace was originally built in the late 16th century, then burned down in 1661 and started to be rebuilt the next year. It was the residence of the Swedish royal court in the 18th century, but went into disuse and decay. In 1907, it started to be restored. It is the present home of the Swedish royal family.

Drottningholm Palace

We found the interior of the palace very elegant.

I have put my photos of Drottningham Palace and on our ferry ride there and back on a slideshow. Go to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/outside–stockholm–drottningholm–palace/

(Slideshows, Scandinavia/Estonia, Sweden, “Outside Stockholm: Drottningholm Palace”).

Icebar

After arriving back in Stockholm from our trip to Drottningholm Palace, we walked to where we thought the Metro station would be. Even with our city maps, we had trouble finding it and had to ask passersby for directions. We found out how really nice the people of Stockholm are to tourists and how very helpful.

Tonight, part of our tour group went to the famous Icebar by Icehotel. The first ice bar was in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden, in the Artic, where the Icehotel is located. This is the second one. The ice is from the Torne River in Lapland.

Icebar

We were given heavy parkas with hoods and gloves attached to the parkas to wear in the very cold environment. What a strange looking group we were!

I have put my photos of the Icebar on a slideshow. Go to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/stockholm–icebar/

(Slideshows, Scandinavia/Estonia, Sweden, “Stockholm: Icebar”).

Day 12: We had the morning free before getting on the overnight car ferry from Stockholm to Helsinki, Finland. Lyn and I went back to Gamla Stan and those photos are on the slideshow of Gamla Stan with the photos taken there the day before.