Revisiting the Vasa Museum in Stockholm

Me  at the Vasa in Stockholm

The Vasa Museum was one of our highlights in Stockholm. Stockholm is a picturesque place but is not really that chock full of things to do for tourists, not when you compare to places like Rome and Paris. The interesting history of the Vasa warship can be found on wikipedia. We spent the better part of a morning there and had a great time. The food in the cafeteria is especially memorable, not too expensive and very good quality. Basically it was a warship that sunk on its maiden voyage but the museum is top-notch though small. I was surprised how the ship basically takes up about 90% of the museum. 

Moises with his Swedish cousins (just a joke)

Recreations of the warship's decorations

It was very dark inside so kind of hard to take good photos. You can see how crowded the museum is all day. People came and went the entire two hours we were there.

Sweden's Summer Waterways: A Real Treat

On our Baltic cruise, we left Stockholm and traveled towards Helsinki. The waterways leaving Stockholm are incredibly beautiful, dotted with islands and clear blue waters.  I so wanted to jump off the cruise ship and stop and have a picnic or linger with my feet in the water.

Leaving Stockholm

Ferry at Yxlan, Sweden

Ferries are a popular mode of transport between these remote islands. At Yxlan, we saw a car ferry unloading. More information can be found about rental cottages near this remote island at:

http://www.stugbasen.com/en/cottages/rentals/sweden/stockholm/roslagen-yxlan-the-archipelago-stockholm-2901.htm 

The weather in late July was absolutely perfect, not humid but nice and warm. It really felt like a slice of Heaven. My husband, Moises, enjoyed taking photos off our balcony of the ship as we made our way to Helsinki.

Moises

Pleasure boat in waters from Stockholm to Helsinki

Stockholm Memories: Vasa and Skansen Museums

European bison at the Skansen

Mom and baby moose at the Skansen

My husband and I went on a Baltic cruise for our tenth anniversary last year. My favorite parts of Stockholm were the Vasa Museum, Skansen Open Air Museum and the surrounding waterways. I especially loved our sail out of Stockholm to Drottningholm Palace.

The Vasa Museum centers around a warship that sunk in 1628 and was refurbished starting in 1961. But I found all the other things in the museum of far more interest - the statues and reproductions of her hull and how she looked as she sailed out of Stockholm almost three hundred years ago.

Vasa Museum wall painting

My husband Moises at the Vasa Museum

Me at the Vasa

Reproductions of the hull ornamentation circa 1628

More information about the Vasa Museum can be found at this website:Visit the Vasa Museum

Carousel at the Skansen

After the Vasa, we visited the Skansen Open Air Museum, a combination small zoo and living history museum, showing the lives of Scandinavia in times past and includes shows and entertainment. The museum is 120 years old.



 More information can be found on the Skansen open air museum at:Explore the Skansen Open Air Museum

I found this youtube video which I think is especially good about both the Vasa and Skansen Museums.

  


But our favorite part of that day was the view we had while up on the hill in Skansen, looking out over the water. We were hot and tired and had just bought two bottles of water and dreamed of the wonderful lunch we would have later at a Hotel in Gamla Stan (the old part of the city.) I had the traditional smorgasbord, makes my mouth water just thinking of it. 

We ate lunch at the Grand Hotel, with fabulous service and amazing surroundings. For additional information on Swedish smorgasbord, check out:
Swedish classic: the smorgasbord
or 
information on the Grand Hotel:
Grand Hotel Stockholm

View from the Skansen

Drottningholm Palace Royal Horses

Drottningholm Palace

This post is neither gargoyle nor graffiti, but about my other favorite thing - animals!

Drottningholm Palace is everything a Palace should be - immense, ornate, grounds to die for and only accessible by boat. It sits on the island of Lovön in Stockholm County, Sweden. It is one of Sweden's royal palaces and the main residence of their King and Queen. 

Moises taking photos of the grounds

I am sure the private residences are more luxurious than the part we got to tour, as the tourist area is pretty sparse. Old palaces tend to be that way. The wonderful thing about this Palace is the grounds and the Royal horses.

Royal horses at Drottningholm Palace

Swedish Royal horse

We took a carriage ride. It meant waiting for over 2 hours to get our turn though - as the horses work for 2 hours, then rest for 2 hours. The young women who take care of and lead the horses are the happiest employees I have ever seen. They regaled us with stories of the goings on at the Palace - when their services were needed for Royal events, and they truly seemed not only in awe of but in genuine like of the Swedish Royal family. The ride was about a half hour back to the Chinese Pavilion. We got out and toured and then made our way back to the Palace. It really was a royal treat.

Chinese Pavilion

Before heading back to the Palace