Stockholm Show Segment
Our destination today is Stockholm, but we have a few miles to go before we arrive in Sweden’s capital. We stop for a photo op of the beautiful countryside before we head north. We stopped for lunch about noon at a little Cafe that looked out onto the water. The rain had stopped and after mopping up the water we sat outside to enjoy our lunch.
Next stop to see a portion of the Gota Canal. This is a 350 mile waterway that connects Stockholm the east with Gotenborg on the western side of Sweden. This project was begun by Gustavus Vasa, but not completed until 1832 when the whole length of the canal was open for traffic and became an important industrial transport route for the time. Today, it is used almost exclusively by tourist traffic. We stopped to watch as the locks allowed the small sailboat to move into the shallower waterways. Arnie regaled us with stories and good humor as we stretched our legs before continuing on to Stockholm. . The rain cleared as we approached Stockholm. Stockholm is situated on 14 islands and is surrounded by water at the outflow of Lake Malar into the Baltic, which here forms a deep outlet. The charm of the setting lies in the intermingling of land and water - the skerries fringing the coast, the crags rearing up from the seas, the intricate pattern of waterways encompassing the city. The surrounding area with its woodlands and lakes, its old castles and coastal towns, is very beautiful. Stockholm is the capital of Sweden, linked by lakes and canals with the interior of the country. The city is surrounded by suburbs, many of them developed from old residential districts, and since the end of WWII new commuter areas equipped with shopping centers and satellite towns have grown up around the capital. We rode through the streets of Old Town where the buildings rose up from the street. Kjell gave us a brief history of the city and the islands that make up the area. This cosmopolitan city affords many comforts for the tourist with it’s mixture of culture and . Kjell also pointed out the various shopping areas available for our pleasure when we returned to Old Town. Even a McDonalds for those desiring a taste of America. Igmar Bergman said of Stockholm, “ It is not a city at all. it is ridiculous of it to think of itself as a city. It is simply a rather large village, set in the middle of some forests and some lakes. You wonder what it thinks it is doing there, looking so important.” Self-important, perhaps, but without a doubt a disparate capital, with tracts of water and parkland a range of monumental buildings, giving it an aging, lived-in feeling, and an atmosphere that mingles the old and new into one of charm and ease for the many inhabitants. We arrived at our hotel - the Forresta which was located on Lindingo next to the Milles Garden. Once again we had a lovely room with an extraordinary view that allowed us to see the bridge we had crossed over and the trains that ran under the highway. We had dinner at the hotel and then settled in for the evening. When we remember this day we will remember, the beauty of the countryside as we headed north to the busy capital of Sweden. The locks at the Gota canal and the time spent in southern Sweden.
Today we explore Stockholm ... After breakfast we headed next door to the Milles Garden where despite the rain we explored this garden that is a work of art This is one of the most popular sites in Stockholm. Carl Milles most important works are represented here. The statues are seated on terraces carved from the island’s steep cliffs, many of Milles animated, classical figures, perching precariously on soaring pillars, overlooking the distant harbor; ranked terraces of gods, angels and beasts. Back on the bus to head into Old town for church and shopping. One group was dropped off at the Cathedral (Storkryrkn) with it’s famous statue of St. George and the Dragon, near the Royal Palace. AFTER ITS CONSECRATION IN 1306 building work continued on for another 200 years and between 1736 and 1743 it was remodeled in Baroque style. Here the kings and queens of Sweden are married and crowned. The church has a richly furnished interior. Another group was taken to St. Eugenia’s.
We stopped for lunch at a 4th century cafe where we had Swedish waffles with loganberry jam and hot coffee. It was wonderful. Old Town is filled with sprawling monumental buildings and high airy churches that rise above the narrow streets. The rain stopped in time for the changing of the guard at the Royal Palace. Here we watched with tourists from all over the world as the band began playing and drew the crowds to the courtyard. The ground for the Swedish monarchy was laid by King Gustav Vasa in 1523 when he married into Stockholm as the new king of Sweden. he founded governmental administration and tax collection. He broke with the catholic Church and established Lutheran Protestantism as the State religion. The present Royal family goes back to 1818 when Karl Johan XIV from France assumed the throne and is now the third oldest reigning dynasty in the world. The family is very popular among Swedes. Although the royal couple possess no political power they are very active in environmental issues. Stockholm Palace is the largest royal palace in the world and still being used for its original purpose. Next stop, the Vasa Museum. This is home to the warship Vasa, which sank in Stockholm harbor on its maiden voyage in 1628 and was brought to the surface again in 1961. The vessel is 200 feet long and is the only completely preserved 17th centruy ship in the world. Here it is diplayed along with numerous items of equipment receovered from the vessel. After dinner we went on another tour of city and were able to watch the city from high above, as hot air balloons sailed aloft and various boats and ship marked their way to the Baltic. When we remember this day we will remember, the beauty of the busy capital of Sweden combined with its lovely Green belt areas, the magnificence of the buildings, the wonderful food and the great shopping and the cornucopia of attractions.
