Stockholm, Sweden

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Geo: 59.3217, 18.1253

The captain said the view coming into Stockholm would be stunning, so we got up early and headed for the fore of the ship for this awesome scene. It did not disappoint. Check out the videos as we are entering this beautiful country.

After what will be our last breakfast on the ship (we splurged and had a Belgian waffle) our shore excursion began at the VASA Museum. My world traveler friend, LaWann Tull, told me not to miss this, so we changed our itinerary to include this amazing museum. Please check out my pictures and stories.

We had lunch in a beautiful restaurant by the canal. Swedish meatballs and mashed potatoes, cucumber salad and a chocolate truffle cake that was heavenly. Everything was delicious.

After lunch we took a scenic boat cruise through the Harbour and back to our ship. The shuttle bus to Old Town was getting ready to leave so we jumped on and with Rick Steves book in hand followed his walking tour to the first German Lutheran Church in Stockholm.

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Photos

Stockholm
Our last breakfast. Splurge.

VASA ship
The Vasa was the most expensive and richly ornamented naval vessel built in Sweden at this time. When the Vasa sailed on her maiden voyage, the ship capsized and sank 300 ft from shore inside Stockholm Harbour.

Vasa Museum
Beginning in the spring of 1626 work commences on the building of the Vasa at Skeppsgrden, the naval dockyard in Stockholm. 400 men are employed. Over 1,000 oaks trees are used.

Vasa Museum
From keel to the top of the main mast: 52.5 meters. Height of the stern: 19.3 meters.

Vasa Museum
The ship was salvaged 333 years later from the date it sank, August 10, 1628.
When the ship was salvaged, the seamen's chests were still packed with provisions, cloths and small personal possessions. Barrels of meat lat in the hold, the admirals table stood in the cabin, the officers' beautiful pewter dinner service, bronze candlesticks, lamps-and the ship's cat-were all on board. The Vasa is a time machine that details life on board ship and on land in the early 17th century.

Vasa Museum
Although Captain Sofring Hanson is imprisoned, but later released; no one is held responsible for the disaster. Early attempts to raise the ship fail.

Vasa Museum
Although Captain Sofring Hanson is imprisoned, but later released; no one is held responsible for the disaster. Early attempts to raise the ship fail.

Vasa Museum
Most of the Vasa's sculptures have a symbolic meaning. The artists employed in the wood-carving workshop of Skeppsgarden were well-versed in the complex symbolic language of the time. They found motifs and ideas in Renaissance manuals on art. Their artistic style was German-Dutch late Renaissance and early Baroque, and there were both Dutchmen and Germans among the artists. They carved in oak, pine and lime.

Vasa Museum
The army marching across the Vasa's upper gallery in the stern, is derived from the Book of Judges in the Old Testament.

Vasa Museum
More intricately carved motifs surround the ship.

Vasa Museum
After 333 years, the Vasa broke the surface on the morning of April 24, 1961. Though mired in mud, the Vasa was so well preserved that, after being salvaged, she was able to float unaided.

Vasa Museum
When the Vasa was salvaged, everyone thought it was a remarkably well preserved ship, but more than three centuries on the sea bed had also caused a great deal of destruction. It was called the world's largest jigsaw puzzle.

Vasa Museum
When the ship was originally built, it was colorful. Sculptures and decorations were painted in red, green, yellow, blue and violet.

Vasa Museum
The warship Vasa now has her own museum in the middle of Stockholm. If you look out the windows of the Vasa Museum, you can see the site where the Vasa was built. And it is only a few hundred meters to the spot where the Vasa sank. The Vasa Museum was opened on June 15, 1990.