3rd September 2010

Stockholm!

We got off the boat and then straight onto the metro. I love how organised European countries are! We bought a Stockholm card for 52 euros each which will last for 48 hours- we can use any bus, tram, metro, ferry boat and entrance to museums!

After we checked into our hotel we dumped our bags and headed straight into town to make use of our cards! We got a ferry boat over to the Vasa Museum which houses an amazing warship that sank 335years ago. It had sunk a half an hour after setting sail and had been preserved in the freezing waters of Stockholm. It was a huge wooden boat, decorated to the hilt - an amazing museum, well worth a visit.

After that we hopped back onto the ferry boat and stopped at Junibacken (a kids reality museum) where everything is kid size. Sid ran around like a mad man and enjoyed a few fun filled hours in pretend world. We checked out the boats on the harbour and boarded the youth hostel boat for a look- very cool, but booked up well in advance. And that was our first day

Sid up to his usual tricks!

in Stockholm; busses, trams, boats…. Home a little bit jaded!

4th September 2010

More Stockholm- Can't get enough!

After a hearty breakfast, we set off for the old town. Sid and Nigel found a shop jam packed full of old things - toys and medals and old cash machines; everything and anything in a higgledy piggledy room….. I had to drag them away.

We went to the Palace and waited for the changing of the guards; that involved a brass band and lots of marching. We went inside the Palace afterwards, which was beautiful. Next, we hopped back on the ferry boat and headed for the aquarium - just in time for the feeding of the sharks. Back on the ferry boat, this time to the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities as they had a display of Terracotta Warriors. Nigel missed Xian, so wanted to have a look- he went in and was sorely disappointed when China only managed to give the museum a handful of warriors out of the thousands they have ☺

Our next stop was to check out the boat that was converted into a backpackers and restaurant- again, it was pre-booked for

The strait out of Helsinki- with the Sea Fortress on the edge!

months…… note to self- when travelling in Europe, book ahead!

We had pre booked a SkyView trip up the side of The Globe for the last ascent at 6pm. SkyView is a spherical room that goes along a track on the outside of the Ericsson Globe- the world’s largest spherical building. It claims to ‘take you on a breathtaking journey at 130 meters above sea level to gain a whole new perspective on Stockholm’. It was a nice view, but was it worth all the trouble of going there, booking tickets and then back again to do it…….. hummmmmm probably not! Sid could hardly contain his excitement as tonight is the last sleep before Ireland (i.e. next stop = being spoiled rotten). Adios Stockholm - I think you were my favourite city of them all!

Additional photos below

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