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Published: July 31st 2017
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Royal Palace
Changing of the Guard on Horseback Up early today and tried transit for the first time. The bus stop is 50m from our house and we took the bus to the Fruangen metro station with some help from a very helpful neighbour who it turns out has twice visited London, Ontario (where we went to Uni). From there we took the metro to central Stockholm. It was very easy, clean and fast. Arriving in the city, we found a shop to pick up a bit more Sweden swag including a snow globe for Rachel's collection! Check! Then we found our way to the ticket booth where we were to catch the Panorama Bus Tour. This was a double decker bus tour that took us all over Stockholm. There were some areas we had already cycled and some areas that were new to us. Stockholm really is a pretty city (there are still some rather shady areas like any big city) but with the water and the cliffs it is very scenic. It was especially interesting to listen on the headphones to the running commentary of the sights and interesting facts (especially when Russell switched my guide to Spanish or Croatian). We heard about the origin of Stockholm
Syndrome and about Nobel and his dynamite experiments and lots more. After the bus tour, we made our way across to the Royal Palace. The changing of the guards was happening at 12:15 and it was noon so we stuck around to watch. So glad we did! See photos below. There were about 25 horses involved plus many other guards on foot. It was very cool! We had planned to go into the palace next but so did the huge crowd that watched the changing of the guards. So, we flipped our schedule around and headed to the docks to take a boat tour out to Fjaderholmarna Island. It was a lovely 25 minute boat ride to the inner archipelago island. We all got off on the island and there are walking paths all around it. There was supposed to be a beach but (see photo) it was tiny. Again, the people seem to like to lay on the rocks near the water. We wanted to get the kids a treat but banana splits were $15 a piece so we only got two. Just kidding. We got four...just kidding (who the hell pays that much for ice cream?!)After circling the
island on foot, we hopped back on the boat into the city and returned to the Royal Palace to finally go into it. The first section was mainly displays of all the different honours given to non-Swedish people (such as the Order of Seraphin). Then we entered the Guest Apartments where visiting dignitaries actually stay. It showed the Governor General of Canada was there back in 1983 and again in 2017 (Johnston). When the palace has these guests, this wing would not be available for touring through and the rooms would all be fully functioning. Then we saw all of the other rooms such as the Bedrooms, Dining Room, Drawing Room, Sitting Room, Breakfast Room, Salon (our home exchange house does not have half of these rooms....). The Royal Family does actually not live at this Palace full time but instead lives at Drottningholm Palace which is in the archipeligo. After touring the whole Palace, we made our way back to the central station and made our way home. Again, it was really easy. One funny observation about this holiday - our house is quite old although recently renovated and the floors are all hardwood and between each room there
are raised transition strips. Russell has stubbed his toes HARD so many times. He rolls around on the floor for a while and swears which is quite funny but you can tell it hurts. Anyways, he is fine.
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