Blogs from Stockholm, Stockholm County, Sweden, Europe - page 15

The fourth and final day of our Stockholm trip. This afternoon we begin to make our way back home. We do however, have time for one last excursion – the Royal Canal is a stretch of water that separates Djurgården Island from mainland Stockholm. What is it with boats and us?? Everywhere we go, even when we are not officially on a cruise, we seem to end up on a boat. You would have thought that this 'rule' shouldn't apply in the deserts of Jordan and Dubai but aren't camels also known as ‘ships of the desert'??!! Before we left the hotel for the last time there was a small matter of checking out the fitness centre. Now before you all begin thinking I have started to dabble in the world of fantasy and fiction let ... read more

Woke up at 8am due to the sun shining directly through the window. Breakfast was busy. There was a mix of families, couples, singles (all, I assume on holiday), people on business and the odd back packer. There was a wide choice available and the organisation of replenishing stocks was first class. Today we had agreed to take a steam ferry out to Drottningholm, the official residence of the Swedish Royal family. The Royal domain of Drottningholm is situated on the island of Lovön in Lake Malären, West of Stockholm. It was originally built in the late 16th century and has remained a Royal Palace since day 1. The whole Palace and surrounding gardens were inspired by the chateau at Versailles. Drottningholm has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. We took the metro the ... read more

Wanderer How does John Bauer see his trolls Trolls were not at all indifferent to the practical benefits. Quite often, they feature a large, robust real property bags. Good evening, old man! the boy greeted. This character has a typical for most of the trolls large round nose – almost like a scone (rarely, especially for troll wives we found a bird’s beak like noses).url=http://www.norsenature.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/574px-God_kv%C3%A4ll_farbror_H%C3%A4lsade_pojken.jpgimg=http://www.norsenature.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/574px-God_kv%C3%A4ll_farbror_H%C3%A4lsade_pojken.jpg But on the next picture is a real cash-drawer. On the middle of the floor there was an open treasure chest and with two horrible trolls sitting. They were so busy counting the treasure that they neither saw nor heard Tjovik enter. Troll is at counting his money and his position ... read more

So our first full day in Sweden. There is a boat race here in Stockholm, right on our little island of Skeppsholmen. It is the ÅF Offshore Race. I don't know much about it because the newspaper that talks all about it is in Swedish. I did however learn that the starting point was moved to be here in central Stockholm. This race does mean that there are a lot of people here! We spent today walking around, a bit up in main Stockholm and then we walked around the island beside ours, Gamla Stan. Gamla Stan is the old town and while being very touristy now it is a lovely area of charming cobblestone roads and narrow streets. We got an ice cream to have while we wandered up and down looking into shops. We ... read more

We heard UlaanBaator described as 'the ugliest city in the world' which is a bit harsh but it was an unfortunate place to spend so much of our time in Mongolia, so we got out as soon as the train timetable would allow. We had a 36 hour train ride to Siberia and Lake Baikal just over the Russian border; we couldn't work out why such a comparitavely short distance should take so long, but we hadn't banked on spending 10 hours crossing the Mongolian/Russian border. It was due to waiting for staff, then for engines, then more staff, further carriages and then another engine. But we got through without any real problem having been pretty nervous of the imfamous Russian border guards. Lake Baikal outside the town of Irkusk ('the Paris of the East' allegedly) ... read more