The True Spirit of Scandinavia - An Elderhostel Trip

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Day 15 - Monday, June 15, 2009
After breakfast we learned how the European Union was first thought about after WWII. France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, Italy and West Germany all signed the Rome Treaty in 1958 forming an European Economic Community. The countries agreed to economic, cooperation, customs cooperation, a common market, and common agriculture policy. In 1973 the United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark joined the EU. In 1981 Greece joined and in 1986 Spain and Portugal. Sweden's entry into the European Union was in 1995 along with Austria, Finland. A few things had been changed by then and Sweden could keep their own currency, whereas Finland and Austria agreed to go on the Euro. The major factor of the EU is that it provides a single market for its members. It also provides free movement of capital, labor, goods, and services. Workers from one country can go to another EU country with no problem. Since 1995 many more countries have joined. And there is too much information to go into here. However, we found it interesting that Norway did not join the EU. Norway is a wealthy country due to the oil it gets from drilling beneath the North Sea. Also they do not want to give up their identity, and there are probably many more reasons.
After lunch we headed back to Stockholm and took a short walking tour of the old town. We saw the outside of the royal palace with the guard standing at attention in front with his peculiar sort of helmet. Then we had free time to walk around on our own. Since it was another cold, rainy, windy day we scurried hurriedly around the narrow cobbled stone streets dashing here and there into interesting looking shops. I remembered that I wanted to look for a couple of antique sterling silver spoons to use to eat my grapefruit and cereal with at breakfast. I use one that I had when I lived in Munich in the early 50's, but it was silver plate and the silver is wearing off. We went into 4 or 5 antique shops. Everyone spoke English, thank goodness! In one shop a little gray Schnautzer ran out when the owner opened the door for us when we thought it was locked. The dog then dashed across the street and into another shop with the owner fast behind her. In the meantime we entered the shop to get out of the cold and look around. He came back shortly with the dog, Ella, in his arms. She was tired out and soon lay down in her dog bed. He only had a set of British spoons from 1921 and I didn't want a whole set and I wanted Swedish spoons. He recommended another shop up the street and there we found the shop where a wonderful Japanese lady told us all about the two beautiful spoons she had from 1881 with the shell pattern made in Sweden. The name of the shop in old town Stockholm is Westerbergs Antik at Kindstugatan 6 (Gamla Stan) 11131 Stockholm. Her name is Mihoko Westerberg. She told us how the old silverware was hand made by a master. In Sweden the percentage of silver for sterling is .955% and the Swedish government puts their stamp of the 3 crowns on the back of every piece. She also pointed out the master's stamp, and the stamp that shows the date it was made. The two spoons cost 500 Krona which was about 70 American dollars.
Our next stop in Stockholm was the Vasa Museum. The guide book says that .".. Stockholm turned a titanic flop into one of Europe's great sightseeing attractions. This glamorous but unseaworthy warship - top heavy with an extra cannon deck the king ordered after the ship was being built- sank 20 minutes into her 1628 maiden voyage when a breeze caught the sails and blew her over." Our tour guide told us that the ship had been tested for sea worthiness by having 30 men run back and forth across the width of the ship. They could tell that it was top heavy but were afraid to tell the king! King Gustav Vasa had insisted that the war ship be built in only two years and then the last minute said he wanted an extra gun deck! Another possible reason it sank was there was only 120 tons of ballast in the hold composed of large stones and there should have been twice as much with lots of smaller stones between the large ones. "After 333 years at the bottom of Stockholm's harbor, she rose again from the deep with the help of marine archaeologists."
"....this Edsel of the sea is today the best-preserved ship of its age anywhere - housed since 1990 in a brilliant museum. The masts perched atop the roof - best seen from a distance - show the actual height of the ship."
"The Vasa, while not quite the biggest ship in the world, had the most firepower, with two fearsome decks of cannons. The 500 carved wooden statues draping the ship - once painted in bright colors - are all syymbolic of the king's power. The 10 foot lion on the magnificent prow is a reminder that Europe considered the Swedish king the 'Lion from the North' - hoping he would save Protestants from the Catholics in the religious wars that engulfed much of 17th century Europe. Painstakingly restored, 95% of the wood is original (modern bits are the brighter and smoother planks). Displays are well described in English." We found it quite amazing to see an immense wooden warship from 1628 which had be sunk for over 300 years displayed before us in all of her glory! It was, indeed, a memorable sight!
In the evening we were entertained with Swedish music performed by Katarina and Patrik Svedberg. Katarina is a young woman singer with a beautifully clear voice dressed in white jeans and long cotten shirt accompanied on the piano by her husband, Patrik. His parents and the couple's young sons were sitting in the back of the room also enjoying the performance. We heard some Swedish folk songs, and some old songs all in Swedish. Each song was introduced and explained either by the Patrik or Katarina. It was very enjoyable and special. The entertainment was followed by another farewell party with a delicous berry torte for a dessert and a special bottled sparkling fruit drink. The Tollare Folkhögskola is part of a temperance movement in Sweden. Alcohol is evidently a big problem in Sweden, even more that drugs.
At the end of the party, Paul, our site coordinator asked us to sing our national anthem. Our group seemed a little reluctent but Gene stood up and led us in singing and I think we did a pretty good job. Paul seemed impressed. He reciprocated by singing the Swedish national anthem.
Tomorrow we will spend most of the day in Sweden but then will board a cruise ship to sail to Finland. So, for the last time in Sweden, we bid you good night. Phyllis and Gene

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