Saturday, Sept 16 Stockholm

Saturday, September 16

The hotel breakfast was an extensive buffet.  Lots of different breads, swedish pancakes (like crepes), pickled herring, smoked salmon, bacon and sausage and many kinds of eggs.  Yogurt, smoothies, various fruits including watermelon, a sweet yellow-rinded mellon, and pineapple; lunch meats and cheeses...and baked beans - I think these are popular in the UK. 

We walk to the train station and purchase a 24hr pass, which is good for train, subway, bus or boat! We check out the subway which is dubbed "the world's longest art gallery", where different stations feature different art. 

We decide to walk to another station but get easily sidetracked.  It seems this weekend is the 50th Jubilee of the current King, with all sorts of events going on. Also the hundredth anniversary of something... the monarchy? Busy streets with a scattering of western food places like Burger King and Subway, and many shops and restaurants.  Lots of folks walking and riding bikes or scooters. Some beautiful architecture.

We pass a protest gathering and when I ask a woman what they are protesting, she consults her phone for translation and says it is to stop deforestation and pollution due to mining.  

We follow the sound of music to the Royal Palace where several bands and orchestras are playing.  Interesting that there is a military band on the balcony above the stage, an orchestra on the right side of the stage, and a rock band on the left of the stage.  We think they are rehearsing for events later in the day, so we hear a little of everything! 

  We walk around the palace and past the Parliament Building.

 Many of the streets are cobblestone, which is kind of hard on the feet!  Quite a lot of police and military presence.  We hear later that many dignitaries will be attending events, some from neighboring countries, so that is why security is strong.

Military on board boat in harbor.

The city is exceptionally clean and it is a beautiful sunny, cool day.  Lots of statues here and there, some the typical military or royalty, and some more contemporary and/or unusual. 

We make our way to the harbor where we catch boat 82, to Djurgarden Island, home to an amusement park and our destination - Skansen - the oldest open air museum founded in 1891.  

There are 13 islands which are part of Stockholm! We spent several hours at Skansen, visiting historical homes, various craft demonstrations and shops.  Rode a funicular and walked.  

I think this sign said Furniture Store

There are nice gardens, and an area with native animals, including reindeer and moose.

 

 Only the indigenous people north of here are allowed to herd reindeer.

  We asked directions several times today and everyone was kind and seemed to speak some English.

We are able to catch a bus from Skansen back to within a few blocks of the hotel.  The bus is very crowded and a few people we spoke to are apologetic that we can't get good seats - the festivities have brought lots of people out.  After walking a block in the wrong direction, we use google maps to get back to the hotel.

We relax a bit in our room, fill out some post cards for the grands and then go downstairs to meet our tour director, and 25 other travelers.  There is a group of 8 from North Carolina, a few from Canada, Massachusetts, two couples from Maine, Minnesota and more.  Probably  around 8 are our age.  Our tour director is Dionysian (DeeDee) originally from Greece but now living in Berlin.

After a drink at the bar, we have dinner at the hotel and meet everyone.  DeeDee fills us in on important things - like use credit cards for everything, and bicycles have priority so watch for bike lanes.  We have a GoAhead app that everyone can use and where schedules, etc. are posted.  Very handy!  There will be a tour tomorrow morning and we all get small headphone sets (Vox) to use on tours.

Good dinner! Salmon roe appetizer, beef steak main.

Tomorrow is Sunday - Day of God - and some shops are closed.  Yet when someone asks about attending a church service, DeeDee says they are difficult to find as few Swedes are religious. 

Still getting settled after jet lag and travel but better tonight.