Sunday, September 17 More Sweden

 Sunday, September 17

Another great breakfast this morning.  It is 17 degrees Celsius which is around 62F.  

We head out on a bus tour of the city, beginning at City Hall. Built in the early 1900's, it houses government offices but also several wonderful ceremonial halls.  The first we enter is called The Blue Hall because that was what the original architect imagined.  

 It is not blue but is quite lovely marble and brick with a magnificent staircase that was designed so that women's long gowns and high heels could maneuver it. The annual Nobel Prize banquet is held here.

Next, we walked through the elaborate 349-seat Parliament room. The Parliament currently has 8 parties from far right wing to left.

Into the Gallery Room which features several tapestries from the 1600's.

  

down a hall and into the Golden Hall.  

The Golden Hall is quite amazing, with golden mosaics decorating most walls,. They are incredibly detailed and feature many historical events. Beautiful chandeliers and mirrors really make the room sparkle! This hall can support 700 seated people for state affairs.

  

Back in the bus, our guide provides some general information on Sweden. It is the 5th largest country in Europe. 70% of it is forested and most people live in the south.  Sweden was initially very poor which is why 1.5 million immigrants left, mainly for the US and Canada. 

It improved greatly beginning in the 1950's. It introduced social programs to help everyone - medical care and higher education, for example, are free.  Later we learn that the tax rate is 47% but on a sliding scale.   Affordable housing continues to be an issue.  Houseboats are an interesting alternative housing solution, as there is an abundance of water. 

While they are celebrating the King's 50th Jubilee today, the King is a figurehead, says our guide, with no real power.  He "just cuts ribbons",  she says. Obviously not a fan.

Next stop is the Vasa Museum which showcases a war ship built in 1628.  Due to a design error, it sank 20 minutes after it was launched.  It was found in 1956 and raised in 1961.  It is 98% original and is 4 stories high!   Lots of carving and intricate woodwork.

A "complete history of the 17th century life" is found in its contents. Parts of 15 skeletons were also found and they have a picture of what one woman may have looked like, based on analysis of the skeleton.

There is a smaller more colorful model of what the original would have looked like.

There are also models of what the interior may have looked like.

From here we go on an excursion to Uppsala, an ancient town about 45 miles north of Stockholm.

 Nice highway through more rural land with some corn and other fields.   It is home to the oldest university established in 1477,  and a large percentage of the 177,000 population are students. Anders Celsius, who created the 100 degree thermometer scale is from here as well as botanist Carl Linnaeus, who established systems for classification and naming of species.

We are joined by a local guide, Hans, who is a great guide with a delightful dry sense of humor.  We first visit the Cathedral, as Uppsala is the seat of the Church of Sweden.  It was originally Catholic and was begun in 1270's and finished in the mid 1400's.  Quite elaborate with burial place of many Swedish royals.  

 We also stop to see one of many Viking rune stones found in Sweden. Being on a river that connected to the sea, Uppsala was a popular port and ship-building place.

We have a break for lunch in which everyone goes their own way.  Greg and I try a small Thai restaurant which is good. Hans points to the crosswalk sign which shows a woman instead of the usual male, which came about after protests here.

After lunch, we visit the Carolina Redivide Library, which has several billion books! Some of those on display include the rare 6th century Silver Bible, and  several books with beautiful illustrations by Linnaeus and other scientists. There are also ancient maps, one called the Carta Marina, complete with sea serpents. 

There is a castle built by Gustaf Adolfs in 1561 with a bell that still rings daily at 6AM and 9PM as it has for centuries.

  

Bikes are still a preferred method of transportation, along with some electric scooters.

We stop for a "fika" which is a Swedish coffee break which most people practice.  We have cinnamon buns with very strong coffee. That's DeeDee in pink - she always wore lipstick that matched her outfit perfectly.

Then we do a quick walk through Carl Linnaeus' Botanical Garden, which still has some flowers in bloom, a few quite unusual.

 A short drive is next, to Old Uppsala ( Gamla Uppsala), home to 3 royal mound burial sites.  Other archeology finds from the Iron Age were found here as well as mysterious foundations and rocks, and 25' poles with horse heads on top.  Pretty countryside here.

Back to the hotel around 7:30.  We chat with some of the others in the lounge, have a drink and call it a day!