SWEDEN
July 30, Wednesday Stockholm
The flight from St. Petersburg was only and hour and a half on SAS and was both interesting and pleasant. It was a good introduction to expensive Scandinavia.
There were no freebies or give-aways; payment for even a cup of coffee. We paid $16 for a cup of coffee, a cup of tea and a roll. After a while, we realized that
by Scandinavian standards, that was cheap.
Bengt met us at the airport. He and David had never met, so it was nice for them to finally get acquainted.
We went to their home (apartment condo) and had a nice dinner and chat. Öle, their oldest, was there to visit with us. Jün and Elsa, the middle two, were there.
Their youngest, Gunnar, was at camp. It was nice to visit with them.
Bengt drove us to downtown Stockholm to our hotel.
July 31, Thursday Stockholm
Sightseeing on a city tour with our group of 42 other souls. Our group had a large contingent from the Chicago area, six Aussies together, three
Aussies/Malaysians, four Indians living in Dubai and the rest of us. We walked and drove through beautiful Stockholm, on 14 islands, and the day was 70º with
a nice breeze. The main thing our guide wanted us to see was the Stockholm City Hall where the Nobel prize is given out each December.
July 30, Wednesday Stockholm
The flight from St. Petersburg was only and hour and a half on SAS and was both interesting and pleasant. It was a good introduction to expensive Scandinavia.
There were no freebies or give-aways; payment for even a cup of coffee. We paid $16 for a cup of coffee, a cup of tea and a roll. After a while, we realized that
by Scandinavian standards, that was cheap.
Bengt met us at the airport. He and David had never met, so it was nice for them to finally get acquainted.
We went to their home (apartment condo) and had a nice dinner and chat. Öle, their oldest, was there to visit with us. Jün and Elsa, the middle two, were there.
Their youngest, Gunnar, was at camp. It was nice to visit with them.
Bengt drove us to downtown Stockholm to our hotel.
July 31, Thursday Stockholm
Sightseeing on a city tour with our group of 42 other souls. Our group had a large contingent from the Chicago area, six Aussies together, three
Aussies/Malaysians, four Indians living in Dubai and the rest of us. We walked and drove through beautiful Stockholm, on 14 islands, and the day was 70º with
a nice breeze. The main thing our guide wanted us to see was the Stockholm City Hall where the Nobel prize is given out each December.
August 1, Friday Stockholm-Huskvarna
We had a long bus day ahead of us.
Our first morning stop was in a lovely little town called Mariefred. I walked over to the old castle
and strolled along its requisite lake with gardens and flowers.
Oh yes, I had the requisite morning ice cream bar
This lovely little town is on Lake Mälar, Sweden's third largest lake (after Lakes Vänern and
Vättern), and it lies immediately west of Stockholm. It's 73mi long, it extends through the
provinces of Västmanland, Södermanland, Uppsala and Stockholm to the Baltic, with a total area
of 440sq.mi.
It is irregularly shaped, its shores indented by numerous arms and inlets. Its principal tributary
rivers are the Eskilstunaå, Arbogaå, Hedström, Kolbäckså, Svartå, Örsundaå and Fyriså. At one
time Lake Mälar was an arm of the Baltic, but since the 12th century, because of a fall in the
water level, it has been an inland lake. Since 1943 the lake has been regulated to prevent
flooding and to avoid unduly low water levels which would hinder the movement of shipping.
Vessels with a draught of up to 5.5m/18ft can now sail from the Baltic to Stockholm on the
Södertälje Canal and Hammarbyleden.
We had a long bus day ahead of us.
Our first morning stop was in a lovely little town called Mariefred. I walked over to the old castle
and strolled along its requisite lake with gardens and flowers.
Oh yes, I had the requisite morning ice cream bar
This lovely little town is on Lake Mälar, Sweden's third largest lake (after Lakes Vänern and
Vättern), and it lies immediately west of Stockholm. It's 73mi long, it extends through the
provinces of Västmanland, Södermanland, Uppsala and Stockholm to the Baltic, with a total area
of 440sq.mi.
It is irregularly shaped, its shores indented by numerous arms and inlets. Its principal tributary
rivers are the Eskilstunaå, Arbogaå, Hedström, Kolbäckså, Svartå, Örsundaå and Fyriså. At one
time Lake Mälar was an arm of the Baltic, but since the 12th century, because of a fall in the
water level, it has been an inland lake. Since 1943 the lake has been regulated to prevent
flooding and to avoid unduly low water levels which would hinder the movement of shipping.
Vessels with a draught of up to 5.5m/18ft can now sail from the Baltic to Stockholm on the
Södertälje Canal and Hammarbyleden.
We boarded the TYCHO BRAHE, a HUGE ferry, bus and all, and took the 15 minute ride to Denmark. We could see the famous
Hamlet Kronborg castle of Elisore right from the ship. It was COLD aboard ship but with my trusty red cashmere scarf I was able to
stay topside for the entire short voyage.
As we got off a couple missed the bus but that minor fracas was soon taken care of.
ONWARD to Denmark!
Hamlet Kronborg castle of Elisore right from the ship. It was COLD aboard ship but with my trusty red cashmere scarf I was able to
stay topside for the entire short voyage.
As we got off a couple missed the bus but that minor fracas was soon taken care of.
ONWARD to Denmark!
Above are vistas of beautiful
Stockholm.
To the left are pictures of Old Town.
The others below are the City Hall and
the Nobel Hall inside of it. There was a
lot of history there. The legislature
(not pictured) was in the old Viking
mode, all in wood, with the ceiling
representing the day/night sky, like an
old Viking hall.
Stockholm.
To the left are pictures of Old Town.
The others below are the City Hall and
the Nobel Hall inside of it. There was a
lot of history there. The legislature
(not pictured) was in the old Viking
mode, all in wood, with the ceiling
representing the day/night sky, like an
old Viking hall.
After the tour and some lunch, David and I walked down to the docks through the city and its
many parks and took a 50-minute cruise around the harbor. A map and headphones were
provided to see all the historical things on and around the harbor.
That evening Bengt, Ylva, Ingela (Ylva's younger sister), Leif ( her husband), David and I went to
dinner out very near the King's palace. It was the one of the best dinners I had on the tour: fish
stew/soup. Later we walked around the palace and its gardens.
many parks and took a 50-minute cruise around the harbor. A map and headphones were
provided to see all the historical things on and around the harbor.
That evening Bengt, Ylva, Ingela (Ylva's younger sister), Leif ( her husband), David and I went to
dinner out very near the King's palace. It was the one of the best dinners I had on the tour: fish
stew/soup. Later we walked around the palace and its gardens.
We stopped for lunch at a totally forgettable suburb
cafeteria, with all the amenities and then moved
southward to Vadstena. Vadstena (pop. 7,500), a
town noted for its lace, owes its origin to St Birgitta.
Birgitta was principal lady-in-waiting at the court of
King Magnus Eriksson and Queen Blanka, but
withdrew from the court after receiving a divine
revelation and in 1346 was granted the property of
Kungsgården for the foundation of an abbey, which
was completed only six years after her death, in
1379. She was canonized in 1394. One of Sweden's
best-preserved castles is located in Vadstena. It
was completed in the 16th century and houses the
provincial archives as well as a museum.
cafeteria, with all the amenities and then moved
southward to Vadstena. Vadstena (pop. 7,500), a
town noted for its lace, owes its origin to St Birgitta.
Birgitta was principal lady-in-waiting at the court of
King Magnus Eriksson and Queen Blanka, but
withdrew from the court after receiving a divine
revelation and in 1346 was granted the property of
Kungsgården for the foundation of an abbey, which
was completed only six years after her death, in
1379. She was canonized in 1394. One of Sweden's
best-preserved castles is located in Vadstena. It
was completed in the 16th century and houses the
provincial archives as well as a museum.
We took an unscheduled stop at a place in the Göta
Canal where there were four small locks in the same
stretch of the beautiful canal. It's a stretch of water that
many Swedes use in the summer time to relax and enjoy
their countryside.
Afterwards we continue on south to our final destination
in Sweden, Lake Huskvarna. We stopped at a three-star
resort hotel in Jönköping, on the lake, to spend our last
night in Sweden.
One nice extra: free Internet access, a chance to
communicate with home and friends.
Lake Vattern is the second largest lake in Sweden and
stretches up from it’s southern central position like a
slender finger. It was way too cold to swim in, of course,
but it was beautiful.
Sweden is a beautiful country, with its thousands of
islands (holms), rivers, lakes and rolling hills. I do enjoy
returning there every so often.
Canal where there were four small locks in the same
stretch of the beautiful canal. It's a stretch of water that
many Swedes use in the summer time to relax and enjoy
their countryside.
Afterwards we continue on south to our final destination
in Sweden, Lake Huskvarna. We stopped at a three-star
resort hotel in Jönköping, on the lake, to spend our last
night in Sweden.
One nice extra: free Internet access, a chance to
communicate with home and friends.
Lake Vattern is the second largest lake in Sweden and
stretches up from it’s southern central position like a
slender finger. It was way too cold to swim in, of course,
but it was beautiful.
Sweden is a beautiful country, with its thousands of
islands (holms), rivers, lakes and rolling hills. I do enjoy
returning there every so often.
August 2, Saturday Huskvarna-Helsingborg
Our bus drove us to the most southern part of Sweden to the
port town Helsingborg. It was a very pretty city. Helsingborg is
a city in Scania in the southernmost part of Sweden, which has
a population of 91,457 (2005). It is the seat of Helsingborg
Municipality, Skåne County which has 124,900 inhabitants
(December 2007).
Helsingborg is the centre of a region of about 300,000
inhabitants of north-west Skåne. This arguably makes the
Helsingborg area the fourth largest metropolitan area in
Sweden. It's Sweden's closest point to Denmark, with the
Danish city Elsinore (Helsingør) clearly visible on the other
side of the strait of Öresund about 4 km to the west.
Historic Helsingborg, with its many old houses, is a scenic
coastal city. The buildings are a blend of old-style stone-built
churches and a medieval fortress (Kärnan) in the city centre,
which has stood guard in Helsingborg for over 600 years[1],
and more modern commercial buildings.
Our bus drove us to the most southern part of Sweden to the
port town Helsingborg. It was a very pretty city. Helsingborg is
a city in Scania in the southernmost part of Sweden, which has
a population of 91,457 (2005). It is the seat of Helsingborg
Municipality, Skåne County which has 124,900 inhabitants
(December 2007).
Helsingborg is the centre of a region of about 300,000
inhabitants of north-west Skåne. This arguably makes the
Helsingborg area the fourth largest metropolitan area in
Sweden. It's Sweden's closest point to Denmark, with the
Danish city Elsinore (Helsingør) clearly visible on the other
side of the strait of Öresund about 4 km to the west.
Historic Helsingborg, with its many old houses, is a scenic
coastal city. The buildings are a blend of old-style stone-built
churches and a medieval fortress (Kärnan) in the city centre,
which has stood guard in Helsingborg for over 600 years[1],
and more modern commercial buildings.
