Sweden 2016: Day 8

After a day exploring the Archipelago, we spent the next day in Stockholm proper. We started out bright and early with a visit to the Vasa Museum. Unlike most attractions that opened at 10 or later, the Vasa Museum opened at 8:30 and we arrived shortly after opening. We were so glad we did because the museum was insanely crowded when we left!

The Vasa Museum was on Gene's must-see list. He has read about the Vasa since he was a kid and was so excited to see it in person. If you're not familiar, the Vasa warship sunk in 1628 on its maiden voyage. After 333 years, it was discovered and excavated, and it is the only 17th-century preserved ship in existence. The ship is massive and the museum exhibitions are fascinating. We learned about the rush to the build the ship, why it sank, what life was like in 1628 in Sweden, and what historians learned from the bodies discovered on board.  

The Vasa

 

A model

A diving bell was used to recover the ship's bronze cannons in the late 17th century.

 

When we left, the museum was packed and the line extended way out the door. I made everyone point to the line so I could remind them later why we get places early!  We were all thankful to not be standing in that line.  

Our next stop was the Swedish History Museum, where we focused on the Viking exhibits. There was an archaeological area for kids to dig and explore.

And then we went outside to explore the "Meet the Vikings" area, which was full of hands-on activities and demonstrations.

Labyrinth

Archery

Making Viking bread

Topped with butter, chives, fennel and caraway seeds, it was quite delicious!

Tug-of-war.  Gene won handily, even when I joined the boys!

Holmgang: a duel used by medieval Scandinavians settle disputes

What a fantastic museum! After our visit, we had lunch in Ostermalm's Saluhall (food hall) before downtime back at the flat. Then in the evening, we ventured into Gamla Stan, Stockholm's old town.  

We wandered through the Storykyrkan (Stockholm Cathedral), which is the oldest church in the city. 

This oak statue of St. George and the Dragon by Bernt Notke can be interpreted as Stockholm's victory over an invading Danish army at the Battle of Brunkeberg in the 15th century.

For dinner, we chose the kitschy Viking restaurant, Aifur, where we enjoyed mead, lamb, venison, and a hearty vegetable stew. 

The restaurant is definitely aimed at tourists, but we had fun. How often can you eat a Viking-inspired meal?

Gene would have happily kept exploring Gamla Stan, but after a day full of Vikings and the Vasa, the rest of us were tired and we headed home to rest up for another day of adventuring.

Sweden 2016: Days 6 and 7

We were up bright and early on our sixth day of vacation, which is incredibly easy to do in Scandinavia because sunrise is before 5 am. We had an early morning flight to Stockholm. The flight from Copenhagen is only an hour long, but by the time we arrived at our airbnb flat in Kungsholmen, Stockholm, it was past lunchtime and we still had to get settled and do a grocery store run. Fortunately, we were staying in a residential neighborhood so running to the store was easy! We didn't do any sightseeing on the first day, but we all enjoyed the downtime after a morning of travel.

Moomin mural at the Stockholm airport

Do you know the Moomin books? We were introduced to them by Uncle Tom, who read them as a child. Written by Tove Jansson (a Swedish-speaking Finn), the Moomin family (large white creatures) go on fantastical adventures. We are fans of Moomin at our our house and Moomin was everywhere in Sweden, including on our mugs at our apartment!

On our first full day in Sweden, we decided to head out on a boat to visit Fjaderholmarna, one of the many islands that make up the Stockholm Archipelago.  It was a quick 25-minute ride from central Stockholm, and we were on the first boat to the island.

Waiting on the dock

On the ferry, with a view of the Vasa Museum

Fjaderholmarna is a tiny island. There are no vehicles and everything is easily accessed by foot. I had read that it was the perfect place for kids and it was exactly that! The boys loved running and exploring all the nooks and crannies on the island.

This swan came swimming right up to us.

We also lucked out with perfect weather -- sunny and about 70 degrees.

Playground

 

The island was also full of raspberry and strawberry bushes, and we picked and ate as many as we could find! In Sweden, the "Allemansratten" law allows any person to roam the woods, fields and meadows to pick wild berries, mushrooms, and flowers! You don't need special permission and there is plenty for everyone to pick and enjoy.

Rock climbing!

The island is home to several restaurants and a brewery, which is where we opted to have lunch, of course.

After lunch, we hiked down to the water. The boys chose the rockiest way possible.

 

And then we found a patch of wild strawberries!

Gene took some gorgeous panoramic shots with his phone, which don't translate too well to the blog space. Click on the photos for a larger view!

We climbed one last huge rock 

and then ended our time on Fjaderholmarna with ice cream treats. 

Back in Stockholm, we had some downtime at our apartment before heading out to dinner. We chose Pelikan, which is an old beer hall serving traditional Swedish fare, including reindeer and meatballs. Our meal was delicious!

Huge meatballs with lingonberries

Visiting Fjaderholmarna was definitely a highlight of our trip. We all enjoyed getting out, hiking and picking berries and exploring the tiny island. What an unforgettable place!