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We headed for Gamla Stan, the “Old City” section of Stockholm. After some confusion as to how to get and use bus passes, we arrived downtown. There is some major reconstruction going on in the area on highways, bridges and docks so we had to walk a little way to Gamla Stan. Gamla Stan is very old, I think dating to the 1500s. The streets are made of cobblestone and are very narrow. There are most of the original buildings.
Susan's note: Gamla Stan is an island, like many of the areas in Stockholm. So as we walked around the area we were crossing lots of bridges to enter and exit. The streets are a labyrinth, going down or up steep grades or series of steps. We saw an entrance to a street that had a portal of sorts that tall people (not me...) would have to stoop to get through. So interesting.
We made our way to the royal palace which was huge and impressive and got to tour several rooms and the cathedral. We were there for the changing of the guards which was interesting to see. Like the guards at Buckingham Palace, they don’t crack a smile and march very smartly in a prescribed manner. You can take their picture but don’t get in their way!
There was also an interesting exhibition about Marie Antoinette and Count Axel Von Fersen called “I Love You Madly.” Count Von Fersen was Swedish royalty who was educated and tutored all over Europe, eventually ending up in Paris and becoming involved with Queen Marie Antoinette. He became an aide de camp to General Rochambeau of the French army and served in the American Revolutionary War as an interpreter to George Washington. Both he and Marie Antoinette suffered ignominious deaths at the hands of mobs during the French Revolution. The display told their parallel stories and presented many artifacts from the period, including carriages, clothing, and excerpts from their diaries and correspondence.
Afterwards we toured the exterior with its many fountains and embellishments. We then decided to locate the ferry terminal for our trip to the archipelago tomorrow. It was a bit of a walk but a good dry run for us. Our trip will involve a drive to the park and ride, two bus rides to get downtown and a walk to the harbor. Then we have a two hour boat ride out to Sandhamn Island, the outermost island in the archipelago.
Next we grabbed a bite to eat and then worked our way back through a couple of the parks in the downtown area. Stockholm is really a pretty incredible city. It is built on a series of islands so has a lot of great neighborhoods and activity right on the water. There are statues everywhere. The food is awesome. The desserts are terrific. I would die an early death if I lived here. By the time we got back to the bus station, we were pretty pooped. Clay and Jean decided to sit for awhile while Susan and I went to the Fotografiska, the famous photography museum. It was spectacular! They had at least six different exhibits by leading contemporary photographers highlighting fashion, art, the preservation of our oceans and even an exhibit by Linda McCartney. We could have spent another hour there but cut it short so that we didn’t leave Clay and Jean hanging. We met up with them, hopped on the bus and headed for home.
When we got here we were hot and tired so headed for the local lake just down the hill from our cabin. It’s a beautiful lake. All of the neighborhood uses it. It’s got parents and kids there until about 9 o’clock at night. The water was a perfect temperature. Clay and Jean and I jumped in and paddled around for a nice swim. We did a couple loads of laundry, ate a little dinner and hit the sack.
