Fortunately, the Hop On Hop Off busses were doing a special deal with the cruise line and were doing a pick up and drop off to the port. Would be the longest run the busses would do without changing gears for a while. As was the case in Helsinki yesterday it was pretty foggy for a while in the morning but had pretty well cleared by the time we got into the city.
Interestingly Stolkholm, the capital of Sweden with a population of 2.3 million, stretches across fourteen islands where Lake Mälaren flows into the Baltic Sea. Just outside the city and along the coast is the island chain of the Stockholm archipelago. The area has been settled since the Stone Age, in the 6th millennium BC, and was founded as a city in 1252 by Swedish statesman Birger Jarl.
Jill and I hopped off the bus at one of the early stops near the old town and went for a walk through the old town via Parliament House.
Lots of people guarding public buildings here and carrying guns (large ones) as were the guards around the Royal Palace – we got to see that in the afternoon. Part of the deal with the HOHO in Stockholm was a boat trip as well so we hopped on for a trip around the waterways.
Stockholm is indeed a beautiful city with waterways everywhere. We hopped off the bus at the Vasa Museum. What a story that is …..The museum displays the only almost fully intact 17th-century ship that has ever been salvaged, the 64-gun warship Vasa that sank on her maiden voyage in 1628. The Vasa Museum opened in 1990 and, according to the official website, is the most visited museum in Scandinavia.
From Vasa, we wandered along the shore thinking we might have a look at the ABBA museum as well. That was until we found out that they wanted the equivalent of $35 each for the pleasure. Things are pretty expensive in Sweden.
Back on the boat to complete the circuit and then back into the old town where we grabbed a bite to eat at a café overlooking a square and the passing parade.
A wander past the Royal Palace on the way back to the bus. This royal residence has been in the same location by Norrström since the middle of the 13th century although these buildings were not completed until 1754. We were back at the bus stop in time to catch the 4pm bus back to the ship.
