Stockholm
This is a beautiful city, sprinkled around on many islands big and small. The part of town where we are staying has old old buildings…
…cobbled streets…
…and a café around the corner every time you might feel like a cup of tea and a bun.
At this bakery in a 17th century building, we saw a jaw-droppingly beautiful painted ceiling, and had tea and cakes while we admired it!
We went to museums every day! The Vasa Museum houses an entire ship that foundered in 1628, and was raised in 1961. Coriander and Arianell were in awe of the 1:10 Scale painted model of the ship (just their size!) …
…and the humans were in awe of conservation job, starting as soon as the ship was raised from Stockholm Harbour in and ongoing. There are still many things to learn as scientific research methods are refined.
Carved wooden figures festooned the exterior of the ship, but most were warriors and princes, and not inclined to chat to small dolls.
Between museums we trotted down narrow streets to find shops and eateries…
…and up stone staircases to find our accommodation at night.
We spent an entire day at the open air museum at Skansen…
…and admired the living history experts who were dressed in appropriate clothes doing activities of days gone by. This woman is making cordage out of bast fibre from Linden trees!
…and these young women were scutching and hackling retted flax plants to make linen fibre.
Skansen was filled with Swedish families enjoying a Sunday outing…
…and costumed interpreters going about their daily business. The experience was wonderful.
Arianell and Coriander met some little wooden toy animals,
And got to experience what it might have been like to sleep as families did in the old days-siblings crowded but warm in the same little bed.
Quimper Hittys 
thank you, thank you I feel like I too am on a vacation, it all looks enchanting. The painted ceiling is marvelous, is the lady actually spinning the cordage? Good night little Hittys, that little bed is rather crowded. Your museum past must be absolutely thrilled.
I am glad you felt like coming along with us! The lady was twisting the bast fibre using that little wooden device that looks a bit like a small swift. It was intriguing! The end of a process of preparing the inner bark. It looked labour intensive, like so many of the processes in those days.
Yes, that ceiling as well as those carvings on the ship are more than enough to write home about! What marvels you’re seeing and experiencing…again, thanks for taking us along with you. It’s been a delight!
Truly a marvel around every corner and lots to see and learn! We are glad to have you keeping us company!
I enjoyed your Stockholm photos! I cannot believe I didn’t visit there when I spent a couple weeks in Copenhagen. Next time! That open air museum looks worthy of a day visit. I remember spending a day at an open air Viking museum in Denmark.
It was fun to visit the city – so much to see and do…we had to really pick and choose and not regret the things we missed!
I have never really experienced a desire to visit Sweden until now!!!! What a great adventure you and the littles are having. Loved that bakery ceiling….and the open air museum. That ship was amazing…all those carved figures..so intricate. Thank you for sharing.
We have been having a really great visit to Sweden, so many interesting things and places to absorb. I wanted to visit Sweden to see where my grandfather was born, and it has been just wonderful.
I love that ceiling! And the museums look fascinating. You are taking us on such an interesting tour!
I love that ceiling too! I could have returned again and again just to look at it (and to eat one more cardamom bun!)
Thank you. That’s all so beautiful and inspiring
You are so welcome! It’s been a great trip! Never-to-be-forgotten!