Stockholm part 2

We also managed to squeeze in a walk to Gamla Stan, a favourite place of ours to visit again and again. We had coffee in the square where the Nobel prize winners walk out. Lovely place.

Gamla Stan

 

Being a bit silly in Gamla Stan

The next day we got in to town to see the Vasa Museum but once again queues foiled us and we went to the Nordiska Museum, a Swedish design museum instead. This wasn't strictly up the kids alley, but Delia and Kate loved it and to the kids credit they lasted over an hour before it was time to leave. In fact Ben and Sarah turned the whole visit into a spy game.

 

They've both been talking about getting an owl

The next day we trooped out much earlier to make sure we beat the queues and made it to the Vasa Museum as it opened and we walked straight in. The Vasa is a remarkable story. I'm sure lots of people know but after numerous warnings they set sail nearly 400 years ago and lasted a good 20 mins before it toppled over and sank. There it lay for 333 years till a shipwreck geek spent several years using a self made fishing line adapted to collect wood samples. Eventually hey presto some oak seasoned for 300 years!

We had a tour guide for nearly half an hour and they showed us all the wonderful little idiosyncrasies including a depiction on the side of the ship of some poor Polish chap being squished (the enemy at the time). It was fascinating and all the kids completely enthralled. Ben, Finley and Sarah were particularly into the facial reconstructions of the skeletons found with the wreck.

Later that afternoon, we visited Kate and Stephen's local cafe on the water. What a setting! 

 Not a bad caff

They really have found a wonderful place to spend a couple of years. The cousins loved spending time with each other and as we caught the taxi to the airport Ben couldn't stop crying as he knew it would be another year till he saw Anna and Sarah again. He said “it really is hard to say goodbye sometimes”.

We arrived at Arlanda airport and drove past the Boeing 747 which had been turned into a hostel. This made such an impact on Finley that a week later he said emphatically that they turned a plane into a hotel!

But enough of that we were heading back to London. We were about to come full circle.

 

Tomorrow we fly back home to Australia. I'll have to update about our second London stay back in Yarraville