We Are In Europe

Even though this is a separate post, it is really just one long day for us starting with our drive to JFK. We are happy to be in Sweden. We make our way out of the terminal and find the Airport Information Cnter, where we purchase our 3 day Stockholm cards. These provide free admission to Museums and sites and includes all public transit. For us and our itnerary, the card will save us money. I also take out some local currency from the ATM at the airport. With our airport chores done, we walk outside and board the waiting airport shuttle bus for our ride to the city center. I purchased the tickets for the bus on-line yesterday in New York, for a no hassle get on and go ride. It is a quick ide to the city center in Stockholm and a short 5 minute wal to our hotel. We are staying at the Nordic Light where I had found a stay 3 nights pay for 2 deal. At the Swedish exchange rate of 1 Swedish Kroner = .12 cents USD, the deal is a reasonable 72 dollars or so a night. The location is great and we get a bonus of our room being ready at 1130 when we arrive. A nice corner room, we do not spend much time in it as we have sightseeing planned and want to jump right into the Swedish time zone (6 hours ahead of New York).  Therefore naps are not an option.

Our Room

We walk a little over a mile to Gamla Stan which is old town Stockholm. After a reasonably cheap large hot dog on undersized bun, we wind our way to the Royal Palace. Lots of King Gustav’s and King Karl’s many of whom died violent deaths. Sweden was quite the warring nation back in its day. The Royal Palace has 608 rooms which is one more than Buckingham Palace. Fortunately for us we only get to tour a small fraction of these rooms. The rooms are exquisite and full of history.

Carol in a Great Hall

The palace is still used and viisiting heads of state still stay here. We also visit the royal treasury which is filled with jeweled crowns and robes ofthe various monarchs. The kings chapel is also part of the palace.

Frm the palace, it is on to the Royal armory, which has siits of armor and gowns worn by the royalty over the years. It has the clothes Gustavus Adolphus  wore as wel as the horse he was riding when he was killed in the Thirty Years War. There is a separate section which contains lavish coaches, although we think the ones we saw of King Ludwigs in Germany were much more elaborate and decorative. We do a sef guided walk of Gamla Stan, seeing a Finnish, German, and Swedish Cathedral.

Ebony and Silver Alter

The Swedish Cathedral (called Storkyrkan) is very impressive with an ebony and silver alter, sculpture of St George slaying a dragon and a 15 foot high candelabra which has been in the church for more than 600 years. We end our journey near the Strommings Vagnen Food Truck where we enjoy a cheap but plentiful dish of firied herring, onions, pickled cucumber, slaw and mashed potatoes. When in Sweden, eat as the Swedes do.

Fried Herring Dinner

Our first time for herring and it was very  good. we finally take the train back to the hotel where a shower  and a good nights sleep will definitely be in order. The adventure has begun and our long day turned out great.