Sweden

AN ENTIRE MUSEUM BUILT AROUND ONE BIG SHIP

Vasamuseet | Stockholm

  (Stockholm) — One of the neatest museums in the world is Stockholm’s Vasa Museum. The entire museum is built around a single wooden sailing warship called the Vasa. Built during Sweden’s years as a world naval power in the 1600s, the Vasa, having just had its christening, slid out in the Stockholm harbor and, because it had so many canons on it, quickly tilted over, filled with water and sank instantly to the bottom.  It remained on the bottom for hundreds and hundreds of years, perfectly preserved by the rich mud until it was rediscovered in the 1960s, raised  and pumped full of preservatives. The whole museum is built around the ship, allowing you to get up close to its sides, peek in its

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A WALK THROUGH GAMLA STAN

Stockholm | Sweden

(Stockholm) — In the heart of Stockholm is the city’s Old Town or Gamla Stan.  Sweden’s “Venice of the North” is all built on a series of islands and Gamla Stan is right smack in the middle of them. No cars are allowed, so you can calmly walk it’s twisted, windy streets. Small shops, bars and restaurants are tucked into all its nooks an crannies. One, Fem Sma Hus, has been in continuous operation since 1651.  I remember meeting my friends Bror-Erik and Irene once and when I asked how old the restaurant was, he said “This is a pretty new one. I think it opened in the late 1800s.” Last visited: November 2006  

A WINTER WEEKEND IN STOCKHOLM

[STOCKHOLM] — This post is all about what to do over a quick winter weekend in Stockholm. My sister and I took my niece and nephew to meet up with her daughter who was studying in Sweden. We were only in Stockholm for two nights in the dark of winter… and in Stockholm, the winter’s are very dark.. so I wasn’t able to get many pictures, especially because in 2006, my camera was pretty low-fi. But here are some things I’d suggest you do. It’s funny, I used to work for a Swedish company and this was my fourth trip to Sweden, all of my visits have been in the middle of winter! Such a beautiful city, I can’t wait to come back in summer.

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A CLASSIC HOTEL, WITH A REBOOT

(Stockholm) — The Berns was a grand lady hotel, but several years ago it undertook a modern day reboot, boldly revamped into a hipster hangout. I’ve never stayed here, but highly recommend at least stopping in for a drink in the soaring two-story lobby, complete with boom-she-boom soundtrack and great people watching.  Make sure you check out the concerts in the immense, totally gorgeous music hall, presenting some of the hottest bands going. We saw the then just-breaking punk-gypsy band Gogol Bordello, a raucous good time of spinning, laughing and dancing. Last visited: November 2009  

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