We started the day with a walking tour through cobbled alleyways of Gamla Stan, the Old Town, past cathedrals, the Royal Palace, shops and cafés. We learned about the history of the Swedish monarchy and fluctuations of power centres throughout Scandinavia. We had lunch in the town square and watched the colorful changing of the guard.
Then we took a ferry across the harbor to the Vasa museum, primarily the repository of the titular, ornately carved warship, which happens to be the model for one of the ghost ships in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. There was also a diving bell and other examples of early deep water exploration technologies.
After the museum, we spent the rest of this hot and sunny afternoon taking in the sights of the bustling boardwalk.
Our awesome tour guide, Åsa, provided the cultural context for the statue of Evert Taube - author, artist, composer, singer, one of Sweden's most respected musicians and the foremost troubadour of the Swedish ballad tradition in the 20th century. Front of the old bank building, Järntorget, Stockholm.
Stockholm imperative: Visit the statue of Astrid Lindgren, creator of Pippi Longstocking, who taught a very little Cara that independent thinking is a virtue, and a suitcase full of gold is a great schtick.
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