Super Stockholm

Finland seemed so amazing after leaving Russia that I didn't think I'd be as impressed with the rest of Scandanavia because that was a tough act to follow. But Stockholm has been equally, if not even more impressive. Of all the places I've been in Europe, this seems like the places I would find most livable... At least in the summer :) Beautiful, clean, and European. Events of the last couple days:

- woke up on the boat in the Baltic for breakfast, after which we found ourselves in Stockholm... and in rain
- toured the Old Town Hall where the annual Noble Banquet takes place. The most impressive room though was not where the Noble prizes are awarded, but the Gold Hall, a massive room covered floor to ceiling with 24 karot gold mosaic.
- went from there to Gamla Stan, an island which is the "Old Town". Given that everything is generally newer here, I wasn't expecting much. But after watching the most impressive changing of the gaurds I've seen yet, we had time to explore the island and were treated to narrow twisting alleys with shopd and restaurants as colorful and quaint as anywhere else I've been.
- the final stop was at Vassa museum, which is famous for housing a ship that sank 20 minutes into it's maiden voyage but recently recovered. It ia highly recommended, but I wasn't in the mood and craving some alone time so I wandered off to Skansen, Europes first open air museum. It was fantastic. I was caught off gaurd by the sheer size and only had time to see about half of it and double speed. It was full of Scandanavian animals, including reindeer, moose, bears, etc, and lots of Swedish, Finnish, and Norweigian buildings that have been transported here. Farmsteads, storehouses, churches, mills, etc, as well as some other cool things like live music, fair-food, and viking rune stones.
- last night was our fairwell supper and it was a good last chance to visit this those we had spent the last 10 days with, as well as meet a few of the newbies that would be taking the place of those disembarking here before the tour continues on to Norway and Denmark.
- today was seeing new friends off to the airport, then heading back to explore more of the areas we didn't have enough time at yesterday. Found a place that served moose burgers, so my tastebud's tour could check off another local delicacy.

Tommorrow John and I head to the airport to catch a flight to Bergen on the Norwegian coast, for a few days of training, boating, and cable-carring across Norways renowned fjords and then finishing up in Oslo. Exactly 1 week to go.

Heading out to grab a bite, then I'll see if I can finally get some pics up.