MS-VIKING GRACE

Today we take "the ferry" from Stockholm to Turku. By "the ferry" I mean "this cruise ship"!
There is a video giving a tour of the ship:
http://www.vikingline.fi/fi/suomi/valitse-matka/laivat/ms-viking-grace/

Thor's Day

Thor’s Day in Stockholm

Swedish guides tell us that first they were Pagans, then Catholics, and then Lutherans. They make it clear that they were always the same people - just with different labels attached to them. Who were the Vikings? The same people – the Swedes! In telling us this they remind us that their Norse heritage is alive and well in our culture today. Several days of the week are named for Norse Gods. Thursday is named for Thor, the God of Thunder and Lightning!

On this Thor’s day, Jim and I enjoy a wonderful breakfast in the dining room of our hotel, chatting with a young couple from Switzerland with a cute 6 month old baby, Ryan.

Since we have a few hours left on our subway card, we zip underground down to Gamla Stan. Stockholm’s historic district is a maze of cobblestone streets with galleries, shops, and cafes. We find our way to a beautiful orangey stucco Finnish church. As we follow the crowds behind the church into the shady courtyard we see them all photographing something small. The iron Boy is the tiniest public statue in Stockholm – and the smallest one I’ve ever seen! Local legend holds that it honors the orphan boys who unloaded the ships before the locks were built. The crowds have left and we are alone with this little one – so peaceful. Look carefully. Can you see him on that little bench?

Out a wooden gate with ancient iron hinges and latch, we wander to Stortoget, Stockholm’s oldest square. We marvel at the old Stock Exchange building now the noble NOBEL Museum. We pause here with other peaceful tourists enjoying the beautiful day. 

We enter back into the tangle of pathways to find Storkyrkan, the cathedral. Entering the yellow brick church past statues of Caution and Hope, we are stunned by the black ebony & sterling silver altar. 

The interior is cobbled over with centuries old tombstones giving a sacred yet eerie feeling as we can hardly read names. A display of ‘the history of wedding dresses’, a large statue of Saint George slaying a dragon, and the ornate royal boxes where the Swedish nobility sit when attending church really give this church an ecumenical feel. I notice a candle burning with a pad of paper, pen, and an invitation to leave a prayer intention which I do. Just as I finish writing my deepest desire, the pastor arrives calling everyone in the church to prayer. Her clear voice asks us to thank God, pray for peace, and other stuff – I honestly cannot remember what her prayer was. Jim smiles and says; “That was unexpected”. When have you been a tourist in a church and randomly been asked to join in prayer? We appreciate this religious gesture as we are ready for anything today. Jim directs me to the rear of the church where he wants me to see an unusual painting.  The strange sun and sky above the 1535 Gamla Stan (which is all that Stockholm was back then) predict big change for Sweden – very interesting painting bringing the astrologic into the religious.

As we start up Prastgatan Lane which is reminiscent of the most beautiful lane in Japan, we hear a marching band. That means it is time for the changing of the guard. The Royal Palace is in Gamla Stan. The music leads us to see the shiny helmets and bright blue uniforms do their ceremonial thing. Royalty is calling. We must oblige.

Okay, now we enjoy a quiet wander down “Prient’s Lane”/Prastgatan. We fall into Jarntoget, a Medieval customs square. Here it is time for Fika Fare – coffee with a snack. Ah, we find a table under an awning. Coffee could not be finer. An accordion player entertains as we take a little break and relax with a lot of happy  people all around us. From our seat we can peek down lanes to the harbor and see huge cruise ships at the dock. One gets ready to leave the harbor as we watch from afar. This is Stockholm.

At first we think we want to hike along Sodermalm but the construction work deterred us. We walked back through Gamla Stan and out to Skeppsholmen. We cruise through the Asian Museum and Museum of Modern Art quickly because we want to have time to hike around this little island in the middle of the harbor.

Seagulls beg for our picnic foods attracting mother/father geese and their goslings.

We have fun watching these birds teaching their young how to jump from the high wall into the water – watch out little goslings! Whew!

On the way back we saunter around to pass the tall ship, AF Chapman which is moored along the path. The ship beckons us on board. Before we know it we are sitting on the stern deck enjoying a cold beverage with a panoramic view of this city we are getting to know. Chatting with other people – some tourists – some native, we really enjoy this relaxing time. As we go to leave, Jim wants to check out the bow. Oh, well, we try out the cotton-wooden lounge chairs and before you know it, we are relaxing even better on the bow. We strike up a nice conversation with the people sitting beside us; Audul and Anna Marie from Norway. They are Special Ed teachers, a little bit like us. We feel like we are watching the sun set, only at this latitude, it does not set, well, it does eventually, but it never gets real dark.

For dinner we head back to Gamla Stan, to Den Glynelle Freden. This restaurant has been in continuous service since 1722. Delicious!

We walk back to our hotel. As I try to sum this day up I realize I've not blogged about yarn shops, watercolor galleries, Swedish horse painting, hanging out with gnomes, and more. What a day, what a Thor's day!

We must pack and be ready for the taxi that will take us to the early ferry. We are going from Stockholm through that archipelago to Turku, Finland passing through another archipelago.

Let me tell you about Friday and who that day was named for tomorrow....and,

I can’t wait to see my friend! I've been dreaming about visiting her for over 40 years!