Passage Back to Reality

The voyage back to Copenhagen was bittersweet. Debbie and I had seen quite a bit in six days, therefore the 7th day of our cruise was spent in relaxation and recovery mode... and enjoying the archipelago or little islands that trailed Sweden's coastline.

I found this one island rustic and charming.  It reminded me greatly of the Millennium series I had finished reading prior to the trip. The Millennium series was also known as "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" series by Stieg Larsson, which became best-sellers after his death. The series is an action-packed read based on a fictional magazine of the same name that is the connection for lead characters Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist, who unravel a mystery on a small island in Sweden that was similar to the ones I was seeing.

The cruise back was uneventful. The majority of the time was spent at what Deb and I affectionately dubbed our "reading corner."

Debbie took over one side with her huge novel in hand, and I took over the other side with my trusty Kindle.

And meanwhile, the sunset over the Baltic Sea shifted in varying shades of pastels...

Until evening harkened the skies black.

By morning, the "Costa Deliciosa" pulled into port, and we were greeted with a sign that claimed our return back to Copenhagen.

We quickly debarked and hailed a cab, so we could make our mid-morning flights back to reality. Before Deb and I separated and caught our respective flights home, we looked at the statues of these two wistful girls seamingly dreaming of future destinations, and declared they were symbols of our young selves who finally got their wish of seeing the world come true. I know those "girls" will always hold a symbolic spot for us in Copenhagen. It was a trip of a lifetime, and one that I was grateful to share with my oldest and dearest friend. And so until our next big adventure, "Laverne", keep your suitcase packed and ever ready to go.  THIS I guarantee! ;)



Absolut Icebar Stockholm

In honor of our last port call, I wanted to do something that would really make it memorable. I had read about an ice bar in Stockholm that was a popular tourist spot. The Absolut Icebar Stockholm was the world's first permanent ice bar that opened in 2001. Since then, it has become a global ice bar chain, and was one that I was dying to experience. So after our tour at the Vasa Museum, Debbie and I meandered through the streets of Stockholm and found our way at the Nordic Sea Hotel where the Absolut Icebar was located. 

At the icebar Debbie and I were issued hooded arctic coats and gloves, and told to follow a dimly lit passageway that would lead us to the bar's subzero temp room that opened by way of a sliding metal door. The bar was kept at -5 degrees F, and was made of solid ice within a backlight of neon blue lighting.

Behind the bar were assortments of alcohol, glasses made of ice, and a cash register.

The glasses were verrrry "cool."

This was the cocktail menu that was frozen in the bar stand.

We had to use our gloves when we were drinking because our fingers would have gotten frostbite.

Deb and I toasted several rounds of shots to a dream vacay that exceeded our wildest expectations.

And then, we made our farewell toast to Stockholm with bittersweet regards and hopeful promises of return, and made our way out of the subzero temp, and back to the "Costa Deliciosa" for the passage back to reality. It goes without saying that the icebar was our "coolest" experience ever!

The Vasa Museum

The Vasa Museum was one of the side tours that was part of our sightseeing excursion package that we had signed up for on the ship. We didn't know anything about it, but it ended up being a real treat! The "Vasa" was a 17th century ship that was salvaged 333 years after it sunk, and was on exhibit almost fully intact at the museum built in its honor.

The "Vasa" was a 64-gun schooner that was commisioned by Sweden's king to be the best ship in the world. No expense was spared, and every master crafter was engaged in its creation. So much detail work went into it that when it made its maiden voyage in 1628, it sank a nautical mile from the harbor because it was too heavy. Pride cometh before a fall, per chance?

The bow was marvelous!

As was the aft!

A replica of the "Vasa" in its completed glory was placed beside the original.

64-gun canons locked and loaded, and abetted the ship's perilous weight.

It was incredible to visit this museum and see the "Vasa" almost 100% restored.

This gigantic globe with a fleet of schooners sailing towards territories not yet discovered was a dynamic story of the worlds to come and stories left untold.

Stockholm, Sweden Rocks--- Ja!

Our last port call in Stockholm, Sweden continued with perfect Indian Summer weather that remained with us throughout our entire trip! Stockholm was our second favorite port, running a close second with Denmark. It was a fabulous city!!!

Stockholm is Sweden's capital and largest city. It is comprised of 14 islands and is surrounded by waterways that reached out to a vast archipelago of 24,000 islands!

Stockholm's City Hall is the political center for about 200 politicians and civil servants, and averages about 400,000 visitors a year! The prestigious Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Stockholm every year, and a banquet is held in its honor at the City Hall.

The City Hall's exterior windows that overlooked the inner courtyard were spectacular! Balconied windows were nestled within framed archway insets, as statues of famous Swedes held a place of honor in between each tall window.

 One of the City Hall's impressive features was the Gold Room; a banquet hall which contained more than 18 million mosaic pieces made of glass and real gold.The north end wall depicted the "Queen of the Lake Malaren."

These tall upright candelabras blended well with the mosaic walls. 

Within the City Hall's courytard was a statue of a "Dala Horse" - painted hand carved wooden horse that was the unofficial symbol of Sweden. It represented the livelihood of all the craftsmen that carved and painted these horses throughout the centuries, and continues today to be a favorite souvenir for all visitors.

Took  note of the bicycle lane that was a common sighting in the Baltic countries. They were found all throughout the city, and ran parallel with the traffic lanes. Pedestrians had to be mindful when stepping onto these lanes because bicycles zipped through regularly and in droves!

I wish America had bicycle lanes. More people would bike if we had them!

Stockholm is home to over 100 museums! I loved the contemporary design of the museum above that was located across from the City Hall.

The National Museum contains the largest collection of Swedish artwork. Inside there are half a million paintings and art handiworks from the Middle Ages to present time.

I forgot which museum this was, but it was huge and it looked a lot like Denmark's Rosenborg Palace. 

Speaking of palaces, this was the royal residence and official workplace of Sweden's monarch. Sweden's royals are more liberal than most. In 1980, Sweden was the first European country to pass the history-making "equal primogeniture law," which designates the passing of the monarchy to the eldest surviving child regardless of gender. The king's heir apparent is Crown Princess Victoria. This past June the heir apparent married her fitness trainer. Talk about a fairy tale ending for the princess and her "Cinderello!"

This was Stockholm's Royal Dramatic Theatre's Acting School, which credits classic screen sirens Greta Garbo and Ingrid Bergman as the school's more famous alumni.

Loved these marvelous lamp posts!

Hedges from the city's royal park were immaculate and colorful.

This guy was monkeying around at the park. LOL. A benefit was going on at the time which brought a festive flair to the day, and to the park's surroundings.

And of course, Deb and I took FULL advantage of Stockholm's own pedestrian walk of fabulous shops. We shopped to our heart's content and continued to delight in more of Stockholm's diversions. Stay tune for more of our explorations....