Stockholm

We entered the archipelago, a series of small islands and rocky outcroppings all dotted with summer houses, heading toward Stockholm at approximately 5:30 AM on the morning of June 1. The day dawned soggy (HEAVY RAIN) and cold (45 degrees) with a moderate wind. Enjoy these photos of the archipelago and our approach into the port at Stockholm:

Undaunted, we left the ship after a quick breakfast and boarded a water taxi to take is into
 Stockholm city where we strolled through the streets of the Old Town early on a soggy Friday morning.

The black iron horse sign is marked "LIVRUSTKAMMAREN",
identifying this building as the armory.

We arrived at our destination, Vasamuseet, (The Vasa Museum) and waited
(along with a hoard of other drenched visitors) until the doors opened.
We weren't disappointed to have ventured out; the recovered and restored Vasa
and the museum that was built around her were the perfect place to spend the morning.

The restoration on this 17th century flagship, which sunk promptly after her launch in 1628,
took almost thirty years; from 1961 when it was discovered lying intact an the bottom of the harbor, to 1990, when the Vasamuseet was opened to the public. Due to the fact that the water here is brackish,
there is no environmental support for worms or other organisms that would characteristically feast on submerged wood, the elaborate wood carvings in the ship's keel remained extremely well-preserved.


Our port time was short in Stockholm, we sailed away shortly after lunch;
due to the weather conditions here, however, we wouldn't have spent any more time exploring.
Armed with a white chocolate mocha and a good book, in a warm and dry stateroom,
I  found the perfect place to spend the afternoon sailing back out of the same archipelago... stunning!

Life is Good!

Tomorrow: Sea day, as our ship heads back to Copenhagen and disembarkation.