Well, I’m just having a mug of Yorkshire’s tea finest before I close camp, load up the bike and head south. I’ve had a great few days in Stockholm, spending timw with my son and his partner and also seeing some of the sights again. The last time I came I was on-foot. This time I’m on two wheels and the city looks very different from the road. I’m okay riding on the ‘other’side of the road, but my biggest concern in Sweden was the cyclists – because you have to give way to cyclists, even if its coming off a roundabout or a junction. You really need to have your wits about you in Stocholm because the cyclists are everywhere.
It was about a twenty minute ride into the city center from my campsite and I must admit, Stockholm is changing. They are widening the motorways around the city, building a by-pass UNDER the city, and there are new buildings going up everywhere. Stockholm is definitely thriving.
The best part for me, as well as seeing my son, was visiting the VASA museum on Saturday. I’ve seen it once before but I just wanted to see it again to wonder at this amazing piece of history. The VASA was built for the King of Sweden and it was to be a ship like no other. Not necessarily a warship but a spectacle of Swedish shipbuilding and artistry – but during the building the King kept wanting more and more things added to the ship so she became top-heavy and when she sailed for the first time, she traveled about 1.5km and then capsised and sank. The VASA sank to the bottom of Stockholm Harbour in 1628 and was reserved in the brackenish water for 333 years before the Swedish re-floated it and housed the VASA in a purpose built museum. The ship and the museum is truly a spectacle to behold.
Anyway, time to pack and head south…. Depending how I get on today I may get the ferry across to Poland or Germany. It just depends on what’s available and when I get down there.
