London Fischery: Stockholm, Sweden (we WILL be back!)

When we booked this cruise, we fully anticipated one day in Stockholm would not be enough. After all, there is an ABBA museum and that would take up at least one full day! So our plan for Stockholm was very laid back this time. We didn't rush to leave the boat to get ashore (which is what we always do) and we decided the best way to get the most out of our day was to do a Hop-On, Hop-Off tour. Shea generally hates this things but I think our American friends made the ride a bit better.

Hop-On! Hop-Off! We ride for life!

Pretty Stockholm.

This houses some museum (not the ABBA one).

The main attraction for the day was to see the Vasa Museum. Back in 1626, the king of Sweden ordered a bunch of ships to be made. The Vasa was supposed to be the best of the best; it was designed to show the wealth and power of Sweden. The king ordered this ship to be decorated with wood sculptures intended to glorify the wisdom, and authority of the monarch and also to taunt and intimidate the enemy. He also ordered the ship to carry 72 24 pound cannons on two separate decks. Whatever the king wants, the king gets. No one ever suggested that maybe all these heavy additions might be a bad idea and construction continued.

The ship was finally finished in 1628 (not fast enough for the king who was off fighting in Poland). On August 10, 1628, As she sailed from land, the gun ports were opened and her four sails were lifted as she readied to fire a salute. Suddenly, a gust of wind caught her sails and the ship leaned onto the port side. the sails were cast off and the ship was able to right itself. Another gust came and she leaned even further onto the port side. The lean was so great that water started to pour into the gun ports and fill the ship. After 40 minutes at sea, the Vasa sank to the bottom of the sea, in full view of hundreds of spectators who had come to see the grand ship's maiden voyage. She sank so perfectly, that she landed upright on the sea floor, the tops of the sail masts sticking out from the water. 30 sailors perished with the Vasa. The king quickly ordered both an inquest into what went wrong and for the masts that could be seen above water to be cut as they became a reminder of the failure of Swedish ship building.

In April 8, 1961, the Vasa was lifted from the bottom of the sea and preserved as one of the best sight seeing attractions in Europe.

The remains of the bow of the Vasa.

The stern of the Vasa with all it's carvings.

Selfie with Vasa.

The king's coat of arms on the stern.

Sweden's lion on the bow of the ship.

They found the remains of the 30 sailors who sank with the ship. Each sailor was identified and their bones were analysed to determine what type of life they lived and how they died.

Some of the victims of the Vasa sinking.

Apparently, we don't eat enough hot dogs in London. Shea went on a bit of a hot dog bender while in the Baltics and basically could not pass a hot dog stand without buying one.