National Museum

The National Museum has lots of beautiful paintings and celebrates Sweden.  

Courtyard:

 

One special exhibit was Ernst Billgren: 

 

 

 

Another special exhibit was by Hanna Hirsch Pauli. Hers was more relatable. See next post.

Nordiska Museet

 The Nordiska Museet celebrates the Swedish way of life from the 1600's onward. 

Notice the same weaving technique that was widely used in Hawaii.

 

Museum Mixup - Historika Museet

I walked to the tram where the driver nodded that indeed the tram could take me to the Nordiska Museet (Nordic Museum) I was interested in. When I got off, he pointed across the street. After I entered and paid, I realized this was the Historiska Museet, clearly shown on the front. I guess I'm still suffering from jet lag. Or distracted by the "iska" at the end of both words...

There was much to see here of historical and archeological significance, including this ancient necklace which was celebrated with a stamp. 

 

I was interested that they referred to the people as free and unfree:

 

The weaving of the sail above is very similar to the sails the Hawaiians wove. 

This exhibit was at the very end of one of the halls:

On to Djurgarden

My first task this morning was to figure out the Metro. I bought a 7-day discounted ticket (senior status) which gave me access to all buses, train, trams and boats. This was perfect since I wanted to travel to Djurden, one of the many, many small islands in the Swedish archipelago. The metro stop was a quick five minute walk, and one staircase brought me to the platform for the train to Slussen. From there, I walked to the commuter ferry terminal to board the ferry. 

The trip across the Baltic Sea was beautiful.

The ferry stop on Djurgarden was very crowded since there is an amusement park there (Grona Lund) and also the ABBA Museum. The latter had been on my list, but the crowds and the warmth of the day made me head for lunch. 

 

Lots of restaurants crowded the main thoroughfare, but on a side street, I found Cafe Bla Porten.

 The buffet was filled with delicious salads, sandwiches, desserts and bread. I chose a seafood salad and quickly found a shady spot to eat. 

Good morning, Stockholm!

The flight was fine, the food was tasty, but there were a few arrival hiccups at the Airbnb. Fortunately, they were resolved quickly. 

There was no portable air conditioning unit as listed in the Airbnb description and only one small fan. It was VERY hot. Additionally, the microwave was perched above the refrigerator, and the unit on the right blocked the kitchen window and a possible breeze from entering. Does anyone know what it is? It had a plug so, it's something electric. Maybe a plant grower for seedlings? A cat contraption? 

 

Fortunately, one of the hosts quickly arrived with a replacement AC unit, two additional fans, and kindly moved the microwave to the counter. I did not inquire about the possible plant grower...

 

Later, I got some groceries at the local ICA (.2 mile away), and the COOP (about .5 away). The COOP is more familiar to me as that's very common in other European countries and had the best selection. By evening, the AC had sufficiently cooled the space so that I had a very restful sleep. 

This morning, I enjoyed coffee and a Swedish pastry on the balcony as a lovely breeze floated through the courtyard. 

 

Leaving soon for Stockholm

I'll be leaving soon for Stockholm. The trip is a Road Scholar Adventures Afloat. I'll be arriving early and staying in an Airbnb before meeting up with the RS group in Stockholm. After the RS tour, I'll stay a bit in Copenhagen before flying home. 

I'm very excited about the trip. A number of years ago, I traveled with a friend to Norway and loved the country. I'm eager to explore other parts of Scandinavia.