STOCKHOLM - More Time Needed...

                     Preparing to land in Stockholm.  It's not often I see a view like this!

First stop:  Vasa Museum.  Built in the early 1600's, the Vasa ship sank on her maiden voyage.  In 1961 she is pulled out of the harbor and preservation begins.  It was fascinating to see this beauty in person!

             
Love, love, love carved wood.  Hard to believe this was sitting at the bottom of the harbor for over 300 years.

                                                                 Nybroplan harbor

                                         Peonies galore - $10 for 5 stems or $17 for a bouquet                          

From the Vasa museum it is a short walk to Skansen - the famous open air folk museum founded in 1891.  Skansen is all about the traditional rural life showing off farmhouses, small villages, gardens, and animals.

There were a few allotment huts to tour and they were darling.  After World War I, families who lived in the city were given a little piece of land to grow vegetables and fruits.  Most of these gardens were tended by the woman of the house.  I'll bet it was a nice little respite from city life to have a little gem of a getaway while planting and harvesting the crops.

                                                       A few of the bare necessities

This cute gal dressed in the outfit of the time reading the latest fashion magazine (from the 1940's) while finishing up her lunch.

                                                               More gardens at Skansen

                      Hollyhocks, red wood siding, paned windows, checkered curtains.  Divine.
             

Seglora Church from the 1700's brought over to Skansen in the early 1900's

This is the fencing just outside the church 

                                               Oh, the lines of a Swedish clock - just right

                                                                       Church ceiling

                                            Framed artwork painted right onto the walls

                                         
                                                This is Gamla Stan, Old Town Stockholm

                       A bit of roaming around Gamla Stan before we had to leave for the airport

           
                                   

                               The architecture in Old Town Stockholm made my heart sing

Here is my regret about Stockholm--wish we could have spent one more day.  We only had two days--needed three.  One day to roam around seals the deal for me in getting to know a city.  We didn't get the full flavor of Stockholm but we sure loved what we did see!  Oh, and the Swedish Meatballs were the best ever!  Onward to Norway...