Day 138 July 2nd 2017
Tours by water are popular here in Sweden – there is a lot of water to tour. Choosing which one is not easy – Do you want food? Do you want to see the archipelago? Do you want to stay on board or hop off and visit somewhere? And on and on. Thankfully we were helped in our boat tour of Stockholm decision on a (this time belated) visit to the local Tourist Information Office.
The tour was invitingly called “Under the Bridges of Stockholm” – we chose it because it seemed to be the most comprehensive, advertised as the complete tour of the city. At 2.5 hours it was longer than most, and promised informative audio, plus food and drinks on board.
Our figuring was we had a maximum of 6 hours away from our fluffy energetic doglet charge but we preferred maximum 4.5 to 5hours. This meant we could do this tour, have lunch aboard, and be home within our time frame.
It was a very pleasant 2 and a bit hour boat ride on a beautiful sparkly blue Swedish summer day. As promised the trip travelled under 15 bridges, went through a large lock from the Baltic sea to Lake Malaren and back.
Also as promised “Outside the window you will see the inner city, the Old Town, the islands Södermalm, Lilla and Stora Essingen, the new area Hammarby Sjöstad and the green areas of Djurgården.” And all of this accompanied by an informative if somewhat hagiographic audio guide. Yes I know a hagiography does not relate to a country but this seems to fit here. Sweden and Swedes presented in a saint-like light.
Not quite the promise I thought – I had misread the food situation so instead of the meal I imagined – it was a snack. I went for the Swedish Fika – coffee, cinnamon bun and conversation!
To prove our attention to the information provided here are some of the things we saw and remembered as we cruised the waterways –
Danvikshem – A huge castle like building at the entrance complete with turrets. It is a home for older people that looks like a castle. The story goes that many years ago when the Brits sailed in they thought it was the Royal Palace and gave a 21 gun salute.
Södersjukhuset a large hospital commanding a clifftop in Stockholm has “an underground complex measuring 4,700 square meters (50,600 square feet) called DEMC (Disaster Emergency Center), which was completed and inaugurated on 25 November 1994. In peacetime the complex is used for training and scientific research. In case of disaster or war the complex is fully operational as a normal hospital, it has 270 beds in peacetime and 160 in wartime”
As a reminder of how nations / empires rise and fall – a brief history of Sweden as a dominant Baltic Sea nation in the 1600s – once occupying the territory surrounding the Baltic Sea including Norway, Finland, parts of Russia.
Sailing on the Baltic sea we were told of a time when the sea had been the rubbish and sewer dump for the entire city. Nowadays the water has been increasingly cleaner through a campaign to clean up the Baltic Sea.
Garbage as electricity generation – taking garbage from the city, including directly from close at hand apartment blocks – and turning it into energy.
City Hall is a magnificent building from the land and the water. It is also where the Nobel Prize Banquet is held . The Nobel Prize dinner is held in the Blue Hall of City Hall
Whilst claiming Neutrality through recent wars – including the First and Second World Wars – Sweden has been involved in many wars in earlier centuries including between Denmark, Sweden, and Norway as borders were disputed and changed. Russia was also frequently involved including in the downfall of the Swedish Empire in the 1700s – Sweden lead by King Charles XII who ascended to the throne at 15 years of age and died at 36 years of age in battle.
While we passed under 15 bridges in our short cruise – there are in total 57 bridges of differing age, style, length, connecting the islands that make up the Stockholm area.
Public housing in Sweden came with community garden plots from quite early on and continues today.
All this learning came with blue skies, sparkling seas, and the beauty of Stockholm old and new.
Promo video of the trip from Stroma
