Stockholm

The last stop of our wonderful vacation was to Stockholm.  My first trip to Sweden, the "mother country".  I plan on returning to Sweden someday for a much longer visit, seeing extended family, and I hope to return with some knowledge of the Swedish language (where is my copy of Rosetta Stone?).  The Swedes seemed impressed with my 'Tack så mycket', but that can only get me so far.

Our day in Stockholm began with a brief bus tour of the city, much of it was spent driving on the scenic roadways along the pristine waterways.  The bus driver pointed out Elin Nordegren Woods' Stockholm apartment, the royal cathedral where the Princess Victoria was married later that month (June 19th), and the impressive Vasa Museum (interesting story - read it!). We didn't get to see the museum, it'll be on the list for next time!

The best excursion of the entire trip was walking on the rooftops of the Old Parliamentary Building in the city center of Stockholm.  It's hands-down the best view of the city, serene yet a thrill!  Throw on a helmet, strap yourself into a harness, connect to a silver rail, and walk along the steel catwalk for this amazing rooftop tour.

Other sights around the city:

National Day of Sweden

Viking Gotlandic Picture Stone (Runestone) 

We spent the afternoon in the small seaside town of Nynäshamn, had lunch in the quaint town, coffee and then finished the day with a beer on the seaside boardwalk. 

My obsession with checking out grocery stores led me to this -

all the Knäckebröd reminds me of my grandparents pantry!

Why does coffee in foreign countries always look so sophisticated? No paper cup!

Nynäshamn Marina

Local beer

Stockholm was our last stop and as we cruised back toward the UK, we passed under the famous Öresund Bridge linking Denmark to Sweden, the first road link from Europe to Scandinavia. 

We cleared the bridge with just 18" to spare!

Stockholm - Completed June 2010

Eesti

Tallinn, Estonia
I can't wait for my next visit to Estonia.  Perhaps it's because I had no expectations (this place isn't listed in the book), but the capital city of Tallinn and the warmth of the people of Estonia really surprised me.  Had there been expectations, I'm sure those expectations would have been exceeded.

The capital city of Tallinn sits unassumingly on the Baltic sea. This picturesque town still has portions of it's old city wall, small castle like structures and fortresses.  The city center is clean, has streets upon streets paved with cobblestone and boasts an amazing town square. The town square is lined with outdoor restaurants, umbrellas providing shade everywhere, and even decorative lamps adorn the tables to make it look cozy in the evenings. I wanted to spend all afternoon here!

After being part of the Soviet Union for over 45 years, Estonia seized the opportunity to become independent shortly after the 1989 fall of communism. It became independent in 1991, and was quick to implement capitalism and launch its rebirth.  Tallinn is a vibrant city, with few ties to its communist past, except for the few communist style housing blocks. The people seem quick to forget about their communist past and instead focus on the history and spirit of the true Estonia. Estonians are genuinely nice, happy, almost giddy, and love to show foreigners around their country. We loved our guide Stanislav.

Our day of playing tourist began with a short walking tour of the city and history lesson.  We walked through the old town, into the town square, and along the cobble stone streets of the charming city. A motor coach later took us to an outdoor museum, Rocca al Mare, showcasing the history and traditions of Estonia.  Small villages are set up of countryside architecture once found in Estonia. You can walk through 18th century farmhouses and churches, and see old windmills.  It provides great insight into life outside of the city. We walked throughout the various trails in the park, enjoyed a cup of coffee and a traditional Estonian folk dance, but then it was time to head back to the ship. 

Once back on the ship, we basked in the sun the last few minutes the ship was tied to the dock and then waved goodbye to Tallinn as the ship set sail. As the ship was leaving (and was well on its way mind you), we noticed three passengers running through the port, toward the dock and eventually to the end of the dock. They'd missed the boat! Although I was looking forward to the upcoming ports, part of me wished I could be them and stay longer in Estonia. That was short-lived. Rethinking all the travel hassle that would have caused, I just sat back in my lounge chair cocktail in hand, and watched as the port agents approached the guests, to start talking options.

I'm going to petition to add Tallinn to the 1,000 list...

Countdown: 2 Days

Two days until we leave for our Baltic Cruise - which means I'm frantically trying to pack and stuff everything in one bag!

In general, I'm sticking to the basics and trying to pack light. However, cruising adds on another dimension with formal wear.  There will be two formal nights on the ship, and while we have the option to dress-down and dine outside of the main dining room on formal night, who doesn't like to get dressed up? It seems like occasions for dressing up are too few and far between these days.  I'm actually looking forward to it, just need to make more room in the suitcase. Luckily, they rent tuxes on the ship, so the hubby will be renting his formal wear.

Great tips on packing for Europe from Rick Steves here.

What are your travel packing tips?