May 25 ~ The Vasa Museet and Skansen

After a long day yesterday, we were up and ready to go again today. (still pretty early in the trip!) I went out for a morning walk before breakfast trying to identify a few of the local birds that I have been hearing.  I did see a few and made some sketches and notes so I can find their names when I get home. I know you are asking yourself "why when she gets home?" The answer quite simply is because I had to leave my European Bird Field Guide at home because it was just too heavy!  I am still looking for a smaller Birds of Sweden guide but so far have not found one.

Unknown Goose

Unidentified Crow or Raven

Great Grey Owl at Skansen

A Swedish squirrel

Possible Magpie?

This bird sounds and behaves like our robin but is all black.  It also seems to mimick and sing like our mocking birds.

After breakfast we caught the train into Stockholm Central and then took the Tram to Djurgarden to see the Vasa Museum.  The Vasa was a warship commissioned by King Gustavus II Adolphus in 1637.  He ordered it to be built quite tall and it had many intricate carvings, especially lions as the king was known as the Lion King of the North.  It sailed into the harbor upon completion and promptly was blown over and sank to the bottom where it lay until 1996 when it was raised incredibly 95% intact.  A combination of the cold nordic waters and the severe pollution in the harbor which decreased the oxygenation in the water preserved the Vasa for over 300 years.  The museum is dedicated entirely to the warship Vasa and has 6 levels from which to view the ship.  There were displays of the reconstructed crew members done by forensic scientists that used the skeletons to rebuild the skin tissue so we would have an idea of what they may have looked like.  Other exhibits included scale models of the ship that showed the cargo bays and what they would have been used for.  There were also recreated cabins that you could walk through and get the feeling of what it would be like to be on the ship.  The museum was extremely interesting and as everyone had told us, it was a must see!

Inside the Vasa Museet

The kids in front of the Vasa warship

An interactive scene in the museum

After the Vasa was pulled from the water they analysed the wood carvings at the back of the ship and could detect some color chips.  This is what they think they looked liked when the ship sank.

A view of the Vasa from another level.

The carvings were amazing

And the replica mast was massive

Inside one of the cabins, a replica

Fire in the hole!!

A scale cut away model showing the inside of the ship

another scale model of the ship

We then continued two more stops on the tram and went to Skansen.  Skansen is akin to the Ohio Village at the Ohio Historical Society on a much larger scale and included a small zoo and many  buildings from all over Sweden to show the different life-styles of the people who live there.  It was quite crowded although we weren't sure if it was because it was a Saturday or due to the fact that there was some sort of Pippi Longstockings event going on.  Luke and Lily enjoyed walking on stilts, rolling hoops and playing some old games that were common in Sweden.  Our favorites were the babies in the zoo portion.  Their brown bear had given birth to triplets earlier this year, the moose had a 2 day old calf that we could see and there were two baby reindeer.  I also saw their Great Grey Owl.

Skansen Park was located on top of this hill, at this time of the day it looked like a mountain

Thank goodness for the Escalade

Games of Sweden

The Swedish flag atop the Tower

Two of the three brown bear cubs

Momma brown bear and cubs

Moose with her 2 day old calf

A view of Stockholm from Skansen

Reindeer and calf

Sami home in the Swedish Lapland

Sami woman telling her stories of life following the reindeer

Sami summer home

Windmill

The ride home on the tram was terribly crowded, like scary crowded and Peg and Trish have said that if any more travels include the tram that we could count them OUT!  Dinner tonight was at the hotel.  Sharon and I split a hamburger.  (we are so very adventurous)  Tomorrow we are going downtown once more to a Swedish Smorgasbord.  This was on Aunt Doodies wish list!