Stockholm Sweden This was our first visit to Sweden and like the Baltic countries, we were unsure what to expect. We decided to spend 2 additional days on the tail end of our cruise in Stockholm. It turns out, we could could have spent more time there to discover the treasures of Stockholm. Stockholm is made up of 14 islands connected through a network of bridges and also accessible traveling via boat. We elected to purchase the hop on hop off tour bus and boat as our primary means of transportation. A 48 hour pass worked out well for us providing a good overview of the city in relative comfort of the boat or bus. It also can save money when compared to Uber and Taxi to your destinations. The highlight of our visit was the Vasa Museum. If you ever get the opportunity to visit Stockholm, make time to visit the Vasa, it is well worth the price of admission. Upon entering the museum, my jaw dropped as I set my eyes upon one of the most incredible sights I have ever seen. There is front of me was the Vasa. A Swedish warship in incredible condition. This is not a restoration, 98% of what you see is a ship almost 400 years old. The ship set sail in 1628 and at that time was the most battle ready ship in the world. Unfortunately, the design of the ship was flawed. The two levels of cannons, while intimidated, proved to be a contributor to the demise of the Vasa. The lower heavy cannons were too close to the water line, the ship was built for speed and with only and 11.5 meter width at its widest point made it unstable. The ship sailed for 30 minutes until a gust of wind blew the ship to such an angle the water rushed in to the lower opened gun ports. Within minutes the pride of the Swedish Navy had sunk without even leaving the harbor. The cold dark waters with low oxygen levels kept the ship intact until it was raised to the service 333 years later. A visit to the Royal Palace was worth the trip too, especially a tour of the dungeons. Stockholm was a great way to complete our trip. #stockholm #vasamuseum #sweden #ncldawn #ncl #vacation #cruisevacation https://www.instagram.com/p/CfMashRF2mt/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
