We woke up early with the sunrise to see the natural wonder of thousands of archipeligos dotting the baltic sea arriving into the Swedish strait and then into Stockholm. Hashtag. Speechless.

Lush, green islands smattered across the sea, some big enough to hold marinas and stunning resort homes (we tried to pick out Mats' place!), some tiny, only big enough for a small wooden cabin and some birds to enjoy; all incredibly beautiful. Don't ask how many pictures we have of this remarkable experience...it's almost shamelful. But we wanted to capture as much of the breathtaking scenery as possible. What an absolutely spectacular view.The ship navigated SO close, like water-slalom snaking through the islands!

Once in Stockholm, our guide, Magnus (a strong Viking name), took us to all the main sights. we stopped at the city hall, where the Nobel Prize banquet is held every year. We walked the lauriate staircase, and marveled at the fantastic architecture! What a place! Particularly the Gold Room (an obvious and appropriate name) that was decorated floor to ceiling in gold mosaics, representing Nordic tales and heroes.

Then, we went to the Wasa museum. Time for a quick story:

In the 17th century, King Gustav wanted to build the biggest warship to ever sail the Blatic. He commissioned carpenters to create his dream ship. It was massive. It was ornate. It was imposing. Word traveled fast, and on the day of it's maiden voyage, people from all across the region showed up to see it off. However, the kings demands were unrealistic, and the top heavy boat topsized in a little under 20 minutes after setting sail. The bigger they are...the harder they fall. For 333 years, the ship lay at the bottom of the sea in the main harbour, untouched and forgotten. Until, in the 1950's, it was discovered. It took years to bring it to the top in one piece, and 30 years after to restore it to its former glory. It sits now, in a museum... and remains one of the only and best examples of 17th century shipbuilding in Swedish history.

After some free time in the Old Town, we had lunch with our legs dangling over the harbour wall, and took in the sights and sounds of a truly fantastic place.

Tomorrow, after 4 straight days on shore in a new city, we have a sea day. Looking forward to our final port in Copenhagen. We've experienced the best of Russian, Swedish, and now Danish history and culture. Quite the trip, and exactly what we were hoping to discover!

Enjoy some pictures in the gallery - love to all back home,

Chris and Jude