If you didn't know better, you could think that Ikea and Nokia are two Norse Goddesses. Maybe they were...
Our last port on the Cruise is Stockholm and I've been looking forward to visiting Sweden for some time. Partly because one of my great grandfathers was a Swedish sailor and his part of the family is responsible for the gene that I contributed to Emma's red hair. And mostly likely the gene that has given me the lifetime affliction of wanderlust! Mind you he didn't come from Stockholm - he was from a town on the other side of Sweden, not far south of Oslo.
Stockholm is a lovely city built around a very pretty harbour with wide tree-lined streets and dignified buildings. The water is very important to Sweden - after all, Sweden and Norway spawned the Viking Culture. One of them was waiting to greet us as we got off the ship, although he was suspiciously dark skinned and looked a little like one of our crew. But I'm not one to make judgements...
Again there's not enough time to do more than get an impression. There were some interesting looking museums - Norse Mythology and Viking History and so on that we didn't get time to see. I saw some spectacular museums in Oslo a couple of years ago and would love to have checked these ones out. But another time!!
I was talking to an Australian couple I met on board. They are 50 ish and have upped the ante on a tree-change by moving to the UK for 2 years. They both found work easily (it helps that they both have British parents)and take off for Europe as often as possible. They described Stockholm as "cultured" which describes it beautifully - and while in port they had rented out a flat for later in the year to come back and see all the museums!
Two days at sea and then back to the White Cliffs of Dover. Then a couple of days in Hong Kong and back to reality. This time next week I'll have said goodbye to the sun and warm weather in Europe and be back in the cold of Sydney. That doesn't really sound right, does it?
