Stockholm:
Suckholm is more like it.
Our pier berth was a thirty minute walk from towns – both Old and New – and finding WiFi was difficult to say the least. There was no shuttle bus into town and a taxi cost your first born. Even though from the bow it all seemed to be right there.
Up on the rooftop...
The anniversary of my 35th birthday fell on a Swedish port day and it was probably the best day I’d spent there. It was the only day I had a great time. I signed up for the shore excursion, “Historic Walk on a Rooftop.” Now, I expected it to be, “Take an elevator to the top floor of one of Stockholm’s skyscrapers and wander around while a guide points out the sights.” I couldn’t have been more wrong. Our guide picked us up, took us on an hour long walking tour and then up to the peaked roof of the former Parliament Building. We got strapped into harnesses, clipped on to a guide wire and began to traverse the rooftop on a nine inch wide platform!
As someone who loves the feeling of heights – skydiving is still one of my fondest memories – this was an awesome birthday present.
The remainder of the day, my last in town, I wandered around on my own. I found a great pub, had a beer and internet, found a great store where I bought myself a few birthday presents and slowly made my way back to The Boat before all-aboard.
Now, Jew and Gentile Readers, isn’t that always the thing? On the last day, the last time I’d be in Stockholm, I fell in like with the place. Of course, it was the day I explored on my own, unhindered by anyone else’s agenda.
The Baltic’s were quite an adventure for me. With so many languages and currencies and cultural differences to experience. It was the perfect primer for the rest of Europe and Africa and quite the difference from the South Pacific and South America. It was as if The Boat went from poverty to princes and I got to take the ride.
