🇸🇪 Greetings from Stockholm - the world's most beaufitul capital!🇸🇪

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Greetings from Stockholm! 

It's been two years since we last visited Sweden, and this year we started our trip in Stockholm to see dear friends and family. And wow, Stockholm is absolutely stunning. In my humble opinion, it is the most beautiful capital in the world! The capital of Sweden is built on 14 islands. These islands are connected by over 50 bridges, creating a unique urban landscape where the city meets the water. Not only is the city stunning with its majestic buildings right by the water, but the urban areas around Stockholm are breathtaking. Modern homes blend with the old, surrounded by nature, and offer public transport to Stockholm. 

Our dear friends, Malin, Thomas, Hjalmar, and Solveigh, along with their four-legged firstborn, Sixten, used to be our neighbors in Boulder. They now welcomed us at their beautiful home, and we enjoyed their company and the most delicious food. We also learned that dogs are welcome at most restaurants, and that the more upscale restaurants offer delicacy ice cream for dogs! And yes, we were fortunate with the weather. It allowed for short walks to the ocean and the first "dopp" (swim) of the year, along with some sightseeing in Stockholm. Scroll down to learn about the fascinating story of the warship Vasa, which sank on her maiden voyage after less than 30 minutes on the water. 

Malin, Thomas and Sixten. Sixten is eagerly awaiting his duck pate ice cream!

The Fascinating Vasa Ship

We took the kids to see the fascinating warship Vasa. The Vasa ship was built on the orders of the King of Sweden Gustavus Adolphus as part of the military expansion he initiated in a war with Poland- Lithuania in 1621. The strong-headed and hot-tempered king did not want to listen to the shipbuilders and engineers of the time, and designed a ship that was too narrow, too tall, and too top-heavy with double layers of cannons. The ship sank after sailing roughly 1,300 m (1,400 yd) into her maiden voyage on 10 August 1628.

Vasa fell into obscurity after most of her valuable bronze cannons were salvaged in the 17th century, until she was rediscovered in the late 1950s in a busy shipping area of Stockholm harbor. Stockholm is situated at the confluence of Lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea, resulting in water that is neither salty nor sweet, but "bräckt". Luckily, this kind of water prevents the presence of shipworms that normally devour wooden ships. In addition, the water of Stockholm ström was so heavily polluted in the late 20th century that even the toughest microorganisms that break down wood had difficulty surviving.  The ship was salvaged with a largely intact hull in 1961. If you ever visit the museum, we highly recommend watching the 17-minute educational movie that explains the incredible work conducted to preserve and restore the ship. Today, 98% of the ship is original, and it is the world's best-preserved 17th-century vessel, offering insights into the design and operation of ships from this period.