Cruise Diva's CRUISE
DIARY
~ Copenhagen to Stockholm ~
"A Taste of the
Baltic"
Debarkation in
Stockholm
When it's time to
repack, a certain sadness permeates the air. There's always an added bit of
mystery at the end of any cruise... Will the souvenirs fit? Can I get my
suitcase closed?
From the arrival of my
travel documents until the last swipe of my boarding card as I debarked,
my cruise aboard Silver Whisper cruise flawless. A cruise is certainly
the easiest way
to see the world's most intriguing places, particularly when one adds on
an ambitious pre- or post-cruise side trip. Silversea Cruises makes it
both simple and elegant and does it in such an effortless manner that
little things could go unnoticed. No request is too difficult for them
to fulfill. In fact, the word "no" doesn't
appear to be in their vocabulary. Small touches add to the exquisite
sense of personalization.
Like her fleet mates, the sleek Italian
décor of Silver Whisper is subtle and understated. She gleams rather
than glitters. Refined and professional service is delivered by the
international staff and all levels of suite accommodations exceed those
of many top-rated hotels. Those elements, combined with superb dining,
lively entertainment, spacious interiors, and the complete absence of
lines, add up to a six-star, ultra-luxury cruise.
Stockholm & Post-cruise Explorations
Silver Whisper concluded our sea journey
in Stockholm, but there was much to see as we sailed through the archipelago
before docking. Some of the 24,000 islands that make up the chain are
the sites of summer homes, others are uninhabited. All are wildly
stunning—it was well worth getting up at dawn to see in the early morning
light.
We docked and were ashore in record
time to begin two days of post-cruise discovery in Sweden's capital.
While Stockholm is a big, sprawling city, it's located on 14 islands and one-third
is set aside as green space for parks and recreation. The extensive
public transportation system is clean, modern, and easily navigable.
With a map and the Stockholm Card, visitors can travel around the city
and visit any of 70 attractions and museums for a single price (cards are
available for purchase in a number of strategically located Tourist
Information Offices).
 |
|
Stockholm
City Hall:
Gold Room Mosaic |
From afar, Stockholm's City
Hall appears to arise from the water itself. Inside, it is a pleasing
blend of styles and the result is clearly Venetian-inspired. The Blue Hall, where
the annual Nobel Banquet is held, isn't blue at all, but is reminiscent
of an Italian Palazzo. Many Swedish couples choose to tie the knot in
the Gothic-style Wedding Room beneath a charming clock that depicts St.
George and the Dragon. Golden Room mosaic murals relate the complex
history of Sweden in 23.5 carat gold. City Hall is always open for tours
and the City Hall Tower affords the best view of Stockholm. After
savoring the sight, we moved on to the oldest part of the city, Gamla
Stan.
Arrival in the Gamla Stan about noon
afforded time for a stroll around the grounds of the 608-room Royal Palace
before the
changing of the guard takes place at about 12:15. Moving on to the
heart of the old town, we dined al fresco in a enchanting café garden before exploring
the winding narrow streets lined with shops.
Refreshed after a delicious meal and
somewhat tired after shopping, we checked into the Berns
Hotel, the Grand Hotel's exclusive "boutique" property—a
pleasing blend of modern and classic design. We then strolled the short
distance to the waterfront. With so much water surrounding the city, a
50-minute boat tour is a highly recommended and relaxing way to see
sights that are not otherwise accessible... swans and ducks greeted our
boat as we sailed past islands with vast green parks for recreation and
idyllic waterfront homes. It was the perfect way to end a glorious
afternoon. After a walk through the serene Rosendal Gardens and dinner
of typical Swedish home cooking (including five types of Baltic
herring!) in the historic Wärdhuset Ulla Windbladh restaurant, it was
time to call it a night.
 |
|
Intricately
carved detail on the VASA |
Out and about early, after breakfasting
in the Berns Hotel's restaurant overlooking Berzelii Park, our first
objective was the Vasa
Museum which houses, naturally, the Vasa. The Swedish warship sank
on her maiden voyage in 1628 and was raised after much painstaking
effort in 1961. Astonishing as it may seem, the wooden ship is 95%
original. Her ornate stern was literally crushed and required intricate
piecing together in jigsaw puzzle fashion. The Vasa is a remarkable
sight and a "don't-miss" highlight of any trip to Stockholm.
Swedish design is heralded world-wide,
so to gain an appreciation for Sweden's art and sculpture, we visited Milles
Gården where the work of Carl Milles is displayed in a series of
terraced gardens. A visionary, Carl Milles bought the land and built a
home and studio where he created sculptures noted for their whimsy and
humor. If there's only time to visit one art "museum" in
Stockholm, this one is it.
Two days barely scratch the surface of
everything to do in Stockholm. It's a marvelous destination for
families, with an amusement park, the Aquaria Sea Museum, and Junibacken—where
young people can visit Pippi Longstocking and other characters from
Astrid Lindgren's charming children's books.
 |
|
Icebar,
where everything is cool |
To conclude our explorations, we sipped
after-dinner drinks in the Icebar at the Nordic
Hotel. Incredibly, the Icebar is fashioned entirely of ICE—the
walls, bar, tables, and sculptures... even the "glasses" are
made of pure ice from the rushing waters of the Torne River. Kept at a uniform temperature of
-5°C, guests don warm silvery capes and mittens before entering the
Icebar. Once
inside, we gasped. Not from the cold, but from the surreal experience.
The
Icebar was the perfect spot for a joyous end to two days in a most
fascinating city.
Back to a "Taste of the Baltic"
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