Was dead tire last night ended up sleeping like 9pm or so, then found everyone to have woke up at 6am with me. Mom and Aunt tip-toed outside trying to cook up some maggie mee for breakfast, only ended up making too much noise and be told off by one Gothic looking girl (what, wearing dark eyeliner to sleep?! Only on European countries).
It is hard for first timer like my mom, my dad and my aunt to stay in a backpacker place. They are finding it very amusing that we must rent our bedsheets and tower apart from paying for the room. We ended up bringing our own.
So from now on, daily duty rooster goes like : my dad and I in charge with bedsheet, route planning and driving. Mom and Aunt do the cooking, grocery shopping (of course, I shop for myself when comes to tidbits).
Regular quotes heard during stay in hotel from these uncle and aunties includes : why here don't have can opener one ah? Why at night no one "jaga" (take care)? Wah, our food looks better than the table next door, like they only eat pizza and wine only. Must put our own bedsheets again issit? etc etc
Finally after having breakfast and packed for lunch, then we decided to head outside and see the Gamla Stan during day time. Ended up taking photo shots non stop!
Everywhere is a postcard perfect location. Hehe.
Noble Museum
Not sure why but for a while dad was very obsessed about phone card, wanting to call back office for some work related stuffs. Mom and I ended up wandering off to the nearby Stockholm Cathedral that is right next to the Swedish Royal Palace.
To our delightful surprise, there was a beautiful choir practice going on with a full orchestra playing side by side. I think they were practicing for the 11am session seeing that today is Sunday.
The inside of the Stockholm Cathedral look fantastic too, all ornamented with gold trimmings everywhere. Beautiful sculptures half hidden all over peeking from the top and I am all taken away looking at this.
Old pipe organ from the second floor. Wonder if it sound eerie if played on stormy nights?
Da Vinci Code?
Since we are already at the Royal Palace, we've decided to buy tickets and go for it.
Was on luck as managed to squeezed into the only English guided tour for the day. Things seemed so much clearer after being taken around and show stuffs with, while being explained on stories behind all these old relics in the palace.
I mean, I didn't agree at first to go for it as it was like USD50 or so just to get in and must pay another USD7 to snap pictures. Anyways, was glad to go for it because the interior of the palace looks great with loads and loads of ceiling painting (albeit some were political incorrect at current times), sophisticated mechanical clocks with delicate dragon slaying sculptures on them (wish I take some pictures!), hundreds of artwork like paintings, woven tapestries, sculptures, and mirrors!
One of the Swedish king decided that he fancy the French king Louie's decoration at the Versailles palace, so much so that he decided that he will have the same fancy corridors with loads of mirror decors, which eventually now it is the regular place where the yearly Noble price dinner are held.
Outside the Palace was a nice little slope, with nice view. We found ourselves a nice little bench to eat our packed sandwiches. Weather is nice, not too hot so everything is really good.
Skeppsbron, a pompous quay passing along the eastern waterfront of the old town
Skeppsbron and the statue of Gustav III
We then walk down to the canal side and take more pictures of course. September is like the end of travel season before the harsh winter comes, but to me the numbers of tourists here are still quite a lot.
While walking then saw our cruise to Helsinki already arrived with smokes flying all around. Yeah, we are planning to go Helsinki tomorrow and this evening we shall board the Viking cruise line for an overnight cruise, through the beautiful archipelago. And that, we decided to quickly head back to get our stuffs from Castenea and get to the ferry terminal.
1 comment:
Wow, your trip looks exciting... I've been planning to go but the travelling cost is a bit pricey... Is there any advice to safe cost? Your post is an eye opener for me :)
Post a Comment