Stockholm

This Nordic city has been on our list for a long, long time.  I've always thought of it as a place of Soviet spies and cold war intrigue, which is usually enough for me to want to visit.  But then a good friend recommended it as one of his favorites (now we know why Patrick ;-).  And finally, I'm still wrapping up the third book in the Millennium series, so it was definitely at the top of my list when we were looking for a short weekend away.  Enjoy the pics!

Gamla Stan

Gamla Stan - classic view

 








A Swedish Market Hall.  The fish and wild game selections were awesome!

Blue Sky - special meaning for those of us enduring the "summer" of 2012 in Holland.

Basking on the bay.

The nice weather made it great for...

Bikes...

Hikes...

Boats...

...and Boules.

How cliche...reading Millennium on the docks of a little island in the Archipelago. ...for all I knew Blomkvist's summer cabin could have been set here. 

 "Playing" on the island.

Trying to get the "cool" photo with us laying on the dock.  Can you tell she's annoyed?

Misty morning on the quay.  Outstanding vibe!

Stockholm has some great nightlife...here in the Ice Bar.  The ice comes from a northern river every year and is kept frozen through the summer.  Even the glasses were made of ice!

Okay...it was a bit touristy.  But still very cool - cheesy pun intended.

The other nights were the "real deal".  Here at an Irish Pub in Sodermalm.

But if I had to pick a favorite?  Hands down, the Vasa Museum.  It was impossible to capture the grandeur of this 16th century battle ship which was pulled from the bottom of the nearby river.  95% original, it was truly amazing!