Day 17 Stockholm to Paris

Well once GC knows he's moving on there's no holding him back!  Down for breakfast, back to the room to pack up and then out to the airport!  The airport is about 40 - 45 minutes away (545SEK) oh yes, forgot to say earlier .... although Sweden is part of the EU they have opted to retain the Kroner which is about 10 SEK = 1 Euro.
Another HUGE airport, once through check-in we head to the lounge, then finally board our flight to Paris.  The male crew member couldn't have been more helpful and after a few French bubbles - of course, we finally land at CDG where I have organised a car to pick us up.  I used Blacklane - taxi is about E50 - 55 and car was E65 and at CDG it is so much easier to have somebody waiting there for you with a beautifully clean car who doesn't think he's racing in the Le Mans!
Have booked into the Scribe Hotel, just down from the Opera house and, as with all Sofitel hotels, it delivers consistently good service.  Clearly they have us on record but it was still nice that the on-duty manager came out to personally welcome us back. 
Off to soak in the essence of Paris - crowds, noise, lights .... there is no where in the world like it.  After freshening up we head to La Fontaine Gaillon for dinner.

Hotel Scribe

Paris Opera

Galeries Lafayette lights

Loads of people trying to glimpse the windows of GL

Day 16 - Stockholm

Today we started with a cruise around Stockholm, the Venice of Scandinavia.  We then visited the Royal Palace ... such opulence.  This palace is bigger than Buckingham Palace though none of the royals live here any more ... they have chosen a smaller palace a little way away.
The remainder of the day was spent retracing our path around Gamla Stan.  We walked up the narrowest street in Stockholm and also visited the German church.  Very easy to traverse and always lots to see.  We ended up at a cafe for "Fika" which is the Swedish version of 'any excuse to sit and drink coffee and eat cinnamon bun!'  Apparently it's an institution - works for me!
Although I had visions of heading out again in the afternoon, a headache put pay to that but I did recover enough to go out for dinner.  Had chosen a couple of restaurants but both were a 'no go' - make sure you book!  Eventually found a place where Swedish meatballs were the final meal to be had in Stockholm!

Famous boat - can't quite remember the story 

The little "Red Castle"

A view of Stockholm from the water

In the palace

More opulence

... and more

Narrowest street in Stockholm

In the German church

This is where the Xmas markets are held - also where 82 dignitaries
were beheaded by the King of enmark

Wher the Nobel awards are held

Beautiful friezes on shop fronts

Day 15 - Stockholm

Off on the "Hop On Hop Off" bus.  I would always recommend these tours in a new city as it gives you a great overall appreciation of the landscape.   Stockholm was settled 800 years ago.  It has 87 bridges spanning the rivers that run into the Baltic Sea.  We are staying in the area known as Gamla Stan, which is the old town.  It's a popular place to stay as most streets are 'user friendly' with little or no traffic.  Lots of souvenir shops and also lots of restaurants and a wonderful history.  Lo ts of museums, the Royal Palace, Opera House - apparently when Gustav III was assassinated in 1773 in the foyer (he was responsible for the construction of the opera house) Guiseppe Verdi composed the "Masked Ball" in his memory. 
We did a complete loop then around again until we hit the Vasa Museum.  The Vasa was commissioned by the King, an impressive war ship with two rows of gun turrets on either side.  Unfortunately that made it very heavy and the 120 tons of rocks in the keel was insufficient ballast.  On it's maiden voyage, 10th August 1628, it set sail at 4.00pm ... by 5.00pm it had capsized and sank. It didn't make it out of the harbour.  333 years later the Vasa was raised and now it's extraordinary history is on show at the Vasa Museum.
From there we wander down to the ABBA Museum then around to the zoo where we grab the bus to take us to the Haymarket.  This is a flower and fresh produce market in the middle of the city.  Most of the larger shops are around this area ... Zara, H&M etc.  Back on the bus to go home we wander down the main street to check out where to meet the Ghost Tour that we are doing tonight.  A quick stop at a cosy Italian restaurant then home to regroup for the tour.  A large group but the guide handled it very well.  Not particularly scary but he certainly regaled us with lots of stories of Stockholm's gruesome history as he guided us through the back streets.

The streets of Gamla Stan are all quite narrow

Stockholm is the Scandanavian version of Venice

Opera House

Poor little swans don't seem to notice the cold

A model of the Vasa which is in the background

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The Vasa was covered with amazing brightly covered sculptures

You can see the two rows of turrets

Another view

Flowers at the Haymarket

Day 13 & 14 - Boxing Day . Tallinn to Helsinki to Stockholm

Today we are set to leave Tallinn on the ferry back to Helsinki at 10.30am.  This time we are on Star ferry - choose the Mega Star if you have a choice but either way, go 'Business'.  There has been hardly another person around in Business and all food and booze provided.  Note to self - should have booked our cruise direct from Tallinn to Stockholm rather than going back via Helsinki and I would have left the night before.

Anyway .... we arrive back in Helsinki by about 12.30pm and after disembarking grab a cab to take us directly to the port where we will be leaving for Stockholm.  After booking in we can't board until 3.00pm so we fill in our time at the port cafe.  Travelling by train, ferry, cruise boat, cab ... it is all so easy in Europe. 

After finding our cabin on the Silja Serenade, we head to our private bar and then a reconnaissance of the ship.  It is HUGE!  2,700 passengers it is like a floating city - shops, restaurants, poker machines ... you name it!  I personally find it too big - it's overwhelming.  We are booked to eat at the Italian Restaurant and, although we had intended to head to the cabaret, we opt for bed instead.  I wake a couple of times during the night - the wind is howling and a little rough to boot!  Breakfast is supplied in the Bon Vivant Restaurant which is the typical presentation of meats, cheese, shrimp, juices, smoothies, a selection of cooked meals, pastries etc and, of course, served with Prosecco!

A cab ride to the Old Town of Stockholm to the Victory Hotel.  GC does a slight turn up of the nose but this is a very quaint, historic hotel with loads of naval memorabilia on display - even our room is called Captain Lundgren (1847 - 1925).   We wander along the main shopping strip, very touristy but some really cute things available.  When we get to the Royal Palace we are treated to s display by the Royal Guards   I must admit they seem a bit 'rag tag' but it was nice to see nevertheless.
There are plenty of restaurants in the area and we settle on Slinger Bulten, named after a dubious character, it literally translates to "Slippery Fish".  Good food and pleasant atmosphere.

Silja Serenade

In our cabin

The ship is HUGE!

A view down the other end

We were up on level 11

This little guy seems to be evrywhere!

The sun is trying to peep througn

Now disembarked

Reception at The Victory

There are so many interesting artefacts

Naval artefacts in the room

Very quaint room

Walking through Old Town

A view up ....

... and down the street

A view from the front of the Royal Palace

The Royal Palace

The Royal Guards 

 

Day 12 - Tallinn - Christmas Day

Today was just revisiting many of the places we went yesterday.   First a visit to the market where i buy a "Chrissy" jumper ... which of course I'll only wear once in a blue moon!  Today we were able to enter St Mary's cathedral which has an unbelievable display of 'coats of arms' of past clans and a huge organ. 

Coats of arms in the white cathedral

And more ....

Interesting down pipe

Example of Medieval architecture

Part of the wall still standing

City wall

Nobody home

This little train went through the city

Russian Orthodox church