Sweden trip report/2 of 2
Aug 11th, 2005, 08:27 AM
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Sweden trip report/2 of 2
Other impressions:
When not with family, we stayed in Best Western hotels where we had a lot of points accumulated. Clean, comfortable, but uninspiring, they were nevertheless servicable. We spent our 3 nights in Stockholm at the Sheraton. Very well located and comfortable. I would have preferred the quaint Hotel Gamla Stan in Gamla Stan, but again, points beckoned. It was a teeny tiny walk from the Sheraton to Gamla Stan anyway. One bummer, none of the rooms anywhere were big enough for 4, so that meant 2 hotels room at every hotel. Thus, our dependence on points to off-set costs.
In Falun, we stayed at a lovely farm B&B called Olsbacka Gard. Practically our best non-relative accommodation with breakfast in a gracious Gustavian dining room in the farm’s manor house. On the advice of this board! If you’re interested, see www.mentorium.se.
Best meals outside family homes: Restaurant in a converted bank in Falun (called, The Bank, I believe). Surprisingly good (and reasonable) Thai buffets in Stockholm, including a charming psuedo-Indonesian vegetarian buffet in Soderholm section that overlooked the water and Gamla Stan, which was very popular with locals -- called Herman’s. We had a really fun night there. And a great Italian-inspired restaurant in Tivoli Gardens and luncheon at an outdoor café by the canals in Copenhagan. (Bummer about Copenhagan is that everyone smokes. Yuck. Sweden, as of recently has banned it in public places and restaurants. Nice.)
Anyway, I could go on forever. We alternated family with nights for just the four of us touring places I dearly wanted to see. Carl Larsson's amazing home was one such destination. Larsson was a 19th Century painter, who along with his wife, Karin, an important textile artist in her own right, made their home a work of folk art and in turn a setting for many of his paintings of family life. The home is still in the family and great-grandchildren of Larsson's seven children give the tours.
Stockholm was another must-see. For three nights we enjoyed truly one of the world's most beautiful capital cities, which stretches out over 14 islands. There we got a full sense of the midnight sun, which we marveled at for most of our trip, but somehow takes an urban setting to appreciate. I took pictures at 11:30 p.m. from our hotel room that look like three in the afternoon. We playfully marched alongside the soldiers during the Palace changing of the guard and the girls and I examined the crown jewels inside as I wondered aloud if Prince Carl Philip might be lucky enough to hook up with one of my daughters. "I'm more Swedish than he is, after all," I said explaining to them that his mother is German-born. 10-year-old thought this mildly amusing. Near-13-year-old was embarrassed and kept shushing me. Later we left the girls alone for a bit in the old and gorgeous part of town to shop for souvenirs as hubby and I wandered in and out of shops.
Other Stockholm fun things: Skansen, open-air museums of different kinds of homes from different kinds of era. We’re old-house nuts, so that was fun and it was outside, so kids liked it, too. The Vasa, old 1600s warship that sank and was brought up in 1960s and restored. Amazing exhibition and we all loved it.
Skane was Nantucket-y beautiful, lots of seaside villages. Aland, though out of the way and wouldn’t have gone if not for family was also drop-dead gorgeous and worth a consideration if you are in Scandinavia for an extended period.
Throughout Sweden I "garage-saled" at the many roadside flea markets (called "lopis," literally meaning "flea"
. This, of course, really cracked us all up (as it would anyone who knows my fondness for old things), though truthfully, as back states-side, my best finds were among these second-hand wares.
During our one night in Copenhagen we had an unbelievably fun evening in Tivoli Gardens with 10-year-old winning the world's largest "claw" prize from a life-size machine. The stuffed monkey practically needed his own plane seat back home.
Could go on forever! If you have need for more details and questions, feel free to ask!
When not with family, we stayed in Best Western hotels where we had a lot of points accumulated. Clean, comfortable, but uninspiring, they were nevertheless servicable. We spent our 3 nights in Stockholm at the Sheraton. Very well located and comfortable. I would have preferred the quaint Hotel Gamla Stan in Gamla Stan, but again, points beckoned. It was a teeny tiny walk from the Sheraton to Gamla Stan anyway. One bummer, none of the rooms anywhere were big enough for 4, so that meant 2 hotels room at every hotel. Thus, our dependence on points to off-set costs.
In Falun, we stayed at a lovely farm B&B called Olsbacka Gard. Practically our best non-relative accommodation with breakfast in a gracious Gustavian dining room in the farm’s manor house. On the advice of this board! If you’re interested, see www.mentorium.se.
Best meals outside family homes: Restaurant in a converted bank in Falun (called, The Bank, I believe). Surprisingly good (and reasonable) Thai buffets in Stockholm, including a charming psuedo-Indonesian vegetarian buffet in Soderholm section that overlooked the water and Gamla Stan, which was very popular with locals -- called Herman’s. We had a really fun night there. And a great Italian-inspired restaurant in Tivoli Gardens and luncheon at an outdoor café by the canals in Copenhagan. (Bummer about Copenhagan is that everyone smokes. Yuck. Sweden, as of recently has banned it in public places and restaurants. Nice.)
Anyway, I could go on forever. We alternated family with nights for just the four of us touring places I dearly wanted to see. Carl Larsson's amazing home was one such destination. Larsson was a 19th Century painter, who along with his wife, Karin, an important textile artist in her own right, made their home a work of folk art and in turn a setting for many of his paintings of family life. The home is still in the family and great-grandchildren of Larsson's seven children give the tours.
Stockholm was another must-see. For three nights we enjoyed truly one of the world's most beautiful capital cities, which stretches out over 14 islands. There we got a full sense of the midnight sun, which we marveled at for most of our trip, but somehow takes an urban setting to appreciate. I took pictures at 11:30 p.m. from our hotel room that look like three in the afternoon. We playfully marched alongside the soldiers during the Palace changing of the guard and the girls and I examined the crown jewels inside as I wondered aloud if Prince Carl Philip might be lucky enough to hook up with one of my daughters. "I'm more Swedish than he is, after all," I said explaining to them that his mother is German-born. 10-year-old thought this mildly amusing. Near-13-year-old was embarrassed and kept shushing me. Later we left the girls alone for a bit in the old and gorgeous part of town to shop for souvenirs as hubby and I wandered in and out of shops.
Other Stockholm fun things: Skansen, open-air museums of different kinds of homes from different kinds of era. We’re old-house nuts, so that was fun and it was outside, so kids liked it, too. The Vasa, old 1600s warship that sank and was brought up in 1960s and restored. Amazing exhibition and we all loved it.
Skane was Nantucket-y beautiful, lots of seaside villages. Aland, though out of the way and wouldn’t have gone if not for family was also drop-dead gorgeous and worth a consideration if you are in Scandinavia for an extended period.
Throughout Sweden I "garage-saled" at the many roadside flea markets (called "lopis," literally meaning "flea"
. This, of course, really cracked us all up (as it would anyone who knows my fondness for old things), though truthfully, as back states-side, my best finds were among these second-hand wares.During our one night in Copenhagen we had an unbelievably fun evening in Tivoli Gardens with 10-year-old winning the world's largest "claw" prize from a life-size machine. The stuffed monkey practically needed his own plane seat back home.
Could go on forever! If you have need for more details and questions, feel free to ask!
Aug 11th, 2005, 09:24 AM
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kflodin, what a joyful and upbeat trip report. Even though my grandparents were Swedish and Danish and I did make some lefse yesterday, 
I have not felt inclined to visit the country but you certainly present a lovely picture, Deborah
I have not felt inclined to visit the country but you certainly present a lovely picture, Deborah
Aug 11th, 2005, 06:31 PM
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sorry, elaine123, we didn't. In fact, we only spent 20 minutes there driving through and grabbing some last-minute gifts on our way back up to Oslo. Our 3 days in that area were literally in the area. I did hear, however, that Gothenberg had the best amusement park in the country, so that might do it for your teens!
Aug 16th, 2005, 09:28 AM
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Elaine123: The most obvious was that we made our hotel and flight decisions based on AmEx partner points, etc., and gladly accepted relatives' offers of meals and board. Other than that, I would take advantage of the ability to picnic all over the country and bring a collapsible cooler. We also found shopping off the beaten tourist path at local markets, etc., useful, but that is probably another obvious for experienced travelers. Swimming was a highlight and that was always free, too, in the country's thousands of lakes. Sweden is expensive though -- the gas shockingly so. The car still made sense for us given our many many stops, but I'd recommend a very thoughtful cost analsysis of driving vs. other modes of transportation.
Also if you have US friends you need to bring back gifts, too, do consider the "lopis" shops everywhere. Much cheaper than the tourist and dept. stores with great mid-century and even older finds for those folks who appreciate that kind of thing.
Also if you have US friends you need to bring back gifts, too, do consider the "lopis" shops everywhere. Much cheaper than the tourist and dept. stores with great mid-century and even older finds for those folks who appreciate that kind of thing.
Aug 16th, 2005, 09:32 AM
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2 more cost-saving/convenience things: Toiletries are expensive in Sweden -- lots of products heavily taxed, so err on the side of slightly overpacking on shampoo, etc. the other is that you cannot find a coin-operated laundry anywhere!! I think there were 2 in all of Stockholm. Be prepared for that and if you stumble on laundry facilties (at hostel, etc.), jump on it, and again, consider slightly overpacking than underpacking to accommodate.
