Day 17: Stockholm: Final Day

This is the final post for this 17-day tour. The next post will be a new trip in 2011.

The Scandinavian Odyssey tour organized by UW Tours, University of Washington Alumni Association, ended Saturday, August 21, on a high note with a hosted Swedish dinner at Stortorgskällaren, a delightful little restaurant on Stockholms original main square in the old city center, Gamla Stan. Originally, a wine cellar, the restaurant's vaulted ceilings date from the 15th century.


In 1520, the square outside was the scene of one of history's most ignoble deeds, the infamous "Stockholm Bloodbath," that saw the final, desperate acts of vengence by Denmark's King Christian II in his attempt to keep Sweden from separating from the Kalmar Union and Danish control. Across the square, today, is the building that houses the prestigious Swedish Academy and the new Alfred Nobel Museum. Founded in 1786 by King Gustav III, the Swedish Academy's mission is to "advance the Swedish language and Swedish literature. Annually, the 18-member academy chooses the Nobel Prize winner for Literature.

Around the corner lie the Royal Palace and Stockholm Cathedral, Storkyrkan, from 1279. The imposing Royal Palace's apparent dwarfing of the cathedral is properly symbolic since the Protestant Reformation outlawed Catholicism and subordinated the Church to the Monarchy of Gustav Vasa in 1527.


The narrow streets of the old city charm a twenty-first century visitor, but reality in 16th century Stockholm was far from the idyllic scenes of today.






Gloria Henning and Bertie Perry in the Old City (above)






Sally Wilson, "Polly" Ellingson, Sharon Nelson, Roger Cohen, Bruce Nelson and Ellen Wineberg, in front of the Stortorgskällaren, listen to a city tour guide explain the events of 1520 on the same spot they are standing.





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Tour over, time to head home. Memories of a wonderful shared experience. To the Alumni Tour participants and to those who traveled with us virtually online:

Mange tak -- Tusen takk -- Tack så mycket
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Day 16: Stockholm and the Vasa Museum

The final day of this Scandinavian Odyssey. A four-hour tour of Stockholm through crowded streets and bustling traffic. Buses, cars and boats coming and going in all directions. Streets being dug up and buildings under construction - Stockholm is a busy place for residents and visitors alike


Wandering through the Stockholm streets among the many vistas and viewpoints, one encounters representations of kings, queens, military leaders and noted political figures. Among these are also found innocent evocations of cultural joys such as with the little gnome-like statue of Sweden's popular twentieth century troubador, Evert Taube. Behind him the pretentious Stockholm city hall intended to mimic the ducal palace of Venice in a city that is often been referred to as "the Venice of the North."

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One of the most visited tourist sites in all of Scandinavia is the Vasa Museum. Here the royal warship, VASA, stands in all its glory. Built from 1626-28 to be the grandest of the royal ships of the Swedish navy. Named for the royal dynasty begun by Gustav Vasa, the ship was a personal project of King Gustavus Adolphus who was engaged in fighting in Poland when he called for more ships to be built.


Ready to launch in the summer of 1628, the sails were set and the maiden voyage begun on August 10. Fifteen minutes into the voyage, the ship, overbuilt and top heavy, caught a wind and keeled over, sinking in 105 feet of water in full view of the hundreds of people who lined the waterfront to catch a glimpse of the new pride of the Swedish navy.

Some guns and other equipment was ultimately salvaged, but most of the ship and about 50 crewmen and guests perished in the accident. In 1961, 333 years after it sank in the brackish, worm-free waters of Stockholm harbor, the ship was re-discovered and brought to the surface. Today, it stands almost perfectly intact, and beautifully preserved, in the Vasa Museum.

Scientists have not only been able to preserve the ship itself but, through the process of archeological forensics and with the increased knowledge of osteology, scientists have been able to reconstruct the faces of some of the dead on the Vasa. The project, Ansikte mot Ansikte (Face to Face), has seen the facial reconstruction of several of the people (including two women) who died during the Vasa sinking.











Above: The skeletal remains of one of the sailors on the Vasa - scientists named him "Gustav" - was found lying near some personal artifacts and clothing. A reconstruction of the face (above right) has resulted in a rendering that is so life-like that the viewer expects the eyes to blink at any time.




Along with Gustav, the face of "Johan" looks out from the seventeenth century.








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Day 15: Carl Larsson and Uppsala

Although born in Stockholm, Swedish painter Carl Larsson has become identified with Dalarna and the Swedish countryside, perhaps, more than any other painter. He and his wife, Karin, had eight children who served as models for many of Larsson's paintings. Likewise the Larsson home in the small village of Sundborn was replicated repeatedly in his paintings and have become a part of Larsson iconography. Walking into the garden around the home and, indeed, into the home itself is almost as though one has stepped right into a Carl Larsson painting.

It was, therefore, an extra special treat for the group to tour the home of Karin and Carl Larsson early this morning prior to it opening for the public. Although no pictures were allowed to be taken in the home, the house and garden are as much a part of Larsson's art as the children who modeled for him.

Larsson's home (left) with four of the children painted into the entryway (right).

Roger Cohen, "Polly" Ellingson, William Burlingame and Celine Osborn enjoy the ambience of the Larsson garden prior to the tour of the home.

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From Sundborn, we drove south east towards Falun and Uppsala. The copper mines at Falun provided a large majority of Europe's copper since the 14th century and is today on the UNESCO list of world heritage sites. A thriving winter ski area, Falun will host the 2015 Nordic Ski Championships and further show off its mining history and traditions. Before leaving Dalarna, we felt compelled to bid farewell to the largest Dala horse in the world, standing proudly in Avesta, Sweden.

(Front row (l-r): Kay Reissig and Kristin Nelson. Back row (l-r): Walt Reissing, Sharon Nelson, Karl Nelson and Conner Nelson)
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The Uppsala Cathedral, completed in 1435 and restored and completed in the 19th and 20th centuries, dominates the skyline of Uppsala attesting to the city's status as an archbishopric residence in the Middle Ages and the center of university learning for Sweden for six centuries. An hour north of Stockholm, the city served as our gateway to the capital where we arrived in the late afternoon.

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Day 14: From Norway to Sweden

An early departure from Oslo with the promise of rain for most of the day. We have been pretty lucky so far, however, getting rain when we travel and sun when we stop. That's a pattern that is hard to beat. From Oslo, the drive took us north to Hamar, then east through Elverum, Midtskogen, and Trysil, then crossing into Sweden to the Dalarna region, passing through Sälen, Mora, and Rättvik before stopping at the Hotel Dalecarlia in Tällberg on the shores of Lake Siljan.

At Elverum, we were reminded of the fateful days of 9-10 April, 1940, when invading German forces tried to capture, then kill the Norwegian royal family, the government and the members of Parliament (Storting). At Elverum, the Storting members voted to authorize a government in exile should that become necessary, and at Midtskogen, a fierce battle delayed German progress sufficiently to allow the escape of the Norwegian royal family, government and Storting members.



Memorial stone at Midtskogen, commemorating the battle on April 9, 1940, delaying German forces as they moved to occupy the country and attempted to capture the Norwegian Royal Family.





Crossing the border into Sweden was barely noticeable. The street signs changed color and the houses seemed all to be painted red, but otherwise not much to mark that we had left Norway. Passing Sälen, we noticed the long open area where the famous Vasalöppet ski race begins every winter. The race traces a ski route of Gustav Vasa in reverse when he led the Swedes in their war of independence against Denmark and the Kalmar Union in the early 16th century. The race ends at Mora after 85 km and some four hours after it begins. In Mora, we exchanged some money and noted the huge local church proudly proclaiming that the tower had been added by King Carl XI in 1673. Seems like only yesterday.






Waiting out the rain are (left to right) Richard and Sally Wilson, Charles Osborn and Walt Reissig






From Mora, we headed for one of those places that seem both comical and charming. Nusnäs is a little village with a small factory producing one of Sweden's iconic images, the Dala horse. With the timing of a stand-up comedian, the pleasant horse-carver told of the work in the little factory. Sixty carvers in the region supply thousands of little wooden horses that are painted red, blue, black, gray or neutral, then decorated and shipped all over the world. A three meter high horse currently exhibited at the Shanghai World Exposition threatens the little factory with the possibility of unlimited orders from China. Think of the potential, our carver noted wryly.











The Dalarna horses in the Nils Olsson Hemslöjd in Nusnäs await final touches and shipping to eager customers.



Arrival and check-in at the Hotel Dalecarlia brings an end to a fascinating day.



Looking out over Lake Siljan from the Hotel Dalecarlia





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Day 13: Oslo - a tourist's view

Staying in the middle of Oslo at the Grand Hotel, the group is witness to a busy street life outside the front doors. Directly across Karl Johan street is the Storting, Norway's national parliament. The main train station is a 15-minute walk away, while the Royal Palace (Slottet) is about 5 minutes from the hotel entrance. Restaurants, museums, and several major galleries, are within a 5-10 minute walk. Oslo is a small big city.

Fountains and reflecting pool in Studenterlunden, across the street directly in front of the hotel

A park with reflecting pool, fountains, statues and a lively mix of people speaking a babel of languages runs alongside Karl Johan Street from the Parliament buildings to the National Theater.











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William Burlingame in front of Vigeland's iconic monolith, "Struggle for Survival."



A visit to Frogner Park to view the bronze and granite statues of Gustav Vigeland was followed by a drive out to Bygdøy to see the Viking Ship Museum and the three 9th century Viking ships (Tune, Oseberg and Gokstad). The Oseberg, with its ornately carved prow and stern, was most likely a ceremonial ship with its somewhat shoddy construction but richly furnished as a burial ship for two women. The Gokstad ship, on the other hand, is a sleek, symmetrically built war ship buried with a single male, probably a chieftan.



The Oseberg ship (left) had two women buried on it along with farm animals, tools, household items and food. All that might be necessary in the next life.






The sleek Gokstad ship was most likely a war ship with its sleek lines and streamlined construction. It served as the burial tomb of a 60-year old male chieftan around the middle of the 9th century.

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From the Viking ship museum, the group visited the Norwegian Folk Museum with its late 12th century stave church "kidnapped" from Gol, Norway, by King Oscar II in the late 19th century, then placed in the middle of Oslo as an homage to the country's national romantic culture and rural past. Built around 1200, the Gol Stave Church is one of approximately 25 left in Norway that date back to the early Christian period of the 12th and 13th centuries. Next to the stave charch was an eighteenth century farm house, furnished with the finest goods available in Norway around 1738.




In front of the Gol Stave Church











Eighteenth century painting (ca. 1718) of a Norwegian farmer in the field with his rake, axe, scythe and shovel. Painting hangs in the early 18th century house in the Oslo Folk Museum.




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Day 12: Gudbrandsdalen & Lunch in Lillehammer

Monday, August 16 proved to be a quick day that carried us from the Wadahl Mountain Hotel at Gålå to Oslo by way of the Gudbrandsdalen with a stop in Lillehammer for lunch and a visit to the Olympic ski center.















(Left to right: Bertie Perry, Gloria Henning, Sally Wilson and "Polly" Ellingson at the 1994 Winter Olympic site overlooking Lillehammer.)










After watching intrepid ski jumpers doing some summer practice jumps on the rubber slopes, our small group of Alumni travelers sauntered down the main pedestrian street of Lillehamer, Storgaten, while some hiked up the hill to visit Maihaugen, the original open air Folk Museum in Norway.











I found a small, nearly out-of-the-way restaurant for lunch -- Nikkers. A funky little place on a sidestreet with an outside deck hanging over a gushing mountain stream tumbling its way to eventually join Lake Mjøsa.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, the purple bus had come full circle in 8 days. Two nights in Oslo await the group before they set out for the final leg of their Scandinavian Odyssey - touring rural and urban Sweden, Dalarna and Stockholm.



The Grand Hotel on Karl Johansgate.









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Day 11: Geiranger to Gudbrandsdalen

Drawing of Geiranger fjord by Ellen Wineberg (8/15/2010)

Leaving Hotel Union didn't mean leaving Geiranger, at least not until the climb up the mountain to Strynefjellet was behind us. Naturally, we did all we could to catch those last glimpses of the valley and the fjord below. Stopping at several viewpoints, we emerged above the valley's clouds and looked down and across to the Jostedal glacier itself. "Vestland, Vestland, når eg ser deg slik,..."

Celine and Charles Osborn (above left);
Constance "Polly" Ellingson and Roger Cohen (above right)

Kurt Pedersen is the bus drive for the group. Here he is pictured with Carina, his "Significant Other" (Samboer) at Dalnibba, at the very top of the valley from Geiranger. From Dalnibba, we drove to Lom, then on to Wadahl Høgfjellshotell, near Gålå, north of Lillehammer. This is Peer Gynt country, rich with the folklore that inspired Henrik Ibsen to invent his most endearing fictional character.

Arvid Iversen serves as Odyssey's highly competent and friendly tour director for the group. With a keen eye and insightful knowledge of Scandinavia, he is able to add information and color that enriches the experience of traveling in Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

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Day 10: Geiranger

A leisurely breakfast at the Hotel Union before beginning the day's excursion. Another delightfully warm and sunny day in "Fjord Norway."
Up the "Eagle's Road" to a majestic lookout over the Geiranger fjord. Before heading inland to Herdalssetra near Norddal on the Storfjord, we stopped for a group photo. Geiranger fjord is on the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites, and it's easy to understand why this place is something special.











Sally and Richard Wilson (above left)
Kenet Frodl (above right)
Walt and Kay Reissig (below)

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At Herdalssetra farm where cheese of many sorts are made in the old fashioned way - by hand. Run by Åshild and Jostein Dale, the farm produces milk and cheese products for the Tine cooperative dairy group as well as for personal use. Actively adhering to standards of sustainable agriculture, the farm and mountain saeter in the valley are part of the larger organization to support and maintain traditional agricultural in Norway. A Norwegian website, Norsk Seterkultur has been developed as part of the initiative.

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Back in Geiranger, the Hurtigruten ship, Nordlys, had sailed into the fjord. In the summer months, each of the Hurtigruten ships make a visit to Geiranger as they ply the coast with tourists, food and equipment for the many coastal villages that dot the Norwegian coastline between Bergen and Kirkenes.