FRANCE, LUXEMBOURG, GERMANY, DENMARK, NORWAY, SWEDEN - Part 3

FRANCE, LUXEMBOURG, GERMANY,

DENMARK, NORWAY, SWEDEN – Part 3

May 29, 2012

From Norway we crossed into Sweden into a land of endless forests and countless lakes. The snows higher up are still melting and the rivers are swollen to flood stage. Ran the air-con in the van for the first time with 28C outside. Our first night in the country included a losing battle with a gazillion mosquitos, the result of a country full of lakes and rivers. As we’ve said before, the red-wine colour in Norway and Sweden is extremely popular made such by a red by-product from the world’s longest lasting, at 300 years, copper mine and one of the biggest for its time.

As we drove toward Stockholm through more and more towns we also began to see more and more immaculately restored cars from the 50s to the 70s. Certainly brought back memories, all good.

Thanks to our Tom-Tom GPS unit we arrived safe and sound, though held up by a drawbridge letting expensive sailboats through, into one of the oddest campsites we’ve ever stayed in. Located in the middle of the city of Stockholm. Good. Under a noisy bridge and airplane landing path. Not so good. “Sites” were dirty dusty dirt with the facilities inside the remnants of construction materials. Bad. But we stayed two nights so we could spend a full day in the city. Stockholm is on the southeastern coast of the country very far from the rest of Sweden and as a result seems to go overboard to be the best at everything. It is built on fourteen islands with walkways and bike paths everywhere. If you hear a chinsy bell, it’s not your imagination…it’s time to get out of the way of an overzealous bikist (a wanna-be cyclist going too fast on a too-heavy-to-stop bicycle). We walked the three kilometers from the “campground” to the old part of the town. Neat old buildings stuffed full of too many restaurants, too many junk shops and too many tourists of yet another cruise ship recognizable by the same “follow me” banners the guides use to keep their flock from getting lost.

Canada likes its moose…but not like Sweden. It appears everywhere, sometimes in odd positions. What ever happened to the famous Vikings?

Maybe this is the answer. This odd couple can be seen in broad daylight. Note the cheeky hand placement.

The mating result was what is commonly known here as the reason for the disappearance of the Viking race, the last such person was this blue-helmeted not-so-blond goddess.

In 1628 these same people wanted to continue their famous sea-faring heritage by building a monster wooden ship measuring 69 meters long and 49 meters tall. It was the pride of the Swedish crown. Within minutes of its launching, the top-heavy vessel capsized sending it and its 100 man crew straight to the bottom. Not to be outdone by ancient stupidity, in 1961 the vessel, in 14000 pieces, was raised and reassembled inside its very own ready-made museum. The one shown here isn’t it but merely a suggestion of what maybe, just maybe, should have been attempted.

From Stockholm, the driving was tedious and boring as was, frankly, the country-side. Endless trees, very few buildings, and no moose in sight regardless of the “Moose Crossing” signs. Maybe they too ran off with the Viking goddess.

So…our general view of Sweden? Very nice people but the scenery is bland especially after having first been through Norway. And Stockholm doesn’t seem to fit into the rest of the country…too many cultural differences. Having said that this poor little sad, and dry, mermaid was sorry to see us leave.

From Sweden we crossed into Denmark again over the long, beautiful and very expensive ($120!!!) bridge under threatening skies soon to turn to full-on rain with heavy traffic. Fun. Through Copenhagen to a campground on the edge of an 1886 fort complete with the old cannons and bunkers on the edge of the sea. Tuborg, the Danish beer company, offered us a large beer to compensate. We expect to have it finished in about 12 years!

The next day we took the local bus 14 into the center of Copenhagen to visit the old town and the canal district. Copenhagen is a delight being a mix of Amsterdam and Paris. Old brick buildings, incredible churches some looking like they rose right out of Babylon.

The city is full of bike paths which are full of people roaring by on single-speed oldies going from where they were to where they are going. As a pedestrian it is in your best interest to stay on the sidewalk or get creamed. The beautiful lady cyclists in short skirts add to the flair of it all. Some of the bikes are meant to carry things in front of then…everything from stuff and things to kids. Even some taxis have bike racks for passengers who have a bike but have far to go.

And of course there is the royal castle complete with the family tree of the royals, the useless battles fought over colonies, two eighteen year old guards, and all things paid for by the non-royals. Kinda cute but after a number of these royal affairs they all feel and smell the same. Lose a historical battle and become a taxpayer – Win a historical battle and ya got it made. And let us not forget the crown jewels.

Copenhagen is a very nice place where there is lots to see. It has a great feel with very nice people. And where did we eat? In an Irish pub of course!!