Downtown Stockholm from small boat going from the amusement park to where we will catch the subway.

WoW...spelled Wau in Finnish!

It has been a long time since I have updated the blog...sorry! We haven't always had the connection to the internet.

Since I last entered we have done many things including a trip by ship to Finland.

We met many relatives and got to have fun with some of my cousins...including a real Finnish Sauna experience with a dip in the lake...@ 4c.brrrrrrrrrrrrrr but fun! Roasted hotdogs in the fireplace after that. It was still light at 11:00 so didn't know that it was so late when we went to bed! Christian says that when he grows up he wants to live in Finland, own a cottage on a lake, and have a sauna! He is a true Finn!

We went to Karlstad to visit Anna and her family. Anna came to visit us in the states in 2001. She is now a teacher and is expecting her first child in Sept. We got to see two castles....one in Finland @ Turku and one in Orebro where we stopped for coffee and a pastry...they call it Fika. We met another cousin there. She is a professional women's soccer player and has played in the USA.

We are now back in Stockholm. We are going to a place like the Seattle Science Center today so that will be fun...and then out to eat at an Iraqi restaurant where we will have some kebab.

Tomorrow we will go into Stockholm for our last day to get pictures printed and go to the City museum, and the Army museum and maybe eat lunch at the Ostermalmsaluhallen....one of Grandma's favorite places...then back to some friends for dinner.

Since we will be busy these last couple of days....trying to get our suitcases packed with all the goodies to bring home without going over the weight limit (good luck with that!). HA!

We fly out on Sat.the 9th....so probably won't update until we are back home.

I am missing Molly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Really more than I had thought I would! I know that she has been in good hands with Betty! Hope she remembers me....she will probably be mad though! Everyone here thought she was so cute (which she is) and laughed at her in clothes...even had to get some of the pictures of her for themselves to download! Ha!

Oh yes, we got news from Emily....she was in the Miss Aquafest Jr. Teen pageant and won...so she is the reigning Queen for 2009! She says the crown is huge! Ha! Way to go Em!

Hope everyone has enjoyed our blogging....Thanks, Betty for helping us set it up!

See ya soon!

Jan, Don, and Christian

Tuesday:
This is the day that we move into Stockholm and stay at the Royal Viking Radisson Hotel at T-Centralen.
Dropped our luggage and took off for more touring....went to the Medieval Museum and Christian played chess...or
tried to....with Grandpa.....went into check and he and grandpa didn't agree on rules.....guess who got huffy and walked away?! Grandpa..........go figure!
Then we went to Silja Line to clear up our reservations for the ship to Finland....on the way there was a store that was going out of business......Christian and Grandma took advantage of that!
Reservations all settled.......we walked to Mongolian Steakhouse Barbeque....on Berger Jarlsgatan and had the buffet........we got full! Then caught the bus back to our hotel.
Rested awhile and then changed into our swimsuits and headed down to the pool, hot-tub, and sauna! Relax!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Got back to the room after a quick shower and turned on TV....not much in English....not even a movie like Happy Feet! Ha! Forest and Logan know what I mean!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is getting bedtime and we have a full day at Skansen planned if the weather cooperates....it has been beautiful so far.......
Wed...night we are having dinner with Anne Sundstrom.......maybe Christian will get to beat her at Chinese Checkers! (Another inside laugh)
SLFN

Monday...
We went shopping for those elusive unique gifts!
Walked from one end of Stockholm to the other, or at least it felt like it!
Hotorget is a huge open air market with everything from fruits and nuts to clothes and flowers.
They set it up every morning and have to take it all down every night!
Walked on Drotteninggatan...the Queen's street not as busy as it was on the week-end. We found out that the museums are all closed on Mondays so we went back to the Farhat's earlier than we had expected to.
Grandma was pooped and hurting....ate a bite and went to bed..........slept through until 10:00 Tues....need that!

2nd Day! Sunday and Church at Immanuel....we will see alot of grandma and grandpa's old friends today. We also have planned to go to Grona Lund after church with the Farhat kids....so it will be grandpa, grandma, Christina, Crystal, Celestial, Cleo, and Christian...at Stockholm's amusement park! It is opening weekend so it will be very crowded

....we are getting a late start ...the lines were so long we only had time to do one thing....the fun house! We stood in line for an hour with several kids trying to cut in front of us.....Grandma didn't let them if she caught them....

The entrance into the fun house has these moving stairs and you have to time your steps just right or you can get hung up!

We went thorough it and had a great time laughing and enjoying our time together. At the end there is a huge slide and a camera takes your picture....so we all have that as a memory....A fun Day!!!!!

Once we were finsihed in the fun house we had to get back to Hallunda and the Farhat house so we can get in the car and drive to Tumba and the big pizza.....

I only ate 1/4 of it....we had some other friends join us. We had five pizzas that size ...different flavors...and two kebab plates with a full kebab....13 people!

This was the end of our day....Christina, Crystal, Celestial, Cleo, and Mrs. Farhat....all have to go to school tomorrow...Mrs. Farhat is a teacher.........Mr. Farhat has to get up very early around midnight for his job so it is quiet time....

Hope you are enjoying our posts!

First day of touring .....we rode into Stockholm on the T-bana (subway) We are out of town by 16 stops so we have a while to ride!

Our first stop is the Palace! This is a view into Stockholm from there! What a beautiful day!

Inside we saw alot of armor....head gear, full armor for both man and his horse, swords, robes, cannons, and everything it takes to be a knight and/or king!
Then we went down farther under the palace where they keep the carriages for coronations....wow...they look like Cinderella stuff!

After we finished inside it was about time for the changing of the guards. That happens at 12:15 every Sat. and Sunday this time of year and everyday at this time during the summer!

Both men and women can be guards.....it is a special assignment that you must be selected for....and an honor! You must be 18 to serve and the minimum time you serve is 18 months.

We walked around to the Finnish Church to see Stockholms smallest statue....there were alot of people there to see it....we waited our turn so we could get some good shots of it....

Lunch time....we just had to have a varm korv....Hot Dog......from a street vendor. I had the regular one and grandpa and grandma had the chorizo!

We took a short walk through the main gathering area in Stockholm, as a matter of fact, it is call Stockholms living room! All the trees were in bloom and the fountains were running! Ah...spring time in Sweden.....nothing like it!

Everyone was out sunning themselves....typical Swedish thing to do at the sight of that big yellow thing in the sky....very much like the people in Seattle.....if we can remember what it looks like!

Next stop is the Vasa.....the main attraction! A warship built in 1628 and sunk on her maiden voyage! It was underwater in the harbor for over 300 years when a man found her and was able to raise her 95% in tact! They built the museum around her and she has been receiving viewers from all over the world. She looks very much like the black pearl in Pirates of the Carribean or Captain Hooks ship in Peter Pan....and Awesome site to be sure! The museums close at 4:00 and we had guests coming to Farhats to see us so this was the end of the day for us.......

Welcome to Stockholm!

Here we are..........collected the luggage and heading to town!

Arlanda Express.....the fast train takes the in 20 min. a trip usually taking 45. The train goes up to 200 mph.

Tunnelbana...the subway. We had to drag our luggage down stairs to get our transport tickets that will be good for 7 days of unlimited transportation on all public transport...subway, bus, and boat.

Christian found out that traveling without a car is something he will leave for the Europeans!

It is a literal DRAG!

After about 16 stops we arrive at Hallunda and our first destination...the home of our dear friends...the Farhat family.

After our greetings and a bite to eat we settled into some catch-up conversations. Christian and Cleo hit it off so good friends are already established!

We don't know how long they stayed up to play...but grandpa and I had to get some zzzzzzzzzzz's or we won't be able to hit the road running on our first full day of touring!

God Natt! Day one!

WOW A LIMO!

!

Well, grandpa and I surprised Christian....his back was to the road when the limo turned in to the park and ride...so when it turned to come toward us I said, " Our ride is here....he turned and his jaw dropped...GOT THE REACTION WE WERE LOOKING FOR!

On the way to the airport he told us this was the first time he had ridden in a limo....this trip will be filled with firsts!

We settled into our seats on the plane and got ready for a 9 hr. flight full of movies, games and chatter....he didn't even use his DS (one of those electronic kid gadgets) until we were almost ready to land in Copenhagen.

We all got a few winks of sleep...and once we arrived in Copenhagen we lined up to go through passport control. Hurried through the terminal and got to our gate with only a few minutes to wait for leg two!