After sailaway I popped up to the Sky Lounge for a spot of socialising and couple of drinks while the ladies got themselves ready for our second Evening Chic Night of the cruise.
Around 7:00pm the winds picked up and the seas followed suit and it stayed like that all night. A little bit of rocking and rolling and nothing too serious but enough to stop me having the best of nights sleep.
We had a clock change too last night in our favour so that was a bit of a bonus. I came too about 5:30 and we had already started the sail in to Stockholm which then woke me completely as it is a truly amazing sight and on the odd occasion when the sun broke through it was even more picturesque. Just beautiful!
With an early breakfast in the Tuscan Grille again we were off the ship about 10 minutes after being given clearance by the local port authorities. With the destination of the Vasamuseet in mind we decided to go the HoHo bus route on the way there and the HoHo boat on the way back. There are two company’s operating this service in Stockholm with little if no difference in price, we decided to go with City sightseeing again at €25 per person (or 850 kr).
To be totally honest the Stockholm HoHo bus route is a very tedious and windy route which seemed to take forever. Although we passed a few of the more popular landmarks along the way, we weren’t impressed with the time it took or the route taken. We were all glad to eventually get off the bus.
When we arrived at the Vasamuseet we found a lengthy queue which did move quite quickly and we were at the ticket booth in around 15 minutes.
The venue and it’s contents was every bit as good as I was anticipating it to be and I’m so glad we made the effort. Entry admission was 130 kr per person and I consider it money very well spent.
Just amazing to see how well preserved the ship is and just fascinating to look round all the other items on display that have been recovered. The ship itself is actually much larger then I would have imagined and I can appreciate why the museum is so popular.
Quite haunting to look into the eyes of some of the facial reconstructions that have been done on some of the skulls.
Once out the sprightly and the un-sprightly returned back to port using the HoHo boat which was included in the same bus ticket price and only 3 stops away from the port where we were berthed and a great deal quicker than by road. I wish we had the insight to have used it on the way there and there would have been a chance to see the changing of the guard outside the Royal Palace which takes place at 12:15. One for another day perhaps.
Back on board, a quick lunch and then a quick nap for all as we were all feeling the after effects of last night’s weather and ship motion.
Tonight we have the sailaway from the helipad to look forward to with dinner then theatre where tonight’s turn is a ventriloquist called Gareth Oliver of whom we have heard lots of good things about.