last days in sweden…
we finally had a perfect day without rain….
i met up with some exended family that live both in stockholm and the surrounding towns a little farther south – they took us to the skansen zoo in stockholm. unlike any other one i had been to, this one had not only animals native to that region but also buildings that had been imported from all over the country including farm houses, churches, mills, and houses. it was a huge place located high on a hill and gave us fantastic views overlooking the entire city…
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the final treat was a show of traditional swedish folk dances…
we enjoyed a fabulous meal of fresh fish and wine, i am really going to miss this food in ireland!
the final day before we left, we trekked back over to old town area on foot enjoying the warm weather. there was the ‘tall boat race’ fair just starting and the preparations for the race itself underway. we got some fantastic photos of some of the really old boats docked. it looked to be a huge event with stages for entertainment and vendors. crowds of people were milling around the docks and lounging on the boats. the weather was absolutely perfect.
of course just as we pack our bags to head back to the airport, we get got in torrential downpour – so unpredictable!
we traveled back to a new airport this time via bus, the views out of the window were of endless blue skies and beautifully green landscapes. the air is so fresh, its no wonder that so much effort is put into preserving the environment. the swedish government and the people have put a great emphasis on this and it has really paid off. the city of stockholm seems to almost be built to preserve the natural beauty it exists in rather than exploit it. i have decided in my next trip that i will need to spend more time even further south. there is a bridge from the town of malmo that takes you straight to coppenhagen. naturally, i will have to visit this next time 🙂
on our way to ireland…