Stockholm, Sweden part 2 *PIC HEAVY*

And the Vasa http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasa_(ship)

"Why did I have to be born in America?" The next thought was, of course, that things could have been much worse.

Beautiful pics again. I hope to be able to visit Europe some day.

never underestimate the beauty of the nature in the U.S. You just don't have the buildings that show the old history.

especially out west. Back when I drove cross country, my favorite place to go was out west. I would turn down loads that paid more just to take something headed out that way. I still miss that, but I'm not going to be headed out that way for work anytime soon. Maybe on vacation so I can have a chance to take in everything and visit longer.

Especially along the west coast -- you have some places of plunging ocean cliffs, coastal hills, forests of unimaginably huge trees, white-capped 10,000+-foot-mountains (I'm a big fan of the Cascades but the Sierra Nevada ain't bad either), high deserts, even in Oregon and Washington, deep river canyons, fertile and wide agricultural valleys like the Central Valley in Calif. and the Willamette in Oregon, amazing bays next to major cities (S.F. Bay, Puget sound, etc.)... And so on.

The East Coast and midwest also have their scenic charms (I've lived in both areas), but to me, when it comes to amazing natural scenery, west is best.

However -- like you, I often wish that I had been born in Europe. There is something about the way European cities feel that seems more like "home" to me.

Maybe because cities in Europe all have their origins in tiny towns that
expanded outward, but never lost their core. The town where I now keep my
European residence (I'm here more than in Texas) was a half-way point between
Paris and the Hanseatic League in medieval times, and was considered a fairly
large town at the time--maybe 1200 inhabitants. When Rhein River traffic became
more commercially important, a little village at the place where a stream known
as the Düssel emptied into the Rhein became the hugely important Düsseldorf,
and our little town faded into inconsequence. It came back slowly, and minor
noblemen made a small castle their home here for about 1000 years. This is now
in my back yard:

Europe had centuries to build towns on a human scale. In the newer parts of the U.S., it's just been "throw up a freeway system, a bunch of chain stores, and lookalike housing developments," without regard for aesthetics or a non-automobile-based lifestyles. It's depressing.

Their reaction is pretty much the same as yours when they first see it. I guess ours was,
too, although my wife less so (she is German, and has seen dozens of these things).

You captured the VASA perfectly!

That's hard to do with the low lighting
in that museum.

They are all great!

Thanks so much!

:) :pals:

I was lucky with the Vasa that there were poles or something were I could put my camera on. Believe me, I had more than enough out of focus pictures ...LOL

You sure have lots of water over there.

Here is the story: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasa_(ship)

Visited there back in my college years, 1973. Hopefully will get back one more time.

I recognize the Vasa. Here's a link to a place I grew up in the summers: http://www.vasacountryclub.com/

I hope you will come back one day. I bet it changed a lot in the last 30+ years. It was the first time for me in Sweden and I loved it.

I went there last year and loved every minute of it.

that city is worth more than one trip.

When I saw it, it was still in the water.

It was nice to see Stockholm again. When I was there, the hostel was on an old sailing ship.

into the building it is now.

Hope I brought back some good memories.

for sharing these, they are wonderful :loveya: :hug: :hi:

really impressive in its size and also the history of finding and preserving it.

:loveya: :hug: :hi:

Very nice pics!

:hi:

Good to see you.

Yes, you need to make a way to see Stockholm. And make sure you drop by in Frankfurt :)

:hi:

Being partly of German descent Germany is at the top of my list. :)