This is a photo flashback to January this year, when I moved to Sweden
Monday 16 December 2013
Thursday 14 November 2013
#76 India: The Travel Show
The main issue I have with going on holiday to somewhere like India, is the fact that it is so far away from Ireland. Return flights at the moment are about €500 cheapest to Mumbai or New Delhi. This is actually quite cheap considering the distance, but it's still €500 before you even pay for accommodation or entertainment or anything else. But then again, these are all very cheap!
So I'm posed with a problem: travel within Europe for flights under €100, but where accommodation and food is more expensive, or travel outside Europe, where flights are more expensive, but everything else is cheaper. Destinations outside Europe are also usually more drastic and exciting for someone who lives within Europe.
But anyway, before we start discussing India, here's a map to help you, so you won't get confused. I don't think it is likely that someone would visit both Kolkatta and Mumbai for example, as they are quite far apart (a 3hr flight), and these are just a few ideas for each place in India. There are hundreds of things to do near each of these cities if you do your homework!
So I'm posed with a problem: travel within Europe for flights under €100, but where accommodation and food is more expensive, or travel outside Europe, where flights are more expensive, but everything else is cheaper. Destinations outside Europe are also usually more drastic and exciting for someone who lives within Europe.
But anyway, before we start discussing India, here's a map to help you, so you won't get confused. I don't think it is likely that someone would visit both Kolkatta and Mumbai for example, as they are quite far apart (a 3hr flight), and these are just a few ideas for each place in India. There are hundreds of things to do near each of these cities if you do your homework!
India Map
New Delhi
This is the capital city, so it is where you can expect to find a lot of stuff, such as;
Askhardham Temple
Lotus Temple
Varanasi and the Ganges River
The Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is located in Agra, which is accessible by train by New Delhi. From what I've heard, these trains are INSANE cheap, possibly under €10 for a first class ticket! They take about 3 hours, and from the train station there it's about 15mins by bus.
If you want to listen back to the show, please go here: www. ulfm.ie/listen-back
Thursday 17 October 2013
#75 Croatia: The Travel Show
Unfortunately Croatia is still just a place on the list to visit for my great travels! When I was studying in Sweden I met some fantastic Croatians and they definitely encouraged me to visit their country, as well as telling me some great information.
From my experience, Croatia isn't one of the most famous countries so, if you're not sure, it's situated right across the Adriatic sea from Italy. Here's a map to help you out.
From my experience, Croatia isn't one of the most famous countries so, if you're not sure, it's situated right across the Adriatic sea from Italy. Here's a map to help you out.
Croatia
The currency is the Kuna (pronounced a bit like 'ko-na' I think) and the exchange rate is about 7.5kn to €1. Croatia in Croatian language is 'Hrvatska', so that's why you'll sometimes see abbreviations like 'HRV' or 'HRK'. It's a cheap country in terms of prices, especially in comparison to the rest of Europe, but be careful as the recent surge in tourism along the coast means prices there for hotels, bars and restaurants are much higher, especially during the summer.
The capital city is Zagreb, which is located in the North. However, it is coastal cities such as Zadar, Split and Dubrovnik that are raising the profile of the country and bringing most of the tourists.
Politically, Croatia is a young country, having been formed after the break up of Yugoslavia in 1991. It only entered the European Union earlier this year.
Dubrovnik, in the far south, is an ancient city which reminds me of places like Greece or Turkey. It has recently rose to fame in TV show Game of Thrones, in which some scenes were filmed here.
Dubrovnik
Zadar has an airport, and is a likely place to fly into. There is a 'sea organ', in which waves crashing into the harbour makes tunes like an organ, and nearby is colorful a light up display built into the ground. I found a video on YouTube which demonstrates both better than words: Zadar Sea Organ
Croatia is becoming popular with party goers and young people, because alcohol prices are much cheaper than Ireland or the UK, and clubs often stay open until sunrise during the summer. The hot weather and clear seas make it popular with those looking for a cheap sun holiday, but Croatia has a lot to offer in terms of cultural capital and indigenous activities.
Blue Cave, located on the island of Bisevo
Also important to note, travel is cheap between neighbouring countries Serbia, Slovenia, Hungary, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, so a visit to Croatia doesn't have to just be a visit to Croatia, you could make it a wider travelling experience.
You can get flights with Ryanair to Zadar, and travel within the country is cheap, but I've been told that some buses (especially local transport) aren't air conditioned, so it can get a little stuffy in the soaring temperatures!
This article is linked to my radio show - The Travel Show. However, due to technical issues there is no recording available for this particular show. You can still go to the website and check out previous shows though. www.ulfm.ie/listen-back/
Thursday 10 October 2013
#74 France: The Travel Show
I have been to Paris four times. Once during Halloween with a youth group when I was 11, again with my family for New Years when I was about 13, with a youth group at Halloween again when I was 14, and then during Easter on a school tour when I was 16.
Shamefully, I have never been outside Paris, and I have a keen interest in returning to France, this time without a visit to the capital. I think this is probably an issue for the country - tourists fly in to Paris, stay a few days, see the major sights, and leave. France is quite a large country with a lot to offer, and I am embarrassed to have been there so many times without seeing the rest of the country.
That being said, Paris is a really beautiful city. Some say the French (and in particular Parisians) are rude, but I will give them the benefit of the doubt, and say that I had a wonderful time there each time I visited. Since it uses Euro it is convenient for the Europeans out there, and although prices aren't cheap and a tiny coffee could cost you €6 or more in one of the quaint cafés, it isn't too unreasonable if you know where to look.
The most obvious highlights in Paris include the Eiffel Tower, Arc De Triomphe, Louvre Museum and Disneyland. Although Disneyland has been criticized for being an eyesore etc etc, I think it is a magical place to visit on a day out, especially if there are children or young people involved. It's impossible not to have a good time there!
I'm not sure if things have changed much in the past 5 or so years, but the lines to go up the Eiffel Tower used to be a massive pain - you just had to line up and wait to get in. Newer attractions like SkyTree in Tokyo have a system where you buy a ticket straight away and are given a time, one or 2 hours, to return, and then you can go almost straight up without hours of queueing. Hopefully they have brought in a similar system in Paris! Also, for anyone who thinks walking it could be fun (or because the wait is shorter for the stairs than for the elevator) it's very tiring and takes a lot longer than what you think.
One of the really cool places outside Paris is Mont Saint Michel. Basically, it's like a really old town and castle built on a little island. It reminds me of something from Lord of the Rings! You can easily get to Mont St Michel from Paris, either using a day tour operator (expensive but convenient) or going yourself by getting a train and then a bus. You can get there in about 3 hours or so. I haven't been there, but since I discovered it (embarrassingly, only last year) I can't wait to visit it.
Since I am in Ireland, I have two options to get to France, I can fly to Paris and then get a train or bus, or I can get the ferry to somewhere like Cherbourg, and then go from there. France has an excellent train network, and also buses which take longer but are often much cheaper.
This article is linked to my student radio show - The Travel Show. To listen back on the show (originally aired 4th October) click here http://www.ulfm.ie/week-4-listen-back/#tabs-1701-0-4
Shamefully, I have never been outside Paris, and I have a keen interest in returning to France, this time without a visit to the capital. I think this is probably an issue for the country - tourists fly in to Paris, stay a few days, see the major sights, and leave. France is quite a large country with a lot to offer, and I am embarrassed to have been there so many times without seeing the rest of the country.
Paris, and the Eiffel Tower
That being said, Paris is a really beautiful city. Some say the French (and in particular Parisians) are rude, but I will give them the benefit of the doubt, and say that I had a wonderful time there each time I visited. Since it uses Euro it is convenient for the Europeans out there, and although prices aren't cheap and a tiny coffee could cost you €6 or more in one of the quaint cafés, it isn't too unreasonable if you know where to look.
The most obvious highlights in Paris include the Eiffel Tower, Arc De Triomphe, Louvre Museum and Disneyland. Although Disneyland has been criticized for being an eyesore etc etc, I think it is a magical place to visit on a day out, especially if there are children or young people involved. It's impossible not to have a good time there!
Halloween decorations at Disneyland Paris
I'm not sure if things have changed much in the past 5 or so years, but the lines to go up the Eiffel Tower used to be a massive pain - you just had to line up and wait to get in. Newer attractions like SkyTree in Tokyo have a system where you buy a ticket straight away and are given a time, one or 2 hours, to return, and then you can go almost straight up without hours of queueing. Hopefully they have brought in a similar system in Paris! Also, for anyone who thinks walking it could be fun (or because the wait is shorter for the stairs than for the elevator) it's very tiring and takes a lot longer than what you think.
One of the really cool places outside Paris is Mont Saint Michel. Basically, it's like a really old town and castle built on a little island. It reminds me of something from Lord of the Rings! You can easily get to Mont St Michel from Paris, either using a day tour operator (expensive but convenient) or going yourself by getting a train and then a bus. You can get there in about 3 hours or so. I haven't been there, but since I discovered it (embarrassingly, only last year) I can't wait to visit it.
Mont Saint Michel
France also has a lot of nice lovely and quaint villages and towns, and the further south you go, you can also find some really warm weather and gorgeous beaches.
Since I am in Ireland, I have two options to get to France, I can fly to Paris and then get a train or bus, or I can get the ferry to somewhere like Cherbourg, and then go from there. France has an excellent train network, and also buses which take longer but are often much cheaper.
This article is linked to my student radio show - The Travel Show. To listen back on the show (originally aired 4th October) click here http://www.ulfm.ie/week-4-listen-back/#tabs-1701-0-4
Sunday 29 September 2013
#73 The Travel Show on ULFM
I have a show on my student radio, called The Travel Show. Every Friday I take a city, country or region and discuss some of the highlights. Since I won't be doing any travelling over the next few months, I'm instead going to cover some of the same topics on my show as on the blog - linking them in.
My first show last week was a general introduction and asking for some favourite holiday destinations, and then last Friday I discussed Poland. Next week I have a show about France, and then up until Christmas I'll be talking about a few destinations, which will definitely Sweden and Japan, so watch out!
You can listen in from anywhere on Friday's at 11am (GMT) on www.ulfm.ie.
You can also listen back to previous shows a few days later on the same website.
27/9 Poland: http://www.ulfm.ie/week-3-listen-back/#tabs-1645-0-4
You can also like the Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ulfmtravel
Monday 16 September 2013
#72 One Year Later
So, it has now been just over a year since I first set out on my travels. Writing this, I'm now at home back in Ireland and I've started my final year in college.
It's been an interesting 12 months.
Previously, I had been away from my family for one month at most, and that was within Ireland when I was away at college, surrounded by my friends. Taking the leap to living by myself almost 6,000 miles away for four months is, looking back, utter madness.
No one tried to talk me out of it, and now that I think about it, my mother must have been sick with worry! My sister had previously spent a few months in Finland so she wasn't completely alien to the concept of us living abroad, but she had travelled over there with her when she first moved, and we visited her again while she was there.
I don't think I was really nervous about the whole thing. Well I was nervous, but in an itchy-feet excited way, not an anxious way. I couldn't wait to get to Japan and see all these famous locations and meet lots of new friends. It was an adventure - one I had been looking forward to for nearly four years.
My time in Japan, while amazing, wasn't all a barrel of laughs. Work was terribly annoying sometimes and the severely early mornings are a lot to take every day. For the most part, I was lonely. During the week I went to work by myself and came home by myself, and I spent most weekends exploring Tokyo by myself. That was the worst part - when you see something extraordinary, and turn around to comment on it, but there's no one there to tell.
My time in Sweden was different from what I expected. I was really looking forward to making friends with all these other nationalities, as well as finally having house mates again! When I arrived it was a little different, and I think I expected too much. I had little to no contact with my five house mates, and of the 50 or so people I went to class with and lived beside, I became close with only a handful.
Now I'm home, and I can't wait to go somewhere again. I'm flat broke and surrounded by people who have money saved - but whenever I feel jealous or have to cut back my spending, I just think about the amazing year I've had.
It's been an interesting 12 months.
Previously, I had been away from my family for one month at most, and that was within Ireland when I was away at college, surrounded by my friends. Taking the leap to living by myself almost 6,000 miles away for four months is, looking back, utter madness.
No one tried to talk me out of it, and now that I think about it, my mother must have been sick with worry! My sister had previously spent a few months in Finland so she wasn't completely alien to the concept of us living abroad, but she had travelled over there with her when she first moved, and we visited her again while she was there.
I don't think I was really nervous about the whole thing. Well I was nervous, but in an itchy-feet excited way, not an anxious way. I couldn't wait to get to Japan and see all these famous locations and meet lots of new friends. It was an adventure - one I had been looking forward to for nearly four years.
My time in Japan, while amazing, wasn't all a barrel of laughs. Work was terribly annoying sometimes and the severely early mornings are a lot to take every day. For the most part, I was lonely. During the week I went to work by myself and came home by myself, and I spent most weekends exploring Tokyo by myself. That was the worst part - when you see something extraordinary, and turn around to comment on it, but there's no one there to tell.
My time in Sweden was different from what I expected. I was really looking forward to making friends with all these other nationalities, as well as finally having house mates again! When I arrived it was a little different, and I think I expected too much. I had little to no contact with my five house mates, and of the 50 or so people I went to class with and lived beside, I became close with only a handful.
Now I'm home, and I can't wait to go somewhere again. I'm flat broke and surrounded by people who have money saved - but whenever I feel jealous or have to cut back my spending, I just think about the amazing year I've had.
Tuesday 9 July 2013
#71 Inactive
Hi all,
This is just a courtesy post to let you all know that I will not be active on this blog for the next few weeks. I'll soon start back to college for a year and therefore no travelling will be done!
Feel free to read through my many posts on Japan (Tokyo) and Sweden (Stockholm) and leave a comment if you have any questions/suggestions/opinions!
Please use the blog archive and search tool or the popular tags/posts at the right of the page to help you find what you're looking for.
Sue
This is just a courtesy post to let you all know that I will not be active on this blog for the next few weeks. I'll soon start back to college for a year and therefore no travelling will be done!
Feel free to read through my many posts on Japan (Tokyo) and Sweden (Stockholm) and leave a comment if you have any questions/suggestions/opinions!
Please use the blog archive and search tool or the popular tags/posts at the right of the page to help you find what you're looking for.
Sue
Monday 1 July 2013
#70 Hultsfred Music Festival
So Hultsfred Music Festival 2013 was a very last minute decision, as my friend and I applied only a week before, and amazingly got accepted to volunteer there!
We were working in shifts for parts of the festival, so it was impossible for us to see everyone play. However, we saw almost all the acts we wanted to, which was great! The festival was very small, less than 5,000 people I'd guess. It had recently moved from Hultsfred in Southern Sweden to an hour outside Stockholm to try encourage more sales (which I didn't think worked...).
The main headliners were Fatboy Slim, Two Door Cinema Club, Arctic Monkeys, Imagine Dragons, Bastille, Adrian Lux and Portishead. For me this was a mediocre lineup, but since the ticket was free I decided to go anyway!
Arctic Monkeys were just boring and Fatboy Slim just DJ'd instead of playing any known songs, so for me the real stars were Imagine Dragons. I hadn't heard much of them before the festival, but they were fantastic live, and I'd recommend you see them if you have the chance! We also by chance met the drummer and bass player wandering around the festival, which was cool. (Super nice guys, we were chatting to them for ages too!) We also sat in on someone called Miriam Bryant, just to fill in some time. We had no idea who she was or what type of music she sang, but we were pleasantly surprised when she came onstage. I'm sure she hates this - but the easiest way to describe her is like a cool, Swedish Adele (she sings in English though!). And she was amazing live, even better than recordings. So I'd advise you to look her up too!
The campsites were quite small, and there was no other entertainment available - so if you weren't listening to a band there was nothing really to do. Also, there were very few artists - there were at most two artists playing at the same time, and at some points there was just one! This could be good as you don't have the problem of two or more people you like overlapping, but it also meant if you didn't like either you didn't have much choice.
There were (overpriced) food stands, hot showers and the toilets were cleaned quite regularly so that was good at least! We didn't sleep there as we had no tent, but there were free buses running to Stockholm so it was easy to get there.
The most surprising thing I found at this festival, (and also at the Grona Lund concerts) was that I could walk up to the stage, while the band was playing, and get a spot at the front! It seems the Swedes prefer to be at the centre front, or even just at the centre. This leaves ample room to the right and left of the stage so I can just walk up and snap a few great pictures! This would never ever happen in Ireland - if you want to get to the front you have to camp out all day! There are some exceptions, but generally you can get very near the front quite easily.
So anyway, that was Hultsfred, probably not the most exciting music festival, but not terrible either!
We were working in shifts for parts of the festival, so it was impossible for us to see everyone play. However, we saw almost all the acts we wanted to, which was great! The festival was very small, less than 5,000 people I'd guess. It had recently moved from Hultsfred in Southern Sweden to an hour outside Stockholm to try encourage more sales (which I didn't think worked...).
The main headliners were Fatboy Slim, Two Door Cinema Club, Arctic Monkeys, Imagine Dragons, Bastille, Adrian Lux and Portishead. For me this was a mediocre lineup, but since the ticket was free I decided to go anyway!
Arctic Monkeys were just boring and Fatboy Slim just DJ'd instead of playing any known songs, so for me the real stars were Imagine Dragons. I hadn't heard much of them before the festival, but they were fantastic live, and I'd recommend you see them if you have the chance! We also by chance met the drummer and bass player wandering around the festival, which was cool. (Super nice guys, we were chatting to them for ages too!) We also sat in on someone called Miriam Bryant, just to fill in some time. We had no idea who she was or what type of music she sang, but we were pleasantly surprised when she came onstage. I'm sure she hates this - but the easiest way to describe her is like a cool, Swedish Adele (she sings in English though!). And she was amazing live, even better than recordings. So I'd advise you to look her up too!
The campsites were quite small, and there was no other entertainment available - so if you weren't listening to a band there was nothing really to do. Also, there were very few artists - there were at most two artists playing at the same time, and at some points there was just one! This could be good as you don't have the problem of two or more people you like overlapping, but it also meant if you didn't like either you didn't have much choice.
There were (overpriced) food stands, hot showers and the toilets were cleaned quite regularly so that was good at least! We didn't sleep there as we had no tent, but there were free buses running to Stockholm so it was easy to get there.
The most surprising thing I found at this festival, (and also at the Grona Lund concerts) was that I could walk up to the stage, while the band was playing, and get a spot at the front! It seems the Swedes prefer to be at the centre front, or even just at the centre. This leaves ample room to the right and left of the stage so I can just walk up and snap a few great pictures! This would never ever happen in Ireland - if you want to get to the front you have to camp out all day! There are some exceptions, but generally you can get very near the front quite easily.
So anyway, that was Hultsfred, probably not the most exciting music festival, but not terrible either!
Fatboy Slim
Guess who?
Festival Area
Big crowd for Adrian Lux
Miriam Bryant
Two Door Cinema Club
View of the festival
View of the second stage
Sunday 23 June 2013
#69 Swedish Midsummer
June 21st is the highlight of the Swedish calendar! Why? Midsummer!
This is basically the day when everyone eats strawberries and dances around the Maypole.
This is basically the day when everyone eats strawberries and dances around the Maypole.
Friday 21 June 2013
#68 Stockholm - The Gateway to Scandinavia
Today marks my last week in Sweden. This got me thinking - not only am I leaving Stockholm - I'm leaving behind a great gateway to Europe, or Scandinavia at the very least.
For the 5 months I was in Sweden, I visited six other countries - Finland, Norway, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia and Poland. And not only did I visit these countries, I visited their capital cities and saw the famous landmarks of Helsinki, Oslo, Copenhagen, Tallin, Riga and Warsaw. And I visited Gothenburg and Malmo here in Sweden too.
I'm from Ireland, so these countries aren't very far away. But Ireland is an island to the far West of Europe, and it's not as cheap or easy to get to these places as some of you (especially Americans!) might think.
It cost me only €10 (or €40 for a cabin of 4 people) to get to Finland, Estonia and Latvia using the amazing cruise services from Stockholm. €45 for train tickets to Gothenburg, Oslo and Malmo/Copenhagen. €10 flights to Poland. Now if that isn't cheap, I can't tell you what is.
Some people were visiting places like Spain or Italy, but for me, I could go another time from Ireland and it wouldn't be so much in price difference. But there are plenty of countries you can get to from Sweden so cheaply!
#67 Warsaw, Poland
This was the very last of my side-trips from Stockholm, and it was very sophisticated as we actually flew this time, instead of our usual boats/trains excursions!
The first thing I will say is that it was CHEAP. After coming from Sweden everywhere is cheap (except Norway!) but here was ridiculous! It applies especially to food and drink, we ate and drank like Kings for 3 days, with an average of about €7 for a big meal and a drink. Unbelievable!! For this reason we thought that perhaps Poland is the greatest country in the universe, but there are some other reasons why we liked our trip to Warsaw too.
Warsaw was surprisingly modern. The city centre boasts about five sky scrapers, as well as a rather tall, imposing old building from which there is an amazing view! The public transport was quite easy to navigate, we mostly used trams which run very often and efficiently, not to mention cheaply too!
Poland obviously has a very sad history, and although some of the places I wanted to visit appear to be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays (I advise you to check!) free walking tours and the Uprising museum really brought it to life, and it gave me a great respect for a country that had to rebuild itself from ruins, not so long ago.
I will admit the only downside to the trip was the Polish people - they were terribly rude. Obviously not every single Polish person ever, but those that we came across couldn't speak English and were quite rude. In one (half empty) restaurant we were waiting for 10mins without being handed a menu, and when we motioned for the idle waiters to come over to our table, they smiled and waved back and then they started very obviously talking about us! But when they finally came over and took ours orders, the service was quick and the food was tasty and cheap, so it was really a downside that they were so rude to foreigners, especially in the capital city at the start of tourist season.
Some of my Warsaw highlights:
So I would recommend a visit to Warsaw, or Poland. It seems to be quite cheap to get to, and incredibly cheap to stay there for a few a days (our hostel was €7 a night, most museums were less than €5 entrance, as already mentioned food and drink is cheap!). Our biggest regret about Warsaw is that we didn't stay a few days longer, which is always a good sign!
The first thing I will say is that it was CHEAP. After coming from Sweden everywhere is cheap (except Norway!) but here was ridiculous! It applies especially to food and drink, we ate and drank like Kings for 3 days, with an average of about €7 for a big meal and a drink. Unbelievable!! For this reason we thought that perhaps Poland is the greatest country in the universe, but there are some other reasons why we liked our trip to Warsaw too.
Warsaw was surprisingly modern. The city centre boasts about five sky scrapers, as well as a rather tall, imposing old building from which there is an amazing view! The public transport was quite easy to navigate, we mostly used trams which run very often and efficiently, not to mention cheaply too!
Poland obviously has a very sad history, and although some of the places I wanted to visit appear to be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays (I advise you to check!) free walking tours and the Uprising museum really brought it to life, and it gave me a great respect for a country that had to rebuild itself from ruins, not so long ago.
I will admit the only downside to the trip was the Polish people - they were terribly rude. Obviously not every single Polish person ever, but those that we came across couldn't speak English and were quite rude. In one (half empty) restaurant we were waiting for 10mins without being handed a menu, and when we motioned for the idle waiters to come over to our table, they smiled and waved back and then they started very obviously talking about us! But when they finally came over and took ours orders, the service was quick and the food was tasty and cheap, so it was really a downside that they were so rude to foreigners, especially in the capital city at the start of tourist season.
Some of my Warsaw highlights:
The Palace of Culture and Science (great viewing area!)
Seen in clothes shop TK Maxx
Prozna street, untouched since WWII
Statue of Chopin
Cheaper to have beer at breakfast than coffee or juice
View over Warsaw
Warsaw National Stadium in background
Stare Miasto, the old town (identically rebuilt after WWII)
Warsaw Uprising Memorial
Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Nazi uniform at the Uprising museum
The old city walls
The birthplace of Marie Curie
So I would recommend a visit to Warsaw, or Poland. It seems to be quite cheap to get to, and incredibly cheap to stay there for a few a days (our hostel was €7 a night, most museums were less than €5 entrance, as already mentioned food and drink is cheap!). Our biggest regret about Warsaw is that we didn't stay a few days longer, which is always a good sign!
#66 Swedish Royal Wedding
Just two days after seeing the Royal Family at the Swedish National Day, June 8th was the wedding day of Princess Madeleine.
Because of our poor understanding of Swedish, we actually got there two hours early - but this was beneficial, as we got space at the barrier in front of the Royal Palace, and we got to watch the army drills and listen to the army bands while we waited.
In general I thought there was a poor turnout, I have never been to a Royal Wedding, but I thought there would have been a much larger crowd, although there were more than enough people around. After celebrating the National Day, I really felt Swedish and patriotic, although it seems the Swedes themselves weren't much bothered about any of this, which is a pity!
The bride was preceded by hundreds, possibly thousands, of members of the armed forces, army, navy, air force, pretty much everyone was there! Then came some public transport buses with "Royal Wedding" as the destination, and these buses contained distinguished guests, as well as members of the Royal Family (it was amazing to see someone wearing a crown wave to you from a bus)! Then came lots of pretty horses, and finally the bride and her groom in a horse drawn carriage, looking beautiful!
Because of our poor understanding of Swedish, we actually got there two hours early - but this was beneficial, as we got space at the barrier in front of the Royal Palace, and we got to watch the army drills and listen to the army bands while we waited.
In general I thought there was a poor turnout, I have never been to a Royal Wedding, but I thought there would have been a much larger crowd, although there were more than enough people around. After celebrating the National Day, I really felt Swedish and patriotic, although it seems the Swedes themselves weren't much bothered about any of this, which is a pity!
The bride was preceded by hundreds, possibly thousands, of members of the armed forces, army, navy, air force, pretty much everyone was there! Then came some public transport buses with "Royal Wedding" as the destination, and these buses contained distinguished guests, as well as members of the Royal Family (it was amazing to see someone wearing a crown wave to you from a bus)! Then came lots of pretty horses, and finally the bride and her groom in a horse drawn carriage, looking beautiful!
Awwww!
#65 Swedens National Day (or hanging out with the Swedish Royal Family)
The Swedish National Day, June 6th, isn't a very popular holiday in Sweden. For most it seems to be just a day off work, instead of a celebration to actively partake in. While researching a few days before, I found it difficult to find information on events or activities in Stockholm, except for Skansen. Skansen is the large outdoor museum, featuring a mini zoo and buildings from Sweden's history. It is also the place that holds traditional Swedish celebrations and places special events, and it was where we decided to go.
What was extra special about the National Day in Skansen, was the appearance of the entire Swedish Royal Family, and a speech from King Carl Gustav! There were events during the day such as traditional Swedish dances and Swedish games activities, and then at 6pm was a special concert, which was broadcast live on Swedish television.
I had previously visited Skansen in March, when it was still covered in snow. It was nice to visit again in the sunshine, and to see it so busy too!
Traditional Swedish Dancers
Speech by the Swedish King
The Swedish Royal Family
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