[EN] Stockholm – Vasa museum
[disponible ici en français]
Vasa museum is one of the most interesting museum i’ve visited in my life. It is all about a huge 17th century Swedish warship, restored 95% similar as the original.
Vasa warship
Here is the text you can find on the leaflet (translated from the leaflet in french):
On August 10th, 1628, the Vasa entered the sea for its first journey ever and sank in Stockholm harbour. The wreck was rised in 1961 after spending 333 years at the bottom of the sea. This warship was restored similar 95% to the original, is wonferdully decorated with hundreds of sculptures.
Vasa is now one of the biggest touristic attractions in the world and offers a unique journey through Sweden during the 17th century.
This museum really amazed me. Besides the opportunity to see and visit an original warship, a real one; the Vasa museum offers multiple stands and little exhibitions explaining various things, such as:
- navigation of such a big warship,
- daily life on board this ship
- naval battles at this time
- the rescue of the wreck
- the different theories about the shipwreck
- a sight of the life in Sweden in 1628
- the conservation of the ship nowadays
- the story of some people that died during the shipwreck (some skeletons were pieced together)
- the construction site of the ship
- …
Model
The ship is now very old (more than 350 years) and ways need to be found to keep it preserved as long as possible. Therefore, for obvious reasons, it is not possible to actually go on the boat itself. However, with his 5 opened floors, many angles and many views of the ship remain possible. From the left, from the right, from the top, from the bottom, almost everything can be seen.
A model at a real scale of one of the upper deck even got reconstitured; where you can see many kids.
If this ship is so important, it is because the shipwreck made a lot of noise at this time (a bit like that of Titanic in 1912). Many years of constructions, hundreds of workers, square kilometers of construction sites, hundreds of cut trees… for only 1500 tiny meters in the sea.
There are multiple theories to explain that shipwreck; among them:
- Crew members was not prepared enough: more than sailors, they were villagers looking for a nice amount of money,
- the ship was way too light: at the departure, the tons of food were not yet on board; therefore the ship was really light and more sensitive to the wind,
- the ship was built and finished very quickly; probably too quickly. The king pressured the construction so that the ship would be finished quickly; for political and image reasons,
- …
Ok i hope you liked this presentation. I’m not a sailor, neither do i have a particular passion for ships or 17th century history; but i think it is not possible to remain insensitive to that amazing and huge ship.
From an other angle
I strongly suggest you to go.
Nicolas.
Some links:
[available in english below]
[FR] La vieille ville
La vieille ville, ou Gamla Stan pour les suédois, est située sur l’île du même nom. Très typique et très bien conservée, on peut s’y balader dans des rues pavées et parfois étroites, longeant ainsi des maisons aux façades de multiples couleurs. A côté des traditionnelles boutiques de souvenir, on peut croiser quelques cafés accueillants où vous pourrez partager une fika avec vos amis (équivalent du goûter, mais par fika les suédois évoquent également l’acte de se retrouver ensemble, et non pas uniquement le fait de manger quelquechose de sucré).
Sur la vieille ville, vous trouverez le Palais Royal (Kungliga Slottet), et sa place semi-circulaire où vous pourrez assister à la relève des gardes. Le Palais Royal mérite également une visite, même si ce n’est pas celle que j’ai préféré. Vous aurez notamment accès aux chambres royales, très bien conservées mais un peu trop dorées à mon goût, ainsi qu’aux joyaux de la couronne (plusieurs couronnes de roi et reine, des sceptres, …). Pensez à prendre un billet multiple, qui vous permet d’aller à la fois au Palais Royal, aux joyaux de la couronne et à l’Hôtel de Ville.
Vieille ville / Old Town
[EN] Old Town
The old Stockholm town, or Gamla Stan for Swedish people, is located on the homonyme island. Very typical and in a very good state, this part of the city offers the opportunity to have nice walks on cobble-stoned and sometimes narrow streets, along multiple-coloured houses. Next to the usual gift shops, you will find very welcoming and warm cafe where you’ll be able to share a fika with some of your friends (equivalent to goûter or tea time, but fika also means the act of gathering along with some friends, not only the fact of eating something sweet).
Inside this old town, you will find the Royal Palace (Kungliga Slottet), and its semi-circular square where you’ll have the chance to attend the guards change ceremony. The Royal Palace also deserves a visit, even though its not the one i prefered. You’ll be able to visit royal chambers, very well conservated but a bit too full of gold in my opinion. The crown jewels can also be seen (king and queen’s crowns, sceptras, …). Don’t forget to take a multiple ticket, which will give you access to the Royal Palace, the Crown Jewels and the City Hall, all this for a reduced price.
Wandering in the streets / Errant dans les rues
[EN] Stockholm
[disponible en français ici]
During my trip to Sweden, i spent 4 days in Stockholm, a city that i appreciated so much that i actually fell in love with it.
There would be many things to say about Stockholm, whether it is about its history, its culture or its geography. But let me skip this part, because i’m sure specialized web site will teach you much more than me about these subjects.
On a more touristic point of view, Stockholm is a city that deserves to be seen… at least twice. Let me explain.
I went there a few days ago, which means in full winter. Currently the city (well, the country) is covered with snow. I had the impression to be in a Christmas tale. Lakes are frozen as far as you can see, people wear many layers of clothes, families are enjoying some good time while ice skating, ice sculputres can be found in some places. All those Christmassy aspects give Stockholm an incredible charm.
Stockholm sous la neige
But obviously, most people that go visit Stockholm come in summer. Weather is better and warmer (25°C), days are larger (well, nights are shorter, which is something to see), bright colours, ships and boats everywhere you can possibly look at on the different lakes surrounding Stockholm, a list of activities almost infinite…
Stockholm durant l'été (Crédits photo Claudio.Ar @ FlickR)
So there are two Stockholm to visit, two different atmospheres and two ways of enjoy life.
Let me warn you: at this time of the year, its pretty cold out there, between -15°C and -5°C when i was where. But warmly dressed, with a cap, a scarf, some gloves, you won’t feel the cold. At least it didn’t prevent us from having walks in the center, on some islands and even to cross the bridge.
I leave you with those few photos, thanks to Eva to have taken them
Une maison suédoise
Stockholm et ses lacs gelés
Stockholm et son port enneigé
In one of my next article, i’ll tell you about 3 visits i’ve made here in Stockholm and that i really enjoyed.
Take care.
Nicolas
[EN/FR/ES] Swedish/Suédois/Sueco
A bit of vocabulary and a small dictionnary between swedish and english, french and spanish!
I didn’t put how to pronounce each swedish word, cause i don’t know phonetics.
Characters introduced by the Swedish alphabet / Caractères spéciaux de l’alphabet suédois / Caracteres especiales del sueco: å - ö - ä
Special characters on a swedish keyboard
Small dictionnary of Swedish / Petit dictionnaire rapide de suédois / Pequeño diccionario de sueco:
- Hej = Hello / Salut / Hola
- Jag heter Nicolas = My name is Nicolas / Je m’appelle Nicolas / Me llamo Nicolas
- Hej då = Bye / Au revoir / Adios
- God morgon = Good morning / Bonjour / Buenos días
- Gröt = Porridge
- Håll Käften = Shut up / Ta gueule / Calláte
- Skål = Cheers! / Santé! / ¡Salud!
- Puss = Kiss / Bisou / Beso
- Pussar = Kisses / Bisous / Besos
- Sverige = Sweden / Suède / Suecia
- Jag tycker om Sverige = I love Sweden / J’adore la Suède / Me gusta Suecia
- Kram = Hugs / Je t’embrasse / Abrazos
- Hur mår du? = How are you? / Comment çà va? / ¿Que tal?
- Jag saknar dig = I miss you / Tu me manques / Te echo de menos
- Jag älskar dig = I love you / Je t’aime / Te quiero
- Tack = Please / S’il te plaît / Por favor and Thank you / Merci / Gracias
- Varsågod = You’re welcome / De rien / De nada
- Jag är hungrig = I’m hungry / J’ai faim / Tengo hambre
- Ge mig en hamburgare tack/snålla = Please give me a burger / Donne moi un hamburger s’il te plait / Dame una hamburguesa por favor
- Bra = Good / Bien / Bien
- Du är snygg = You are good-looking / Tu es joli(e) / Eres guapo(a)
- är du full? = Are you drunk? / Es-tu bourré? / ¿Estas borracho?
- du är ful = You are ugly / Tu es moche / Eres feo
- Kom hit = Come here / Viens ici / Ven aqui
- Frankrike = France / France / Francia
- Trevligt att träffas = Nice to meet you / Enchanté / Encantado(a)
Enjoy, and come to Sweden!
[EN] My homepage finally updated!
[disponible en français ici]
I have been talking about this for a long time, but recently i procrastinated a lot… Anyway, now it’s over, i’m done and i can proudly announce that the new version of my personal homepage is online!.
www.nicolasdaudin.com is now under PHP5. For you it’s a very slight change but for me its a gain of time in the content administration (now dynamic) and in the internationalization of my page. Plus i got to go over my basis in PHP.
I also took this opportunity to update the layout of my page, removing some items from the menu, to leave a clear menu leading to the most important: my blog, my personal profile and my profesional profile.
Updates are not over yet, especially in the content of these pages. Besides, i am thinking of adding a section concerning the design of web pages similar to mine… but i’ll let you know on that matter.
Anyway, feel free to go to my page have a look, and please give me your feedback, positive or negative.
Nicolas.
