Scandinavian Trip - Day 10 - Malmo City

Today's plan was a nice relaxing sightseeing trip in Malmo city, so we got up a bit late. The breakfast spread at the hotel was the best of this trip so far, with a wide variety of bread, cookies, local delicacies like sweet saffron cookies, Swedish pancakes and yoghurt with lingonberry sauce. We filled our stomach to the brim before heading out.

We spent the late morning on a nice walk to the Malmohus, the Malmo castle, which was a royal party house in the past for the Danish kings ruling over South Sweden (Skane), where lavish and extravagant parties were thrown. It also served as a prison for 5 years to the Earl James, husband of queen of Scotland, and has seen seiges. The museum showcased the opulance and the sometimes weird traditions of the royalties of the time. The Malmo castle has also been a refugee camp for the world war 2 Scandinavian prisoners of war held by the Germans, who were rescued by the Swedish Red Cross using White Buses, and weirdly sprayed with DDT as a "harmless disinfectant", such were the times then! There was also an exhibition showcasing some of the stories of these refugees. 

While my daughter and myself were immersed in the history of the Malmo Castle, my wife, her aunt and my son went to the nearby beach and the Turning Torso, the twisted building which rises high above the Malmo landscape and well visible from most parts of the city. 

When the stomach grumbled, we decided to find an Indian restaurant, and Kashmir did not disappoint. The freshly made thali and starters were very filling. The sun had set by the time we came out of lunch, so we went on a nice stroll around the town centre and visited the Christmas Market, munched on some Churros while taking in the sights and the Christmas vibe of the locals. We visited a Science Fiction book store for a browse as well, before returning back to the hotel. We decided on a rough itinerary for the next 3 days, settled in for an early night's sleep as tomorrow is expected to be a long day with some long drives planned. 

Scandinavian Trip - Day 9 - Stockholm to Malmo

Generator Hostel provides basic facilities to serve as low cost accommodation. It didn't have towels or toiletries provided, even in a family 4-bed room. So, we decided to refresh in Malmo instead after the train ride. Reaching the train station an hour before, we had some drinks like hot chocolate and coffee, while taking away some yoghurt and pudding for the train ride. 

The train stations seem to be built for a different era and definitely can make do with accessibility aid enhancements. For family travelling with heavy luggages, it was a bit of a problem reaching the platform, which required us to wait in long lines and get into multiple cramped lifts, with luggages and a drink in hand. However, the train itself was very comfortable with ample leg room and the rack above having enough space to stow away big suitcases. The aisle was small so by the time we got all the luggages stowed, the train was already a few km away. Another weird feature was that every alternate window seat had the window blocked, so we requested a change of seat to get to a proper view. The train from Stockholm was only half full so it was easy to re-accommodate. 

Once we settled in, it was a nice trip on the train enjoying the numerous lakes and changing landscape as we headed south, with more and more leaves clinging on to trees. It was glad to see lush greenery again after a week of white! The train was pushing 250kmph but was incredibly quiet with very little wobbles. The gentle swerving along the sloped banks to make the turns calms us down and lulls us into a nice slumber if we are not careful!. There were a couple of downsides to the high speed train travel though - whenever we passed inside a tunnel, the ears get blocked due to the pressure difference,.and it's way too fast to take photos of the lovely landscape, so we stuck to short videos instead. The train had WiFi but no charging points, so we had to watch our mobile usage. It was a nice and relaxing 4.5 hour ride, and the train had a nice bistro car right next to us (infact I had booked like that deliberately), so we got some pastries and coffee whenever we felt hungry. 

When we finally reached Malmo around 2pm, we were greeted by my wife's aunt, whom I have never seen. She took us to our hotel, Hotel Scandic Malmo, about a 10 min walk from the train station, but it seemed like 20 dragging our luggage along brick lined pathways. The first thing that struck us about Malmo was the bright sunlight there, after spending more than a week without much light, let alone brightness. 

Being in the southern Sweden, the sun sets "only" around 3.30pm, so we have longish days than we were used to. The walk took us past the church, which was the first building in Malmo, around which the town was developed, as well as the town centre and across a beautiful canal. 

After checkin, the kids didn't want to go anywhere so we decided to just tour the town centre which was just a short walk away. We strolled along the streets adorned with Christmas lights before we visited her aunt's apartment and had a nice conversation on various topics and catching up on the decades since she had left India. The conversation stretched on for hours and well past midnight before we went back to our hotel. 

  

Scandinavian Trip- Day 8 - Stockholm

Checking the weather in Stockholm left us disappointed. Instead of the -2 to -7 we were expecting (based on forecast a week ago), it was expected to be a scorching 6 degrees! We actually didnt know how many layers to wear and whether thermals were required for this weather. However given that we didnt have a place to change over and our checkin to the hostel in Stockholm is not until evening, we decided to play it safe. 

Arriving at the airport and breezing through security, we paused for a bit to get some coffee and pastries, trying out the famous local filter coffee Julha Mokka. Mixed with a bit of milk, it felt very light but had an unique taste to it. I also realised that while for most Asians going to the airport is almost a celebratory event in itself, likely a start of a vacation or a trip, for Europeans it feels like just another transport hub, akin to a bus station, a means of getting from Point A to Point B. It also means that things have to be very efficient, for example the airplane boarding time is only 15 mins, from 30 min to 15 min before departure. I sense it's an office commute for some of the people, between various European cities. 

After a quick 50 min hopover on the flight, we landed at Stockholm Arlanda airport. Immediately we could see the difference between the other Scandinavian capital cities and Stockholm, which seemed to be a bit more multi-cultural and laid back. We got our baggage and immediately indulged in the Swedish Fika culture, with a coffee and pastry to start the day. The Arlanda express was quite convenient to get to the city, with the platform right below the arrival hall and the train taking just 18 mins getting up to 180kmph. However, the train doors closed quite fast after we got in, so we were debating if the train conductor manually operated the doors or if we have to rush the next time. 

Stockholm is a beautiful city spread across 14 islands, decked in typical European decor and Roman style architecture. We checked into Generator Stockholm,  a hostel 5 min walk from the Central Station. They were kind enough to allow us free early checkin in lieu of a Google review. We dumped the luggage and had a quick break, before heading out to town. We had a hectic one day on Stockholm,  so I was desperate to cover as much as possible. I got a one day SL pass for transit and one day Go City pass for attractions, which was a good choice in minimising wait times and payment struggles in public transport. 

We started off by walking a bit and taking the tram 7 from T-Centralen. I felt it could have been better planned by integrating the Central Station and tram station, so that people are not exposed to the elements, but maybe it was built at different times and it wasn't feasible to do. This was the first time any of us have taken the tram, so it was an experience. The tram meandered slowly along the streets. It was interesting that it shared the same track as the bus with slightly staggered stops for each. 

The tram took us straight to Skansen, the first open air museum in the world and spread across a fairly large area in Djurgarden island. There are many houses inside playing host to a variety of things from showcasing different trades (glass blowing, pottery, engineering, bakery etc) to a children's zoo to nordic animal exhibits and a Baltic Sea Science Centre cum aquarium. We could have spent the whole day just there but we kinda rushed through to see a few more attractions. The exhibits were interactive in nature and we had real life demonstrations of the trades that the children were awestruck by. 

Reluctantly we came out and took a bus a couple of stops to the Nordiska Museum and Vasa Museum. The Nordiska Museum is an imposing building with a majestic structure. The walls were so sturdy and smooth, with beautiful sculptues adorning the outside and inside of the building, showing exceptional artisanship. The museum showcases the Nordic lifestyle specifically over the last 500 years, and more broadly from the Viking times, through pictures, clothing, changing kitchen decors and artefacts. 

The museum is on 4 levels, with different themes. The lower level was dedicated to the Arctic lifestyle and climate, almost like a quick recap of Arktikum. We enjoyed a sumptuous lunch at the restaurant cafe there, maybe ordering one too many cookies to chew, which we took away finally. The food quality was really good, so we gorged on soups with bread, fresh and crisp salads and pastries. We realised some Indians and Africans doing jobs like serving or cleaning dishes, but the locals are equally upto it and don't look down on any job. However, immigration does help supplement the man power needs in this country. 

    

Just behind the Nordiska Museum is the Vasa Museum, with the roof struggling to contain the huge mast of the imposing ship that's the pride of Sweden. Commissioned by King Vasa, it bears an uncanny resemblance to Titanic, a giant of the times that was awe inspiring and gargantuan, with beautiful and colourful sculptures adorning the ship, precious artefacts being carried inboard, loaded with an impressive 64 guns to strike fear on the enemy, and listed and sank on its maiden voyage within 1km, drowning dozens of people. The inquiry commission chaired by the King's brother didn't find much fault either, it was just too heavy at the top and not enough sandbagging at the bottom decks below sea level to balance it out. 

However, its an impressive giant that spans 7 stories tall. We can spend hours admiring the 700+ intricate carvings commissioned from a German sculptor or the way they have done the biggest salvage and restoration operation of all times of a 300 year old ship. This restoration is a continuous and arduous task, from replacing all the water content in the wood with a chemical but at the same not allowing the wood to dry out that it breaks apart. They also need to periodically replace the iron nails holding it together using stainless steel ones and the ropes from breaking apart. Still 98% of the ship is original, which is mighty impressive!

My son and daughter were both feeling sick at this point, with my son vomiting a couple of times, so we had to change the plan to take them back to the hostel before going out to sample Gamla Stan, the old city, and foraging for some South Indian Dosa and Idly as comfort food that would make them feel better. 

We walked a short distance just in time to catch a bus to Gamla Stan. It's a very lively place filled with Christmas decor and busy shops selling souvenirs and other items, and a bustling Christmas market. It was a shame that since it was a bit late, all the attractions had closed. We strolled through to the Royal Palace to take some photos and then walked around the corner to find the Nobel Prize Museum.  

There was a Christmas Square in front of it, where we gorged on some local delicacies like sweet roasted nuts and candies and waffles. There was even a shop taking photos of the Iris and making a pendant or artwork from that. We also went to a Science Fiction book store, where I browsed through my favorite authors. There was a book on Norse mythology that I was tempted to buy before I settled in on a non-fiction about Black holes by Brian Cox. It was too advanced to be a casual read so saved it for later back home. 

We strollled to the edge of Gamla Stan before realising its 6pm and the kids have to be fed. There was one south Indian we could find 1km from the hostel so we went in search of it. We were asked to transfer at T-Centralen to 17, 18 or 19 but we couldn't find any such buses. Confounded, we searched an alternate route through the Metro line. The train stations were generally less tidy than the rest of the places. We quickly realised that the Central Station is a labyrinth of lines and platforms, so it look us a while to find the right train, only to realise that the connecting train numbers were 17,18 and 19! Anyway, we ended up taking the first train to realise we were going in the wrong direction and ended up in Gamla Stan! The directional signs are not very intuitive and we took some time to get used to how to navigate the train lines here. We took the right train this time and a few stations later, we found the South Indian restaurant. 

While waiting we stocked up on some essentials from Pressbyran, which is a convenience store like 7-11 that is ubiquitous in Stockholm, its there everywhere from train stations to neighbourhood streets. 7-11 stores are also there, but few in comparison. We took the train to central station and walked back home only to find the kids fast asleep. We managed to get one up with some cajoling and eat dinner, but the other was flat out. 

Stockholm definitely is the most beautiful city we have been to so far on this trip, the first city that seemed fully decked up for Christmas,  and definitely warrants more than a day of exploration with its variety of museums and castles and palaces. However, we did manage to cover most forms of local transportation, missing out on only the ferry. 

Tomorrow we will be taking the local high speed train to Malmo early at 9am, so we all went off to get a good night's sleep.

Scandinavian Trip - Day 7 - Rovaniemi Ice Hotel and Santa Claus Village

Today is a sad day as we will finally be leaving Rovaniemi, a city of fairy tales and lovely cold weather, right on the arctic circle. Its been a special experience being here and enjoying the activities. We had a busy morning packing our stuff and checking out of the apartment. We had to plan ahead to ensure we have the next couple of days packed separately to make our dash to Stockholm easier. Also, we had to hurry up as we had a 10am appointment at the Arctic Ice Hotel. 

We went outside to be surprised by the amount of snowfall overnight. I had to shovel so much snow out of the nooks and corners of the car before we could get going. It was snowing lightly in the morning as well and it felt heavenly. The fresh snow was slippery as well and the car skidded along the driveway. The 30 mins drive had the usual slides and skids, minor mistakes around junctions that got a lot of flak from my daughter, and the uniform arctic landscape. 

We were one of the first people to enjoy the unique Ice Hotel attraction this year, as the hotel is opening its doors only today. We were also intrigued with what they had built in the last 5 days since we saw them first shovel in snow to create the first wall of the structure during our stay there. And boy were we amazed! 

The intricate snow and ice carvings along with the perfect background lighting created a wonderful blend that was a treat for the eyes. We had a tour of all the rooms (where guests stay only after 9pm, giving the public access during the day), 4 restaurants of different themes as well as an ice bar and ice chapel. The ice chapel was born out of the founder's promise to his wife to get married in the chapel of his own creation. 

Once we were done with the tour, we had to immediately rush back to Santa Claus Village to rendezvous with my daughter's classmate who was there with her tour group. After a brief catch up together, we went off for our lunch with another bite of burgers and pizzas. 

After lunch,.we were left with a conundrum. We had 6 hours before the flight, but we couldn't go to the Korundi museum since it was closed on Mondays. We couldn't go back to the apartment since we had already checked out. So we ended up debating our next destination and finally decided to go back to Arktikum and enjoy the museum and the cafe there and while away some time. We also saw a movie about the arctic seasons and the beautiful change of colours in each. There was also a guide explaining about Rovaniemi and some of the key exhibits that was very insightful, so we tagged along with the group for a while. Before we knew it, it was time for the museum to close. 

I wanted to have a quick bite before heading off to the airport and the choice was Mexican this time. However just as we reached the restaurant my son was feeling a bit nauseous and the restaurant said it will take 35 mins to prepare the order so we had to ditch that plan and go off to fill the tank with petrol and head to the airport instead. 

Contrary to the drama of the first day, we had no issues parking, completing the car rental return formalities and checkin to the airplane, with plenty of time to fill our tummy before our flight out of Rovaniemi. 

We reached Helsinki just before midnight, but the so called Hilton Airport hotel was a fair bit of walk from the airport Arrivals, with some of it outside exposed to the elements, unlike the Comfort Hotel in Copenhagen (or even here). 

Tonight will be the last night in Finland and we will definitely look back with fond memories of the trip here, despite some of the drama that we can laugh about in hindsight. Arctic Circle or beyond should definitely be a bucket list item for anyone who loves to travel, what an experience! 

Scandinavian Trip - Day 6 - Rovaniemi Ranua Wildlife Park

The temperature was -7 degrees and the first reaction from my son was that it felt so hot! Indeed we all felt that way after the previous two days with less than -20 degrees. Human body does adapt fast to changing environments!

Today's itinerary was simple - visit the Ranua Wildlife park for an upcoming encounter with arctic animals and then visiting the Korundi museum if possible later in the day. We had a snowy morning and the it was an easy excuse for the family to have starting trouble - we eventually left the apartment about 1 hour later than planned. Winter time is not the best to visit the zoo due to the short daylight hours, which is when the animals are at their most active. However, this opportunity to get to see these unique animals was too good to miss. So, off we brushed the snow off the car and set off on a drive of a bit more than an hour. 

Even before we left the city, I made two mistakes. I didn't realise there were two separate signal lights at a junction before turning left, immediately after which I banged into something on a bridge. I was relieved to find that I didnt scratch or damage anything, just a knock on the side view mirror that had turned a bit - which I managed to restore. The highway  drive was beautiful with the wintery landscape, although a bit uni-dimensional, with tree canopies covered with snow in all directions, crossing frozen lakes and fields, and managing the skid at times. There were three major skids that I caught, mainly because of dipping a wheel in the shoulder snow in trying to give too much space to passing traffic. Apart from that, the drive was pretty smooth due to well-maintained roads. 

On reaching the Ranua zoo, we stopped for a buffet lunch with a lot of vege options (salads, baked potatoes, pizzas) to fill up our stomach. It was surprising to see an Indian guy being part of the staff there. With one in 5 people in this world being an Indian or Chinese and a well connected world, this shouldn't really be that much of a surprise, but it did surprise. 

Before we embarked on visiting the animals, we enjoyed the snow a bit as it was snowing at the moment, which got more intense as we went around the enclosures. It was mostly an open air setting so it's much better to visit in summer. But we managed to see the key attractions before catching the arctic fox feeding session. We heard that Arctic fox is notoriously difficult to spot otherwise. But they came out in force with the eagerness of puppies when they smelt food nearby. They also played for a while after having their fill before retreating to their camouflaged homes. 

Watching the majestic polar bears and wolverines in their natural habitat and fight with each other was the other key highlight. The different types of arctic owls and eagles were a sight to behold. The free ranging ravens intrigued with their adaptability. Overall, it was a short 3 hour trip to the zoo but was worth it. 

Since we were back to the city earlier than expected and the kids didn't want to go to the Korundi Museum, we decided to explore the city centre a bit. We realised the city centre is extremely compact place with everything within walking distance. Driving is the more circuitous route. We drove to the Revontuli shopping mall and thankfully the car had automated parking registration. Since it was an hour to close, everything was almost empty. We took a smoothie and walked along to the shopping mall next to it. One cute little feature of the bottles here is that the cap doesn't completely come off, ensuring that you never lose the cap or it doesn't fall down. The other shopping mall, Rinteenkulma, was much more lively with souvenir shops, supermarket and eateries. We picked up some souvenirs and Karlfazer chocolates, which has become our staple on this trip. The best thing is that you can just leave the chocolates out in the open in this climate and nothing happens. You just eat whenever you like!

We came outside to realise that the Scandic hotel and the place we started out aurora tour were just there! And the Indian eatery place was just around the corner as well, so we ordered a takeaway food. In the meantime, we strolled up to Lordi square with its iconic tower (its exaggerating, as it was just a 1 min walk). There was also a nice ice skating ring for kids and adults to enjoy, along with another shopping mall. There were more local mum and pop stores there selling souvenirs, but the quality wasn't that great. Nearby, there was also a winter park that the young kids would enjoy in, although mine were a bit too old for that.

Finally back home, we enjoyed the Indian food, although we had ordered a bit more than we could chew, literally. Again, couldn't keep my eyes open long enough to finish this memoir, so had to do it the following morning!