Family Vacation (Part 1)!

Stephen’s parents came to visit us over the last few weeks, and it was great seeing them!  We spent a few days around Rauma, then took the ferry to Stockholm, and ended our trip with a couple of days in Helsinki.  So much to see, so little time!

Nordic Museum, Stockholm Sweden

The obligatory trip to the Vasa Museum in Stockholm –

I had heard wonderful things about this museum, and it certainly is worth a visit!

Changing of the guard, Royal Palace, Stockholm Sweden

Changing of the guard, Royal Palace, Stockholm Sweden

Changing of the guard, Royal Palace, Stockholm Sweden

We also went to Skansen (the open air museum), the Swedish History Museum, and took a lovely canal cruise.

One afternoon, I went out to the Woodland Cemetery, a UNESCO site.  It was lovely, but it was still a cemetery – I didn’t see why it deserved World Heritage status.  The cemetery was split by a road, or so I thought.  When I crossed the road to the other side, I found the actual Woodland Cemetery.  I have no idea which cemetery I was at to begin with!

*Not* the Woodland Cemetery (but lovely in it’s own right)

The *real* Woodland Cemetery

Woodland Cemetery

While in Helsinki, we went to Suomenlinna (the fortress island off the coast), as well as Seurasaari (the open-air museum).  My back was absolutely killing me, so I left the camera at the hotel for the most part while we were there.  I did take the obligatory photos of the Cathedral, though:

Helsinki Cathedral

Part 2 of the family vacation will come in a couple of weeks, when my mom comes for a visit.  So excited!