by Eric M. Boyd, Esq!

       The Vasa Museum is dedicated to the single largest warship ever commissioned in the old Swedish navy. Still intact, the entire ship is on display in a seven-story building, along with descriptions of what life was like in Sweden when the ship was built and a brief history of the commissioning of the boat.  (The boat itself, commissioned by Gustavus Adolphus to be the crown jewel of the Swedish armada, sank immediately out of port and wasn't recovered until the 20^th century. This is why it is still in one piece and wasn't ruined by the ravages of time.)
       If you find yourself just wandering the city, then be sure to check out the cafes. The cafes are where everyone, young or old, go to meet, have conversation, enjoy some coffee, tea, or pastries. They are the hang out spots for Swedes.
       And although in wintertime the sun sets at 3:30, making daylight last only about 7 hours, there's still plenty of things to do at night. Although Swedes aren't famous for being outgoing and adventurous, Stockholm still has its share of clubs, bars, and night spots. They also have a huge heavy metal music scene for anyone into that kind of thing.
       For me, my visit to Stockholm was simply amazing. Wandering the city alone by day and traipsing the nightlife after dark with my good friend made for amazing times. So good that I'm going back in March for spring break.

       So what's about the nicest city I've ever been in? That's right Stockholm. (Ok, I'll admit, it's at least tied for nicest, but I haven't been to Barcelona in a long time, so I can't say for sure.)  The capital of Sweden (and its largest city with a population of one million people), Stockholm may be one of theSo what's about the nicest city I've ever been in? That's right Stockholm. (Ok, I'll admit, it's at least tied for nicest, but I haven't been to Barcelona in a long time, so I can't say for sure.)  The capital of Sweden (and its largest city with a population of one million people), Stockholm may be one of the prettiest places on the planet. The city is based on a series of islands interconnected by footbridges that are a joy to walk around in the middle of a winter day.
       I was lucky enough to visit Sweden with free room and board because one of my best friends decided to move there last spring. She had to work most of the time I was there, though, so I got to tool around the city by myself, seeing the sights and watching the people. The city itself is quite easy to get around in. The simple-to-navigate subway system is very convenient (and only cost 3 dollars to ride anywhere for 3 days). Most everyone in the city speaks reasonable enough English to get by, so it's quite easy for a tourist like myself to go around asking for food from restaurants or for entrance tickets without much hassle whatsoever.
       So what is there to do in Stockholm? Well, you can visit any number of museums scattered around the city, from the Nobel Museum (which I somehow managed to miss) to the Currency Museum, the Museum of Modern Art (which had quite a collection of pieces), to the royal palace and the armory museum contained therein. Many of the museums are free (as Sweden is a socialist country, many of them are state-funded) which provides excellent viewing material for the traveler.
       But the most memorable museums are the Skansen museum, an open air museum, and the Vasa Museum, a museum dedicated to the largest warship in the old Swedish fleet. Skansen is quite remarkable because of the number of old building replicated or transplanted from Sweden's history and placed throughout the museum grounds, along with a small open-air zoo and several little cafes. There was even a glass blowing session in one of the buildings that was quite interesting to watch.