The Old Town - Day 9

 Hi family and friends! (And of course Hal!)

Today was the ninth day of our New Nordic adventure, and it was our first full day in Stockholm! This morning, I was awakened by the bright sun at 4:30 a.m. before returning to bed and officially beginning our day at 10:45 a.m. to meet to take the subway to board the s.s. Stockholm! After the ferry tour with the buffet, we were taken on a tour of the "Old Town," referred to as Gamla Stan.



Gamla Stan!!! 

Zennid (Dennis is the American pronunciation), who has lived in Sweden his entire life, gave our tour. He took us about town, telling us historical stories and allowing us to ask questions about Gamla Stan or our projects. We began in learning about the numerous Gustavs affiliated with Sweden and the Royal Family. As Zennid pointed out, it was shocking to learn that the Royal Family has very little Swedish lineage.  The Royal Family adopted a child, who as a result lost some of his more distinguishing physical characteristics of the Swedes, such as blue eyes and blonde hair. Furthermore, the monarchy permitted individuals of royal descent to marry what we with regard to be non-royal people, commoners. It was unexpected to learn that only one member of the Royal Family is of Swedish heritage.

Another deceptive yet interesting feature of the "Old Town" was the installation of artificial windows. Due to window taxes, a 16¢ window would cost roughly $40 after tax. As a result, Stockholm is covered in fake windows, which surprised everyone in the group because they were not apparent at first. This reminds me of the differences in administration and architecture between the United States and Sweden, particularly Minnesota. Although Scadnavain culture has an influence on Minnesota, it is nevertheless substantially distinct from the composition of what Sweden is in reality.

That's all for now, there is still hope in becoming apart of the Swedish Royal Family. Here's to day 10!🏰

-Sadie B

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