Stockholm July 2009

We traveled by train from Copenhagen to Stockholm and visited with a Political Science professor who gave us very interesting details about Sweden. For instance that only 1% of the Swedish population is religious at this time. Many have domestic partnerships and those that do marry in the many beautiful Lutheran churches do it more for tradition than religious reasons.

To encourage couples to have children the government provides 18 months of paid marital leave which can be used anytime between birth and 8 years of age of the child and the husband can use 6 months of it!!! You see fathers wheeling prams and entertaining children at the parks all over Sweden.

We stayed at the Hilton Slussen near Gamla Stan so we were able to walk to many interesting attractions and were close to the railway and bus. Stockholm is a beautiful city on many islands. I loved it again as I did the first time I saw it in 2000. We were provided lavish breakfasts and suppers and snacks at the hotel but still enjoyed the many delicious pastries and treats available in Sweden. One dish that was surprisingly delicious was the mashed potatoes with deer meat on top of a round soft flat bread as seen in the movie.

My great grandparents on my father's side and my grandparents on my mother's side all emigrated to America in the late 1800s as new members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Their stories are both heroic and inspiring as they embraced a new religion and a new country.

I am so glad the my daughters were able to see some of the beautiful countryside with the many red houses as we took the train from Copenhagen. My ancestors all came from the area east of Stockholm and off the east coast of Sweden below Stockholm. I chatted comfortably with a father and son from Gothenberg on the airplane. They said I must come back and see the west coast where they live as it is truly the most beautiful area of Sweden. I wish...

I am so thankful we were able to take this wonderful trip to Copenhagen and Stockholm with all our accumulated hotel points!!! It will probably be the last such trip for me.