Sweden - Uppsala

On our last day in Sweden we took the train north to Uppsala.  This used to be the Royal town, and Kings and Queens were crowned here.  It was freezing there though....

Uppsala is famous for its university as well.  In the Octagonal roof of this building is a famous octagonal theatre room in which they used to cut up bodies for study.

Uppsala Cathedral

Uppsala Castle.  It has burnt down two times and has never been fully completed.

Believe it or not, this is meant to be the botanical gardens.

Sweden - Boxing Day 2 Animals

A large part of Skansen was showing the animals that lived in Sweden.  Clearly they must all like snow...

Wolves

Bison

Moose

Reindeer (resting after a hard night helping Santa!!)

Sweden Boxing Day 2009

This is Stockholm on Boxing Day after heavy snow the night before.

We spent most of the day at Skansen, an open air museum.  Built over 100 years ago, they transported buildings from around Sweden to the site, to show what Swedish living was like.  It looked pretty good in all the snow.

The church at Skansen

This is downtown Sweden.

Sweden Xmas Day 2009

We spent Xmas Day in Stockholm, Sweden.  It is the coldest place that we have ever been too, and didn't stop snowing.  It also has very limited hours of daylight between 9 and 3 during winter.  However, it was still a beautiful city.

The Royal Church

The Royal Palace in the Old Town - until recently, this was the largest lived in royal palace in the world with over 600 rooms...then they moved out.

View looking down from the palace.

This is in Gamla Stan, the old town, with tight narrow strees.  The warning sign (which were on nearly every street) was to warn off the risk of snow and icicles falling falling from the rooftops above - we saw one man get hit by falling snow.  The drainpipes on the buildings were all frozen as well.

This is the smallest street in Stockholm, its less then a metre wide.  Bit scary to walk down given there was large amounts of snow above ready to fall on your head.

This is the town hall, described in the 1920's as a beautiful building reminiscent of Italian renaissance architecture.  Just looked like a brick building to us.

Looking from a bridge across to Gamla Stan

London - more sights

Trafalgar Square and the sickest looking Xmas Tree ever

The 02 Arena

Canary Wharf (it was a Saturday no no bankers thankfully)

St Pauls

The Gherkin

London - Rugby at Twickenham

We went to Twickenham to see the All Blacks play the Barbarians. At least we think it was the All Blacks playing as we had never heard of most of the players!! The AB's lost, enough said.

The locals clearly enjoyed the game... Should have kept the shirt on though

London Christmas

Above are photos from London at the beginning of December, of all the Christmas lights and decorations, and the Christmas Market.