In July 2015, we went to Sweden to visit Shelly's cousin David Peterson and his family.  Shelly and David found each other on Ancestry.com, got to know each other through email, and we eventually arranged a trip to see him. 

 

We stayed at a hotel in Stockholm, and met David for the first time.  David was a member of Sweden's secret service and had protected the Queen of Sweden, so he was very familiar with all the important sites in Stockholm.  He was a fantastic tour guide, offering the history as well as personal anecdotes.   

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First we took a boat tour of the Stockholm Archipelago and saw a number of sail boats racing.  It was a gorgeous day and the water was brilliant.  We then toured the Vasa Museum, which is the world's only preserved 17th century ship.  It was recovered after over 300 years under water, and is in nearly perfect condition thanks to the brackish waters.

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We then went to the Skansen Open-Air Museum.  Skansen is the world’s oldest open-air museum, showcasing the whole of Sweden with houses and farmsteads, and animals from every part of the country.  We then met David's daughter Emmy, her husband, and children.  It was a very fun and comfortable visit.  

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We had a drink at the Ice Bar in Stockholm, and had to wear large parkas because the temperature is kept at 23 degrees Fahrenheit.  Then we went to Varmland where Shelly's and David's ancestors were from.  We went to several churches and found the graves of some ancestors.

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We returned to Stockholm and spent a few hours kayaking in the archipelago and Baltic Sea.  It was tough going as the current was very strong.  

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Thanks to David for being our family and tour guide.  He was there with us every moment and we had a fantastic time.