Stockholm

Thanks to some cheap flights found on the internet and an itch to see some of Scandinavia, where I had never been, I spent a few days in Stockholm this month! The city itself sits on several islands where a lake meets the back-waters of the Baltic Sea. I stayed in a hostel that was a former prison and spent most of my time just ambling about the city looking at museums and trying to take in the ambiance. The city offers a "Stockholm-card" which allows almost unlimited public transportation and museum entrance. And my arrival coincided with the annual culture week which included a lot of outdoor performances, so the city seemed to have more than enough to offer for the 3 days I was there.

I live in a fairly urban place but Stockholm somehow seemed to be a city that includes or does not deny the natural surroundings. Of course the city consisting of islands helps with that, but also the variations in local topography, with craggy cliffs and stony precipices certainly contributed to the atmosphere.

Right by the hostel where I stayed, there was a park with a little café that had live performances almost every night. The café seemed more like an extension of someone's house with the outdoor seating really feeling like it's just out there on the lawn. I got an introduction to some Swedish cider, one of which the bartender recommended to me. I tried 3 of my 5 words of the Swedish language and thanked him, and I think it was my attempt at their language that resulted in them offering me a cinnamon roll on the house! I felt welcomed!

Further, I saw the Modern Museum, the Vasa Museum, the Thielska Gallery, and the Millesgården (more about these later). Another highlight was checking out the individual stops of the Blue Line of the Metro, but that will be covered in another blog entry with photos because it was so spectacular! From Stockholm I left via train for Gothenburg to continue my Scandinavian exploration. Copenhagen was the end point a few days after that.