Stalking Stockholm

 

Stockholm's waterways

 

Beep. Beep. Slam. Beeppppppppppp

Is there a fire? Oh my go…sh…it’s three a.m. already? It can’t be. I hate my phone alarm. Yes I spent a year away from home without a phone and while traveling around Europe I have let one of these little cell phones dictate my life. Both a way to stay in touch and alarm, it can be helpful. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so rough with it.

It was three a.m. though. Why? Why am I waking myself up at 3 a.m.? Any other time I would be going to bed….especially since it was the day after my birthday. But not now. Nope. Why? Because I am on a mission to find cheap trips from London. This cheap one? Well that was my mistake, but it required a 6 a.m. flight from London Stansted Airport to Skvasta Airport in…..Stockholm! There was a flight at 9 a.m. but somehow I booked the earlier flight. Go figure.

In any case I had found a £20 flight to Sweden and I was trying to get myself out of bed to get my bus to the airport. I did it. Begrudgingly. But I did it. I made my flight.

Ryanair might be persistent about their weight gain (see last week’s column budget airlines), but to be fair to this low-cost/budget airline they did get me to Stockholm on time. Which is what this week’s Rock Fever Column from The Royal Gazette is all about.

I landed in this capital city that spans 14 islands of an archipelago by 9 a.m. (two hour flight plus one hour for time difference). Didn’t know Stockholm covered islands? Yeah me neither and sadly I had been here before. To be fair to me I had been here over New Years about ten years ago. There was so much snow and ice I’m surprised I ever left the hotel room. But more importantly that means the archipelago’s waters freeze over. In fact an ice-breaking boat storms through the solid water in winter months. Otherwise the ice actually helps those that live on Stockholm’s distant islands commute in the winter.

In any case, September was a far more friendly month to travel through Sweden. The weather had started to

 

Stockholm's boardwalk

 

cool down, but I didn’t always need a jacket. Not even on a night out. And it wasn’t too busy tourist-wise. A perfect time to hit this Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula. It is also a member (the third largest by land area) of the European Union and ranks first in the Economist’s Democracy index and seventh in the United Nations’ Human Development Index.

I would say life is pretty ideal. And that is definitely what this capital city exudes – idealism. Welcoming me to the centre of the city was an hour bus ride complete with lush green countryside dotted with horses and lakes. The city was equally ideal. The taxi driver actually offered NOT to rip me off when I tried to get a lift to my friend’s place. He told me the cabs outside of the bus station were cheaper. More than nice taxi drivers, Stockholm also has nice-looking people too.

By that I don’t mean the stereotype of blondes. I mean there were a lot in this most populous city of Sweden (more than 800,000 live in the centre, 1 million on the immediate outskirts and 2.5 million on the outer, outerskirts). But what I mean is the Swedes wandering the streets could have just walked out of a catalogue. The babies could be featured on Gerber bottles. No wonder Ikea (the perfectly constructed furniture store) is Swedish.

 

Economics of Weddings in the National Economic Museum across from The Castle

 

These perfect streets and people of Sweden founded Stockholm in 1250, and it is the site of government as well as the official residence of the Monarch. Technically the king lives outside of Stockholm and just keeps the Royal Palace in town for his official business. That’s what I like to do too.

This mammoth palace dominates the Gamla Stan island (Old Town) and yet it only offers to open its doors for a couple of hours a day. I missed them. Only from 12 to 3. Oh well. I had seen the snippets of the castle when I had visited before. It was the warmest thing to do in Stockholm over New Years.

But more than a hand warmer this castle has 610 rooms just in case the Royal family manages to get bored in their place. It is also the site of the (I would say) dinners for the most famous of prizes – the Nobel Prize. While the jewels….the crown’s of course, also rest here. So much for my dinner accessories that night. Don’t be like me though. By that I mean jet-lagged and too late for the castle. Get up in Stockholm and make the visit. There are tours, but be warned entering can get expensive. One hundred Swedish Kronas ($15) to see each segment of the castle i.e. the Treasury or the Private Quarters, etc…. I saved my Kronas and decided to head across the street to find out about where they came from.

I couldn’t resist the National Economy Museum. I know. Go Figure. I’m one crazy tourist. What drew my attention? An exhibit on weddings and the economics behind it. Yeah it wasn’t always about love (is it?). They do say finances is one of the main reasons marriages end. Good thing I got some tips. Besides the wedding dresses, the museum was worth it’s weight in….well let’s just say it was interesting.

Did you know that the first European banknote was printed in Sweden? Or that the largest coin is here? Or how about the history of the pesos? Or how about the fact that the Swedes have one of John Steinbeck’s signatures because that’s the only way he could cash his Nobel Prize cheque? Yes. The equivalent of more than $2 million dollars used to be handed in cheques to the successful Nobel person.

Enough of the economics in museums. Stockholm’s economy doesn’t make this country break from your

Bermuda-budget (prices for food and drinks are the same). Nor does it give you a break from the Bermuda water border. But I liked that. Not the prices. Those were fine. Not as expensive as everyone whispers about

 

Largest minted coin with the lightest wallet on it.

 

Scandinavian countries, but I love being in a city where water dominates.

I felt right at home even if the boats used wooden logs for bumpers rather than heavy plastic. Yep even if Stockholm requires dodging H&M’s (the clothing stores) which dot every corner like Starbucks in London it’s still a dynamic city. A city my friend swore up and down was much like New York with its various neighbourhoods. From the Old Town (similar to New York’s soho) to their Sofo neighbourhood, which is more like New York’s village, Stockholm offers everything.

And there are cheaper things to do in this town. Which is exactly what I needed after my schooling at the economics museum. So I headed for the rest the old town with my camera ready. Picturesque doesn’t describe it. IN fact the Old Town sums-up Swedes for you. I don’t think I ever saw anything out of place – perfection.

Well except for maybe their ships. One would have though the descendants of vikings would have been able to build a boat. Unfortunately they couldn’t. But now there is a museum relegated to this. After spending a few hours wandering around the old town with camera (best way to see this town and capture your memories) it was an easy ferry ride to see the ship- Vasa.

Built from 1626 to 1628 it was supposed to be a Swedish warship. Sent to sea on August 10, 1628 it promptly sank one nautical mile from home. Oops. Dug-up in the 1960’s there is now a museum to it. Ok it might not have made the best sailing ship, but it is a decent recorder of history. So I guess it was worth it going to see it.

I wandered around the Vasa hoping that the boat tomorrow would be better built. Why? Well my friend would be off work and we decided to navigate the Stockholm Archipelago! Nothing a few layers couldn’t handle. So make sure you check My Photos page for documentation of my cheap Swedish trip and check back here next week for more on Stockholm’s islands as well as Sweden’s oldest town!