This was the first very full day of exploration with our band of young folks gathered by Ruthie to enjoy both the home exchange and Stockholm with us – and they are loads of fun to be with! This was our day to do some of the “must sees” in the city so we started with the Vasa Museum. If you don’t know the story (and this is the very abridged version) The Vasa ship was built at the royal order of the King of Sweden. He thought he hired the very best engineers and builders to deliver a grand boat that would show up all other countries and solidify Sweden’s place as a force to contend with at sea. WRONG. Amid massive fanfare and a gloating King, the Vasa got no more than 1000 meters out of the dock and capsized and sank in Stockholm 1628. After 333 years under the sea, the mighty warship was salvaged through incredible feats of engineering. Thousands of remnants of the ship were brought up and today the Vasa is the world’s best preserved 17th century ship and the most visited museum in Scandinavia.
Our next stop was the National Museum. To be honest, we had visited many museums with extensive art collections in many cities so we were most drawn to one unique installation – showcasing Swedish furniture design. Shades of Ikea, but much higher end. Swedish designs tend to have simple, elegant lines and be much more comfortable to sit in/on than they look. Bright color blocks and beautiful wood grain combinations are signature. There were, however, some other very interesting art pieces as well…
After the brief museum stop we wandered through the much-photographed Gamla Stan (Old City) which reminded me a lot of the Gothic district in Barcelona. Narrow cobblestone streets are lined with little shops and cafes and connect to expansive squares like Stortorget, the oldest square in Stockholm that dates back many centuries. It did feel like stepping back in time were it not for the many tourists milling around all taking pictures of the same color-block buildings and of each other!
We then decided it was time to relax and take in the scene along the waterfront at a “chic” walk up bar – it was fun to watch the world go by sipping on elderflower cider and beers.
Making our way back to the subway we heard music coming from one of the city parks and stumbled on a Thai culture festival, replete with food and craft booths and what sounded like Thai music. There were thousands of people there and while we only walked through briefly it was very cool to see such diversity gathered among what to date has appeared to be a fairly homogenous population. I am aware that there have been immigration trials and tribulations in Sweden over the years – as we are struggling with in the US – but the atmosphere here was warm and it looked like everyone was having a good time.
We navigated to and through the subway system and had been told that there is an extensive art installation that threads its way through many of the station tunnels – indeed! It was quite an experience coming upon what looked like a medieval castle scene in one station, then an ominous-looking guardian statue in another… We only saw a few sections but what a wonderful way to make a commute more interesting.
Once back at the house in Taby we put the young guys to work grilling chicken and veggies while the rest of us assembled the balance of a lovely meal to end a busy day. The home exchange concept has to date worked out so well for us…it allows us to be tourists during the day , relaxed and rejuvenated in the evening in a cozy home setting. We are blessed to have this opportunity and to share it with loved ones.
Until next time,
Esther
Living La Vida Loca 