25 – 30 July 2021
Stockholm surprises: Compared to for example Zurich there is pretty little traffic in Stockholm. As anywhere in Sweden there is space. This is also due to the fact that Stockholm is built on 14 islands – so there is water-space in between these islands.
The old quarter Gamla Stan, where you find the Royal Palace and the Academy of Sweden (Nobelprize) is built on a rather small island and streets are narrow. And still, you never get the feeling of being cornered, because just a few steps ahead the narrow lanes open up to wide water space and the eye can relax.
Stockholm is a truly historical city. Most building are Renaissance or Barock buildings. It all could perfectly serve as the background to any historical feature film. You even find the all so typical, colourful Swedish timber houses in some places in Stockholm.
Djurgarden, the former royal hunting grounds, have become an spacious nearby recreation area. Some of the most important museums are located at the end closest to the city on the same island.
I enjoy Stockholm riding my bike. Luckily I have brought my e-bike as some quarters of Stockholm like Södermalm are pretty hilly. It is great fun to ride a bike in Stockholm as there are special lanes almost everywhere, it’s pretty well sign-posted for bikes and generelly the city is not as cramped as Swiss cities. I know, I have said it before, but it makes me happy again and again: There is space! I also take the ferry-boat twice, more for fun and to enjoy the view on the historical city centre from a different angle, and once, because it started to rain. Yes, now I have my first drops of rain. I spend those showerly hours in museums and ride home more or less without rain. It’s a relief more than a pain, in fact, as it was too hot and too humid: clothes sticking to your skin, beads of sweat running down your back.
The story behind The Vasa: The Vasa is a Swedish war ship built in the seventeenth century. At her time, she was the most powerfully armed vessel in Europe. Unfortunately, King Gustavus Adolphus, who had ordered her, also approved of ambitious construction plans – the lower part of the hull was to small and the vessel became unstable. When it was about to leave Stockholm harbour on 10th August 1628 it only sailed for about 1400 meters and listed (krängen, in Schieflage kommen) so much that water came in through the canon holes and thus it foundered. It was lying at the bottom of Stockhom harbour for more than three centuries before it was found, salvaged, lifted, restored and put into the Vasa museum. As tragical as this sounds it is only due to the fact of its foundering that we now are able to look at such a vessel in a museum. I assure you, it’s huge!
Apart from seeing The Vasa, you also learn a lot about life on board such a ship in the 17th century, as well as about conversation methods, in the Vasa Muset.
Of course I also have to pay a visit to the ABBA museum. It was my first ESC when they won it with ‚Waterloo‘ in 1973. I was eight years old then and henceforth a true and faithful ABBA fan, even playing some of their songs on the piano. I find it worth while visiting. It’s just nice to remember those days and their famous songs and read about them, remember the posters that you had stuck on bedroom walls – stupid as I am I have given away all my vinyl only a few years ago. Now I’ve bought some again in a second hand record shop – just because …
I also go to the Skansen Museum, which is what we know as Ballenberg in Switzerland. Houses from all over Sweden have been rebuilt here and you learn about daily life, tradtion and customs in Sweden. Unfortunately, some of the workshops are closed again, probably due to the pandemic. Still, I enjoy my time here and watch the glasblowers doing their job. What strikes me is that the two men have to work in close colaboration. It’s a give and take job and each of the two has to be ready for the next step at the exact moment.
There’s also a zoo part in Skansen. So, I get to see an elk from ’not so far away‘ and also reindeer.
On my last day I just ride around and have a look again at this beautiful city, for example the Stadhuset – Stadthaus.
I’ve spent four varied, interesting days here in Stockholm and I hope it will not be last time that I’ve visited this city – the same is true for the country itself. I keep growing to like it.
By the way, yesterday GB announced that they would allow inoculated people to enter Great Britain without quarantine from coming Monday onwards. Scotland will follow the example. Yet, it’s too late for me as for many other people. I’ve alreay spent two rich weeks here in Sweden and also used my English quite a bit. It’s a pity that I have not been able to travel to Scotland, but I went to Sweden without any expectations and am surprised at the beauty and the richness of this country. So, in the end, it might have been a good thing. The weather has turned ‚Scottish‘ today – windy, rainy, overcast … bye Stockholm. I’m on the road again.
