 |
| Gamla Stan Island in the Sun |
Romanticism aside – these
feelings are quickly quenched within about 30 minutes of take off when you
realise that the in-flight entertainment is limited to what can be rummaged from
the seat back pocket in front of you. That same pocket with failing elastic
that insists on invading your already limited legroom because you are slightly
above average height. I vow to change such atrocities when I am king of all
aeroplanes.
Rant over – I was
excited to be spending a couple days in Stockholm with Papa Norton, and the
prospect of habitation thereafter.
Excursion
I had invited my dad
to come with me to Stockholm for my arrival weekend for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, he would be able to carry the second case of luggage needed to provide
me with an ample selection of footwear for the semester. Secondly, I needed a
travel companion to endure the pleasures of being a tourist for a couple of
days – and perhaps more importantly, foot the bill.
‘The Bishops Arms’ (shown above) was
not what I had expected as our primary choice of eatery to kick off the
Scandinavian adventure. An English style pub in the heart of Stockholm they
offered an extensive selection of beers and single malts that would rival any Covent
Garden competition. A hearty burger and several exotic beverages later my
stomach was happy, even if I did feel an underlying drone of cheating on
Sweden.
The next couple of
days surely made up for this early discretion. Hours of city exploration, visiting
exhibits and many “fikas” charged our agenda. The historic old town (the
pictures you find when you type “Stockholm” into Google images) contains many
café’s, squares, boutiques and bars framed in a network of cobbled streets and
painted façades. Perhaps less typically, Stockholm seems to be filled with what
can only be described as second hand junk stores that are full to the brim of
old soviet war memorabilia, 17th century pistols, endless furniture
and even the odd euphonium. Such stores are to be approached cautiously as the
risk of never escaping is very real.
Other highlights
included the Vasa Museum – An exhibit displaying a 17th century
gunship that sadly sank on its maiden voyage from Stockholm harbour. The upshot
is that it was fantastically preserved through time and in 1961, 95% of the
original ship was salvaged from the harbour floor to be restored and displayed.
The exhibit its self is far more than just the ship. We spent about 2 hours
there nerding out about life on the ship, learning why it sank and perusing the
abandoned belongings of its 450 strong crew.
Similarly, the City
Hall is exquisite. Taking the tour and learning about its history and modern
goings on was very interesting, though I think my dad may be quite jealous as I
was able to return there one week later for the official welcome reception to KTH (shown above-middle).
The weekend was long
and tiresome through copious exploration and drinking but I certainly enjoyed it.
It helped me find my bearings for the city and begin to come accustomed to the
culture, currency and language I had rapidly become immersed in. I hope that
Papa Norton enjoyed his holiday and can only hope that as I look forward to my studies,
I remember what an awesome place lies just outside the door.
 |
| Sunset over Stockholm |
