This was a great day. It was the first day that the sun came out in Stockholm, and I suddenly realized how colorful it was! We walked up to a look out point, just a short walk from the Slussen stop. We asked a photographer there to take a group picture of us, and he made us stand in the sun so we got blasted by the light and whiplashed by the wind. But, we got one good picture out of it, and he did say we were the "best-dressed Americans that he had ever seen." So, I forgive him.
Sam and I then split off to do some shopping in Gamla Stan. This was my favorite area in the city, even if it is the most "tourist-y." Gamla Stan is "Old Town"- the original city of Stockholm. It's where the palace stands, pretty, little churches, and charming narrow, winding cobblestone streets...
1) Kerstin Adolphson- I was on the hunt for a couple of pairs of matching clogs for Eliza and I. Unfortunately Swedish Hasbeens were just as expensive in Stockholm as they are in the states. Luckily, we stumbled across Kerstin Adolphson. This shop is stuffed full of thick Scandanavian sweaters, leather bags, and jumbled shelves of beautiful clogs for a fraction of the costs of Hasbeens. The ladies were so warm and nice, and Sam was so great to put up with my multiple requests to stop by this shop so I could make up my mind. Pictures of Eliza's tiny clogs to come...
Ay, I really don't remember the names of anything! Basically, try and avoid the souvenir shops stuffed with all the same 'ol junk, and look for the pretty, pretty windows. There are so many storefronts filled with beautiful home goods, design goods, and children's shops. Also, be sure to wander off the beaten path and just enjoy ducking your head through alleys and meandering around.
For lunch we met the Lundquists at:
2) Rosendals Trädgard- where we just barely made it to the cafe before they closed. I really loved these gardens, but to be honest, it was a little sad to think about how beautiful they probably are when it is not freezing cold. The gardens were empty, but the food was good and the boutique was charming. I bought some Kardemummasocker (cardamom sugar) to take home with us, because it reminded me of all the bakeries in Stockholm. I was looking forward to French pastries for sure, but all of these Swedish cardamom sprinkled, cream puffed, cinnamon rolled goods were a pleasant surprise.
Sam and I split off after the gardens, and took the ferry over to:
3) Moderna Museet- the Modern Art Museum. (This was only after we practically dozed off on that ferry, and ended up taking the loop in order to get back to the right island.) Sam was so excited about this museum, and I wanted to make sure we had plenty of time for him to roam around in his natural habitat. There was a great Louis Bourgeois exhibit, and the museum was just the right size that we could really absorb all the rooms and not feel overwhelmed. We even peeked over a roped partition into an exhibit that was under construction to see a bunch of construction equipment, and a stool and wheel- a deconstructed "Bicycle Wheel" by Marcel Duchamp just chillin' on a plastic tarp. This was actually the first time I've been to a modern art museum with Sam, and it was like having a free tour guide. We browsed the gift shop until closing time, and somehow didn't leave with every design book on the shelf.
Our adventure gang kept getting hangry on this trip. We would be so in to what we were doing, that we would forget to eat and suddenly it was 3pm and we were all dying and snappy. So, we failed at a few meals. Like, we were so starving we had to pop into the first place we could find and it was, you know, only "ok." Also, we had reservations and plans for multiple restaurants that were straight up closed for renovations or something.
4) Vete-Katten- We came back to this place three times, and I regret not going more. That pastry right there is called a Semla- a sweet bread filled with thick whipped cream and almond custard. I could eat one of these every day. We were constantly going, going on this trip, so the lovely times when we actually took a minute to sit down and eat a meal were pretty magical. And Vete-Katten was warm and sweet and perfect. You can order soup or a sandwich or something beautiful and covered in just the right amount of sugar.
5) Amida Kolgrill- To be honest, traditional Swedish food always left me feeling just a tiny bit hungry. They eat a lot of pickled vegetables, and hardly any meat. Which is why I am so glad Sam ran across a recommendation for Amida Kolgrill, where we stuffed our faces with Turkish grilled meat, vegetables, and couscous. We ate here twice, both for dinner when we were totally famished from walking all day, and both times we were treated like garbage because we were American. But, the food was totally worth it.
These are the last of the photos from Stockholm. I really did fall in love with it. We got to see snow flurries, rain, and sun. We hopped from island to island through their beautiful metros, shuttles, and ferries. Stockholm is the kind of city that can make you feel like you're home, and just small enough that you can leave feeling like you got to see everything. Swedish people are thoughtful in their design and their hospitality, and I never felt overwhelmed. We had good laughs trying to pronounce their bouncing language, stuffing our faces with cardamom buns and gummy candies, and staring at beautiful Swedish people who are all tall, blonde, and gorgeous. Good times.
Tack, Stockholm!
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