Everything in Stockholm is beautifully designed. I mean, you can't beat Swedish design. Sam kept stopping and staring at every apotek (pharmacy) that we passed, running in to browse the packaging of toothpaste and pain relievers. I was dying over the bright, colorful illustrations on tea towels, prints, and- oh, the children's shops! It's a miracle that I didn't bring home an entire suitcase of things for Eliza.
On our second day, we browsed the Stockholm Public Library. The main reading room is a giant rotunda, and when you sit on a chair to listen you can hear the sounds of heels tapping and clattering around in the domed ceiling.
We spent most of the rest of the day shopping in Söder. This neighborhood is choked full of beautiful shops and restaurants...
1) Pärlans- The most beautiful konfektyr. They make all of their caramels by hand, and you can watch through a wall of glass. Oh, they are amazing. I have never been such a huge fan of caramels- but these are heaven. They also have syrups and sauces. The cute girls who helped us all looked like they had just stepped out of the 1940s, with pin curls and peter pan collars. And, you really feel special clutching a Pärlans bag filled with those little blue and gold boxes- almost like leaving Tiffany's.
2) Grandpa- Obviously a favorite for the boys. Just a bunch of beautifully curated stuff. There were several things that we wanted, but just couldn't imagine how we would get them home. We all brought carry-on bags and were only allowing ourselves one checked duffel per couple on the way home. So, it made souvenir shopping more meaningful!
There were several other shops, but I can't remember the name of them. We wandered through carefully curated boutiques fill with practically nothing but everything beautiful, minimalist bookshops, and crowded antique and vintage shops.
Sam and I got tickets to see the:
3) Royal Swedish Opera - do "Trollflögten" (The Magic Flute) that night. This was probably my favorite thing we did in Stockholm. The opera was in Swedish, with Swedish subtitles. So, we had absolutely no idea what they were saying. But, it was hilarious! We were cracking up the entire time, and it wasn't until intermission that we pulled out our phone and looked up the plot summary. The show was like a theatrical version of a Wes Anderson movie- complete with 20 grown men in scout uniforms popping out of a pup tent like a clown car, and a scene where the stage was filled with 20 or so dancing bears. Also, the theater was absolutely breathtaking. There is definitely something magical about the inside of a theater, whether you are on the stage or in the seat.
After the show we wandered around the theater until they gave us "shoo" looks, and then walked around the river and Gamla Stan at night. Everything was glowing and quiet- I've never seen a city so peaceful.
Great descriptions.
ReplyDelete