I realize I take far too long to post about trips. I’m terrible at this blogging thing, so sue me. Anyway, since we leave for our next trip (to Marmaris, Turkey) on Tuesday, I figured I should finally get around to posting about Stockholm.
We arrived at Stockholm Skavsta Airport at about nine in the morning after a very smooth hour-long plane ride from Berlin. The airport is actually about an hour and a half away from the city proper, so we had to hop on a bus to get there. The bus company’s name is probably one of the most fun words to say that I have ever encountered: Flygbussarna. Just rolls off the tongue. So we hopped on and headed for the city.
Sweden sort of felt like Canada, if only for the fact that there was actually snow on the ground, and it was fucking cold. We’ve definitely been spoiled by the mild British winter — we were both inconsolable as we trudged from the bus station to our hostel, a mere 15 minute walk. We also made the slight tactical error of only having sneakers with us instead of boots. That may have contributed to our less than stellar opinion of the weather.
The first thing that really struck us as odd about Sweden is the sheer ubiquity of English. We had brushed up on a few key phrases in Swedish before we left, just in case, but everywhere we went, people spoke English. Even the waitress at Pizza Hut (yes, we ate at Pizza Hut — we were cold and had just arrived and were too lazy to look for somewhere else) spoke impeccable English. So much for that handy Swedish iPod app I downloaded.
After checking in at the hostel (again, dude at reception spoke English) we decided that the best way to make use of our limited time in the country was to take a bus tour. For the low, low price of 540 kronor (about $76 CDN, or £50) we bought a couple of 24-hour passes for a hop-on, hop-off bus tour. So that day we just stayed on the bus and let it take us around to all the sights worth seeing. The next day we just used it to get places, like a regular bus. Anyway, the tour was not bad. It was snowing and overcast all day, so I don’t think that really helped much. It took us through Stockholm’s old city (called Gamla Stan):
And past the TV Tower, which the recording on the bus made a big deal of, but I actually think is kind of an eyesore:
The tour just generally wound through the city and explained things as it went. It’s a really nice city, and I’d love to go back sometime when it’s not -10 degrees and snowing the whole time I’m there. Though I will say this — Stockholm just looks at home in the snow. It’s supposed to be snowy there, and it’s confident about that fact.
That night we decided to take it easy at the hostel. I’ll probably never forget that hostel, because it was there I learned that my grandmother (my Dad’s Mom) had passed away. Nan had been in a nursing home for a couple of years and was far gone with Alzheimer’s — Mom had told me shortly before we left that it was just a matter of time. I think she was waiting to tell me until after we returned, because I found out from my brother, Peter, and Mom sent a follow-up e-mail shortly thereafter. Damage control I guess, since I do tend to get a little emotional about family things, and the next day was my birthday. Mom knows me well.
And so, on my birthday, we set out to explore the city on our own. First stop was the skating rink. I did this in Edinburgh as well, but I guess you could say that just gave me a taste for it. And this time, I managed to get Kat to give it a whirl.
She did really well for someone who hasn’t been on skates in an extremely long time, and never did it much to begin with. Her turn around the rink was short, however, and she soon left me to my devices.
The skates in Stockholm were a lot better than the ones in Edinburgh. They were proper hockey skates, and they didn’t hurt my feet, which is always a plus.
After skating we decided to take in the sights in Gamla Stan, specifically the Swedish Royal Palace.
I’m not gonna lie, this place was pretty effing fancy. Unfortunately, they wouldn’t let us take any pictures inside — the Royal Family does technically live there. I guess that’s a good excuse.
Our last stop on our whirlwind tour of Stockholm was probably my favourite bit — the Absolut Ice Bar.
Yes, that wall is made out of ice, as was most of the rest of the bar, right down to the glasses the drinks were in:
The water used to make the ice comes from a certain river in Sweden rather than simply a tap. The cynic in me thinks that’s a bit involved and unnecessary, while the tourist in me thinks that’s pretty damn awesome. They do recycle as much of it as they can when they melt it down and rebuild it, especially the glasses, which they melt down right after they are used.
The drinks were all Absolut vodka based, so I did what any good Newfoundlander would do — I got the one that had 100 proof vodka and partridge berries in it. Kat got the one that glowed under the black light, an almost as noble endeavour.
The best part of all this, of course, is the fact that we looked absolutely ridiculous throughout our stay in the ice bar.
They made us wear the poncho, I guess so everyone kept to the same aesthetic moreso than for warmth.
That night we ended our quick stop in Stockholm and flew back to England. I think I like Stockholm a little more than Berlin overall. I’d love to go back and explore it a little more sometime. Maybe in the summer though.
On Tuesday we head off for a very different trip. We’re eschewing sketchy hostels and dirt-cheap flights in Western Europe for a five-star, all-inclusive resort close to Asia. It’s the Grand Pasa Hotel in Marmaris, Turkey, and I may be drunk the whole week.
