From Stockholm
Here I am again in Sweden! Just a few months after our Baltic cruise, I'm now back overseas for the IFLA educator's pre-conference. We decided to come a few days early and see Stockholm before taking the train to Boras.
Our flight on Continental went well (although the food was the worst I've had on an airplane). We paid $100 to get into the exit row, and while it was nice to have the extra legroom for the 9 hour flight, they didn't recline, which got tough after a while. We got to Stockholm at 8AM and took the train into town, then took a taxi to the Hotel Scandic Hasselbacken. We got to the hotel at 8:30 am, and sadly, they had no rooms available.
Now, this is the first time this has happened after an overnight flight. But we were crabby and tired, alas, no rest for us. They told us to check back at noon.
We left our luggage and we to the Vasa museum, which houses a large ship that sank shortly after being launched in the 1600s. The ship listed, which let water into the gun ports, and it completely sank shortly after. They didn't find it until the 1950's, but then brought it up and restored it.
While the museum was a good one, they certainly brought in a lot of things that were barely related to the ship - things about Swedish life in the 1600s were scattered about. "Here is sheet music that might have been what was played when the ship was launched." Huh?
So, we went for some lunch and had an open-faced ham, cheese, and cucumber sandwich in a weird little cafe, and went back to the hotel. No rooms available. We told them we would wait in the lobby, as we had been up for 30 hours or so by this time, and were just exhausted.
We found some seats, and I feel asleep. At 1pm, I checked in - no room. 1:30 - no room. 1:45 - no room. 2:00 - "Go sit where I can see you and I will call my colleagues." 2:15 - Success! And Naps!
After a short nap, I ran next door to the Tivoli amusement park. This part has a small entrance fee, but then you pay to ride the rides. It was not nearly as charming as Tivoli in Copenhagen - it had rides and games (and bizarre casino-like games that gave away candy for kids; roulette and pull-tabs!). I rode one ride - Insane! It wasn't as Insane as it looked, though.
That night, we had a simple dinner at a local pub - swedish meatballs (better than Ikea), Goulash, and salmon pie (quiche).
We went to bed, and after a short time up around 6am, I slept until 10am. We went for a quick hotel breakfast, then off to Skansen.
Skansen is an outdoor museum where they have brought together buildings from all over Sweden from the past. In some of the buildings are various craftsmen who answer questions about the time. This one is also part zoo, with animals from Sweden like bears, moose, and owls.
They say to take the day to see this, and they are right. There was a town area with an 1800s city with craftsmen, farmsteads, and many different building types to explore.
I was wearing my Vibram's Five-Finger shoes. I like these shoes a lot, and enjoy wearing them when I'll be on grassy or soft surfaces. The souls are like those of a water shoe. However, Skansen was paved, so my feet wore out quickly. What was even worse were the cobblestone areas!
After Skansen, we napped in the hotel, then decided to splurge on a highly-rated traditional Smorgasbord at the Grand Hotel. At $75 a plate, this wasn't cheap, but it was at one of the nicest hotels in Stockholm. You started with herring and potatoes - there were about 10 different types of herring. Then, onto the 4 different types of smoked salmon, a variety of cold meats and salads, then the hot items like Swedish meatballs and boiled lamb.
The food was very good, and as a special meal, it was a nice treat to engage with this traditional Swedish fare.
Then, back to the hotel room. This was the 2nd night in the country, and as always happens to me, the second night is harder to sleep through than the first. The first night, I'm exhausted from the overnight flight. The second night, the jet lag can kick in.
Today is our last day in Stockholm, and we plan to take a boat tour of the city before visiting the old town.
If you liked the pictures here, there are many more in my flickr space at http://www.flickr.com/photos/snicholson/sets/72157624663658936/
Our flight on Continental went well (although the food was the worst I've had on an airplane). We paid $100 to get into the exit row, and while it was nice to have the extra legroom for the 9 hour flight, they didn't recline, which got tough after a while. We got to Stockholm at 8AM and took the train into town, then took a taxi to the Hotel Scandic Hasselbacken. We got to the hotel at 8:30 am, and sadly, they had no rooms available.
Now, this is the first time this has happened after an overnight flight. But we were crabby and tired, alas, no rest for us. They told us to check back at noon.
We left our luggage and we to the Vasa museum, which houses a large ship that sank shortly after being launched in the 1600s. The ship listed, which let water into the gun ports, and it completely sank shortly after. They didn't find it until the 1950's, but then brought it up and restored it.
While the museum was a good one, they certainly brought in a lot of things that were barely related to the ship - things about Swedish life in the 1600s were scattered about. "Here is sheet music that might have been what was played when the ship was launched." Huh?
So, we went for some lunch and had an open-faced ham, cheese, and cucumber sandwich in a weird little cafe, and went back to the hotel. No rooms available. We told them we would wait in the lobby, as we had been up for 30 hours or so by this time, and were just exhausted.
We found some seats, and I feel asleep. At 1pm, I checked in - no room. 1:30 - no room. 1:45 - no room. 2:00 - "Go sit where I can see you and I will call my colleagues." 2:15 - Success! And Naps!
After a short nap, I ran next door to the Tivoli amusement park. This part has a small entrance fee, but then you pay to ride the rides. It was not nearly as charming as Tivoli in Copenhagen - it had rides and games (and bizarre casino-like games that gave away candy for kids; roulette and pull-tabs!). I rode one ride - Insane! It wasn't as Insane as it looked, though.
Click to viewThat night, we had a simple dinner at a local pub - swedish meatballs (better than Ikea), Goulash, and salmon pie (quiche).
We went to bed, and after a short time up around 6am, I slept until 10am. We went for a quick hotel breakfast, then off to Skansen.
Skansen is an outdoor museum where they have brought together buildings from all over Sweden from the past. In some of the buildings are various craftsmen who answer questions about the time. This one is also part zoo, with animals from Sweden like bears, moose, and owls.
They say to take the day to see this, and they are right. There was a town area with an 1800s city with craftsmen, farmsteads, and many different building types to explore.
I was wearing my Vibram's Five-Finger shoes. I like these shoes a lot, and enjoy wearing them when I'll be on grassy or soft surfaces. The souls are like those of a water shoe. However, Skansen was paved, so my feet wore out quickly. What was even worse were the cobblestone areas!
After Skansen, we napped in the hotel, then decided to splurge on a highly-rated traditional Smorgasbord at the Grand Hotel. At $75 a plate, this wasn't cheap, but it was at one of the nicest hotels in Stockholm. You started with herring and potatoes - there were about 10 different types of herring. Then, onto the 4 different types of smoked salmon, a variety of cold meats and salads, then the hot items like Swedish meatballs and boiled lamb.
The food was very good, and as a special meal, it was a nice treat to engage with this traditional Swedish fare.
Then, back to the hotel room. This was the 2nd night in the country, and as always happens to me, the second night is harder to sleep through than the first. The first night, I'm exhausted from the overnight flight. The second night, the jet lag can kick in.
Today is our last day in Stockholm, and we plan to take a boat tour of the city before visiting the old town.
If you liked the pictures here, there are many more in my flickr space at http://www.flickr.com/photos/snicholson/sets/72157624663658936/