Touring Stockholm
The Winery Hotel was near our friend's home, but not near their workplace. Barry and I navigated the public transportation system to make our way down to the harbor area where Mattias worked. We could see a bus outside our hotel window and determined we could pick it up just outside the hotel because it was aiming in the right direction. Boy, were we wrong! The bus went WAY out of the way. We sensed we'd made a mistake as we toured through the countryside. After what seemed like an eternity, the bus stopped. It had run it's full course and everyone was off ... the driver came back to us to see where we thought we were going. He helped us by telling us to wait on the bus until he started the next route... and get off at a particular stop to catch a different bus. We were so far out of where we intended! When we finally made it, we had a little walk to get to the office and passed the Hay Market (which was also slightly out of the way but we were happy we got to see it).
A rare sunny day had many residents walking and riding bikes. The outdoor cafe's were full, faces were all smiles!
I love the architecture in this city. It is a combination of old and new. My favorite buildings are the ones that aren't just square... they have rounded corners that give them character. Also, the tops of so many structures have spires or domes and I LOVE that!
We finally made it to Mattias' office. It was next to a small mall. The center had a restaurant, seafood market, vegetable stand and flower shop. We also noticed that our friend was featured on a billboard in the mall... he was modeling men's suits!
We headed to lunch by walking through streets lined with colorful flats. Sometimes the lighting on buildings change the whole feel of a town...
Hmmm... which way is this sign telling us to go? We have NO idea! We used google instead and followed a path toward the harbor. We were planning to eat at a seaside, outdoor restaurant because the weather was so fantastic!
We walked by Nordiska Museum. It had a complete history of Sweden and specifically Stockholm.
You'll see throughout my travels, I have a thing for doorways. This one caught my eye because of the ivy growing on it. The intricate woodwork made it a work of art.
We happened upon Josefina's on the waterfront. Located between the Nordiska Museum and the Vasa Museum. We were walking through the area and stopped for lunch. With living room style seating on the waterfront, we were so comfortable, we spent hours. Cocktails on a sunny day in this spot was incredible. Apparently, this place gets crazy at night... as a nightclub. I had the chicken salad with big chunks of chicken with red and yellow tomatoes.
After lunch, we headed toward Old Town. We crossed the bridge into the predominately pedestrian area. I love the surrounding architecture.
I love walking towns. We almost stayed down here and would love to do that sometime. The brick arches and spires are picturesque.
We passed this tea house with an outside seating area. The first thing I noticed with the service set. It reminded me of the cups and saucers my Grandma had when I was a kid. Dainty and colorful, I love these old tea sets!
We stopped for our afternoon cappuccino. Crowded inside, we chose to sit outside in the space saving street side seating area.
The architecture of European churches never ceases to amaze me. The high arched and beautifully painted ceilings are ornate. The craftsmanship of the pews and tile floors was stunning... and to think it was built so long ago.
Lit candles and stained glass created a photographers dream. The sun shining through the glass illuminated so many colors. Ornate wall art and candle holders added to this historical building. This church is still used by the Royal Family.
After the Changing of the Guard, a band began to perform near the Royal Palace. They were very talented. The age variation surprised me. They really seemed to enjoy themselves and drew quite a crowd!
Cobbled streets wound through the heart of Old Town. Businesses at street level and flats on upper levels, these alleyway pedestrian area fill the island. Every alleyway was filled with tourists and locals.
We were told that on days like we had... sunny and no clouds, the streets fill with locals. They walk and ride bikes from one location to another. At happy hour, the sidewalk bars fill up. There was a celebratory air in the town... all because of this sun shiny day! Boy did we get lucky!
