Scandinavian Trip- Day 8 - Stockholm

Checking the weather in Stockholm left us disappointed. Instead of the -2 to -7 we were expecting (based on forecast a week ago), it was expected to be a scorching 6 degrees! We actually didnt know how many layers to wear and whether thermals were required for this weather. However given that we didnt have a place to change over and our checkin to the hostel in Stockholm is not until evening, we decided to play it safe. 

Arriving at the airport and breezing through security, we paused for a bit to get some coffee and pastries, trying out the famous local filter coffee Julha Mokka. Mixed with a bit of milk, it felt very light but had an unique taste to it. I also realised that while for most Asians going to the airport is almost a celebratory event in itself, likely a start of a vacation or a trip, for Europeans it feels like just another transport hub, akin to a bus station, a means of getting from Point A to Point B. It also means that things have to be very efficient, for example the airplane boarding time is only 15 mins, from 30 min to 15 min before departure. I sense it's an office commute for some of the people, between various European cities. 

After a quick 50 min hopover on the flight, we landed at Stockholm Arlanda airport. Immediately we could see the difference between the other Scandinavian capital cities and Stockholm, which seemed to be a bit more multi-cultural and laid back. We got our baggage and immediately indulged in the Swedish Fika culture, with a coffee and pastry to start the day. The Arlanda express was quite convenient to get to the city, with the platform right below the arrival hall and the train taking just 18 mins getting up to 180kmph. However, the train doors closed quite fast after we got in, so we were debating if the train conductor manually operated the doors or if we have to rush the next time. 

Stockholm is a beautiful city spread across 14 islands, decked in typical European decor and Roman style architecture. We checked into Generator Stockholm,  a hostel 5 min walk from the Central Station. They were kind enough to allow us free early checkin in lieu of a Google review. We dumped the luggage and had a quick break, before heading out to town. We had a hectic one day on Stockholm,  so I was desperate to cover as much as possible. I got a one day SL pass for transit and one day Go City pass for attractions, which was a good choice in minimising wait times and payment struggles in public transport. 

We started off by walking a bit and taking the tram 7 from T-Centralen. I felt it could have been better planned by integrating the Central Station and tram station, so that people are not exposed to the elements, but maybe it was built at different times and it wasn't feasible to do. This was the first time any of us have taken the tram, so it was an experience. The tram meandered slowly along the streets. It was interesting that it shared the same track as the bus with slightly staggered stops for each. 

The tram took us straight to Skansen, the first open air museum in the world and spread across a fairly large area in Djurgarden island. There are many houses inside playing host to a variety of things from showcasing different trades (glass blowing, pottery, engineering, bakery etc) to a children's zoo to nordic animal exhibits and a Baltic Sea Science Centre cum aquarium. We could have spent the whole day just there but we kinda rushed through to see a few more attractions. The exhibits were interactive in nature and we had real life demonstrations of the trades that the children were awestruck by. 

Reluctantly we came out and took a bus a couple of stops to the Nordiska Museum and Vasa Museum. The Nordiska Museum is an imposing building with a majestic structure. The walls were so sturdy and smooth, with beautiful sculptues adorning the outside and inside of the building, showing exceptional artisanship. The museum showcases the Nordic lifestyle specifically over the last 500 years, and more broadly from the Viking times, through pictures, clothing, changing kitchen decors and artefacts. 

The museum is on 4 levels, with different themes. The lower level was dedicated to the Arctic lifestyle and climate, almost like a quick recap of Arktikum. We enjoyed a sumptuous lunch at the restaurant cafe there, maybe ordering one too many cookies to chew, which we took away finally. The food quality was really good, so we gorged on soups with bread, fresh and crisp salads and pastries. We realised some Indians and Africans doing jobs like serving or cleaning dishes, but the locals are equally upto it and don't look down on any job. However, immigration does help supplement the man power needs in this country. 

    

Just behind the Nordiska Museum is the Vasa Museum, with the roof struggling to contain the huge mast of the imposing ship that's the pride of Sweden. Commissioned by King Vasa, it bears an uncanny resemblance to Titanic, a giant of the times that was awe inspiring and gargantuan, with beautiful and colourful sculptures adorning the ship, precious artefacts being carried inboard, loaded with an impressive 64 guns to strike fear on the enemy, and listed and sank on its maiden voyage within 1km, drowning dozens of people. The inquiry commission chaired by the King's brother didn't find much fault either, it was just too heavy at the top and not enough sandbagging at the bottom decks below sea level to balance it out. 

However, its an impressive giant that spans 7 stories tall. We can spend hours admiring the 700+ intricate carvings commissioned from a German sculptor or the way they have done the biggest salvage and restoration operation of all times of a 300 year old ship. This restoration is a continuous and arduous task, from replacing all the water content in the wood with a chemical but at the same not allowing the wood to dry out that it breaks apart. They also need to periodically replace the iron nails holding it together using stainless steel ones and the ropes from breaking apart. Still 98% of the ship is original, which is mighty impressive!

My son and daughter were both feeling sick at this point, with my son vomiting a couple of times, so we had to change the plan to take them back to the hostel before going out to sample Gamla Stan, the old city, and foraging for some South Indian Dosa and Idly as comfort food that would make them feel better. 

We walked a short distance just in time to catch a bus to Gamla Stan. It's a very lively place filled with Christmas decor and busy shops selling souvenirs and other items, and a bustling Christmas market. It was a shame that since it was a bit late, all the attractions had closed. We strolled through to the Royal Palace to take some photos and then walked around the corner to find the Nobel Prize Museum.  

There was a Christmas Square in front of it, where we gorged on some local delicacies like sweet roasted nuts and candies and waffles. There was even a shop taking photos of the Iris and making a pendant or artwork from that. We also went to a Science Fiction book store, where I browsed through my favorite authors. There was a book on Norse mythology that I was tempted to buy before I settled in on a non-fiction about Black holes by Brian Cox. It was too advanced to be a casual read so saved it for later back home. 

We strollled to the edge of Gamla Stan before realising its 6pm and the kids have to be fed. There was one south Indian we could find 1km from the hostel so we went in search of it. We were asked to transfer at T-Centralen to 17, 18 or 19 but we couldn't find any such buses. Confounded, we searched an alternate route through the Metro line. The train stations were generally less tidy than the rest of the places. We quickly realised that the Central Station is a labyrinth of lines and platforms, so it look us a while to find the right train, only to realise that the connecting train numbers were 17,18 and 19! Anyway, we ended up taking the first train to realise we were going in the wrong direction and ended up in Gamla Stan! The directional signs are not very intuitive and we took some time to get used to how to navigate the train lines here. We took the right train this time and a few stations later, we found the South Indian restaurant. 

While waiting we stocked up on some essentials from Pressbyran, which is a convenience store like 7-11 that is ubiquitous in Stockholm, its there everywhere from train stations to neighbourhood streets. 7-11 stores are also there, but few in comparison. We took the train to central station and walked back home only to find the kids fast asleep. We managed to get one up with some cajoling and eat dinner, but the other was flat out. 

Stockholm definitely is the most beautiful city we have been to so far on this trip, the first city that seemed fully decked up for Christmas,  and definitely warrants more than a day of exploration with its variety of museums and castles and palaces. However, we did manage to cover most forms of local transportation, missing out on only the ferry. 

Tomorrow we will be taking the local high speed train to Malmo early at 9am, so we all went off to get a good night's sleep.