two days in Sweden...

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I actually had no intention of going to Sweden. My housemate and very good travel companion managed to buy tickets for only £15.00. So....off to Stockholm we went, the capital of Sweden.

With no high hopes and no expectations of what I would find in this city, I didn't find much. 

It was cold and raining for the entire time I was there, which didn't make my experience any more magical. And not to sound too cynical, as far as tourism goes, Stockholm to Sweden is really what Canberra is to Australia. It is a city, with not very much for tourists to do or see at all.

Stockholm Palace was the highlight of my weekend and about the only notable historical building there to see. On my little walk to the centre of the city, I found myself being followed by a large marching band. I then decided to follow them! Turned out, that they were on their way to the Palace for the changing of the guard’s ceremony, and it seemed that I had a front row view.

I did manage to explore the shops though and found the city to be almost built on two layers...an underground city as well as the city above. Very odd…but for a city that spends much of the year with cold dark weather, it is very ingenious!

Nobody warned me of how expensive Sweden is! Oh my Lord! I am almost thankful that I was only there a couple of days, as any longer and I would have been in huge debt. Not the place to find a bargain or do your Christmas shopping. But there were some amazing gift ideas and designs of new fancy contraptions in their stores.....then I remembered...this is the home of IKEA!

With the rain pouring down...I searched for things to do inside. Then I came across a vodka Ice Bar! A bar made totally out of ice! There are a few in the world now... (there is even one back in London)...but this was the original! So...to find something to do inside away from the rain and cold....I rugged up and braved -5 degrees temperatures for 40 minutes...strange I know. Everything in the bar was made out of ice…EVERYTHING! The bar and the chairs to sit on were ice...even the glasses to drink out of were ice. No need to wash the glasses up for the next person...they simply melt and pour them down the sink.

Still pouring down outside...I went in search for more indoor activities. Having seen so many museums and galleries over the last few months, I decided to skip on traditional touristy things and headed for the chocolate and lolly aisle in a local supermarket in search of some amazingly delicious weird yet wonderful Swedish treats...and I found some! yumm.

I think I would have enjoyed Stockholm more if the weather had of been nicer...but even so...I am glad that I went there and discovered that there is no need for me to ever go back. Be it the best or worst £15 I ever spent, at least I had the opportunity to explore a little part of another country and escaped London for the weekend.

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