Stockholm, Sweden

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I arrive in Stockholm, considered the capital of Scandinavia, and I was glad to be here. It was a little uneasy coming from Oslo, due to the bus situation instead of the normal train commute, but all worked out. I now search for my hostel, and luckily I found rather quickly with only a few hiccups along the way. I had a bit of a wait to check in due to a backlog of people checking in at the same time. Come to find out, the three that were checking in before me were actually going to turn out to be my roommates, and seeing this, the guy at the front counter just checked us all in at the same time and read the rules where we all could hear. This hostel actually had different things you could purchase up front at a discounted rate, such as meatball dinner night on one night of the week, and a bicycle tour. I declined at this time, but in hindsight I should have probably considered purchasing the bicycle tour up front.

The hostel was a bit of a maze to find the rooms, however once you figure it out, all is good. An interesting fact concerning this hostel was that you leave your shoes at the door going towards your room. That was a bit different, for I only had the one pair of shoes with me, and my fear was that they would disappear, but I just went with the flow and left them there. I bet there were a hundred pair of shoes in the cubbies or just laying around. I tried to pick a spot that I would remember. Anyway, my room was in a good spot at the edge of a hall close to the main social/meeting room, and there was a bathroom right across the way. I get in my room, leave my bag, and off I go.

I walk toward the city center to get a lay of the land. This seems to always work for me, as sights and sounds become familiar, and helps me to become comfortable. I find the main street where many of the tourists are, and I just walk with the masses. After walking down a main and populated street, I wind up at the Royal Palace which was up on an inclined hill. I walk by it to get a quick look. For me, not knowing a whole lot about the city, I spend the next few hours just walking around and taking advantage of any photo opportunity available. I planned to take a free city walking tour in the morning time, so I decided to just find a place to hang out and relax for a while. I stand around and just listen to some street musicians. This can pass the time, and actually there were some pretty good ones. It was getting a bit late, and time for me to turn in, for tomorrow was going to be a full day.

I start the day off with a free walking tour of the city. What a beautiful day it was with the sun shining, and felt just great. The tour guide was very knowledgeable of the city, and she included history along the way as we went from place to place. I like to take the free walking tours, for there seems to be a script in things or places that the tour guide has to show you, but can deviate based on the tour guides knowledge of interesting places they really want you to see. There have been times where these are the best tours. The tour guide works for tips, and wants to give as much insight as they possibly can, and they are very approachable as far as if questions are asked. They seem to give a more personable feel, for they are normally enthusiastic, and want to do a good job. This tour finished just in time for me to make it to the Royal Palace to watch the changing of the guard. This is always a show, and is something that is pretty neat to experience. Most of these guards, both men and women, look so young to me, but they are so very serious about their jobs. Such precision goes into this ceremony, and most times it appears flawless. After watching this event, I make my way to the Old Town to look around and explore.

I decide to take another walking tour in mid afternoon which hi-lited Gamla Stan in the Old Town of Stockholm. Gamla Stan is the place to go to if one wants to see some of the historical older buildings. Dating back to the 13th century, this is where Stockholm was founded. Gamla Stan primarily consists of the island of Stadsholmen. Aside from being one of the largest, it also holds the distinction of being the best-preserved medieval city center in Europe. Everywhere you turn, there are medieval alleyways, cobbled streets, and archaic architecture of North German influence. A vast majority of the buildings date back from the 17th and 18th centuries. In order to soak in the atmosphere of the place, it is best to just walk around and see what there is to discover. Walking through the cobblestone paths, you will chance upon wonderful sights that you just would not see in the city where I am from in the United States. It felt like you’re walking around in a giant museum.

On this tour, we were taken to one of the most narrowest streets in the world, Mårten Trotzigs Gränd. The street descends down via flight of stairs, tapering as it goes down, to reach a mere 90 centimeters (35 inch). The alley is named after the merchant and burgher Mårten Trotzig (1559–1617), who immigrated to Stockholm in 1581, and bought properties in the alley and opened a shop there. He later become one of the richest merchants in Stockholm. I walked from one end to the other, and I tried to capture the experience with some photos. If people were coming from the opposite direction, it was best to wait until they made it to you, for the street will hardly handle two people walking opposite sides. It is just a very tight space. I stay in the Old Town for a little longer, and wait for my next adventure.

For the evening, I booked the Original Stockholm Ghost Walk and Historical Tour. I was actually quite excited about this tour, as from the brochure and on-line site, it looked like a lot of fun. I thought at first I was at the wrong place, for no one was there, but of course I was just early. I did start to see people with their tickets or confirmations, and then I knew I was okay. From out of an alley came a gentlemen wearing a top hat and in a suit. He also had a walking cane as well as a bag/briefcase with him, and I was not certain as to the contents. Never the less, this was our tour guide, and I was starting to get excited. He was a British gentlemen with a thick accent, and he told us that he moved to Stockholm due to having a Swedish wife. He went over the rules and he explained to us that we would learn about Gamla Stan's haunted history on this two hour ghost tour of Stockholm. He told us that we were to explore the medieval streets of Stockholm that were supposedly haunted by spirits of the past. He mentioned that he would also explain true accounts of murders, unsolved mysteries, myths and legends, and hear tales of spirits and vampires. Once it got dark, we would follow him with a lighted lantern down the narrow alleyways of Stockholm's oldest neighborhood, where history and mystery will come alive through his storytelling. By the light of his lantern, he mentioned he would both attempt to entertain and horrify us with tales of poltergeists, plagues, public executions and murders. We were to experience the past brought back to life as we smell, taste and see what medieval Stockholm might have been like. The tour started, and without going into more detail than I already did, it was fantastic. We walked down narrow alleyways and through tiny courtyards that most tourists and visitors never see. The tour guide was just great, and on point. He did not break character during the tour unless their were people that did not pay trying to just follow and listen in. He quickly told them this was a paid tour, which I thought was highly appropriate. The tour ended back close to where we started, and I decide to head in for the evening. What a fun day this was, and I knew tomorrow would be just as adventurous.

I awake the next morning, and I decided I wanted to take the hostel hosted bicycle tour. I have not ever done anything like this, and I thought what the heck. I go down to the reception area, and inquire about the tour. I was told they had sold out. This meant that they had sold all of the available bicycles. Then the person who checked me in originally, who coincidently was the bicycle tour guide, told me that he had a spare bicycle that I could use, although it was not as new or as good of shape as the others. I told him I would take it, and I asked him to get it ready. I go outside and see the other nice bicycles, and then they wheel out this older bicycle that looked like it may fall apart. More about this in a moment. We all line up outside the hostel, and the guide gives us some instructions about bicycling in Stockholm. He then tells us to pretty much keep up, and off we go. I could tell right away I probably would be having issues with this bike. We ride through the city all along while the guide stops and tells us of interesting facts. We go to the place where Olof Palme, Prime Minister of Sweden, was assassinated on 28 February 1986. There was a plaque commiserating the spot. Palme was fatally wounded by a single gunshot while walking home from a cinema with his wife on the central Stockholm street Sveavagen. The couple did not have bodyguards at the time, and the assailant never has been caught.

We continued riding around looking at interesting sites, and the last place the guide took us to was off the beaten path. I was thinking to myself as we were going off the main strip, and the path was a bit bumpy that my bicycle had already had the frame start to shake on the normal road, so I was wandering what this track of land would do. After a few tense moments for me, the group makes it to the resting spot. The guide takes out a thermos of coffee and some cookies, and asks the group to follow him on foot on a path up an incline going up some large rocks. What a surprise for me when we reached the top. The guide asked us to find a resting spot, offered the coffee and cookies, and told us to just take in the beauty of Stockholm. What beauty it was to behold. We were up on this rocky cliff overlooking the breathtaking view of Stockholm. I was amazed. I just sat and gazed out. Of course I took several photos, and after about fifteen minutes, we go back down to our bicycles for the conclusion of this tour. On the ride back, I fell behind two times, for my chain came off. Once I was on the main road, but luckily I was able to get to the sidewalk area. I was a little scared and nervous, but I did make it back to the hostel. I was happy to be back, and I was even happier that I did this tour. What a wonderful experience.

I must say, this was a wonderful stop for me on this years European vacation. Stockholm has a lot to offer, and I only scratched the surface. The time I spent here definitely was not enough, but I am thankful that I put this city on my itinerary. I hope to come here again some day to enjoy this wonderful and beautiful city.

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