In the summer of 2015, for one month, I wandered my way through the north. From Singapore, I flew out to Stockholm, via Istanbul, via Copenhagen and landed in the land of the Midnight Sun. With a skeletal itinerary, I planned only a few days ahead, listening to a call out of time. This is a series of three articles about this month-long journey - Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.
Sweden Itinerary ::
Round trip on Turkish Airlines from Singapore to Copenhagen via Istanbul
Transit in Copenhagen and onward to Stockholm on Norwegian Air
Stockholm originally four nights, changed to 6, with one night in Vaxholm
Quick links :: First Midnight Sun | Gamla Stan | Seeing Stockholm | Stockholm Eats | Vaxholm | Stockholm Highlights
Stockholm
Hilton Stockholm Slussen (4 nights) – Guldgränd 8, walking distance to Gamla Stan, Old Town
Scandic Hotel (1 Night)
Interesting things about Stockholm
* Stockholm is on 14 islands that are connected by 57 bridges
* The cobbled-stoned Old Town, Gamla Stan, is pedestrian-only
* Grona Lund, the oldest amusement park in Sweden, goes all the way back to 1883
* Inventor Alfred Nobel requested that the Nobel Prizes in literature, medicine, chemistry, and physics be awarded in this city and so it has each year since 1901 on December 10 which is the anniversary of his death.
* Fika is a coffee break in Swedish, an idea – a lifestyle – that goes beyond having a cup of coffee. It’s about taking a break, slowing down, and appreciating life, whether you are all by yourself or with friends. Coffee or tea, paired with some scrumptious pastry.
* Metro stations are actually an art gallery, filled with all types of artwork since the 1950s. It’s quite a sight to be welcomed when you ride the train from the airport into the city, which is super easy and visitor-friendly.
* Yes, there is a whole museum dedicated to ABBA.
* IKEA, opened in 1965 and is nearly 600,000 square-feet of wonderland in Stockholm, is surprisingly not the largest in the world, which is in South Korea.
* Meatballs for the People is a kids-, dog-, and vegan-friendly restaurant in Stockholm. Vegan! Yes they serve up vegan balls as well as salmon balls for people who do not eat or like meatballs made of reindeer, moose, or wild boar.
* “Allemansrätten” or the Right of Public Access, is granted to everyone by the Swedish constitution. This means everyone has free access to the outdoors, to walk, cycle, ski, camp, ride, and wander on any land. This right to roam is similar in other Nordic countries, Scotland and the Baltic countries.
Nearly 20 hours after leaving Singapore, all I wanted to do was to shed my tired travel clothes, grab a hot shower, dig into some good food, and sleep. Frankly I was surprised I was still upright. Barely.
Head » Better get some rest for a good start. A nice shower for those tired cramped-up muscles.
Heart » I’m in Sweden! Yes, I’ve had past lives here and it feels so familiar, like London.
Stomach » Need. Food. NOW.
Thankfully I didn’t have to choose. By the time room service got there (and they were pretty fast), I was showered and comfortably robed. In bed, I turned on the TV and tucked into what would become a favourite – soup and fish. Then off to la-la land. 〈 Girls and boys, this is not the way to go – sleeping on a full stomach! If you must, hold your thumb. This helps digestion. 〉 So holding my thumb, I sank like a rock into deep, deep reverie of slumber.
First Midnight Sun
Somehow I did not sleep through the night I was so tired and the bed so comfortable. It was 11:30pm when my eyes popped open. The skies were a magnificent sunset that never really happens this time of the year, because of how north we are. Suddenly propelled by energy that comes from the excitement of being in a new place, I headed out to a vantage point recommended by the concierge. The promised view of the city was indeed breathtaking. My first Midnight Sun.
Gamla Stan
The next day I got up early for a morning service at Storkyrkan (“The Great Church”), the oldest church in Old Town. The Hilton was just a short walk from the cobble-stone streets of Gamla Stan, where the Nobel Museum is also located. The town squares, picturesque with famously colourful buildings, are filled with people filling up on Vitamin D.
The Church of St Nicholas (Sankt Nikolai kyrka) or informally Stockholm Cathedral (Stockholms domkyrka) is a beautiful Gothic/Baroque/Medieval testament. The service given in Swedish was intimate as we stood in a small circle at the back. Thankfully a friendly lady – what a smile and soft presence – whispered brief explanations. I only caught a word here and there.
I felt the energy, their love for God. And that was enough, standing in this historic church that was so quiet and radiant. After lighting a candle at the end of the service, I walked around, so many details to take in. The way the light bathed the sculptures, the altar, and even this small bench in the corner was otherworldly.
I am not religious and do not attend service of any kind at home. When I travel, I love visiting holy places. It is a doorway, a glimpse, into the people wherever I am. I am immensely awed by the faith, love, and devotion people have, in their ability to dedicate their lives to something unknown, something bigger than themselves, and to the buildings they erected in the name of that love.
I had originally booked just a couple of nights in Stockholm, before leaving for Northern Norway. Walking around this fairytale city (complete with its fairytale wedding), I wanted to stay and explore more, absorb more. I booked a one-night interlude excursion to Vaxholm on the archipelago and one more night in the city at Scandic (Hilton was already fully booked).
Seeing Stockholm
Over the next few days, I saw more of Stockholm. I took the city two-decker tourist bus, and joined tours wherever I could. I love riding in these buses, – are they all red? – for an overview and mapping of a new city.
Riding on the top gives me a different perspective than walking on the sidewalk. I always get to see more this way – people relaxing at a park, children in play, people walking their dogs … daily life.
Some of the places I visited were “the usual suspects” – the Royal Palace, the Nobel Peace Museum, City Hall, the Opera House … I also stumbled onto the royal wedding of HRH Prince Carl Philip.
Some of the Royal Palace was off limits, like the Royal Chapel, for the preparations. I returned after the wedding as it is definitely a must-see.
I don’t come from a country with royalty though technically the Queen of England is the head of Canada. Like many people I have ambivalent views, and sometimes conflicting feelings, about the monarchy. Anyhow, it was interesting to see this rare occasion (now that all the royal children are married), with all the practice drills, dignitaries arriving by horse and carriage, and the excitement for the royal wedding. It somehow made my stay in Stockholm more special, being marked by history I suppose. Though it was more than that…
Something was in the air, and it wasn’t just the few days of summer. As a Canadian, I understand the joy that comes with the sun.
I am not sure what held my heart here. It was history, fresh air, being somewhere new and yet familiar … and the full sensorial experience of eating. Ah, yes. I would discover many meals of fish and “green” soup here in Scandinavia. For meat lovers out there, you have a far bigger range to sample.
Eating My Way Through Stockholm
At the Opera House Brasseriet, aside from a couple of people having a beer at the bar, I had the whole place to myself. The terrace was empty and quiet above the city traffic below, with an amazing view.
Sometimes we forget to slow down and just drink in with all the senses, don’t we? And when we do, it awakens us, transforming the mundane into spiritual and sacred. This act of self-care and self-love opens up for a full embodiment and grounding and so wantonly opens up the gates for other people to connect.
After the tour at City Hall, I went looking for the Stadshuskällaren Restaurant, which surprised me with a rather humble and non-descript entrance. I almost missed it. I love the understated beauty and elegance of the Scandinavian culture.
Through the door of what you may expect to be a pub, you descend below and all of a sudden, it feels like you are in the hall of an ancestral home. Anytime now someone will enter with their Scottish Deerhound. It was earthen and dark with a warm glow, like a womb. It felt like a secret and I was initiated. Known previously as the Eldkvarn Room, the dining room was where the city’s officials once had their breakfast. Imagine all that had gone on here. Talk about a private club.
The beauty of dining alone is the silence and the complete focus on your own experience. Not everyone enjoys being alone – I love it, to be honest and I suppose people assume you don’t, given the number of times I’ve been offered magazines. To be honest again, I always have a book, always catching up on something it seems, fertilizing the mind.
While businessmen and ladies chatted with good cheer over their lunch, I sat in the first booth, taking in the whole atmosphere. I started with a glass of champagne, the gazpacho on green tomatoes with blackened rainbow trout, and finished with the dessert served at the 2014 Nobel Prize dinner. Mousse and sorbet on wild dewberries from Gotland, with saffron pannacotta, and browned butter sponge cake.
Vaxholm
Waxholms Hotell (1 night) – Hamngatan 2 (just at the pier) about 1 hour on the Waxholmsbolaget ferry from Stockholm
Vaxholm is about an hour away by ferry. Being so close to Stockholm, it really is a popular destination, even for a day excursion, and a well-worth one. The ferry schedule was frequent enough that I decided to head down to the pier with my overnight bag to get my ticket without pre-booking. The wait was short and before long, I was boarding with an eclectic group of people and dogs. It would have been interesting to hear all their stories.
I stayed at Waxholms Hotell, the only hotel on the island. It is conveniently located right at the pier and my room looked out onto the water. After the ferry left, the world returned to the sounds of children running around with their ice cream, people laughing drinking their beer in the café below, and the occasional dog bark.
I sat on the balcony, soaking in the sun and the Swedish air, watching people walk by on this main thoroughfare. Some must have been like me, their stomach eagerly waiting for dinner. That night, I ate at the hotel, a delicious meal of soup, fresh bread, and fish.
The next morning, after a breakfast buffet at the hotel, I left to explore the town, heading for Café Hembygdsgårdens (Trädgårdsgatan 19 Phone: +46-854131980) which is known for its pastries. By the time I found it, this garden café by the water, people were already filling the tables. I looked at what they were eating, at the tables with trays and trays of confectionary, at the counters with stacks and stacks of food, at what people ordered and carried away. What to choose?
Vaxholm is perfect for a day trip. The town has lots of small shops to browse. I had to be mindful not to shop, less than a week into a month-long trip. I only had a small suitcase and one carry-one though I packed an extra bag, just in case. I did take home this super cute green and white blanket with a cat design, for my cat. She still sleeps on it. Sometimes.
If you have time be sure to sail out to the archipelago, a quintessential Swedish pastime. If not for a few days, then an overnight trip or even a day trip.
Highlights of Stockholm
Meeting Michael the dog at the Royal Chapel, lunch on the terrace at the Opera House Brasseriet, seeing my first Midnight Sun, lunch at the Stadshuskällaren, sitting in the sun and wind on the ferry to Vaxholm, getting lost in the streets and finding interesting shops, the mystical experience at Storkyrkan.
More info – Nobel Prize Museum | Royal Swedish Opera House | Stadshuskällaren Restaurant | Royal Palace of Stockholm | ABBA Museum | Meatballs for the People | Visit Stockholm | Storkyrkan | Stockholm Archipelago | Museum of Mediterranean and Near Eastern Antiquities | Arlanda Express – Stockholm/Airport
