Stockholm

Stockholm must be one of the most beautiful cities in the world although I confess to not being that well travelled and so cannot be absolutely certain.  It is its location that is so stunning, built on a dozen or so islands at the edge of the Baltic Sea but with thousands of other islands in the archipelago protecting the inhabitants from the rougher weather that other coastal cities have to endure.  There are so many islands you could spend a lifetime sailing between them and still not visit them all.  It is a green city, with many parks and open spaces.  Tthere are trees everywhere clinging to small hills and rocky outcrops and everything is surrounded by water.  It is as if nature is encroaching into the city or rather that the city is encroaching into nature. 

The architecture is beautiful as well with majestic older buildings at its centre, in around the old town on the Gamla Stan.  The buildings are best seen from a boat on the water and the water is best seen through a window.  It is as if they were made for each other, made to be seen together.

You can imagine then that when a friend of mine offered us the use of his flat which was only a ten minute walk away from the centre of the city we were straight onto Ryan Air for a cheap flight to Skavsta. 

I’ve visited the city on several occasions with work and mostly in the early spring when it was cold and when there was ice on the surface of the sea water but this time it was different.  I wasn’t at work, it was summer and the weather was fine and it was warm, really nice and warm.  It was so warm in fact that we had to sleep at night with the windows open and we were kept awake by the usual city noises, sirens wailing, delivery lorries and revellers coming home in the early hours.  But on top of these were the shrieks of the laughing gulls or Skratt Møs which are notorious for the noises they make soon after sun rise.

We did all the usual tourist stuff, visited museums, took a couple of boat trips and did some shopping but not much at those prices!). We ate out and drank out and enjoyed the company of the relaxed and convivial Stockholmers who were polite, courteous (unlike the people of most capital cities) and who encouraged me when I attempted my meagre Swedish.

Stockholm is a beautiful city both when it is cold and when it is hot.  I would recommend to anyone that they visit and I am looking forward to the time when I get the chance to go back again.