Bunny and her friends popped to Stockholm, Sweden. We might scoff at people who confuse Sweden with Switzerland but tbh they aren’t completely off. Both countries are incredibly organised and clean, both are freaking expensive to live/ eat, and both speak a language that reads like German but doesn’t sound like it at all. But Sweden seemed even better than Switzerland in many ways – the toilets were quite often gender neutral, meaning no long queues in front of the ladies and yet they were always clean, and the food, my god, beyond amazing! Never felt this way about raclette and fondue.
We popped into Sweden (from Switzerland) with a late flight, had troubles ubering (Uber is new in Sweden woo), but finally managed to reach our lovely hotel at 2 am with a taxi driver who was most probably really good at “Need For Speed” (the video game). The next morning, determined to make the most of our 48 hours in Stockholm, we stuffed ourselves at the amazing breakfast buffet at the hotel and made our way to the Vasa Museum.
Here, they have a genuine 17th century ship (Vasa) dry docked in all its glory with many intricate sculptures and cannons and all. This ship barely made it 1.4 km from the shore before sinking- not the finest moment in Swedish engineering. But the distance from the shore and the depth of the water it landed in was just right to save it till the late 1950s when it was found. While all the ships of the same era that actually sailed, all their traces are pff.. gone with the wind (sailboat pun). On the Vasa, they found well preserved bodies, with clothes and shoes on and money in pockets. That must have been a Pompeii like moment for historians – getting to see a snapshot of life back then. The museum was very interesting but a bit too crowded as well.
There were other museums nearby that could have been very interesting but the weather was incredible (22dgC), so we decided to walk some more (what’s with white bunnies and walking) to see more neighbourhoods of Stockholm. Our lunch was at Swedish restaurant, Hantverket, which I cannot recommend enough.
In the afternoon we walked some more, hung out at a park (which Stockholm seems to have many of), and window shopped crazily expensive Swedish design shops (furniture and men’s shoes) in the Östermalms area. We also obviously had to visit the very famous indoor food market there (Östermalmshallen), where my only memory will be the strong fish smell we were greeted by.
Then we went to watch Manon, a ballet, at the royal Swedish opera, all golden inside (as expected) but the show was really really good.
Post opera, we tried to enter a secret bar called, Lucy’s flower shop, which had no name/ billboard outside, just a residential looking door but we were turned away much to the dismay of one of the girls (“but why?!”). Anyway, if you manage to enter, please drop me a line how and if it was worth it (wait don’t, of course it wouldn’t be).
New day, another sumptuous breakfast, quick sketch by the sea side, and walking through the neighbourhoods on island Kvarteret Luna. Here in the touristic lanes of Västerlånggatan, the prices were much more affordable and the sandwiches very appetising looking, so we just went for it, making ourselves and our suitcases a good deal heavier and our banks much lighter.
We did some more walking through the Hornsgatan neighbourhood which had this incredible view of Stockholm. Finally it felt special!
All in all Stockholm felt like a nice, very liveable city. There weren’t any big highlights or must sees, yet one could spend a lot of time there, admiring the cool quietness of the people, the city, and Swedish design. These 48 hours, they were worth it.
bunnygoespoppoppop 