We arrived safely in Stockholm yesterday
afternoon (Monday, May 31) after a relatively easy two-stage flight that
included a short stop in Iceland, just long enough to stretch our legs and
clear the customs/immigration process for the entire European Union. With
so many nations now participating in this economic collective travel throughout
most of Europe is a snap, with porous borders and no need to show passports or
papers.
While we had anticipated rather
dreary weather, our raincoats packed for quick access, we were very pleasantly
surprised to find Stockholm enjoying a mild, sunny day, with only a slight
breeze to remind us that it's still spring this far north. This not only made
getting to our hostel an easy task, but provided extra encouragement to get out
and explore, once we were successfully checked in, and explore we did,
beginning with the section of the city known as "Gammel Stan" (Old
Town). Stockholm lies on a series of islands, and Gammel Stan represents
the least changed since the 17th century, with its labyrinth of narrow
cobblestone streets and old buildings housing antique shops, clothing boutiques
and countless little businesses selling nearly everything imaginable. Of
course, this is also one of the city's biggest tourist attractions, so it's
often jammed with people. We're here just early enough, however, to have found
the district easily navigable.
The first order of business, however,
was food, and after a small amount of deliberation, the group determined to give
"Swedish" pizza a try. While this differs from its American and
Italian counterparts in several significant ways, perhaps most startling is the
rather odd combinations of toppings available. A pizza with sliced
bananas, pineapple, ham and curry, anyone? Our own Chris thought this was
just the ticket, and powered through it in no time, saying several times how
surprised he was that no one else in the group had ordered it, too.
Once properly refueled, we began or study of the district
properly, wending our way up and down the streets, occasionally encountering
lovely open squares with cafes arrayed along the perimeter. Most of these were
offering outdoor serving, complete with blankets to stay warm as the
temperature hovered in the low 60s.
If this seems a bit extreme, keep in mind that sunshine is a precious
commodity in this part of the world, where winters are not only long and cold,
but dark as well. We're currently
on approximately the same latitude as Anchorage, just to give you a reference
point.
Today, after treating ourselves to a proper Swedish
breakfast (large), we headed to the Vasa Museum, which houses a remarkably
well-preserved 17th century warship that sank on its maiden voyage
in 1628. It remained on the bottom
of the Stockholm harbor for more than three centuries before an enterprising
Swedish maritime engineer located it and figured out a way to raise it
successfully to the surface again.
Thanks to the cold, brackish waters, most of the ship was intact, and
today it certainly qualifies as the only one of its kind. One enters the museum not quite sure
what to expect, only to be presented with an enormous wooden ship (65 meters
long), seemingly suspended in space in a very large, dimly lighted room, ringed
with different viewing mezzanines and platforms. I have no idea how many times I've visited this museum over
the years--certainly enough to know what to anticipate--and it still takes my
breath away every time I walk in and see the Vasa hovering as though freshly
resurrected from its untimely passing.
Since this museum presents a very difficult act to follow,
and given yet another fine, sunny day, we decided to spend the rest of the
afternoon simply exploring more of Stockholm on foot, strolling through
residential and commercial districts, enjoying the sights and sounds of a
foreign city. I won't presume to list the highlights from a student
perspective, but I think it's safe to say that no one was disappointed.
We leave Stockholm tomorrow on a route that will take us north on a rather circuitous route, as we head for the Arctic Circle and Jokkmokk, the town that will be our home base for two weeks of study and exploration.
RJB
