Stockholm- Striped And Checked

Say Stockholm and I think of impossibly blue water and cerulean sky, a quietness in the very air that’s always crisp and fresh and an underground that is lit. Serene Stockholm packed in loads of surprises.

I was in rapture from the moment my flight landed at the airport.

Floored!

The airport was a delightful surprise right from its beautiful patterned striped floor to its huge super clean toilets. And it was quiet! I almost could imagine what it was like to wander in a dystopian world minus any people. I confess, I dawdled trying to take in everything. I was literally the last one to exit.

Honestly, after hot and loud India and Italy, Sweden was a stark contrast in every way.

What a surreal feeling!

Fluttering flags.

The checked flags of the Nordic countries and one EU, right outside the Stockholm Arlanda airport.

This was my ‘pinch me, I’m dreaming’ moment. I was really there.

Journey to the centre of the earth .

The underground in Stockholm was my favourite and so was riding its escalators. From rainbow stairs (blogged earlier here) to those of gleaming steel, I thought they moved at lightning speed. Ok, not lightning but fast enough for me to go, “Yay!”

Also did I mention they were steep, going right into the bowels of the Earth.

Swedish Titanic, Vasa

The Vasa came sailing in . That’s the Swedish Titanic that sank in its maiden voyage right in the bay where it was launched. After 300 years in water, it was not only raised and restored but had a whole museum dedicated to it.

Now that is some chequered history.

Carved lines .

This was a fine Viking home to take a break from all the walking in the Skansen Museum. Check out its fine lines and carvings. Stunning, right?

The Museum was a time travel machine to the historical past with a complete township and people dressed in that era manning the shops to sell their wares. It even had a zoo with live animals and an aquarium.

Talk about a complete package.

Stripes &Checks !

I remember the time was 6pm for that’s when the shops shut down in this gorgeous city. With the sun beating, all we could do was stroll and eye the magnificent new age buildings around.

This cube building is famous, or not but it looked fabulous. Let’s say, the checks and the stripes of Stockholm’s architecture landscape had me dazzled.

From Fika break, boat rides in the Baltic watching how the locks worked, to sitting under the twilight till 1 am , this city had me bewitched. I call it my wonderland of calm.

“Maybe that’s enlightenment enough:

to know that there is no final resting place of the mind;

No moment of smug clarity.

Perhaps wisdom…is realising how small I am , and unwise , and how far I have yet to go.”

– Anthony Bourdain

To new horizons and Stockholm, cheers!

Lens Artist Photo Challenge: Striped and checked