Ohhhh, Stockholm!
How do I begin to describe the most beautiful city I have ever laid eyes on? Inadequately I presume. I truly wonder at those that get to call this place home. Do they ever get tired of looking at this city? Do they see what I see? I think the builders of this city must have been competing with each other to build the most aesthetically pleasing block imaginable...over and over again.
But let’s start at how I am able to visit this gorgeous metropolis. Well, it just so happens that one of my childhood friends from little Santa Fe, Texas has been living here for the last 10 years. She has started her own chain of ice cream stores throughout Stockholm and is known here as “Stikki Nikki”.
Nikki graciously offered to let me stay at her apartment in Gamla Stan, or Old Town, for the few days I was there last week. Am I ever grateful! It was so great to reconnect with an old friend, and for her to share what life has been like here as a fellow Texan! She has a motto though, and it’s not for the faint of heart, so get ready. “Fit in, or fuck off.” Plainly put, and not wasted on me. I get that I need to do the work to speak the language and learn the culture of my new home. I intend to relish in it actually, and will share more about my efforts to introduce myself to Swedish culture in the next couple of posts.
Here is Nikki showing me where to get my vitamins, supplements and other specialty health items... all very important to me!
She was a wonderful hostess, I hope to visit her as often as I am able with my busy school schedule! Next, I want to show you all her hood... in my opinion, it’s the most interesting in the city due to it’s status as the oldest part of town. A lot like Lund, the medieval layout surprises you around every corner, and is forever charming.
This was the walk over the bridge into Gamla Stan.
The next few pictures are from streets in Old Town.
You can see the pink Stikki Nikki banner in the picture above, and below is a closer view of her store in Gamla Stan.
I think I will leave everyone with ice cream. There is so much more, but I am going to regroup and reorganize. Stay tuned for royalty, ill-fated voyages, and the home to the nine-party political system of Sweden!