December 7, 2017

A Swell Swedish Stay in Stockholm

And onward to Stockholm! With only two full days in this beautiful city we wanted to make the most of it from the get-go, including fully immersing ourselves in something quintessentially Swedish. Thus we were staying at the ABBA themed Pop House Hotel and Museum! I know, I know, this music is from our parents’ generation but I can still remember listening to these songs growing up. And no matter who you are, I’m sure you can pick out the riffs and chorus to “Mamma Mia,” “Waterloo,” and “Money, Money, Money.”

Stockholm has an advanced transportation system with cable cars, busses, and a metro so it was easy to get around even though we were staying just outside the main center. We happened to have a tram stop right outside the hotel and usually caught the blue line right into the middle of town. Stockholm is an interesting city in which it is composed of a collection of islands connected by many bridges. It too is a candidate for the moniker “Venice of the North.”

Our first meal was admittedly not very Swedish (that will come later) but we passed an IKEA on the way so that makes it ok. We were craving Mexican food and ended up at La Neta which served authentic Mexican tacos and salsas. Mexican food in general is really making a name for itself in Scandinavia, it seems! The spice level created a party in our mouths that translated into some fun walking around the bustling (and cold) city later that evening.

We rested up for a full day to come, starting the next day with the Vasa Museum located on the same island as our hotel. The Vasa is a restored Swedish war ship from the 13th century which unfortunately sank in the harbor shortly after setting sail. It is the only ship from this time period that was able to be restored due to the level of preservation achieved when it sank into the silt. It is truly remarkable to see in person and is a source of pride for many Swedes. Many of them still remember where they were when the Vasa was raised from the sea!

Next we literally sprinted across town (about a mile) in order to catch a walking tour in the old town area of Gamla Stan. Here we walked through the streets and learned all sorts of interesting (and some horrifying) facts about life in the Middle Ages before ending up in front of the Nobel Center for Literature. It’s quite amazing that we saw not one but TWO Nobel centers on our trip.

Standing in the narrowest street in Stockholm

Sad boy statue- scarf and hat knitted by anonymous local

Sweden also happens to be very coffee-forward with a great cup of joe on almost every corner. Turns out they are the No. 2 largest consumer of coffee in the world and even have a special afternoon coffee break called Fika. Even though we have a coffee break almost every day, we opted for our first true Fika at Fabrique in Gamla Stan. It is traditional to enjoy with a delicious cinnamon pastry called kanelbullar.

The saffron and cardamom buns are our new favorite

The coffee break made a fitting segway to our next book-filled stop, the gorgeous Stockholm public library. This was voted one of the most beautiful libraries in the world and we certainly agree!

Dinner was a beautiful assortment of small and delicious dishes back at the hotel before we collapsed exhausted from so much walking around in the cold.

We hit the ground running the next day with morning coffee, chocolate balls, and saffron pastries at Drop Coffeehouse before venturing to the Globe arena complex with the Skyview experience. This is a domed sporting arena with pods that take you up to the top for a panoramic view of Stockholm.

Nearby, we also finally ate Swedish meatballs at “Meatballs for the People” and couldn’t get enough of them. It’s basically meatballs, gravy, and mashed potatoes – what’s not to like! The heaviness of the dish is cut by fresh pickles, beets, and lingonberry compote. We decided right then and there that this will be a winter dinner staple once back in Austin!

The perfect combination of savory, sweet, salty, and tart!

We enjoyed Fika at Johan & Nylstrom before metro-ing to a photography museum on the island of Sodermalm. Neither Juliette nor I are huge into art museums, but we are always moved by the artistry and creativity that people display in their photos. For instance, one part of the exhibit includes pictures of things that had been painstakingly x-rayed and then superimposed together to create the print. And yet another explored the eerie isolation of a family and life in Moldova.

Eerie moon overlooking Tivoli- Stockholm

Still feeling inspired by the culture we just experienced, we found our way back to the hotel to finally explore the ABBA museum! This was an entertaining look at the history and legacy of the band with playful areas to try to pitch match one of their songs, sing karaoke, or do ABBA trivia.