1982 Stockholm, Sweden (7/21/1982)

Wednesday, July 21, 1982

Must have fallen asleep since we did not hear the disco break up. But at 4:00 there was a group talking and singing along (terribly) to a plucking guitar.

We arrived in Stockholm on the dot at 7:00, and were one of the first off the boat, giving up our landing cards, going through customs, and then to information to buy a map of Stockholm for 5 SEK/85 cents. Followed signs pointing to the Tunnelbana/Metro to the Gärdet Station. We lined up at a booth to buy tickets when the girls in front of us were sent to the vending machine kiosk. We followed them and they bought tourist tickets. We wanted individual tickets, and were sent back to the ticket booth! We each bought two 2-SEK/35 cent coupons to ride the subway, an older train, to the Centralstation/Central Station.

Tunnelbana/Metro tickets

We reserved seats on the 23:13 train to Helsingborg for 10 SEK/$1.70. They had a women’s waiting room where we put our bags in lockers. We went to sit in a park to eat breakfast and watched the businessmen go to work. Many were not wearing suits, and those who did were not wearing ties. Walked to Gamla stan/old town and found their nicely decorated Riddarhuset/House of Nobility (1660).

Riddarhuset/House of Nobility

Circled around the House to Riddarholmen/Knight’s Islet with the Riddarholmskyrkan/Riddarholm Church (13C) with an interesting lacework steeple.

Riddarholmskyrkan/Riddarholm Church

The church is the burial place of Swedish royalty. Worked our way to the Kungliga slottet/Royal Palace (1697-1760 in Baroque style), guarded by the Högvakten/Royal Guards in spats. The palace houses several museums, but they opened at 10:00, 11:00, and even 12:00. Since it was only 9:00, we continued down Västerlånggatan which was full of interesting shops and restaurants and had narrow alleys to each side.

Gamla stan/old town

The sidewalks are traversed by tiny gutters cut in the stone; same as in Bergen, Norway. We found Mårten Trotzigs gränd/Alley of Mårten Trotzig, the narrowest street (with steps!) in Stockholm tapering to 90 cm/35.5” wide.

Mårten Trotzigs gränd/Alley of Mårten Trotzig

We reached the water’s edge where we could see the af Chapman ship anchored at another island. This three-master is used as a youth hostel.

Vandrarhem/Hostel af Chapman

We walked back along Stora Nygatan to exit the island and go to Stadshuset/City Hall (1911-1923 by Ragnar Östberg in National Romanticism style), an imposing red brick building. We paid 3 SEK/50 cents and received a golden token for the guided tour at 10:00 where the tourists were divided according to language. We started in the Blå hallen/Blue Hall which was meant to be tiled in blue, but they left the brick bare (hoorah!). Upstairs we deposited the token in the elaborate cup of an attendant, and went down a hall into a boardroom-like area where sub-committees hold their meetings. There was a plaster sculpture of the Stockholm patron St Erik who is usually portrayed with one foot on a troll for stamping out paganism. Walked through the library to the assembly hall with red silk drapes and a wood beam roof that was symbolically painted (a blue strip for sky, for example). Then on to the tower to see the figures that promenade at noon every day.
We passed through hand-carved wooden doors, through a room of beautiful tapestries, and into a corridor with round and octagonal columns paired to represent man and woman. Rough clay reliefs along one wall were on the same theme. The back wall fresco was painted by Prince Eugen, younger brother of the king (Gustaf V) at the time the hall was built. Through a simple room with a wooden wardrobe carved with significant figures to the Gyllene Salen/Golden Hall filled with gold mosaics that were symbolic, depicting Stockholm, the history of Sweden, and Sweden as the “Queen of Peace” uniting countries of the East with the West. The Nobel Prize banquets are held in this hall.
Back outside, we went to climb the stairs of the tower, but then noticed people putting gold tokens in a man’s container. We hesitated and turned to leave, but the man called us over and asked if we were students. We had to say ‘No.’ He motioned us in anyway and we began to climb the stairs; marble then brick. Nearing the top we were in narrow brick tunnels around the perimeter of the square tower. We would go up three steps, follow a ramp, then do a left, right, left turn at each corner of the tower. Because of the ramps, we felt like we were in an Escher print, and were going round and round the tower without ascending at all! We passed an area with copies of statues, more brick steps, some wooden ones, before finally coming out on top with a view over Stockholm. You could climb still higher to the platform under the bells, and the railing had copper reliefs with arrows pointing out landmarks.

View of Gamla stan/Old town

Commuter train

Stadshuset/City Hall courtyard

Where's the traffic?

Stadshuset/City Hall garden

My camera’s light meter red light has been hopping up and down and sometimes the shutter stays open, yet the battery checks out okay.

After descending from the tower, we sat in the garden for a rest, before heading out through the courtyard.

Stadshuset/City Hall tower

We heard the bells strike noon, and ran outside to see the figures that parade out.

Walked along the water’s edge past the Gamla stan/old town and stopped in the Grand Hotel to see their Renaissance elegance. We were not impressed. We continued around the little peninsula and down along the wharf where many very old boats were docked. Many seemed to be undergoing reconstruction. We crossed the bridge to Djurgården, past the Nordiska museet/Nordic Museum (1907 designed by Isak Gustaf Clason) where they seemed to be having an operatic rehearsal out in the back on a trailer stage.

At the Wasavarvet/Wasa Ship Yard, we paid the 7 SEK/$1.20 admission and first saw an exhibit of wooden sculptures, most being figureheads, including one of a lion.

Wasavarvet/Wasa Ship Yard receipt

The room was very humid to preserve the wooden items. The Wasa was a warship (1626-1628) built for use during the Thirty Years War. Due to changes in the plans and poor construction, it was top heavy and on its maiden voyage a gust of wind caused it to capsize in the Stockholm harbor! In those days they were unable to recover a sunken ship, and it was forgotten. In 1953 a marine researcher discovered the boat and it was raised in 1961. We joined the 14:00 tour of the boat itself. Going up the steps, we could look out across the harbor and see the ice boat and lighthouse boat that are also on display. The Wasa is kept in a humidity-controlled building and walkways bring you very close to the ship. We walked around the ship to see the myriad of wood sculpture decorations. A Polish nobleman hiding and shouting at a dog was to insult their enemy at the time. The lion figurehead (meant to scare) was holding a shield with a corn sheath (the meaning of the name Wasa). We saw a movie in Swedish with English subtitles giving the history of the ship. There was an exhibit on life on board the ship, with clothing, tools, etc., and a cute model showing activities on board.

We ordered lunch at the cafeteria, fish and meatballs. The fish was stuffed with shrimp and came with a ladleful of tartar sauce and four good-sized boiled potatoes. There were ten meatballs and a generous mound of mashed potatoes with loganberry sauce. With drinks, we certainly had our fill for 37.50 SEK/$6.25. We ate outside on a balcony overlooking the water and the ugly metal structure encasing the Wasa.

Went to look for the post office, passing the Gröna Lund amusement park. Outside the circus there were men in tails and women in Roaring 20s dresses (on break?). We climbed the hill and found a Skansen entrance that was closed. Went around to another entrance which was where the Bergbana funicular was located. We were trying to decide if we had enough time for the Skansen friluftsmuseum med djurpark/Open Air Museum with Zoo, since it was now 15:00 and it closed at 17:00. Just then a guy came up asking in English if we would join his group to make it over ten persons in order to get in for half price. Sure! So we each paid 6 SEK/$1 instead of 12 SEK/$2. We headed up to the old town on the right with a printer, bookbinder (closed), an engraver (at work), and a saddlemaker (gone fishing). We saw a silver presser in the goldsmith shop, and a man spinning clay in the potter’s shop with wonderful pottery for sale. A fabric shop (block printing) in a tannery and a glass blower making a goblet. The combmaker, the cobbler, the grocery, and… there was so much! A manor house and grounds, several farm complexes, all open and well furnished with all sorts of paraphernalia. School, assembly hall, bell tower, church, and even a tower built for the spa that Skansen was supposed to be. It became an open-air museum instead in something like 1891!

An open-air theater, restaurants, cafés, souvenir stands, lottery stands, duck ponds, peacocks, and dancing area. We went to use a restroom and an old lady said, “Neigh! Neigh!” and slammed the door in Sue’s face. I gave Sue a krona coin, and she had to try a couple doors to get one to open. Another woman was not able to shut her door because the bolt was drawn. When she left, I used her stall.

We went to consult the map of Skansen, and noted that the zoo had rendjur/reindeer! At last! Passed a couple more farms (all the museum buildings were closed by now) on our way to the Lapp hut near the reindeer compound. There were many reindeer, some with enormous antlers, and most shedding their winter coats.

Rendjur/Reindeer

Rendjur/Reindeer

We saw goats, deer, bears (wonderful to watch them at play), a sleeping lynx, bison, a lone Arctic wolf, black boar, etc.

Björn/bears

Björn/bears

Went back to photograph a straw thatched-roof building and passed a church at the time of evening prayers at 18:00.

Thatched roof

Skansen farm

Checked out the restaurants looking for pea soup, but no success. Saw a poster for folk dancing at 19:00, but there was no one at the stage. Found a costumed person who directed us to a wooden stage where we got front row seats for a half-hour show of Swedish folk dancing. Slow and measured.

Swedish folk dancing

Went to leave Skansen, but got sidetracked by an herb garden, then a rose garden in full bloom. Made our way to the train station and did some grocery shopping in the underground shops near the Tunnelbana. Found two krona coins in a grate and Sue found a 5 øre coin on the sidewalk. Retrieved our bags and sat in the women’s waiting room, sometimes with a guard at the door, until 22:30 when we could board the 23:13 train to Helsingborg.

Stockholm to Copenhagen seat reservation

A Spanish family had taken over our compartment, but left when they saw we had reservations. Our feet got tired today!

It was fairly dark although there was still light on the horizon, as we are back to more normal sun times. A drunk came in and sat next to Sue, then got up and left again. After the first stop, the conductor went rushing by, and there was a loud argument with that same drunk, before he handed over some money.

I went to use the restroom, but there was no light in the one in our car leaving it pitch black. I opened the door of the lavatory of the next car and saw the back of a man. Whoops! I returned to my seat and Sue gave me her flashlight to try the one in our car, but it was being used. Waited, and when I went in to use the lavatory, whoever had used it had missed in the dark and it was wet everywhere. So I used the one in the next car. On my way back I saw that “ours” was in use again. Males only!