Stockholm & Skanstull

I arrived at the central station at around mid-day. and phoned the hostel. Instead of walking I decided, with the hostel staff's advice, to take the subway. I arrived and couldn't find the hostel. After spotting a backpacking shop I quickly stepped in to ask and he pointed the way. I dropped off the luggage.

after dropping off my bags in stockholm I saw an asian girl looking at the wall of guide maps provided by the hostel. "did you just arrive today?" I asked. We talked and introduced ourselves, M., and when I found out that she was about to go shopping I got excited and she invited me to join her. I happily agreed and we began to talk and get to know each other. We went in and out of vintage markets all through the day. Bread and cheese at a local bakery, then a lift ride to see the city and a short boat tour. I went back to check in then contacted M.K. (someone i met on the bus to Linkoping...i should write that story too!).

We planned for the three of us to walk around and had so much fun, we were out until very late and got quite silly. I'll always remember the tales of chaining up trees to prevent theft, and fast blue boats, along with M.'s child-like and youthful glee to show us ev everything we could think of in stockholm!

Seeing in him a genuine person, I decided to meet him the next day to tour the city some more. I met some friendly and lighthearted girls that night; one from singapore, the other from malaysia, and also an american guy too. We hung out the next day, meeting at a famous outdoor market.

As I waited I discovered a film crew! "what is going on today?" I ask the guy who is cordoning off the area (that reminds me of M.'s claim that cars were taped off if someone had too many drinks!!!) The film guy replied that they were shooting a German movie. I hung about for a bit more to snap some photos and video while waiting for the girls.

I stepped also into a small fabric store where I loved and lost ( had to abandon) a small piece of Uzbek Ikat fabric. nearly 20$ u.s. for a meter. I went back to meet my friends and we had a great time picking out meats, cheeses, and breads that we ate on a shaded outdoor table in a nearby plaza. (some people bought drinks so that we could sit there). Fun times, though the raw herring was not...blech...after that the girls and I hit some museums, well more like the library and a palace (the freebies) and later headed to a riverside cafe for sotdas and icecream. As we headed back I messaged M. that I was sad to go since it was my last evening in stockholm. To my delight, he messaged back that he was free and could meet.

After a short debate I decided to split off from my friends and go to the Central station while the girls went back to the Hostel. I surprised M. as he walked past (however, i had nearly gotten lost first). We walked for a few hours around the city as dusk began to fall. Up the winding paths to the park near the observatory then down near the orange, lavender, indigo and sky hues of the riverside as we walked to the Night palace, laughed at the silly actions of some spanish tourists, and he tried to convince me that various companies were really Swedish...even completely american ones...or horses, that they were originally swedish, where does it come from? I asked and he said, when nothing else comes to mind he will make something completly outlandish up out of the blue. I have to admit, it keeps things light and funny, and had me smiling for days!

We ended at Central Station sometime near 10 pm. a quick hug and goodbye and we went our separate ways.

The next day I woke, checked my luggage out (but stored it temporarily in the hostel office) and ran quickly to the vintage store where I found a pair of pointy-toed ankle boots (Inspired by M.) and an artsy smock shirt with angular ties all the way down the front. rushing back, I picked up my bags, caught the metro to central, and then rushed back and forth before finally finding the correct swebus terminal.

It was funny... almost like a private bus. It was just me and an older German lady. Sleep overtook me and I sprawled out on the empty seats. the airport was slightly harried but I made it through...

and when I spotted a girl who appeared a bit lost I smiled at her from my seat in the terminal. We talked about traveling and Taiwan (her grandparents were from there) and were just nearly seatmates. she sat one behind me. It was a pleasant flight, even though I didn't exactly make friends with my swedish seatmate and I was pleasantly surprised with three extra sodas from the airline attendant when I had only asked for one.

I started to get tired reaching London. Slightly nervous and with an aching back and arms I purchased my first tube ticked and stepped up to the maw of the tube station and waited. It was such a releif to sit down. I was awkwardly perched on the edge of my seat with my bag still attached. Resting my head on my bag I drifted in and out of train-induced sleep.

A journey normally taking 20 minutes took 40 or 50 minutes (at least according to my over-hearing of a conversation across from me in the carriage of the train). I actually got off on the wrong spot. some london Police standing at the platform helped me call the hostel and find the right spot. I ran back to the car when one of the policemen shouted "stop chattering (i was talking to one of the security men about my plans to get to the hostel), that's your train!" I swear they must have laughed at my tilted wobbly run with heels and a hiking bag... finallyabout 15 to 20 minutes later I emerged from the station and asked the station staff how to get to the hostel. I made it to the street only to dicover a park splitting the street straight downt he middle. I asked people on the doorsteps where to find the hostel. One woman told me that she walked back from the tuve each day and had never seen it so i decided that it must be the other side. And I hobbled over, deciding to take 20 steps at a time and then resting. Finally I was just about to reach the door when a couple saw me struggling and the guy offered to grab my bag while the girl went up to the stairs to hold the bag. I began to feel guilty and the guy said "you're just wearing the wrong shoes for this." I had to agree. Funny to think that I had thought they were the perfect shoes when I started (good for oing through security with their side-zips) I was drenched but checked in, my bags sprawled out over the leather benches in the entry-way. Finally I made it to my room and met my one night room-mates. A french girl, Z., and an american guy. We'd meet downstairs for dinner, we agreed. I went downstairs after organizing and looked around, finally spotting Z. sitting at a picnic bench downstairs in the courtyard.

She waived to me in the deep indigo light of the evening. I spent a wonderful evening meeting everyone as they drank and smoked. Fabulously irreverent Aussies, funny and very American Americans, and effortless Z.

We trooped out to a hole-in-the wall pizzeria and laughed with the Sicilian pizza man as he tossed the dough in the air and made some of the best pizza I had ever tasted while "Britain's got Talent" played in the corner. Whe the three aussies, Z. and myself arrived bak at the hostel, everyone crowded around the tables and commented estatically abotu the flavorful pizza. I met one american Engineer who reminded me so so much of my friend B., the MP back home. WhenI told him this he tated it because of personal experience with police in his family. As one of the aussies said often, "Fair Enough". We talked for quite a while, T. and I, while i made sure to get his name and to find him on facebook.

Z. offered to have me stay at her place in France, I'd love to take her up on it!

Tower Day!

K. agreed to meet me for lunch if i researched a good place. I woke later and then settled in to finding a place. Two stood out- a cheap hamburger place...and...Belvedere cafe! The menu looked to be 6$ a plate rather than 20, so at noon I knocked on K.'s door. She got ready and we took the bus so I 'd also know where Gamla Linkoping was, an old town theme Village. We got off the bus at the square and began to walk only to find a mother duck and her ducklings walking swiftly down the road in a tiny wobbly line. Everyone who saw them began to smile and several took photos. Suddenly...a crosswalk! by then there were several watchers and they quickly sprang into action. They held out their arms and began to shout for the traffic to stop...and it did! So mother and ducklings crossed in safety and continued to brighten faces through the park until exiting into someone's back-yard. We then changed our course to more directly arrive at the Belvedere. I was so happy! K. loved it!!! our food was delicious. An olive and pepper with fetta sandwich on deliciously crisp bread and two cakes. One was a heavenly blueberry cheese-cake with actual blueberries undulating in the slice's surface. Secondly a cute little round of tiramisu with a blueberry, raspberry, and gooseberry (??) trio garnish on top. An ultralight crust encased a smooth cafe-hued filling and decadent rich raspberry jelly filling sitting on a base of coconut...I could just end the day there, it was lovely! So perfect, staring down at the city from our third-storey perch in the tower. dozens of glass windows and the light streaming through. We took a long time to eat so we had to pay for a second bus back. I got off at Gamla Linkoping with kirsten. She waved goodbye and I wandered about. After just one shop i thought, if Martha Stewart had a theme park, this would be it. Quaint, picturesque homes and gardens decorated to a tee with matching made by hand items.

There were musicians playing by the street and a small chocolate shop. I passed by and then again, when this sweet old man came up to me to say something in swedish. I tell him, "sorry, i speak english" He replies "I tip my hat to the beauty. We don't often get someone like you here." I thank him. He continues "Where are you from?" "America" I reply. "I think that maybe you are Russian." he says, and again "I tip my hat to the beauty" I thank him shyly and continue on. I walk quite a distance and find a horse farm. Tourists sit at the gate eating ice cream and small meals. I walk past and discover horses everywhere. Fields are full of strong elegant horses. Back and forth I wander, marveling at the landscape before turning back. After this i wander into deep wooded trails & get lost (see earlier post). Asking directions from an old couple picking herbs in the woods, I find the way out and exit the woods...on the other side of campus! It was a place I'd never been, and frankly in the opposite part of town than where i had started my walk! My feet were starting to drag and I was thirstier than anything!

I was starting not to care about the campus buildings even though i had been excited, simply because i was so worn out. My brain switched over, pain, hungry, I had to get back so I could rest and eat. So I walked and walked past campus buildings and blocks upon blocks o housing dormitories. Gradually things became more familiar and I was encouraged. I walked a little faster then. When I finally touched the key to the key pad and let myself into the corridor I sat down on the couch, leaned back, and proceeded to drift in and out of utterly exhausted half-sleep. I half-way noticed the african student (K.'s corridor-mate) walk in and out of the room once or twice, but barely registered it.

Finally I got up to make tea and return my key to K.

Even though my departure was ealry we still chatted long past dinner and played a few rounds of Mario Cart, all of which I lost miserably, but I was glad to munch on oatmeal cookies and share in the moment. After a late night of packing I fell soundly asleep, ready for Stockholm.