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I fell in love with Stockholm on my first fully conscious day. It is a beautiful city. There is a gorgeous, pristine park every 2 blocks, spotless cobblestone sidewalks, and sweet restaurants with sidewalk seating on each street. That first day was a bit on the hot side, so I cut my random wandering around Gamla Stan (the old town) for the next day when I could get an earlier start and miss the 90-degree heat. I made that wise decision after considering “accidentally” getting onto the Japanese tour bus for their air-conditioning.

Loving it despite the heat

After my third trip to the tourist information center (yes 3, Stockholm was a bit confusing public transit-wise) I headed over to Vasamuskeet, a museum dedicated to the 17th century Vasa warship that sank on its maiden voyage after 20 minutes. The ship was the grandest and most powerful of the time, with two decks for cannons. This was its downfall, however, because the boat was very top heavy and fell over at the first gust of wind. Scientist today have figured out that the ship needed twice the amount of counterweights in the bottom to keep it from toppling over. It is almost perfectly preserved because of the brackish water in the Baltic Sea, 98% of the wood is original. It took the curators/archaeologists 35 years to excavate and preserve the ship using some science that I don’t understand.

The Vasa

After Vasamuskeet I walked along a park that is right up against the water and I began to fantasize about the US adopting Sweden’s fiscal policies and having beautiful public spaces. Sadly, I know this is a fantasy. A country founded on not wanting to pay taxes certainly will never adopt socialist-capitalism.

Look how beautiful a socialist city can be!

I then went to Skansen, an odd “open-air museum” that is best described as a zoo/aquarium/Swedish Colonial Williamsburg. It was a little strange, but I saw a glass blowing demonstration and some beautiful old homes and farms that had been transported from all around Sweden starting in 1891 when it opened. I would’ve liked a few more demonstrations, but the park was geared more towards Swedish tourists and I think the workers were tired and hot.

The glass blowing demonstration

A traditional blacksmith’s shop

Artisan’s area of Skansen

A traditional swedish building from the early 19th century. All of the buildings in this part of Skansen are original from the period and were moved from rural Sweden to be placed on the property

On my way home I grabbed an ice cream (glass, the only Swedish word I have yet learned) and then took myself out to dinner. I had a glass of wine and a bowl of spaghetti. Cost: 40 dollars. The house wine alone was 16 dollars. Once I got my check I decided that this would be my last sit-down meal in Stockholm, otherwise I wouldn’t last until Berlin. I would be eating at grocery stores from now on.