In one day we cycled from Nynäshamn to Stockholm. We are clearly in a richer country: at a cosy café a club of several dozen(!) Ford Mustang enthusiasts has gathered, a little further on we cycle across a golf course and again a little further on there is an equestrian event going on. All things we didn’t see before on our journey.
We thought Stockholm was on the Baltic Sea, but it turns out that a large lake flow into the sea at Stockholm with a height difference of about one meter, keeping the lake fresh. So we swim, lovely!
To free up the next two days to visit the city, Oscar immediately did some maintenance on the bike: changing the oil of the Rohloff hub (quite exciting), changing front and rear outer tyres (rear tyre had a bit less tread than the front by now) and cleaning brake cylinders.
Sunday was supposed to rain, so we went to a museum. Gijs recommended Fotografiska, which included an exhibition of Peter Lindbergh, fashion photographer, as well as lots of people who wanted to be seen there😉.
On Monday, we wanted to find a maintenance kit for the burner and an alternative to the Steripen, which has never performed well and whose promised replacement does not seem to come through. That was a good reason to walk through a somewhat less touristy part of town. Just outside the area with all the expensive (clothing) brands, there was also a street with expensive outdoor gear where we succeeded in finding what we were looking for.
Shortly after that shopping, it was pouring down (that wasn’t predicted 😨). We just managed to find a covered terrace before a huge downpour erupted. Fortunately, it didn’t last very long and an hour later we were able to go and see the familiar sights: the city hall, the rest of the old town, the royal castle.
Old Stockholm is beautiful with lots of big mansions in the most gorgeous earth colours and small and bigger alleys in between.
Interestingly, in the middle of the oldest part of the city, where the streets are still paved with medieval cobblestones, we came across a Fritidshem – a kind of after-school centre – several times. What we could have imagined was that relatively many fathers would pick up their children there. That they then went into their homes just around the corner a few doors away was an eye-opener, though. Also striking: next to the old town hall, people were fishing for salmon between parked cars. Apparently, the water is so clean that you can catch your meal even in the middle of the capital. Stockholm turns out to be not only a tourist attraction, but also a place to live. Unfortunately also for beggars and other people who scour the bins for cans and plastic. We had hardly seen those after Serbia either.
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