“Success is getting what you want; Happiness is wanting what you get.”
– Ingrid Bergman (Swedish Actress in Hollywood)
Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, built in 14 islands, a very comfortably sized city that sights and attractions are within walking distance from each other.
I stayed at my friend’s place (Jen) at Hässelby, which is just few minutes away from Central, where there are lots of apple trees!hehe! I loved staying there coz her baby, Enrico, is so adorable!
Since I am not staying that long, these are the places I have managed not to miss:
1. Fotografiska – one of the world’s largest meeting places for contemporary photography. I went there coz they are currently exhibiting Annie Leibovitz photos! She is one of the best known portrait photographer especially for well-known celebrities, in this exhibit, the video narrated that she started her passion in photography when her dad took her to Philippines when she was a kid, nice!
2. Gamla Stan – this is the Old Town, it’s a MUST that you visit this place when you go to Stockholm, w-ell this is also where Nobel Prize Musuem and The Royal Palace are located, but what I loved about this place is the feeling it gives while you stroll along its narrow cobblestone streets, it’s like you are inside a classic movie…there are lots of museums, restaurants, shops etc around it and some well preserved houses, this is my favorite in Stockholm 😉
Laureats say that the Cambridge Uni Cafe is a centre for “Nobel” creativity, so now whenever any Laureate visits the museum they sign under the chairs of the cafe!
3. Nobel Prize Museet (Museum) – since it is in Gamla Stan, I went to visit it even it is not allowed to take photos inside…I have learned more about Alfred Nobel and the Nobel Laureates and their brilliant contributions.
4. The Royal Palace – I took the hop on hop off boat tour and it stopped directly in front of the palace! It’s huge and simple, but it’s very grand inside! We went to where their Princess had her wedding recently (to a simple normal guy, not royal! Actually he was her fitness instructor! Yeah 😉 …I saw the royal crowns, scepter, clothes, chariots, knight suit etc! It was fun!
5. Skyview at Ericsson Globe – world’s largest spherical building! It has two glass gondolas that will take you to the top providing a very nice view over Stockholm, w-ell, it’s not that spectacular for me, maybe because we went up there where citylights are not yet lighted and it was a bit hazy because it was drizzling…Maybe, if you have limited time, it is better if you go to the Vasa Museet where the world’s only surviving 17th century ship is located, it’s a battle ship that sank on it’s first journey, too bad I missed this 🙁
Some travel tips for Stockholm:
1. Buy the STOCKHOLM CARD! It’s really worth it, coz for only 395SEK (US$60) you’ll get free entrance to 80 attractions in Stockholm. museums with art, aristocrats, world heritage, Vikings, the Nobel Prize, technology, and design. Ride a sightseeing boat or ferry, the subway, an SL bus, or a streetcar, or a bicycle plus you’ll get your map and city guide book.
2. They speak good English here, but they like it when you try to speak a little of Swedish like Tack Sa Mycket which is Thank you very much 🙂
3. Mc Donald’s has wifi, so I only go here to access my wifi and contact my friend, I didn’t really need to buy simcard hehe…
4. I love authentic Swedish food, w-ell I can just go to Ikea anytime and eat there coz it’s just basically the same!
5. It’s really cold. It’s biting my cheeks, so make sure you brought with you proper clothings, my friend has to give me her jacket coz my jackets weren’t warm enough.
It was only a quick visit of 4 days, and I know I have yet to see a lot more in Stockholm. My friend (Jen) told me I should visit again and should stay longer since they have a spare room for me anyway. I will keep that in mind haha!
Jen and I used to work together back in Philippines. But when she left for Singapore to work, she had convinced me to move to Singapore too, and so I did! However, when I moved to Singapore, she was about to relocate to Stockholm, and as expected, she is again convincing me now to move to Sweden too, haha! She moved to Sweden for a better career opportunity, she now works with Microsoft. Leaving an old love behind Singapore, she bravely took the risk to get what she really wanted, a successful career. After some time, she found a new love and is now happily living on her own house she bought herself, with her fiancé and son Enrico.
She have been wanting this kind of life and she is successful in getting it despite the risk she decided for herself years back. And look at her now, she is even happier! Indeed, happiness lies on wanting what you get 😉
