Old and new architecture

There are a total of three hundred or so very expensive apartments located along Valhallavägen at Östermalm in Stockholm. This is Musikslingan. Designed by Brunberg & Forshed. The brick building next to, and in front of the new apartments has an interesting history. Built between 1884 and 1886 as a stable. Designed by the architects Hjalmar and Axel Kumlien. It had the impressive name, Generalstabens stalletablisement. Later, also known as Swartlings ridskola for a number of years. Then, Akademiska hus bought the property, and they wanted to demolish it as they were building a new campus at what would be Kungliga Musikhögskolan. The Royal College of Music. Several people and a number of organizations were understandingly upset about those plans. It all ended in court and that resulted in that the old brick building still stands. And after a big renovation made by AIX antikvarier, this is today the library at the new campus.

Båtliv

I always enjoy photographing boats, big or small. Båtliv means boat life, and this time of the year everyone seems to be out in a boat. Here are six such photos taken on that day when the bike broke down. So these snaps are all from Kungsholmen. All privately owned boats except for the second one which shows M/S Stegeholm from Strömma Kanalbolaget.

I will remember this for a while

I will remember this moment. I jumped off the e-bike, took the photo of the boats at Kungsholms strand. And then the chain slipped. I had no tools with me, and you need tools for everything on this type of bike. So I took the bike for a long and very hot walk to City Hall. Obviously it was the warmest day of the year with 33C in the shade, but where I was there was no shade to be found. At City Hall I drank a lot of water, before finding a bit of shade in a corner. I sat down and weighed my options. Find a repair shop and maybe leave the bike there for a day. Continue my walk to Södra Station where you can get on the commuter train with a bike, but not at rush hour, which it of course was. Or, the more expensive choice. Call a cab. It arrived just three minutes later. Cost me 900SEK to get home. But it was worth it.

Down by the water

Four photos taken at Årsta brygga. A port near my favorite beach, from where you can take the ferry out to the archipelago. Or your own boat of course as you can see in these photos. This little port can be very busy this time of the year, but I arrived half an hour or so before the arrival of one of the bigger ferries, so it was quite calm. I stopped for a bite to eat and a quick look around. The car park was full. I saw a few people eating at the kiosk. A dad was showing his two sons how to operate the family boat. A few old-timers were chatting away. Someone arrived and asked where he could leave his luggage so that it would not be in the way for people arriving at the port. A couple waiting for the ferry noticed that I walked past a closed gate, so they decided to do that as well.

Another rural bike ride

I took another rural bike ride on one of my old bikes the other day. Around Österhaninge. The first photo shows a late blooming canola field near a nature reserve that I sometimes visit. Further down the road, we come to the Medieval church with the leaning tower. The third photo was taken from the road that leads to my favorite beach, Årsta Havsbadsvägen. The newly paved road is Dalarövägen. A very busy road during the Summer and horrible if you are a cyclist. Next up Årsta castle which today sits in the middle of a golf course. Then we see the huge stable at Årsta Säteri. There used to be a sign by the side of the road claiming that this was the largest wooden structure in Northern Europe. And lastly, a look at the unknown village, as I sometimes call it. Stadsberga.

The Traffic Warden

You can't park here. Slottsbacken, Gamla stan. Hundreds of bus tours stop at Skeppsbrokajen every day during the Summer. This is at the Royal Palace, a place famous for traffic incidents, so if you work as a traffic warden here there are probably not too many calm moments like this one.

Salsa!

A large group of people were learning salsa at Sergels torg as I happened to pass by the big square at Norrmalm a couple of warm days ago. I counted to maybe sixty salsa dancers of all sizes and ages. The instructors had everyone's attention. They were from a place called iDance.

Uniformed

These guys are a bit higher up in the military hierarchy compared to the duo in yesterday's post. They all noticed me, and at least the guy in the middle gave me a little smile. They were walking up Slottsbacken at the Royal Palace. Since I know very little about full dress uniforms I can't tell you the ranks of these three, all I can say is that they must be from the Swedish Navy.

Don't look into the camera

From a day out shooting in and around the old town, I spotted these two sailors from the 4th Naval Warfare Flotilla trying not to look at the photographer as they came walking towards me near the Royal palace.

Brazil Jack

The circus came by, and made a stop at Tantolunden on Södermalm. The Brazil Jack circus, started by Carl Rhodin have been touring around Sweden since 1899. But this new version of the circus is a bit younger. Started in 1982 by Trolle Rhodin, grandson of Carl. I haven't been to the circus since childhood, and without the "wild" animals it probably looks a bit different today.

Boxpark

Sure looks inviting, doesn't it. Plåtparken. Love what they have done to the place, or with the thirteen containers. The first boxpark in Stockholm opened earlier this Summer, it is temporary and will close at the end of August I think. Open all days from midday late into the night. They picked a very good spot along one of the more popular promenades, Årstaviken in Stockholm, at Tanto on Södermalm. The beach is maybe ten meters away. There are marinas here, and a huge green park which can attract quite a few people on a sunny Summer day. Plåtparken which could be translated to The Metal Park offer food, music and an excellent time.

Oh, no!

This was a fun moment, at least for everyone but the police officer from Rytteriet. It was her job to see to that the Changing of the Guard, on this occasion also with the marching band Hemvärnets Musikkår could proceed to the Royal Palace. She did not know about the NexusBall Rally, and they were driving down the same street at Skeppsbrokajen in front of the palace, so she was on the phone for a while as the guards and the marching band came closer and closer as they crossed Strömbron. In the end, they walked on the wrong side of the road past the palace without any incidents.

Car Enthusiasts

A last bunch of photos with some cars taking part in the NexusBall Rally and the people that were there looking at the spectacle. With original flickr titles. Ferrari 458. McLaren 650S Spider. Smartphone shooters.Lined up. Team 69. Best seats in the house. Dodge Challenger with the Parliament Building as a backdrop. Look over there! Lincoln Continental. Lamborghini Huracan. Car Enthusiasts. Smiles of the day. A few more photos in the album.

NexusBall Rally

The Norrbro bridge next to the Royal Palace was closed off for traffic because of the start of the 2022 NexusBall Rally. The teams had a long drive ahead of them, driving six to eight hours a day with stops in Poland, Austria and a few other countries before reaching their goal in Split, Croatia. Here they were talking among themselves with all the cars parked on the old bridge. As I didn't know about the rally beforehand, I had the wrong lens with me, but that is part of the charm I guess. So the top photo is a panorama made from four photos.There were a lot of Italian cars. Ferraris and Lamborghini's. One or two American, A few German, British, but no Swedish cars. One last bunch of people shots and cars taking off in tomorrow's post.