The Aliens are here

And they are watching us from the sky. But chances are good that we will scare them away. Because, well, just look at us.

Squares

After taking yesterday's photo, I continued my walk along Drottninggatan. A few blocks closer to Sergels torg where I had parked my bike, I noticed another photo opportunity. So I stopped and took this abstract shot. The family behind me also stopped for a look as I lifted the camera, but I don't think they understood why I took the photos.

Thirsty?

It has been a very warm and dry July, so far, in my area. Top temperature 29C. Which is hot for Stockholm at least. We might have had a tropical night for the first time this Summer yesterday. My bike ride yesterday on one of my old bikes was a long one. Maybe 80 km. And I also climbed a few hills, because why not. So I drank a lot. Mostly water, I have two or sometimes three bottles with me. And also a thermos with my home-made smoothie so no need to buy a cold drink like the one in this photo. But it is a good spot, along the busiest pedestrian street in Sweden, Drottninggatan.

Street art classic

The street artist behind this work is known as Rådjursmannan. Another name is Klisterpeter. Real name Peter Baranowski. His roe deer can be seen all over Stockholm, and I have photographed them many times and probably shown one or two here on the blog. The big ones, like this one in the old town, on pretty much every building site fence. There are also smaller ones that you can usually spot on the backside of traffic signs. The design of the roe deer changes every now and then. He has been doing this for thirty years, which is kinda impressive. Some more facts about him here, but I think you will have to use Google Translate to read it.

Hen party

I spotted this happy group while walking across the Hötorget square a couple of warm days ago. They where out on a möhippa, as we call a hen party over here.

Tree art

Some of the sick trees in Stockholm have been turned into tree art. This one is recent, it csn be found near Tantolunden on Södermalm.

True that

Glashuset advertising. A restaurant along Strandvägen, very close to the water.

Franeker

A Dutch visitor at Skeppsbrokajen in Stockholm. Part of the old town, this area. Many archipelago ferries also use this port, and there are a number of restaurants and café here where you can sit and watch all the boats. Or you can do like the couple sitting in front of the Dutch ship. Bring your own chairs.

A monument over financial growth

A modern day Triumphal arch. Made from recycled materials. Part of the Summer exhibition along Strandvägen in Stockkholm.Fun with the warning on the backside, also. Made by the artist Finn Ahlgren.

That Old Tree

Been a while. Fifty-two days. Since my last visit to the old tree. Probably a record. Nice day for it though, yesterday. Maybe 23C. Wrong camera and lens for it, so this is nine photos stitched together. The other option was to continue home, get the correct camera and go back, but I was kinda tired after a 70 km ride.

Queueing

The life of a modern day tourist, queueing. At Skeppsbrokajen and Strömkajen. Waiting for a ferry to the Stockholm archipelago with it's 24 000 islands.

Lazy Days

Out walking near Långholmen, the former prison island in Stockholm. Stopping on one of the bridges for a photo of a passing motorboat.

I wear my sunglasses at night

Who doesn't? Tourist trap in the old town.

Visiting Tourists

One way to see Stockholm I guess. They sure sit like a family. As seen at Stortorget in the old town.

Cake?

A delivery guy in action at Kornhamnstorg in the old town. The unusual looking bike is a Swedish designed ebike/moped called Cake.

A classically trained guitarist

Walking through the busiest alley in the old town, Västerlånggatan I came upon this guy, busking. Swedish, because he uses Swish for anyone that wants to give him some money. I like how he was sitting. But there were so many people walking past him all the time that it was tricky to get a clean photo, had to wait them all out. The guitarist was just finishing a song as I spotted him. You can't really stop and listen here for very long because of the narrow alley and huge crowds.

Norra Begravningsplatsen

A Rune-stone-inspired family headstone at Norra Begravningsplatsen in Solna. Buried here are members of the Tigerhjelm and Rissler families. One of two cemeteries that I visit sometimes. This one is just North of Stockholm. There are 33 000 graves here.

Eyeing the photographer

Odenplan is a very busy public transport hub in Stockholm. So most likely a good spot to hand out free soft drinks. It was a very warm day also. I took one Pepsi, but I am yet to drink it. Oh and if you read the short wiki info, one of my childhood friends can be seen in that classic movie scene.

Jazz and Swing

Three photos from Hagaparken in Solna. Fransk Hotclub Jazzkvartet. That's the Swedish name of this group. With the three guitarists, Tomas Danko, Lasse Söderström and Felipe Robles. And on vocals and Soprano saxophone, Cecilia Wennerström. I listened from a distance, sitting on the circular bench overlooking the big lawn. So for good measure I will show you the copper tent where they were sitting, and also my view over the lawn at the park, it is known as Stora Pelousen.

Triumph Bonneville

I parked my bicycle at Vattentorget in the old town and went for a walk. A favorite place since it opened for the public one year ago. This is the same area with the new square that opened this Summer, which I showed a week ago. It is still under construction btw. And every person visiting Stockholm feels the need to check it out. This biker had done just that and was ready to leave when I spotted his classic motorcycle. He looked very happy that I noticed the motorcycle, and we gave each other a nod as I jumped on my bike and pedalled away.

Fourth of July

An American in Stockholm celebrating Independence Day. Spotted at Liljeholmsviken yesterday while out on a 70 km bike ride. The 27C from a few days ago replaced with cooler weather which made my ride a little easier.

Summertime

The beach at Flatenbadet. I took an 80 kilometre bike ride on one of my old bikes in the Summer heat. Probably drank five bottles of water. All the uphill climbs around the city are back now, as I am without an ebike. Good for the cardio and all, but so much more tiring. But nice to sit down at the beach for a while before continuing the ride home.

Dupuy de Lôme (A759)

The French Navy visiting. Dupuy de Lôme (A759) at Skeppsbrokajen a couple of days ago. Two of these photos are big panoramic images that I have stitched together. Always a bit tricky to do that with big watercrafts, but I do like challenge. Funny story also. There is a walking photographer in one photo. Spotted him twice in the last week or so. On his way to the ship. And here, spotting me in the window reflection at Sergelgatan. Oh, and a day or two later I took another photo of the ship from Skeppsholmen, but I am yet to look at the photos from that day.

Sax n’Box

Walking across the new square, (opened last Summer), Vattentorget at Nya Slussen I suddenly heard some Jazz music, so I walked over for a listen. It was the trio Sax n’Box playing. I remember hearing them perform on the other side of the golden bridge, down by the water, last Summer. I think they are from Eskilstuna.

To the Brefmobile

Always something happening around Sergels torg in Stockholm.

A Royal Guard

From my walk through the old town during Midsummer, when the city was just me, tourists and this Royal Guard at the Palace. I gave her a little nod before I took the portrait and she gave me one back.

A sad story

Bought the Gazelle ebike just over four years ago. Great bike. Rode over 36 000 kilometres with it. A couple of flat tires, of course. Fixed the brakes a few times. Two new chains. Changed this and that. Lost the key one time. Had to take a taxi home with the bike. Twice, thieves stole the bag and or the items in the bag. But last Sunday maybe two hours after I took this photo of it at Skogskyrkogården I parked the bike outside Stockholm City Hall and when I came back out maybe 15 minutes later thieves had stolen the locked bike. It cost me 36 000 SEK when I bought it. Reported the theft to the police. Took the commuter back home. The police read the report, and then said, sorry about that, nothing we can do. And to make things worse, the insurance company had cancelled me and my brothers' insurance because he moved to Spain a few years ago, and it was his name on the insurance.

A day at the old town beach

I did not have any plans for Midsummer, so I jumped on the bike to check out an empty Stockholm. A few hundred thousand people had left the city for the archipelago, or the countryside, so it was just me and a bunch of tourists. The Munkbrohamnen beach in the old town opened last Summer. You will find the metro station behind the wall. The blue fence surrounds a new swimming area that opened here last week. Not very big, but it looks nice enough. Photos taken from Riddarholmen and from the beach itself with Södermalm and Söder Mälarstrand as a nice backdrop. The couple on the sand have a great view over the Riddarfjärden bay and all the motorboats, yachts and ferries that you will see there during the Summer month

Sunny Window

A walk through the old town during Midsummer's day. This is a narrow alley close to Stortorget. I used the mirrorless Canon with the 85mm lens, so this is three photos stitched together. The tourists that walked behind me had to wait for me to finish shooting, and they looked a bit curious at me.

Setting it up

A photographer setting up his softbox at the Ai Weiwei sculpture in front of Nationalmuseum at Blasieholmen in Stockholm. He had a model with him, but I did not wait for them to start shooting. You have seen photos of this sculpture before here on the blog. The building to the right on the other side of the water is the Royal Palace.

A cooling soft drink

It was a warm Summer day. I was out walking with the mirrorless Canon in the central parts of Stockholm. Turning onto Kungsgatan from Drottninggatan I decided to cross the Hötorget square where I take all those flea market photos on Sundays. This was a weekday so it looked very different, still people selling stuff, but only fruit, vegetables and football shirts. This Citroën parked at the square caught my eye. They were handing out free soft drinks from Schweppes. The young girl gave me two cans and I drank one of them while walking back to the bike.

Between two lamp posts

Back at Mälarterrassen. The new square at Södermalmstorg. A quick stop on my way home. Not too many people here during this visit so I focused my Canon on the visiting cruise ship, M/S Europa.At the bottom of the photo can see parts of the gold bridge.

The marching band

I heard the marching band behind me when I turned onto Hamngatan, so I biked over to Norrmalmstorg, parked the bike and walked out onto a traffic island where I knew that I would have a good view over Arméns musikkår. They were on their way to The Royal Palace for the changing of the guards' ceremony. The man leading them is known as a Tamburmajor in Swedish. A word I always laughed about as a kid, and still find kinda funny.