Happiness is a Balcony

In this country happiness is a balcony. If you don't have one, your life is worthless. Swedes can pay anything to get a balcony and then spend every summer evening there enjoying a drink or two. And what better way to start your day then breakfast on the balcony? Or sunbathing on your balcony. And it's not just summer. Anytime of the year will do. Ask anyone of us and we will tell tell you so. And that's why this photo is so upsetting! What is wrong with these people...

Balcony, or no balcony

That is the question. The new Brf Blicken high-rise in central Handen, still under construction.

Soon to be glassed-in balcony

In this country we love balconies. Weather permitting we spend a lot of time and money on our balconies. If your apartment building doesn't have balconies chances are someone will suggest it and before you know it you are part of the balconist movement. Is that a word? This building at Stora Arken was finished more than a year ago. Now some of the people living here have decided to have a glassed-in balcony. Perfectly understandable if you ask me. Bigger photo.

Happy Easter

I figured I needed at least one Easter photo. And here it is. This is a balcony at Fridhemsplan in Stockholm, at Kungsholmen. It belongs to Patrik Rudqvist who often decorates his balcony for Christmas and Easter. His balcony in quite famous and as I took this photo yesterday people were lining up to do the same. Glad Påsk.

Balcony with Christmas Light

Flooding everywhere on the day that I snapped this photo earlier in the week. I have no photos of that to show you. Instead, I give you another photo of Mulsta Länsmansboställe. Day 48 in my project 100 Days Of Darkness.

Old town photo promenade

Time for another walk through the old town. A bit quieter this time of the year. We start at Själagårdsgatan where a hopefull store owner shows off some items for sale. Next, probably the only apartment with a balcony in one of the alleyways. Located at Tyska skolgränd. The woman who lives there, Anna, loves her pelargoniums. She is a bit shy so she never uses the balcony during the tourist hours. In the third photo a facade at the Kornhamnstorg square, close to the water. Quite the story to the fourth photo. A few centuries ago if you were out drinking in the old town you might have visited Källaren Fimmelstång, a popular tavern back in the day. One man who did that in 1674 was the poet Lasse Lucidor. He was out with a few drinking buddies, and he was in a terrible mood. When Lucidor refused to drink mumma with Arvid Christian Storm, Storm challenged him to a duel and promptly killed Lucidor with his court sword. I photographed the unlucky poet's grave a few years ago. If you have a question about any other photo, fire away!

Lunch on the balcony

Mariaberget at Söder Mälarstrand. I would not mind living there. Photographed from the pedestrian bridge that connects the old town with Södermalm.

Winter balcony

A photo from a couple of days ago when there was some snow left. This is the new retirement home at Lillgården in Tungelsta. It was the snow on the furniture that made me stop for a photo. Every time I walk by here I wonder about that missing window.

MV Britannia

To disembark, or not to disembark, that is the question. I climbed up another hill. This time at Fåfängan, on Södermalm. For a couple of reasons. The view. The autumn colors, and also the big construction site at kvarteret Persikan. So where are all those views I hear you ask? They will come. But sometimes you also get a chance to photograph the big cruise ships from up here, so this is one such photo, of MV Britannia.

Sky over Åby

The Fields of Åby. That's the name of this new housing area. Five new apartment buildings in Västerhaninge, next to Åby Lund. As I took these photos I talked to a man who lives here. He had sold his house and was very happy with his new home. The trees you see in the background is the Hanveden forest, so you really are one with nature here. All apartments come with a balcony or a veranda. And your own parking space. The apartments are part of a housing cooperative known here as a bostadsrättslägenhet. Most of the apartments are 75 m² and have three rooms and a kitchen.

Sky Watch Friday.

The Christmas Tree

Christmas tree out on the balcony at the Argos building in Handen. Will it be there come Midsummer?

Reaching For The Sky

Today's photo is not from Haninge, but from the neighbouring municipality Huddinge. And it shows the new student apartment building at Flemingsberg. Thirteen stories high with a total of 169 one-bedroom apartments of approximately 24 square metres, with fantastic views. Ninety one of those apartments will have a French Balcony. On the entrance floor there will be a gym open 24/7 run by Fitness24seven. The first students will move in sometime around August I think. It's part of the Flemingsberg Campus where you will also find the Södertörns College.

Cederhusen

The wooden houses, (Cedar), at Vegastaden in Handen. The first occupants moved in back in June. All apartments have a balcony or a terrace. There's also a bigger roof terrace open for everyone. The architect was BAU – Byrån för Arkitektur & Urbanism. The commuter station is a just short walk from the apartment building. All sold out, but expect to pay around 50 000SEK per square meter if you want to get your hands on an apartment here.

Another street collage

The weather is still playing tricks with me so here is another collage with sixteen recent Stockholm images. A couple of snaps from my second sitting at the statue of the old King when I did the panning project.Three photos of people at different pedestrian crossings including one at Skeppsbron where a woman on an escooter decided not to see the stoplight. A statue at Kornhamnstorg. People at a bus-stop at Vasagatan. A plane heading for the airport, just before it disappears behind the great church in the Old Town. A woman waiting for customers at a fast food stall. Asian tourist snapping away towards Mariaberget. People out walking at Tegelbacken. Two workers enjoying lunch out on a fancy balcony. A few photos from Kungsträdgården. And one snap towards Slussen, the never ending construction site.

Sixteen Recent Snaps With The Canon 77D

Girl on a moped. Golfers near Årsta Säteri. 22-Pistepirkko. Military vessels at Berga. Ambulance helicopter over Tungelsta. People enjoying the Summer at the beach at Årsta Havsbad. Lasse's new cool looking bike. Girl going the wrong way. She stopped me a few minutes later asking for directions so I helped her out. Photogenic dog at the art gallery. Sportscar at Dalarövägen. Corn field at Alby. Curious cat on a balcony above the cafe. Bus 839 to Dalarö at Klockarlötsvägen. The woman getting off the bus was on her way to a wedding or a funeral. She asked me when the return bus would come so I looked that up for her. Guided walk at the Art Promenade, (konststigen). That's a wrap. Well just one more then, a panning photo of a motorcycle, shot that one this afternoon.

Now with balconies

Old City Hall in Handen. At the moment a busy building site as the old offices are being turned into apartments. And all of them will get a brand new balcony. The name of the apartment building is Argos.

Apartment Fire

There was a fire in an apartment at Ribby in Västerhaninge today. I was in the area when the fire and rescue services arrived. They had to knock down the door to the apartment on the third floor. A little later a fire fighter opened the balcony door and you could see a lot of smoke come out. I talked to some of the concerned neighbours. It looks like the owners were staying in a camper at a local beach. They have a daughter but I don't think anyone was home. Will try to find out more later.

Stand up for free speach

Part of an art installation at Sergels torg during the renovation of the speakers corner balcony at the square. The idea is that you could stand on top of some of the boxes if you would like to be heard. Looks a bit dangerous in the last shot though as it is a long way down should you fall. One of my Flickr contacts told me that when the renovation is over you can request one of the boxes from the city if you so like.

Strolling through the old town

Out walking in the old town. A red door at Västerlånggatan. I stood in an alleyway waiting out a hord of tourists before I could take one quick shot. The balcony is very famous because it is rather unique. Not too many of those in here. I took the window photo because of the old TV. Not sure if that is a store, or just someones home. But it made for a good photo though. It is so narrow here that I had to shoot it as a three photo panorama. And wait out another group of tourists.

Windows

The new Attendo retirement home at Lillgården in Tungelsta will soon open it's doors for the pensioners queuing to move in here. It will probably be a little wile longer before they can open a window or sit out on the balcony for a coffee in the morning sun. My previous photos from this project can be seen by pressing this link.