The Path of Seven Wells

Most Swedish people's favorite time of the year is the month of May. We call it Sköna Maj. May the beautiful. Because after the long, cold and very dark Winter everything turns green again. Like here at the Woodland Cemetery, along the path of seven wells. I often walk up to the top of the Meditation Hill, Almhöjden in Swedish. A good place to recharge the batteries with a smoothie before cycling on.

May Evening Walk

A very gloomy day. Took an early evening walk with my buddy Hasse at the Häringe-Hammersta nature reserve, around Bobäcken. Because of the weather, a light drizzle that ended and maybe 8C we decided on a short walk, just over 5K. Started at a place were we had a BBQ a few years ago. A nice promenade through an area with many old oaks (the oldest one a natural monument), close to a little lake and the Baltic Sea, and past a horse pasture, stables and farm buildings.

Årstaviken

Cycling around Södermalm a few days ago I stopped at Tantolunden for a rest and a few photos. The highrises at Sjövikskajen are new of course. Designed by four different architects. The little beach Tantos strandbad is very popular during the Summer. The diving board is also a big hit with the sunbathers. In the background the Årsta railway bridge, which is also a bicycle and pedestrian bridge. The panorama shows an area undergoing a lot of change at the moment. Maybe hard to see, but there's a huge deck down by the water. It opened last Summer, and it can also get very crowded when the weather is nice. The water here is called Årstaviken. It features what I think is the most popular walk in Stockholm. Between 7 km and 10 km, depending on where you walk.

Another flea market visit

Another fun visit to the weekly flea market at Hötorget. I noticed a couple of familiar people. Trenchcoat guy being one of them. But also a lot of locals and visiting tourists.

Je M'appelle Agneta

Walking through the King's Park two weeks or so after the end of the Cherry Blossom mania. Spotted Agneta standing in the big pond.

They call him Happy

I took a long promenade on Södermalm, tourists everywhere. So the camera was working non-stop. And then, walking back to Slussen where I had parked my bike, I spotted this guy standing just off the busy Götgatsbacken with his dog, so I stopped for a quick shot. I gave him a little nod after the fact and he gave me one back.

Mösspåtagning

Thousands of grad students filled up many of the outdoor restaurants in Stockholm a while back. You can recognize them because of the white "studentmössor". A very Swedish thing, this. The teenagers party hard for nearly two months leading up to this moment. All paid for by their poor parents no doubt. It can cost 20 000 SEK to graduate from secondary school these days.

Finally!

I ride my bike over the Skanstull bridge every time I enter Stockholm. And I will often stop for a photo of the concrete pier below, at Hammarby sjöstad, because it will tell me all I need to know about the current weather. And as you can see this was a fine early Summer-like day.

The King's Birthday

King Carl XVI Gustaf turned 80 years old a while back. The Royals from Denmark and Norway showed up for the party and moored their official boats at Skeppsbron, just across the street from the Royal Palace. The Danish ship is called Dannebrogen. The Norwegian, KS Norge. A lot of security present of course. We heard the Cannon salute from Skeppsholmen and saw the Swedish Air Force do a fly-over with the Gripen and some of the older aircraft as well. But the area was still open for anyone to visit so the place was packed with onlookers and people eating lunch at the restaurants down by the water. I tried walking up to the palace but it was too crowded, so I headed over to Strömgatan near the Opera House from where I could hear the choir singing for the birthday boy at Lejonbacken. I then walked out onto the Norrbro bridge which was also packed with people. Including the cyclist on his way home from Lidl. I am not really a royalist, but it was still fun to see everything. A little later I was stopped by police because they were closing a street near City Hall as the king and queen drove by in his 80-year-old Volvo. I took a quick photo, but it was out of focus, so I deleted it.

Cherry Blossom Mania part III

Another visit to the King's park, Kungsträdgården, for a final, (?), look at the Cherry Blossom mania. A couple kissing while taking a smartphone selfie. Two people setting up for a video with that cinematic look. Walking by. Looking at it all. Shooting in macro mode, and having your dog pose for you. A short visit this time, but I am happy with the photos.