A December visit to the flea market

Pepparkakshus

Swedish word of the day. Pepparkakshus. Gingerbread house. Today a hotel, but built as a convenient store called PUB. People that worked there include Greta Garbo and my mother. At Hötorget, where I visited the weekly flea market, so photos of that to come.

Gustaf Mellbin

Mariatorget. Södermalm. Stockholm.

Twice upon a time

Steamery. Sankt Paulsgatan. Södermalm. Stockholm.

A touch of red

The city of Stockholm wishing everyone God Jul. This big heart can be found at Malmskillnadsgatan. In the backgroud a classic sculpture with a tricky name. It is called Kristallvertikalaccent.

Working out

16:20. Pitch dark. From late November. People working out at SATS Haninge in Handen. Oh, and I have never been to a gym in my life.

Old Town Christmas Market

The Christmas market in the old town is usually very popular. Held at Stortorget, a very historic square in Stockholm. An annual event since 1837. It rained non-stop during my visit, so I walked around with my mirrorless Canon in one hand, and an umbrella in the other. The great thing about this market is that you can't sell crap. It has to be the real deal. Glögg. Polkagrisar. Karameller. Konstsmide. Korvar & viltkött. Hantverk. Sockervadd. Keramik. All the good stuff!

The Guild of Mechanical Engineers

I saw quite a few university students from Finland while walking through the old town. All of them in different coveralls, known as studenthalare, or boilersuits. This group were posing for a group photo at The Great Church.

A slow start

It rained all day. Not the best weather for a Christmas market. This was the scene in the old town, at Stortorget in Stockholm. The vendor looked a bit bored and unhappy. No one seemed very interested in spinning the wheel. Clearly a slow start. Theme Day. Slow. More, and happier photos from the market to come!

Feeling a bit out of focus

Colorful lights on a ferry at Skeppsbrokajen. Across the street from the Royal Palace, which was my next stop.

Tre Valv

I had other plans, but it started to rain, so I parked the bike and went for another walk through the old town where Christmas is in full swing. This was the entrance at the square Järntorget to the restaurant Tre Valv. Lots of history in all the places here.

Should we arrest him?

Strolling around Stureplan in Stockholm. I photographed a few shop windows, people queueing for free coffee, Christmas decorations and then the mounted police. The female officer closed here eyes when she first noticed me.

Egglestonesque?

A while back, Greg, the old sock, posted a photo with what I found to be a weird hashtag. Democratic photography. I had no idea what that meant, so he had to explain it. It had everything to do with the American photographer William Eggleston, and it was not anything political, which was my first thought. Anywho, out walking in the rain at Skeppsbrokajen, in the old town yesterday, I thought this looked a little Egglestonesque.

Waiting for the bus

The bus stop at Hötorget, along Kungsgatan. This bus stop is often used for fun advertising campaigns. Now used by Clas Ohlson. So weird, I recognize both women here, but I can't say where from. Politics and publishing possibly.

Heading home

Cycling home from Stockholm one day last week, I took a shortcut, and stopped by the beach at Hökarängsbadet. It was just me and a flock of birds down by the water at Lake Drevviken as I took the photo with the moon over Sköndal. One hour later I was at Nederstaleden where a bike path follows the railroad between Västerhaninge and Krigslida. I took the third photo at another bike path, this one at Stav. The red house at Mulsta often looks nice in the dark. I took the last photo where that bike path ends, at Lillgården with the new row houses and the Jensen school.