Cherry Blossom Mania II

A second batch of photos from the Cherry Blossom mania at The King's Garden. Always spectacular.

Cherry Blossom Mania

Twelve days late, I finally made it to the Cherry Blossom mania at Kungsträdgården. Always a great event that attracts visitors from all over the world. I come here to photograph the people and the photographers. So here are the first three photos I took yesterday. Way too many more to come, I'm afraid. It was a fine spring day, warm and sunny. I rode 72 kilometers, and if you don't count the coughing and the snoring, it was nice to be back riding again.

A place to rest for a bit

Atriumgård by Fredrik Holmqvist. This piece was a project between schoolkids and the artist. Stood outside a school in Jordbro for many years. I was a student there long before that. The school is gone today, replaced with modern apartments. And the Atriumgård can be found in a nearby park. Photographed yesterday when I was out on a (slow), bike ride for the first time since the man flu hit. I managed 40 kilometers. Might try again today with a longer ride.

Bellevueparken II

The second hill I climbed the day that I got the man flu was in the same park as in yesterday's post. Bellevueparken. Just closer to the bay. The park was designed by a landscape architect called Fredrik Magnus Piper back in 1780. He was also the guy who designed Hagaparken. On the first photo, a woman is working on her laptop at Piper's Parasol. There are a lot of benches in the park, all with good views over the bay. Which came in handy for me as I sat down on this bench for a bit. Across the bay at Kräftriket, a part of the Stockholm University, you will find this Villa from the 1880s. On the fourth photo, we can see The Northern Towers that are visible from most hills around Stockholm.

Bellevueparken

On the day that I got the man flu I walked up three different hills for a look at the views over the Brunnsviken bay, and more. The bay connects Stockholm with Solna. On the first photo from the hill near Carl Eldhs museum you can see the busy construction site that is Hagastaden, with thousands of new homes, hotels, and university hospital buildings. A new Metro station is also under construction there. A train is heading through the 800-meter-long tunnel over which the new city is being constructed. The railway line is called Värtabanan. Turning the Canon to the left we look back at a church high up on another hill. It is called Engelbrektskyrkan. Continuing the left turn we now see the bay itself with Hagaparken to the left, and the Bergshamra water tower.

Teenage girl of the day

I walked through Berzelii park last week, the idea was to maybe photograph workers from the city planting Spring flowers near the statue. No such luck, but I did see people enjoying the Spring sunshine on the lawns. This teenage girl looked very content with it all.

The runner

Norrbro. Always lots of people out running around lunch time in Stockholm. Spotted this woman, and a few others down by the water at Norrbro. It was that wonderful 20C day last week.

Lovelocks

Lovelocks at Riksbron. The National Bridge. You walk over this bridge from Drottinggatan just after walking past the Prime Minister's office, towards Helgeandsholmen, where you will find the Parliament Building, before continuing on to The Royal Palace and the Old Town. Had I not used such a shallow depth of field you would have seen the Streams castle.

Over the lake

Because of the construction work at Klockelund I found myself biking on a path closer to the water from where you have a good view over lake Drevviken towards Sköndal with the old church up on the hill. All before the man flu of course.

Cherry Blossom

So, normally I would have visited the Cherry Blossom explosion at Kungsträdgården every day for the last week, but because of the man flu I have been in bed for a week, so these are the only photos I have to show you. I took these one week ago when the first trees started to bloom. I have seen many photos online since, and I have to say that I am a bit jealous of all the people I see posting photos from the spectacular event.

Olivin

After many years of planning and discussing, it was decided that Skanska could build a new office building at the property known as triangeltomten at Lindhagensgatan on Kungsholmen at Hornsberg. It will be known as Olivinoffice. There used to be an old bus depot here, but it will be replaced with nearly 900 new apartments. I shot this as a vertical panorama, using the Canon 77D, and the 60mm lens.

A mix of street scenes

Two people working at Filippa K at Biblioteksgatan walking away with an empty box that used to contain a mannequin. Fun doorknob at Naturkompaniet. Two workers at Kungsgatan discussing their next move while being watched by Danish supermodel Helena Christensen. The artist Linnea Rygaard continuing her work while standing on what we call a saxlift. Looking down at the Century old Kungsgatan that is getting a facelift. The old cobblestones making a temporary appearance. People stopping to say hi as they walk past a café at Regeringsgatan. Oh, and I am still in bed with the flu.

Bitcoin

Car spotting.

Nice day for it

It has been an interesting week. A couple of warm days. And then two days with Summer temperatures, and as I am typing this it is snowing! On one of those Summer days I rode 85 km and visited two lookout points, but I also managed to get a bug or something, so I have been in bed with a fever for the last 24 hours. Only walking very slowly between the bed and the bathroom.

The Swedish Army Museum

While out strolling on Östermalm in Stockholm recently, I took a shortcut over Artillerigården where you will find The Swedish Army Museum at Riddargatan. Or Armémuseum in Swedish. The architect was Carl Cronstedt. Finished in 1770. Inside you can look at some of the 100 000 items that the museum has to offer. Outside you can see old cannons. A statue remembering fallen soldiers at the battle of Poltava. Stridsvagn 103 which is a battle tank from the 1950s. And of course the interesting design of the fence.

Hepatica nobilis

A few days with Summer temperatures this week. So everything will hopefully turn green again, soon. I photographed these "blåsippor" at Håga in Västerhaninge.

I see you

Visiting Kungsträdgården more and more now as I am waiting for the Cherry Blossom. There is always a lot of people here, so it is a good spot for street photography. The dog spotted me as it waited for it's owner to finish his ice cream. Hopefully the dog got a treat later.