A touch of Summer

Just like that, it was Summer. Swedish style, around 19C. And we enjoyed it. And then it was gone again, just like that. But we really enjoyed it. Here are four snaps from Rålis, the same park as in yesterday's post, Rålambshovsparken on Kungsholmen, only a few days later. The big park was filled with people, sunbathing, sleeping, cycling, running, you name it, and they were doing it. Having a picnic. Or queuing for something to eat at the many food trucks. And as I'm typing this on Sunday morning it is maybe 6C, although from a clear blue sky.

The Butterfly

Fjärilen. The Butterfly. Made by Elli Hemberg some forty years ago. It measures 6,3 x4 x 4,4 meters. Based on dynamic symmetry. You will find it in one of the more popular parks on Kungsholmen. At Rålambshovsparken, nicknamed Rålis. This photo already feels a bit dated to me, which is weird because I took it just a week ago. But Spring really exploded two days after I snapped this, and I have a few more Summer like photos to show you from here soon.

People at The Fair

Nothing more fun than photographing people when you are at a fair. So that is what I did non-stop, and here are seven of those photos, all taken with the silent mirrorless Canon. I like the teenage girl's outfit, and her haircut. She brought with her the family dog and something to sell. The medieval man in the second photo did everything right. The woman to the left in the third shot caught my eye for some reason. I normally don't like photographing someone from behind, it feels like you are faking it, but it worked here with those cool braids. The Knights had a busy time at the market, when they weren't fighting each other they had to pose for photos with the visiting tourists. We all need to eat, even the well-fed photographer in the sixth photo. And lastly, the man that arranged it all. The Blacksmith Martin Ahlsén from Haninge. You might remember seeing a few other posts on this blog from his museum in Handen where he arranges markets a couple of times every year.

Medieval Stockholm

There was bagpipe music at the medieval market at Kungsträdgården in Stockholm. It is an annual event arranged by Medeltid Stockholm, back after being cancelled for the last two years because of the pandemic. After the gig, the talkative musician told the crowd that he was happy that they hadn't run away when they started playing the bagpipe. The second photo shows the medieval Chef in action. And over at the other end of the fair, a woman is selling what the chef was cooking up, I guess. Burnt almonds' anyone? You could also buy leather items and jewelry from a few stalls. This was a fun event. Very crowded. Lots of tourists from all around the world. One or two more photos tomorrow.

The prettiest knight in the world

I visited a medieval market over the weekend. Held at Kungsträdgården in Stockholm. Organized by Medeltid Stockholm. Great fun. The park was crowded with people from all around the world. I will show you quite a few photos tomorrow, but I wanted to start with just the one portrait. This seriously good-looking woman was taking part in the fun where you could joust with the Knights, and I knew that I had to take her portrait as she held up that big sword.

The Pallbearers

I took my first bike ride of the year to Nynäshamn on a sunny day last week. Made my first pit-stop at the church in Ösmo. It is around 900 years old. The pallbearers were standing outside the church as I took this. A few minutes later they were hard at work with a coffin. If you want to read up on the church there is a PDF-folder in English here.

Taking a breather

Two photos from Norrmalm. Taken on both sides of the busy Klarabergsgatan where a modern tram transports commuters these days. Top photo. A couple enjoying what looks like a spicy lunch on the benches in front of the Hötorgsskraporna that I showed you a few months ago. And on the other side of the street closer to Sergels Torg and Drottninggatan, two guys on a similar bench reading up on their social media sites, or just doomscrolling the news.

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.

Petit Marche

Runebergsplan, Stockholm. A coffee and a rose.

Vaktparaden

If you ever find yourself in Stockholm on a Sunday, chances are that you will see these guys out walking in the central parts of the city. It is the "Vaktparaden". Here seen at Kungsträdgården on their way to the changing of the guard at the Royal Castle.

Smiles all around, almost

Four street shots from the old town. Top photo, a smiling girl noticing the photographer, it looks like she has been shopping for books at the Science Fiction bookstore, one of my favorite shops as well. Second shot, the guy in a scooter couple realizing he is being photographed and decides to smile appropriately. Two teenage girls takes that same decision. A bit harder to spot the smile in the last photo, but it is there if you look hard. Also feels like I should know who the lone guy here is. But I don't.

Gustaf Adolfskyrkan

Designed by Carl Möller back in 1892, this was a garrison church for Svea Livgarde at Östermalm in Stockholm. Some construction work was done by people from the regiment. Today it belongs to the Swedish church. Named after Gustavus Adolphus. Photographed as a panorama with the Canon 6D using the Sigma 50mm lens. This is in the same area of Stockholm as the circular tower I showed you ten days ago.

Dooo. Diii. Daaa. Booo. Baaa.

I had to stop at the Farsta graffiti wall a while back when I noticed these paintings. If I had to guess, I would say that the artists behind these five artworks are a few years younger than the people that normally paints here.

Birds in the forest

Underpass at Gullmarsplan near the Gravedigger's Cottage at the Cholera Cemetery. This an official artwork although I can't find any information about the artist.

What about Mexican?

What about Mexican? Well, it is Sunday, so maybe not tonight. But, and you probably didn't know this about Sweden. A lot of people over here have a Taco Friday. I used to have that with my brother and mother for a number of years. It was mostly my brother's fault as he often ate out with colleagues and got the taste for Mexican food. In the country as a whole, it started back in the 1990s. You can read an article about it here if you like. Anyway, this is a Mexican restaurant at Vasastan in Stockholm.

Almhöjden in April

Back at the Woodland Cemetery, or Skogskyrkogården as it is called in Swedish. I often stop by just to sit down on a bench, enjoying a light lunch. From one of those benches you have a good view of the Meditation Hill, known as Almhöjden, or meditationskullen, in Swedish. The trees on the hill, (elms), are not going green just yet and neither is the grass, so I figured this scene would look better in Black and White. I walked around the pond to get this photo and waited a few seconds for the couple to walk into the shot.

The Northern Towers

Three photos of Norra Tornen at Vasastan in Stockholm. Two very debated apartment buildings for a number of reasons. Firstly because of the architecture, they were designed by Reinier de Graaf. The design is very different compared with how the rest of this area looks. Well, not really, because just across the street a new “City” called Hagastaden is under construction with quite a few modern looking high-rises. But still, some people hate it, others love it. I kinda like it. Secondly, the guy who came up with the idea for the towers, then billionaire Oscar Engelbert ended up in all sorts of legal trouble with the law. Scandal after scandal in a still ongoing saga. Oh, and If you are wondering about the sculpture. It is called Carlota, it is a 7-metre-high cast iron sculpture head made by Jaume Plensa. It was moved to its current location at Vanadisplan not too long ago, after spending a few years at Royal Djurgården.

M/S Östanå I

A ship from Strömma Kanalbolag leaving the pier at Strandvägen heading to the archipelago with a group of happy tourists. This was a steam ship back in the day.

Five moments in time

Out shooting street photos with the totally silent mirrorless Canon. The two teenage girls making faces for insta or perhaps TikTok were spotted at Nybrokajen. The lunch-eating gent on the bench had the Art Nouveau hotels that I showed you last week as a backdrop. The woman with the blue shades were photographed at the pedestrian street Drottninggatan, as were the dressed-for-winter man on the scooter, I guess when you ride at almost the speed of sound you better dress accordingly. The woman in white, with the black leather boots, had just finished an outdoor lunch down by the water at Nybrokajen. A little later, she decided that a brisk walk along Strandvägen was in order.

Nice day for it

More people sitting around enjoying the sunshine. From Strömkajen in Stockholm. Always a good spot if you enjoy street photography. I snapped this one on a sunny day a while back. This is part of a cafe/ticket office where you can buy a ticket to the archipelago.

Abstract Graffiti

On my bike rides to and from Stockholm, I always stop at the legal graffiti wall at Farsta. There is always something new to look at, as the street artists usually paint over a previous work done by someone else after just a few hours. So the works of art here are very short-lived. This one really caught my eye and I knew that I had to take a photo of it before it was too late, and it was gone the following day.

Svea Torn

Svea Tower. A circular high-rise at Gärdet in Stockholm. Built on the land that once housed the Svea Artillery Regiment. A landmark in the area since the day it was finished some 15 years ago. Precisely 49.9 meter high. The building has 70 cake-shaped apartments. The architect firm was ÅWL Arkitekter, and the main architect was Aleksander Wolodarski.

Naked Runners

A sculpture outside the Olympic Stadium in Stockholm. The sculptor, Carl Fagerberg was a former athlete himself, not sure though how often he competed like this in the nude. Fun fact, my grandfather once told me that he was at the Opening Ceremony for the 1912 Olympic Games. He must have been ten years old at the time.

Symmetrical Woman

Strolling up and down Queenstreet, or Drottninggatan as we like to call it, taking street photos I spotted this woman and figured her very cool and symmetrical. Theme Day. Symmetry.