AFTERNOON STROLL
On our last afternoon in Stockholm, we strolled wide Strandvagen along the waterfront. This boulevard has trees in the middle and beyond them, views of elegant houses with fanciful turrets.
On the water side, large and small boats are moored, some for sale; floating restaurants entice diners during the short summer season, while sightseeing vessels and fancy charter boats for hire beckon one to take a cruise.
Along this popular sidewalk on the other side is a series of pocket parks with benches and hammocks, an ice cream hut, and a French hot dog stand (what makes a hot dog French?)
Interspersed are some lovely glassed-in cafes, seats facing toward the water, of course. On this pleasant Sunday, the boulevard was a lively scene of couples, families, and lots of strollers with little kids.
.
We walked to the end where the walk turns right, noting an old blue streetcar mid bikes, cars, scooters, and modern trams, and then crossed one of Stockholm’s many bridges to Djurgarden. This island is home to a sizable park and two museums, the Nordisk Museum and the Vasa Museum. The Vasa or “Wreck” Museum, which the Chief Penguin visited earlier, houses an intact 17th century warship that sank on her first voyage in 1628 and was later salvaged. We wandered a bit and then recrossed the bridge and headed back.
MARCHING FOR PALESTINE
Back on familiar turf, we decided to re-visit the King’s Garden Park. Not far along the way, we heard the sounds of chanting, yelling, and drumming. It was a large group of people of many ages marching in favor of Palestine. They waved flags, carried small signs, and led off with a banner, “The Struggle Continues to Free Palestine.”
LAST DINNER
Nybrogatan 38
Many restaurants are closed on Sundays, so finding a dinner venue took some online searching. Happily, we chose Nybrogatan 38, a little place a short distance from our hotel, but in the opposite direction from the water. Cozy with booths and wooden tables, it was serving families as well as couples. Between us, we ordered the salt-cured salmon with potatoes in cream sauce and a Caesar salad that had seared pieces of chicken thigh meat atop it. These items were billed as smaller dishes but were still sizable.
I had contemplated the snails with garlic, so was sorely tempted when a dish of snails
in pretty shells arrived for the man at the next table. I shared my thoughts with him, and we had a pleasant conversation with him and his wife about how much they like this restaurant. We wished we had discovered it sooner and vowed to return if we’re back in Stockholm!
GRACIOUS SENDOFF
The friendly receptionist at Villa Dagmar went beyond when she provided us a fika at 6:30 am the next morning before we left for the airport. Strictly, fika means “coffee break” and often with something sweet. Ours was coffee for the CP and two lovely little pastries to tide us over. She then ushered us out to our waiting taxi and promptly gave me a goodbye hug! We were a bit sad to leave.
Note: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)
