Stockholm, Sweden

August 31, 2009, Monday
Stockholm, Sweden

Since we are located a fair ways outside of Stockholm proper, we decided to take the Metro and go downtown. It is about a 10 minute walk to the Metro and another 20 minute ride to the center of town. We are in an area with a lot of Muslims and we pass an Islamic Cultural Center on our way to the Metro. We saw a lot of Muslims in Paris and Amsterdam but haven’t seen too many in Scandinavia until we got here.

The train is very modern and quiet and comfortable. The seats are cloth and padded and there is NO trash either in the train or along side the train tracks. There also is virtually NO graffiti!! I am SO impressed by the cleanliness of the city.

We got downtown and thought that the best way to see everything is via a Hop On Hop Off bus and so we bought a two day pass and we rode all over the place on the bus. It is quite cool here and I was glad that I had won a long sleeved shirt and my sweater. Our pass entitles us to also go on the Hop On Hop Off Boat tour too but we decided that we would save that for tomorrow, when we plan to wear our jackets!! It was pretty chilly sitting on the top of the bus sight seeing. It didn’t have a top on today and even though the sun was shining, it was breezy and cool.

There are not a whole lot of things to see here in Stockholm. I want to get back in to the old town and wander around some of the small alleys but other than that, there isn’t a whole lot of any particular interest. I can’t say that I’m just dying to tour city hall or the local radio/tv tower (they are VERY proud that they can receive a zillion stations). It is just a modern, busy city, like many other cities. We will be hard pressed to find things to keep us busy touring for the time we are here!! I suspect that we will take another day off to read and lay around!! Which is fine with us. We are perfectly happy doing not much of anything as well as touring our little hearts out!!

I’m noticing that Don doesn’t have the energy to go as much as we used to go and sometimes he apologizes for his lack of get up and go. I keep telling him that we will do what WE want to do and to just tell me if he wants to quit and go back to the hotel. He is such a stoic, it is REALLY hard for me to tell if he is exhausted or not.