Day2
I spend most of the night collecting pillows. They keep disappearing — off the side, under the duvet, somewhere. I wake up earlier than any holiday warrants. As always.
Lingering in bed until breakfast is served. It’s basic — nothing remarkable, but enough. I don’t need much in the morning.
Today’s plan: Stockholm. No agenda, no obligations. I’ve been here enough times that I can simply follow whatever looks interesting. I pick up a 72-hour SL travel card and walk to the nearest underground station — above ground at this end of the blue line — and take it straight to Kungsträdgården. A clean, direct ride, about 20 minutes. One of the better commutes in the city.
Just before boarding I find a geocache at the church nearby, and run into an older couple doing the same. A brief exchange, a shared moment of mutual recognition, and then we both go about our day.
Kungsan is a few steps from the exit. Another cache, and a bit of Star Trek themed Adventure Labs while wandering toward NK. The cherry blossom is long gone, but everything is green and flowering. Good enough.
First stop is XXL — I need wide shoes for Japan. There’s not much selection, and what fits the bill is expensive. Stadium next door is better, but still not quite right. I’ll need a bigger shop at some point.
Sergels Torg, then down Drottninggatan toward Gamla Stan. The usual parade of tourist shops selling things nobody needs and nothing actually Swedish.
I’m too late for a guided tour of the Riksdag, so I continue to the Royal Castle and catch a light version of the changing of the guard — no music, no ceremony, just soldiers doing their thing while tourists fill the square. I wanted a few photos. It takes five minutes. Moving on.
The crowds make me think about timing. In Gamla Stan, timing matters — especially when it comes to Under Kastanjen, my favourite café in the city. There’s space outside, and even if it’s not quite warm enough to call it summer, sitting there is tradition. Kladdkaka with cream and an elderflower lemonade. My favourite place to take a break.
From there, a short walk to Stortorget for two virtual geocaches, and a photo sent to my parents specifically to make them jealous.
A quick stop at COOP for something to drink, and then — what next? I check the SL travel card terms and discover it covers Waxholmsbolaget boats between Stockholm and Waxholm as well. So why not a boat trip?
Boat line 2 departs from Slussen and is quite full. A long weekend, so people are heading to their archipelago cabins alongside the usual tourists. I find a seat on the upper deck — nice when the sun comes out, a little cool when it doesn’t.
I end up talking to a guy from New York and a Dutch couple. Travel stories, recommendations, small talk. The archipelago is exactly as good as it always is. I want a house out here.
Landing in Waxholm — they’re redoing the entire pier, so everything is temporarily displaced. I’m not planning to stay anyway; I’ll be back on Saturday for a proper visit. A local ice cream instead: mango sorbet and Dubai chocolate, eaten while waiting for the tourist rush to board. I take the next boat. Much emptier.
On the way back I start thinking about dinner. Pizza feels right, and I’ve found what looks like a good spot. I disembark at Gåshaga brygga on Lidingö and take the light rail to Ropsten — a small detour, but variation in travel matters. Two stops on the red line from Ropsten to Karlaplan, then five minutes on foot.
Magari Pizza does one thing and has great ratings. They’ve closed the main entrance to keep out the cold and opened a side door instead, which apparently confuses everyone — people keep trying to push in through the wrong entrance. I get the Mr. Ryan, which is exactly what I was hoping for. Tasty, good value, and noticeably cheaper than the same meal would be back in Norway.
Time to head back. Steps are well and truly done for the day. T-bana to T-Centralen, then the blue line back to Kista. A pass through the shopping centre, a stop at LIDL for something to drink, and across the street to the hotel.
At reception I ask for an extra pillow. They bring one — and, praise the fjord, it’s a bigger pillow. They hid it from me all along.
Some travel videos and a bit of reading before sleep. Also settled something today: the Canon stays home for Japan. The small Sony is coming instead.