Dec 17, 2000 06:46 PM
3392 Views
Last weekend I had to fly to Stockholm, to attend the wedding anniversary of my
Friend who lives in a small town called Spanga, about 8 kms from Stockholm. Though
I have visited Sweden before and have traveled by car right up to Oslo, this was the
First time that I really explored the city of Stockholm.
It is winter now and the Christmas season is upon us. The days are short and dark,
The cold blistery winds and falling snowflakes all make you feel to stay indoors. But the glittering lights in the stores, with all the Christmas decorations and carols singing really made me feel ward rather than shivery and cold.
Stockholm is generally referred to as Beauty on Water, or Venice of the North, which is understandable, as the city, is built upon 14 islands. It is surrounded by Lake Mälaren, and by the Baltic Sea. The mixture of old and new, greenery and water, picturesque narrow streets and engaging modern broad ones provides an attractiveness you rarely meet elsewhere. By steamboat you can take trips out into the archipelago, or go in the other direction to Lake Mälaren with its characteristic and amazing nature. Taking one of the canal boats one can see Stockholm from under the bridges which also is a charming way to discover this radiant city.
The most popular attraction in Stockholm is the Royal Palace, followed closely by the Wasa Museum featuring the almost 400-year-old crown vessel ''Wasa''.
The royal family no longer lives at the Royal Palace, which is located downtown, next to parliament. Instead, they moved out to the beautiful and peaceful Drottningholms Slott, 1/2 hour drive outside of Stockholm.
Other attractions? We strolled in Old Town, discovered the side streets and went up in Kaknästornet and Skansen.
The Stadhuset at the water's edge near Central Station, and particularly its gently tapering redbrick tower, give the best fix on the city's layout. The building itself, a flagship of the National Romantic movement in the 1910s and 1920s, draws heavily on Swedish materials and themes, exemplified in the cavernous Blue Room, where the Nobel prize-givings are held, and the Golden Room, where a précis of Swedish history covers the walls in a gilt mosaic
Stockholm is also famous for its Health Spas. I had the pleasure of spending a calm, relaxing day. It worked wonders as the many hours of darkness during this season begin to make you feel tired.
Traditional Swedish cooking cannot be compared with the sophistication of, say, French or Italian cuisine. Swedish food is usually simple and satisfying, and nowadays also healthy. In the last few decades immigrants from all over the world have enriched Swedish food culture with a host of exciting dishes. Foreign fast food, for example is an inseparable part of Swedish youth culture.
Stockholm is also famous for ABBA who made its breakthrough in 1974 with the song''Waterloo''. Afterwards they produced hit after hit. ABBA paved the way for many other Swedish rock bands.
Swedish landuage, appears very difficult but most of the Swedes can speak English. My friend in Spanga publishes a magazine called ''Sambandh'', tells me that Swedish has at least 20 % sanskrit words in it and that ''Sambandh'' in Swedish language means the same as in Hindi
