Stockholm 2013

In December 2013, I had the honor and pleasure of visiting Stockholm, Sweden.

At the airport, packed and ready to go!

GoKart racing at the pub.

Changing of the guard at the royal palace.  Member of Swedish military in uniform.

The streets of the city felt safe at any time of day.

Art and culture on display for all ages.

Stadsteatern is a hub for stage theater productions.  Several eating options are available inside including an indoor map of the city with model buildings:

Model 3D map of the city.

One of my favorite spots.  A place to relax with a view at the Bibliotek Film & Musik.

After the race, relaxing with my co-workers.

Raven on display in a store window.

The comic book stores in Gamla stan were impressive.

The city was beautiful at night.

Nobel Week was in full swing during my stay.  See city hall in the distance. Candles everywhere at the doorsteps of most stores and ringing the base of city hall for the Nobel banquet event.

Cobblestone streets of the old section of the city, Gamla stan.

City at night

Entrance to the office

View from inside one of the buildings.  Plenty of natural light near the desks made for a pleasant work environment.

Modern architecture.

History of communication from past to present.

Some public street art was modern.

In December at high a high latitiude of 59 degress, the days were short, only six hours in duration.  The sun would set before 15.00 (3:00 PM CET) and rise around 8.45 (8:45 AM CET).  The timing allowed me to see both the sunrise and the sunset from the office. On many days the skyline was lovely with many colors.

Seal used to indicate a Royal appointment by the King.

Regeringskansliet is a Swedish national administrative authority.  My translation of a quoting from Wikipedia in Swedish: “The Authority is a politically driven organization, where the government determines direction of the work and the questions that should be prioritized. The officials in government offices, most of which are non-political, working to investigate various issues, control authorities and provide data to the government’s decision.”

One title from the local library, I translated as the “Register of Cases from the Courts of Appeals 1986-1990″. A slim volume which suggests the legal system operates smoothly and efficiently.

One of many nice royal emblems outside the palace.

Nordic glass mugs displayed a distinctive style.

Nordic glassware from Finland.

Cafeteria food was amazing: fresh, healthy and delicious.  The freshly baked bread was a treat. Glasses of fresh water easy to find.

I did not read the label closely.  Expecting a vitamin water, I ended up with a caffeine drink.  Since my diet is caffeine-free, this small drink kept me up all night long. Lesson learned.  Watch out for “koffein”.  I’ll read more labels next time.

The sidwalks were covered with sand, not salt.  A bit icy and slippery to walk, but another reminder of the Swedish concern for the environment.

I look forward to another trip to see even more of the city and to expand my understanding of Swedish culture. See more pictures from my trip.

Map of Gamla stan, Stockholm from Open Street Maps