Today is Sweden's National Day, or Day of the Swedish Flag. According to Wikipedia, this day celebrates the election of Gustav Vasa as King of Sweden in 1523 and the end of the Danish-ruled Kalmar Union. However, since June 6th was first celebrated at the Stockholm Olympics in 1916, many Swedes, including me, probably don't make the connection with our great King Gustav and the end of Danish rule in Sweden.
To honor my hometown, Stockholm, I thought today would be a good day to share some pictures from my last trip back in 2005. I've posted some of these before, but I'm sure no one remembers. I certainly don't.
The narrowest street in Old Town Stockholm.
Priest Street with a red bicycle ~ Old Town.
Tetley Tea House ~ I spent many hours here, drank many cups of tea, met fascinating people from all over the world. A long time ago.
The original city of Stockholm is built on 14 islands. A city surrounded by water, with a large number of green spaces makes for quite a lovely place to live.
I was baptized in the church up on the cliffs, Katarina Church.
The Royal Palace.
The pink building is the Grand Hotel. The water here is very turbulent and fishermen use boats with large nets attached, like the one in the foreground. The current is so strong, you may think it must be difficult to control the boat and catch fish at the same time, but these traditional boats have been around for a long, long time and are manned by skilled fishermen. And there's plenty of fish in the clean waters of mid-city Stockholm.
The rear of the Royal Opera House.
One of my favorite pictures from my visit in 2005.
Modern transportation.
And the old fashioned kind. And there I am, 11 years ago now.
Hope you enjoyed this smorgasbord of Stockholm pictures.
