Stockholm
Sweden has always been one of those 'fantasy' places that seemed so far away and out of reach for someone living a million miles away, like me in New Zealand... yet here I am, looking directly out my hotel window to the shining golden crowns a top Stockholm's City Hall.
Despite being a last minute addition to the itinerary, it didn't take much planning to fill up my sightseeing list, mainly because I've been dreaming about coming here since I was a kid. In 1986, Swedish hard rock band 'Europe' filmed a concert they played at a local sports hall just out of central Stockholm. The footage shot at 'Solnahallen' was used to make the music video for 'The Final Countdown' and as the song has always been my #1 favourite track of all time, getting to go out to 'Solnahallen' and see and stand where the music video was made 30 years ago was one of those real life 'I-can't-believe-I-am-here' type moments.
STOCKHOLM: CITY SIGHTS & HIGHLIGHTS
Of course Stockholm as a city did not disappoint being a easy place to roam and explore. Along with Paris, Stockholm has to be the top favourite so far. The Vasa Museum a.k.a the Pirates of the Carribean ship that sunk on its maiden voyage; was pretty epic given its age and condition. Gamla Stan felt like I was back in alleyways of Italy but without the trash and crowds and the Royal Palace was 10 billion times better and far less overrun with tourists than the Palace of Versailles. The climb up the City Hall's 106m tower wasn't as demanding as I thought, thanks to whoever designed the final third as it is pretty much a big square ramp but when you do reach the top, you are treated to some mint views of the city.
As far as music related sights, you cannot come here without visiting the ABBA museum. A quirky layout made it a little difficult to navigate but to see the costumes worn by them all and Bjorn's famous guitar played at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest was well worth it. Grona Lund is unique in that it stages full on rock concerts in the middle of the theme park. Everyone from Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Thin Lizzy and of course ABBA and Europe have played on its famous stage and so this was another place I had to visit. The Hard Rock Cafe in Stockholm is pretty stock standard, apart from the fact that Europe filmed the music video for their follow up single off 'The Final Countdown' album, 'Rock the Night' here back in the old days. Although the layout of the restaurant has changed, it was cool to have lunch there and check out the memorabilia on display. Joey Tempest's jacket from the early 90s is displayed along with his boots and a Takamine guitar which think is the one he played here. Again random stuff to fly all the way from the otherside of the world to visit but for a fan like me, it was a dream come true.
Stockholm reminds me of Venice, with its waterways and islands, with a blend of Amsterdam and Parisian type architecture but with an old Italian town type vibe, especially in Gamla Stan, but all of this with a very clean and sophisticated European/Scandinavian feel, which you can't quite get until you get here yourself. I would say it feels like open air IKEA but I don't think locals would appreciate that comparison.
Sometimes the best things happen when you least expect it and that has been true with Stockholm. Coming here wasn't in the original plan yet everything has fallen into place and given me some of the most magic memorable few days I've had for a long time.
Tack Stockholm, Hej så länge!