Stockholm, Sweden
July 2017
‘Hej igen Stockholm!’ Hello Again
Stockholm! This time without Silja jackpot tickets, the family reunion trip
takes us to revisit Sweden during the high season.
Silja Serenade departures at Helsinki
Olympia Terminal on Friday at 17:00, we have to be on board no later before the
gate closing. The weather is amazingly sunny, so going up to the upper deck to
view the seaside view is the must-do. In 2015, my hubby and I travelled to
Stockholm by taking Silja Symphony due to the mysterious jackpot tickets (I can
not reckon how I got the chance, through magazine subscription or lucky draw?),
the late October chilliness did not allow the opportunity to enjoy the
sunshines during the embarking. Summer does not linger longer term in the
Nordic territories, and the great landscape of Helsinki provides yet another
chance to cherish the best moment.
After a great buffet breakfast, On Saturday
10 o’clock, we arrive at Stockholm. Six of us take metro to Gamla Stan, we have
a brief morning coffee time and we take a rather touristic route to Stortorget,
the old town square. Along the crook passages, we discover more interesting
souvenir shops with various kinds of wooden Dala horses (Dalahast), the size
range can be width 3 cm to 50 cm. I choose the medium poppy red, and when I
select postcards at Kiosk I pick another mini one.
The second visit at Stockholm, we are more of familiar with its history of involving: After the Ice Age, a large number of people
had been living in the present-day Stockholm area. At the intersection of the
Baltic Sea, Stockholm’s core, also known as Gamla Stan was first built from
about 1000 CE by Vikings. They had a positive trade impact on the area because
of the trade routes they created.
Gamla Stan, was built on the central island
next to Helgeandsholmen from the mid 13th century onward. The city originally
rose to prominence as a result of the Baltic trade of the Hanseatic League.
Stockholm developed strong economic and cultural linkages with Hamburg, Gdańsk,
and Riga during this time. The old town is always the most interesting, the
baroque doors, the pebble roads, the tiny houses, the Royal Palace, the lovely
boutiques, the unique coffee houses, that compose the exciting feels of
discovering.
After Gamla Stan, it takes 15 minutes walk
to NK Department store (Nordiska Kompaniet, the literally Nordic
Company), and also try our afternoon tea at Espresso
House in new city centre. I still check at ACNE if there is anything for my
shopping lust, unfortunately the most popular grey cardigan is sold out. The
retails changes a lot at women’s wear section, still, Isabel Marant, CK
underwear or Sandro give me good time to kill.
When time is about
to return to Silja Serenade, we pass by Bibloteksgatan and find Marc by Marc
Jacobs turn into an luxury mini outlet. Even though the selections of
designers’ brands are quite thrilling, such as Stella McCartney, Marc Jacobs,
Isabel Marant or Cholé, still there is a weird, or so-called nostalgic
melancholy, that less than 21 months the retailing market swiftly changes in
Stockholm. Once my all time favourite Marc by Marc Jacobs is gone, chain coffee
store Espresso House is spreading every corner of the city, more of foreign
owners run the monotone souvenir shops in Gamla Stan. It is as if you revisit a
newly met mate, you would like to reward the best moment, and suddenly realize
the mate rapidly converts another personnel. Perhaps the mate is moving forward
for her own best, but, for that short second you find it slightly lost, before
you shake the hands with each other.
Guten dag! Thank you Jacqueline, for the message and since I was having holidays in Spain, therefore I couldn't reply immediately :P I have followed you already! See you soon! Have a great week :D
ReplyDeleteBR, Mindy