Of Wings and Whispers

[drron]

So back on the boat.Many old and elegant buildings and vessels around the harbour-

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[drron]

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[Austman]

Stockholm was my home for 14 years.

And the Sheraton Hotel for the first 4 weeks of that.

You're near the Town Hall, Stadshuset. It's worth a look and a visit to Stadshuskällaren - the cellar restaurant, even if just for a drink.

You can even order the Nobel Dinner and eat on the specially designed dinnerware - just like at the Nobel ceremony. Even I did it once!

Nobel Menu | Stadshuskällaren

 

[drron]

Yes looked at the Nobel menus but for these few days we have been eating less as the next 3 weeks are cruising and it is a well known fact that cruising shrinks your clothes!
But now views of the Vassa and maritime museums from the boat-

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And something in the internal courtyard of the Sheraton-

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From the EL you get good people watching.This fellow can handle a lot of luggage.And yes there is another large case in his right hand being wheeled along-

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Now to Wednesday which started off very cold and overcast.We decided to do a loop on the hop on/off bus.It went out to the main cruise port as there were ships in-

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Large open fields as you go out to the cruise terminal.But there is nothing so lonesome.....

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As selling icecreams on a cold miserable day.

 

[drron]

More from the bus-

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An interesting bar and restaurant-

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Rebuilding the locks and making a mess-

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The Europa 2 moored in the harbour and the Hamburg where our ship should be on Friday.

 

[drron]

It took over 2 hours to do the loopp.Traffic was heavy but there almost certainly more than that.When we got back to the start point everyone was told to get off the bus.There were already~ 100 waiting at the stop.3 busses at the first stop and another emty one on the other side of the road plus we passed another stopped and empty on the way around.Everyone was on their phones and the Senior company fellow almost came to blows with one of the workers.Finally the Senior fellow got on one of the busses and started it up telling people to get on.The worker got on and tried to close the doors.But after 5 or so minutes we got going-fortunately we got on that first bus as we were only going a couple of stops to the market-

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Once again Flickr has decided I can only post larger photos-

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[Austman]

"Extrapris" drron? How is your Swedish? I always found it an odd term. With the "extra" there. But learned quickly!

Certainly don't trust Google Translate!

 

[drron]

I only remember 1 word of Swedish from my time in the Post office-flygpost.
I haven't even learnt to murder it yet.But the extrapris seems to me to be quite honest.just like the jewellery sales-triple the asking price and then advertise 60% off.Definitely an extrapris.

But back to the market and a recognisable name-

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A nifty footpath cleaner-

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Back on the bus.The drivers were now possibly older than me.Just another 2 stops to connect to the boat.Our luck was in.A boat pulling in as we arrived at the dock.Just as well as the weather had turned nasty-

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Got off at the photographic museum.Interesting.First a fellow making a statement on how humans are ruining the world-

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A young fellow was wandering round looking at his phone.As he got level to me I glanced down,he did a fist pump and I noted he had captured a Pokémon.Now thinking back to Kempsey do I attract these things.
Lots of photos of this woman-

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[drron]

As we walked out of the Photographic museum the rain had eased and a boat was just arriving.The same happened at Gamla Stan when we transferred to the bus.As soon as we walked inside the Sheraton the heavens opened and the street outside becam a river.We were going to go out for dinner but they had a very nice shrimp and avocado salad and spring rolls out.Looking at the rain and the road we decided that was dinner.As a bonus the cheap Spanish wines were now accompanied by a Chilean SB and a Merlot-much better than the Spanish wines.

Thursday and once again overcast,cold and raining as it was the mid point of their Summer Festival.Again older drivers and they made an announcement that due to traffic they were shortening the route.Naturally the stop we wanted was being bypassed so once again switched to the boat to go to the Moderna Museet.Another enjoyable visit.We decided to pay extra(the normal collection is free to visit) to see a retrospective of a Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.At least she is honest having booked herself into a psychiatric facility in 1977.It remains her home.Some of her art was familiar-

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She had a thing for pumpkins which was at first difficult to see-

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But with the right mirror-

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And something for those who think they have everything-

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An orgy dress for having well........

 

[drron]

A little bit of a twilight zone moment after I did that last post.Went to my emails and there was one from the Glasshouse,Connecticut.A great place to visit but this was announcing a special art installation-Yayoi Kasumi and polka dots!So back to some more of her art-

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The last is her early work from the 1950s.A hint of Dali perhaps.Then the free exhibits.A couple from Andy Warhol-

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This from another artist and we christened it Nigella-

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Then a piece I really understood and one I might try myself-

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And who else remembers Moki and Don Cherry-

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A real Dali-

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And a piece mrsdrron might try-

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[Austman]

But back to the market and a recognisable name-

Indeed. Haymarket is the English translation of Hötorget - which is the market square where this building is located. The market gets removed each day. You can see above the Haymarket sign that it's actually the old Paul Urbanus Bergström department store - always known as PUB. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PUB_(Stockholm)

 

[drron]

Works by Munch before he learnt to scream-

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We both thought "Peppa Pig"-

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Back to Yayoi.I liked this presentation-

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And the polka dot trees-

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[drron]

After the Modern Art we went back on the boat.Mrsdrron got off and went back to the hotel whilst I stayed on intending to go to the Vassa Museum-built around a 17th century Swedish naval ship that capsized and sank 20 minutes into her maiden voyage.Some pictures getting there-

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There was a Maritime museum at the wharf and entry was free so I had a look.first an old ice-breaker then a lighthouse ship-

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The gun was to sound an alarm if there was fog.A trio of naval vessels-

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And the Captain's mess on the icebreaker-

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[drron]

I now went around to the entrance of the Vassa Museet.It was about 1400.It seems it is the after lunch stop of a lot of city tours.There were at least a dozen tour busses in the parking lot,a line at least a 100 metres long not moving very quickly and it was raining.So I changed plans and went to the Nordic Museum.Actually I think this was a good result as I did enjoy it.An old tram went past as I was walking to the entrance-

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An impressive place-

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Snapshots of the lives of Swedes from the workers to the nobility.

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Loved the presentation of the roast swan though I guess the swan was none too pleased.

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[drron]

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A couple of rooms on the history of beer in Sweden.I wish I hadn't opened my set-

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And this made it's appearance at the 1930 Stockholm Expo-

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Not the most comfortable chair-

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And the view from the front steps-

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[RB]

I have caught up now & have enjoyed the read & photos. Looking forward to more!

 

[drron]

Fortunately there were only light showers whilst I waited for the bus.There were a group from Paraquay who had no idea.tried to get on the wrong bus,saw it coming back the other way and although not a bus stop on the other side of the road they ran in front of a moving tram to try and catch it.I decided I had to try to get on before them when my bus came.success.Virtually as soon as I got on it started to pour.This was the scene when we got close to the cruise port-

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And some street scenes-

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I decided to get off just before the bus started over to Gamla Stan.These are meant to be cherry trees.different to Japan-

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Virtually all the way back to the Sheraton there were lots of feathers-didn't see any swans swimming today!
It was their summer festival and this was the large crowd-

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Listening to live music-

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The rain by now though was a lot lighter.

 

[drron]

So the last couple of pics in Stockholm.

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So back to the Sheraton and again reasonable snacks in the EL-duck salad,prawns on a stick and a cheese quiche.
It never ceases to amaze me what people will try on or how silly they can get.On Thursday morning a group of 6 turned up for breakfast at the main restaurant.You have to swipe your room key to see if you qualify for complimentary breakfast.)ne of the woman swipes her card but when the other 2 couples are asked she says they qualify and have been having it in the lounge the last 2 days.Much shaking of heads as the 2 other couples refuse to swipe their cards.Eventually they just push past and sit down.The F&B manager is called.The woman says to her they are my guests and they do not have to pay.Great response-"of course not madam they are your guests so the charges will be on your bill."None of them were in the EL that night and only the 1 couple at breakfast on Friday.
Also on Thursday a Chinese family get on the hop on/off bus and ask if it goes to the cruise port.It is 1640.Told the last bus to the cruise port leaves the the first stop at 1600."What time does your ship leave?"5.30.I wonder if they made it.

So Friday comes.A leisurely morning and check out at 1300.Told the taxi fare to the ship will be 250-300SEK.Must have got a real honest guy as it is only 200.On arrival our bags are taken,we checkin and go to lunch.At 1400 to our suite.The view-

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And our suite-

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[drron]

And our balcony with more views and ship watching-

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The Ferry Cinderella.But then the second one-

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The Proseeco arrived later-

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[amaroo]

Eventually got to the Flagship lounge in T4 and was sitting down as 50 minutes since leaving the plane ticked around.Went straight and got a plate of bacon and smoked salmon.Noone famous in the lounge.A 737 in old AA livery and this one-

Why not enjoy breakfast at QF LAX Flounge?