My Time in Scandinavian Heaven

In my opinion, there is nothing that compares to seeing a city through the eyes of a local.  The Internet with its endless blogs and city guides are not to be dismissed, but the experience and guidance of a local is the best way to explore, hands down.  I was lucky enough to have an amazing friend and guide in Johanna for my time in Sweden.

Machu Picchu in Peru (2008) 

Jo and I met back in 2008 through Lexi, a friend and classmate of mine at Georgia Tech.  We backpacked through Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, and Peru together over a five week period – quite a way to get to know someone.  As I’ve mentioned, traveling for an extendedperiod of time takes you from zero to “soul sister” level in no time, and that is exactly how Jo and I parted ways after our time in South America.  We had an amazing adventure, and vowed to keep in touch. 

A few years later, she was visiting the States and was able to squeeze in Atlanta.  It was a great catch up trip, but because of Waffle work and course loads I was unable to spend as much time being a good host as I would have preferred.  As always when we parted, she invited us to visit Sweden anytime and we promised it wouldn’t be long.

In front of Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina (2008)

As Jennifer and I were plotting our European travels earlier this year, I sent Jo a message via Facebook.  I was curious if she was going to be traveling or if she wanted to see a familiar ginger’s face.  Within minutes of my message she had responded, and I was purchasing my ticket.

Though this reflection is tardy in terms of sharing with everyone, my memories are still vivid of my incredible time in Stockholm.  It is easy for me to say that Stockholm, Sweden is one of my new favorite cities.  Throughout my time there, I found myself thinking and saying constantly to Jo: I could actually see myself living here. 

The narrowest street in Gamla Stan

In my opinion, there is nothing not to love about Stockholm, especially as a visitor.  The people are gorgeous; English is (perfectly) spoken everywhere; the green space is remarkable within the city, and via a quick ferry or short drive you have absolutely stunning natural landscapes; there is a great hipster-chic vibe, which is evident in the fashion, cuisine and entertainment throughout the city. 

Swedes know their candy - there is a display like these in almost every store.  Kid's dream!

In my time there, I saw some of the most attractive people that I have ever seen in my life walking down the streets of Stockholm with the wind rustling their perfectly ginger (imagine my excitement!) or blonde hair.  Their skin is tan and their style is impeccable. Think life inside of an IKEA magazine while everyone is wearing H&M. 

With the generous two-year maternity leave in Sweden, a common sight is a stroller wielding couple with a baby who has more style than I could ever dream of.  Perfect little families dot the parks, cafes, restaurants, and streets of Stockholm.  Jo said that they even have a word for new mothers who go from café to café meeting friends for ‘fika’ throughout the day – 'caffe latte moms'.

The green space throughout Stockholm is wonderfully relaxing and the parks and natural landscapes across the city and surrounding areas are truly breathtaking. Being situated amongst a group of islands, Stockholm has a diverse terrain and surely has something to offer everyone. 

Perfect day around Gamla Stan

During my time with Jo we explored the entire city and surrounding areas.  She was excited to take a week (of her 6 per year…packing your bags yet, America?) off work as a “staycation” and re-discover some of her favorite places in the city.  How lucky am I?  My own tour guide and getting to catch up with Johanna at the same time – perfection!  Restaurants, parks, boutiques, bars, museums, and islands – we did a bit of everything.  

Lunch at Rosendals Wärdshus

Our first day together, we lunched at Rosendals Wärdshus in the park located in the Djurgården area, a great space full of manicured gardens and cute cafes.  We spent afternoons popping into the vintage and hipsters shops around the city, and other ones meandering the streets of Gamla Stan, the Old City.  

View at our lunch at Artepelag

Another fantastic lunch of ours was during our day exploring the surrounding islands when we visited Artipelag, a contemporary art museum and restaurant overlooking the Swedish forests and ocean.  Our evenings and nights were spent wandering the trendy streets of Södermalm and our greatest difficulty was deciding which of the bars and restaurants should make up our itinerary that day.

The trail to Artepelag through a perfect Swedish forest

We took a day to explore the nearby island Fjäderholmen where we had a great view of the city and the many cruise ships and sailboats coming in and out of the port.  There were moments that I thought I was in a postcard.  The island may be small, but it has fantastic scenery.  Of course, no Swedish trip would be complete without a proper fika, which Jo and I had perfected. 

Our afternoon on Ostra Fjaderholmen

One of my highlights was the traditional Swedish crayfish boil that Johanna had planned for my visit.  She had invited her sister and brother-in-law and her friends to come over and show me how true Swedes celebrate their traditional August crayfish feast.  Singing Swedish drinking songs, endless shots of schnapps, and finding the perfect crayfish to fit our noses was just the beginning of our hilarious evening.  I loved getting to meet and spend time with her friends and family, and can safely say that I have some solid contributions to add to any Southern crayfish boil in the States now. 

Sunday night her sister and brother-in-law graciously invited us to their beautiful home about 20 minutes away from Johanna’s apartment.  The following day was their first day back to work after their summer holiday, and Roger decided to grill ribs and chicken for us.  When you’re traveling it is easy to forget how delicious home made meals can be, but when you have someone who is a magician in the kitchen it makes it that much better.  Getting to meet Jo's nephews was also great fun, especially since they are studying English at school.

Fotografiska, Stockholm

Another favorite experience of mine was our visit to the Stockholm photography museum, Fotografiska.  I could spend all day in art museums, but this one impressed me more than most.  One of the exhibits was showcasing an international travel photographer Sebastião Salgado.  His pictures made Jo and I wanderlust (I know, I’m a travel addict – planning future trips while already on the road) and recall some of our favorite spots in South America, including the Perito Moreno Glacier. 

Between my time with Johanna, the authentic Swedish experience I had, and the amazing city of Stockholm I am beyond grateful for the way my August began, and hope that another visit (or even a move) to Stockholm is in my future!