I learned that bycycling is pretty serious business in Stockholm. If you're not sure where your going... if you like to saunter along aimlessly/slowly on your bike... or if you aren't in the habit of using hand signals before stopping or turning... then beware: You may encounter a slightly testy Swede. Even the little, old, blue-haired ladies drove faster than I did on their bikes in Stockholm. But hey, the Swedes seemed generally to be slim, trim people, so maybe that serious biking is paying off in health dividends.
I also found that nearly everyone in Stockholm (that I came in contact with) was a competent, confident English-speaker (unlike in my new German hometown). Except for one incident with an irate biker and another with a grumpy bus driver, the Stockholmers seemed to be pleasant, if somewhat reserved, folk.
Besides cycling around town, Phil & I went to see a wonderful concert by the world-class Swedish pop/jazz a cappella group, The Real Group, in Eskilstuna, a small neighboring town; kayaked through several of the many waterways in Stockholm; and went to see Sweden's most popular tourist attraction (I'm told): The Vasa Museum (some pics below). This ship set sail on its maiden voyage -- in front of a large crowd of spectators and with much fanfare -- in 1628... and sank within a few minutes of leaving the dock. This ship is famous not only for the spectacular disaster of its sinking but for the successful engineering feat of lifting the wreckage out of the sea in 1962. It's a pretty fascinating museum, and I highly recommend it for anyone traveling to Stockholm.
I caught my plane for Hamburg, Germany on Monday morning, September 17.
