BYE BYE STOCKHOLM

These are going to be the last of the photos from Stockholm for a while. It's funny to be uploading these in my hotel room in Minnesota. I'll be here for around 2 weeks with HC as he's here for work. The past 2 weeks I spent in Tokyo while in transit and it's been great. My brother was there for the first half and then a good friend, B from Hong Kong flew in to join me for the second and we've been busy sightseeing and overeating *lol* Yes, I've been having quite a wild time being jobless.

Well, since time and money seems to be so mutually exclusive and I would never be able to take such a long trip if I'm working, might as well enjoy myself while I can. Have some rolls developed from Japan, will be uploading them soon!

EAT.DRINK.STOCKHOLM

Be warned if you're feeling hungry now, because this is going to be a long post on all the places where we've been stuffing our faces in Stockholm. You're going to be seeing a lot of meatballs and beer (yum!)

One of the dinners we had at Fridhemsplan. Can't remember the name of the grill restaurant, but this was where we were first introduced to Swedish beer by the friendly waitress. The "S" on the beer glass is for local brand Spendrups. Top photo is the view from the restaurant.

Skansen again. This is the charming Flickorna Helin Voltaire found just outside the gates of the museum. This is also where we stretched our legs for some hot chocolate and coffee after the walking around all day. The building housing the cafe looks like a small castle doesn't it?

Pickwick's Restaurant and Pub near Kungsträdgården station. I wanted local food but didn't want meatballs, so the waitress recommended Swedish hotchpotch. It's full of yummy bits like bacon, potatoes, ham and egg.

The cutest cafe, Muffin Bakery at Fridhemsplan. HC had a blueberry cheesecake muffin, perfect if you're struggling between a cheesecake or a muffin.

 

1>> Östermalm area, where many rich Swedes live.

2>> Sandwiches and hot chocolate at Café Tidemans, beside my favourite Musik Museet.

WE WENT BACK IN TIME

All photos taken at the Skansen Open Air Museum. We really felt like we got teleported back in time.

BAA BAA BLACK SHEEP

The Gotland breed of sheep are theoretically more gray than black, but somehow the nursery rhyme was stuck in my head all the while we were pedaling in Fårö. A small herd of them gathered when we started baa-ing to them (they must be wondering who these 2-legged sheep mutants are) and stayed long enough for us to take a few photos before trotting off again when they finally realized that they've been cheated and we have no food *lol*

OFF TO FARO

We set off early for Fårö from Visby on the third day. Getting to Fårö was quite a tricky business. First came an hour and half bus ride to the northernmost tip of Gotland. The photos above were taken while waiting for the bus.

From the northernmost tip, we had to walk to the only bicycle rental shop in the area to get bikes so that we can move around when we go across the water. There are no public buses in Fårö. And while I'm still on this topic, it should be interesting to mention that the little island also has no police, no banks, no clinics, no post offices, and in fact, not even many roads either. So don't dream of finding anything near a hotel or 7-eleven there.

What they do have, is a unique dialect that some claim to be the oldest in Sweden, lots of flat beautiful windswept land, lots of black sheep (I mean real sheep, which the Swedes call lamm), interesting limestone formations they call rauk and some of the warmest people we've ever met in our travels.

Anyway, continuing with the business of getting to Fårö. After getting our bikes, we wheeled them onto one of the only 2 ferries that brings people (cars and bikes in toil) to the island. The ferry surprisingly, did not need tickets, and a nice local even gave us a number and told us to just give the ferry people a call should we miss the last one out later in the day. Apparently they'll actually come back to get you just so you don't get stranded on the island.

Reaching Fårö is where our gungho story starts. We wanted to see the nature reserve and the limestone stacks, and so with a map in hand we pedaled off towards Langhammer. The only thing is, getting to and from Langhammer was a full 30km bike ride, making it more than five and a half hours of almost non-stop pedaling for that day. I remembered having no feeling in my legs at the end.

But we really enjoyed it. And I loved how remote the place was. You feel like you're far far away from all the annoying technologies in modern life that are constantly fighting for your attention. I never saw a single advert there.

Halfway through we asked 2 islanders for directions and ended up laughing and chatting easily with them for a while. They were so nice.

Below are photos of the rock formations or rauk. My pictures are not doing them justice, they're really a lot more majestic looking than that.

STRYKJARNET CREPERIE & LOGI

The Strykjärnet creperie & logi found in Visby. As their name suggests, they specialize mainly in crepes, or should I say, very delicious crepes! The black and white cafe decor was so nice, I think I killed half a roll of film there while waiting for our food. Apparently they have lodgings as well on the 2nd floor, all done up in the same black and white style.