Friday, June 2, 2017

Another FULL Day in Stockholm


Friday, 2 June, 2017:

We boarded the 565 bus at a decent hour to enjoy a day in Stockholm that featured equal parts sightseeing, culture, dining, volunteering and physical fitness.

Laurie also decided that the blog needed more pictures of me and less of her today.

Thus . . .

. . . me at a fountain near the
Norra Bantirget bus stop . . .

. . . and by a friendly, loving
store I'm sure

 We had breakfast Fika at one
of my favorite spots in Stockholm

That would be the Vete-Katten Kafferum founded in 1928.

The fact that it has a Cuban cigar shop next door and that I got Laurie in the picture have little to do with why I like this place.

 Why was there a Russian Post
car in Stockholm?

We were near the Hötorget, we decided to drop into their underground food market for a look.

The fish kebabs looked good today
  
Love sausages in all their forms

Since we had just eaten at the Vete-Katten, we passed.

So proud of our dietary restraints!

Laurie with blooms in the courtyard
of the Storkyrkan Cathedral

 We were at the Cathedral because
we wanted to hear today's noon
time concert

But it wasn't in the Cathedral itself but in its Parish Hall.

Follow the signs.

This must be the place!

 Nice Parish Hall indeed!

This concert was part of the six-day 16th Annual Stockholm Early Music Festival that features music and instruments from the 15th and 16th-centuries.

 Our combo would play the
music that fun loving Martin
Luther enjoyed in the 1500s

The music was delightful and our combo could both sing well and play a variety of medieval instruments.

He is playing a harp similar to the ones used in Luther's time while she is playing a tenor viol.

 Now he is playing a
miniature organ

During the concert he also played two different styles of bag pipes and an ancient flute. 

While she changed to this,
I don't know, violin with keys

She also played a mean tambourine.

Use Google Chrome or an
equivalent to hear them play

This medieval Italian bag
pipe really sounded different

More of their soothing music

The concert lasted an hour and was time well spent.

Now we were back on the mean streets of Stockholm's Gamla Stan district.

 I love this version of
St. George slaying the Dragon

Why is St. George wearing a white mask, we all know it is him.

Somehow we said "NO" to eating
at The Hairy Pig Deli

Instead we ambled over to Kungsträdgården park to revisit the also six-day A Taste of Stockholm Festival.

 A shared Grilled Cheese and two
Lingonberry Hefeweizen beers
hit the spot

 Lots of people enjoying the Sun
while having A Taste of Stockholm

A nutella and coconut crêpe
sounded just about perfect
for afternoon Fika

After doing a little shopping at the NK Department Store for some comfortable walking shoes that gave Laurie blisters on both heels in less than 30 minutes, we headed towards Stockholm's Olympic Stadium to do some volunteer work to raise money for our Wäsby Warriors.

 Poster at the Stadion Metro Stop

We were here to do some work in
preparation for Sunday's
Kids Mini Marathon

 These were Laurie's first views
of the grand old stadium

Coed naked wrestlers for
blog fan Mike D'Antuono

Colorful stadium support poles

Only an eight lane track?

Laurie resting her blisters

Wäsby Warriors at work
stuffing goody bags

Players, parents and friends of the Warriors family all chipped in to volunteer about three and a half hours of their time as we filled 5,000 goody bags that will be given to the kids who participate in Sunday's mini-marathon.

Each bag had to be filled with ten different items featuring products made by the mini-marathon's sponsors. The bags were then double-knotted and stored in much larger pink bags.

What kid won't be excited to open their goody bag and find a large box of pasta in it I ask you?

This is what 5,000 goody bags
look like when properly stored
in much larger pink bags

It was another great day
for physical fitness in Sweden!

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