Stockholm 1
Arriving in sunny Stockholm, I was energized by the luxury of the room we were assigned at the Hotel Kungstradgarden, complete with a large chandelier reflecting moving lights on the walls and 12 foot ceiling. Originally an adjunct to a royal palace, it was renovated recently to retain its 18th century decor.
Its location on a little sloped plaza allowed us to reach the King’s park in minutes and stroll down a treed alley to the harbor.
We scanned the waterfront in search of an optimally situated restaurant to take in the spectacular views. Across a graceful stone bridge and surrounded by palatial buildings we saw a treed terrace with tables and umbrellas jutting into the water. Wary of long flights of steps, we found a cylindrical outdoor elevator accommodating those with knee issues.
At a table by swiftly flowing tidal currents we realized that this City, like Venice, was an archipelago equally composed of land and water.
A panorama of majestic buildings adjoining the King’s Park spread across the opposite bank, the most imposing being the Royal Opera House, perhaps, I surmised, in competition with those of Copenhagen and Oslo.
Behind us and beyond the bridge stood the austere but elegant royal palace.
And across the road from the elevator rose the less fortress-like parliament building.
On the way back to the King’s Park, we noticed a young man fishing. As in Oslo, we were told, all the waters here were clean enough for angling and swimming.
Fabled Scandinavian design was evident everywhere, from a brightly colored local church
to the sculpture of lamposts and lions
