11 June 2018, Monday
I’m 42 days into my Grand Adventure, and Sweden is the 10th country I have visited thus far. My accommodation here is Generator Stockholm, a chain of large hostels that are run more like hotels. I had stayed at Generator Hamburg earlier in the trip and I found the professional, business-like approach a tad alienating. Generator hostels are no doubt clean, modern and efficient, but I would have preferred a more human touch. I booked it because it was one of the most affordable options considering its location.
Generator Stockholm hostel
Address: Torsgatan 10, Stockholm
Room type: 6-bed dorm room
Price: 675.75 Kr (S$109.67) for 3 nights
Website: www.generatorhostels.com
(Exchange rate: 10 Swedish Krone (SEK) = S$1.585)
I left my hostel at 8am, refreshed and all ready for a full day of exploring Stockholm. I intended to join a free walking tour at 10am today, so I made my way towards the meeting place at Gamla Stan (Old Town), about half an hour’s walk away. But first, breakfast.
I wandered into Drottninggatan, the main pedestrian shopping street. It was still quiet and peaceful at this hour. I found a McDonald’s outlet and bought myself a Sausage McMuffin meal for 45 Kr (S$7.13). I was craving for McGriddle’s but they didn’t have it here.
Located nearby was Hötorget, or Haymarket, so called because peasants in the 16th century brought hay and straw to the king’s New Barn here. In 1663, the government decided that horse markets should be held at Hötorget on the first day of each month. In 1856, the haymarket was moved and this became a general market square. Today, Hötorget is where you’ll find a wide array of fresh fruits and flowers being sold. The stallholders were still in the process of setting up their stalls. The gigantic strawberries, cherries and berries on display looked very tempting indeed.
As I walked around the city centre, it was immediately apparent that Stockholm is a very beautiful city. The buildings are grand, a mix of old and new architecture. The streets are clean, free of litter and graffiti. Everything seemed orderly and well-organised.
I arrived early at Gamla Stan at 9:15am, so I spent the time snapping some shots before it got crowded with tourists. I love the old town’s cobblestoned streets and numerous tiny alleyways. So many interesting shops waiting to be discovered. I hastily popped into Got To Hurry Records, a small record shop hidden in a small alley. It carried a good selection of CDs and vinyl, neatly displayed and categorised.
The meeting point for the Free Walking Tour Stockholm (click here) was outside the metro/subway station of Gamla Stan, exit to Old Town. When I arrived just before 10am, there was already quite a big group of guests, mainly from the USA and Canada. The company offered two tours – a City tour and an Old Town tour.
The guide for the Old Town tour was a young lady named Maria. It was only her second time conducting the tour and it was obvious that she was very nervous. She spoke very softly and did not project a confident image. More than half the group flocked to join the City tour. I felt a little bad for her and decided to join her Old Town tour. I had no preference and was ok with either tour, so I was happy to join the smaller group actually.
Maria started the tour at 10am and brought us around the Old Town. She carried a speaker with her but she spoke so softly that I could hardly hear her. She also avoided eye contact with us and I could see that she was trying hard to remember her script as she delivered her commentary. As a result, I found my attention drifting away and didn’t catch much information, so I spent most of the time taking photos of the various landmarks that we visited.
Some of the highlights include Mårten Trotzigs Gränd, the narrowest alley in Stockholm at only 90cm wide, and Järnpojke, the “Iron Boy”, Stockholm’s smallest statue at only 15cm tall. Apparently, it was customary to leave a coin and rub the boy’s head for good luck.
The tour ended at Old Town Square at 11:25am. Maria did get a bit better towards the end. I tipped her 100 Kr (S$15.85) and wished her the best. I’m sure she will improve as time goes by. Everyone needs to start somewhere.
Following that, I decided it was fika time. I was earlier introduced to the concept of fika when I visited Gothenburg on Day 31 and you can read more about it here. In a nutshell, fika is a Swedish coffee break, but its deeper meaning is to make time for friends or colleagues to bond over coffee and snacks. As I was travelling solo, fika didn’t really apply to me but I took the opportunity to have a nice and relaxing break nonetheless.
I chose a small café called Grändens Café because it was tucked away in a narrow and quiet alley, just off the touristy street. I bought a marzipan and vanilla cake, a cinnamon bun and a cup of latte for 105 Kr (S$16.64) altogether. I sat at one of the outdoor tables, slowly enjoying my pastries and sipping on my coffee. I pulled out one of the books that I bought yesterday, Call Me By Your Name, and started reading it. I felt so at ease at that moment it was wonderful.
At 12:45pm, I continued my exploration of the Old Town. The tourists were out in full force now and the area was bustling with activity. However, there were still many alleys that were not crowded so you could easily still enjoy the peace by slipping into a quiet side street. I walked aimlessly from alley to alley, taking my time to find the best angles to take photos of the beautiful buildings.
After walking past the Royal Palace and crossing the bridge, I reached the glamourous waterfront area, which was fronted by the very imposing and luxurious Grand Hôtel. Like its counterpart in Oslo, The Grand Hôtel in Stockholm is where the Nobel Laureates (prize winners) and their families stay each year.
The very first Nobel Prize banquet took place in 1901 at The Grand Hôtel. The magnificent Spegelsalen ballroom was the venue for the banquet until 1929, when the event became too large and was moved to the Stockholm City Hall. Each year on 10 December (the death anniversary of founder Alfred Nobel), the Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and Economic Sciences (since 1969) are awarded in Stockholm, while the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo.
Beside The Grand Hôtel was the National Museum. I continued walking and found myself on Skeppsholmsbron bridge. This 165m-long bridge was the first forged iron bridge to be constructed in Sweden in 1861. Its previous iteration was made of wood. The bridge is famous for the gilded crown on the railing. The bridge connects the Blasieholmen peninsula with the Skeppsholmen islet. After consulting Google Maps, I realised I was going the wrong way because I wasn’t intending to go to Skeppsholmen, so I quickly turned around.
My intended destination was Djurgården, a leafy island that is home to many of Stockholm’s biggest attractions and museums, including the Vasa Museum, Skansen and Gröna Lund. After crossing the bridge from Stranvägen to Djurgården, I first encountered Nordiska Museet (click here), Sweden’s largest museum of cultural history. It tells stories about the life and people of the Nordic region.
Not far away was the Vasa Museum (click here), a maritime museum displaying the only almost-intact 17th century ship that has ever been salvaged. The ill-fated 64-gun warship named Vasa sank in Stockholm on her maiden voyage in 1628. This is the most visited museum in Scandinavia.
As I walked along the water’s edge, I next encountered an altogether different type of museum – the Spiritmuseum (click here). Not about ghosts, but about alcohol. So many interesting museums here at Djurgården!
Finally, at 2:10pm, I arrived at my destination – the ABBA Museum! I’m a huge music fan and especially a fan of the classics. When I heard that there was a museum dedicated to ABBA, I knew right away that I had to visit it.
The admission ticket cost 250 Kr and the audio guide cost an additional 20 Kr, so I paid 270 Kr (S$42.80) altogether. The audio guide was great because unlike other museums, it was narrated by the band members themselves. It felt very personal because it was as if the members were sharing their stories directly to you. To activate the narration, hold the audio guide against the pad at the designated stations. When the device flashes blue, and you can then hold it against your ear and listen to it like a telephone. Wonderful!
I’m sure everyone has heard of ABBA and their songs. For the uninformed (where have you been all this while?!), ABBA were one of the world’s most successful and popular groups from 1974 to 1982. Formed in Stockholm, the group comprised of Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Anderson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The name ABBA is an acronym of the first letters of their first names. They catapulted to fame after winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 with the infectious and irresistible song Waterloo. They went to record dozens more classic tunes like Dancing Queen, Chiquitita, Take A Chance On Me, Fernando and lots more.
The tale of ABBA is especially interesting because the four members got married among themselves, forming two couples. As their popularity soared, their personal lives suffered and both couples eventually divorced in 1979 and 1981 respectively. Their final studio album The Visitors was released in December 1981 and they made one public performance on 11 December 1982. There has been talk of a reunion in recent years, though the world is still holding its collective breath, waiting to see if it will really happen.
New music or not, the musical legacy ABBA left behind is undeniable. Their 1992 compilation ABBA Gold is one of the world’s best-selling albums with over 30 million copies sold, and continues to be a consistent seller. Madonna famously sampled their 1979 song Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) on her 2005 hit Hung Up. Foo Fighters’ frontman Dave Grohl is also a huge fan, often wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the iconic ABBA logo on the front.
ABBA experienced a revival in 1999 when the Mamma Mia! musical based on their music debuted and toured worldwide, becoming a big hit. In 2008, the musical was adapted into a film and it was a huge success, even though I personally felt underwhelmed by the actors’ musical performances. At the time of my visit, the sequel Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again was scheduled to be released later in 2018.
The museum was fascinating because it showcased lots of original ABBA artefacts – the band’s stage clothes, musical instruments, recording equipment, memorabilia, merchandise, and my favourite section of all, the record covers and gold records. It was like a wet dream come true. I loved seeing the artwork of different countries’ releases of the albums and singles, all beautifully displayed behind a glass showcase.
At the same time, I felt an immense sadness at how the Estate couldn’t do the same for Michael Jackson. I would totally pay good money to visit a Michael Jackson museum if there was one. Heck, I would even work there if I could. To do justice to MJ, the museum would have to occupy a whole building by itself. It should be laid out in chronological order so that visitors can understand how a young prodigy became the world’s biggest pop star. It should start with the Jackson 5 era, followed by The Jacksons era, then his solo years. Within each era, there should be displays of his music releases, stage costumes and other memorabilia.
I get really upset when I see MJ’s personal items like fedora hats or gloves being put up for sale by Julien’s or Christie’s Auctions. These items are integral to preserving MJ’s legacy and it is such an outrage that they are being sold for profit to individuals instead of being preserved by the Estate as a collection. Hope I will get to see the day when a bona fide Michael Jackson Museum opens somewhere in the world.
Back to the ABBA Museum, I liked that there were activities that visitors could take part in. One of it was the song booth, where you can show off your vocal chops by singing along to ABBA songs and get a score to see if you match up. You can also play a game to mix a classic ABBA song and compare your results against the actual mix. For those who have always dreamed of sharing the stage with ABBA, you can also perform Dancing Queen with holographic versions of the band members. I thought that was really cool but I was too shy to try it.
In all, I spent about two hours visiting the ABBA Museum. I enjoyed it thoroughly and I highly recommend it. Even if you’re not an ABBA fan, you will walk away with a newfound appreciation of the band. The audio guide was very informative and hearing the band members speak about their experiences and anecdotes gave it extra gravitas. You should definitely not scrimp on the 20 Kr and get the audio guide.
I also spent a great deal of money at the gift shop buying souvenirs for family and friends, small items like guitar picks, microfiber spectacles cloth and postcards. By the way, the ABBA Museum is fully cashless so you have to pay everything by credit card.
From the ABBA Museum, I went to Gröna Lund, located right next door. Gröna Lund (click here) is an amusement park with plenty of rollercoasters and thrill rides. As part of the summer concert series, American singer-songwriter Beck would be performing a free concert within the grounds of Gröna Lund tonight. You can watch the concert with an admission ticket to Gröna Lund, which cost 120 Kr (S$19). But if you enter after 6pm today, you’ll have to pay 275 Kr (S$43.59) instead. As it was only 4:45pm, I decided to have a meal first before entering.
I had dinner at an American restaurant nearby called O’Learys. I had a double bacon and cheese burger and a cup of apple juice for 242 Kr (S$38.36). It was expensive and not very satisfying.
At 5:30pm, I bought my admission ticket for 120 Kr and entered Gröna Lund. I had been hooked on amusement parks ever since I visited Wiener Prater so I was quite excited to see what Gröna Lund had to offer. I bought nine coupons (25 Kr/S$3.96 each) so that I could take the rides. Each ride requires one to three coupons.
The first ride I took was the Eclipse (3 coupons). It is a giant wave swinger similar to the one I took at Wiener Prater, but at 121m, it is 4m taller than the Praterturm. Strangely, it didn’t feel as tall compared to Praterturm, perhaps because it was my second experience taking such a ride. The view was still awesome though. However, the Eclipse ride seemed to last a little shorter than the Praterturm.
The second ride I took was the Jetline rollercoaster (3 coupons). It wasn’t that scary, just very fast.
For my last ride, I wanted to choose carefully so I walked around the whole park to see which was the most thrilling ride. I eventually settled on the Katapulten, a shot n’ drop tower (3 coupons). It shoots up 55m into the air, then crashes down towards the ground before catapulting upwards again. I must say it was quite thrilling indeed.
At 8:15pm, Beck came on and the concert began. To be honest, I’m not a huge Beck fan and I only know three of his songs – Loser, Devils Haircut and Sexx Laws (which he didn’t perform). However, he was good enough to sustain my attention. It didn’t hurt when he threw in a cover of ABBA’s Dancing Queen to get the crowd going. Surprisingly, I found that Swedes were quite mild during concerts. Only a few of them were bobbing around during the show.
Beck left the stage at 9:45pm to rapturous applause. I must say I enjoyed his performance overall. As I made my way back to Generator Hostel, I was still humming Dancing Queen and reflecting on the wonderful day I just had, a day filled with music and fun. All I can say is, thank you ABBA and Beck for the music!
