stockholm weekend pics, part two, saltsjöbaden och fjäderholmarna

a long weekend in sweden means exploring more of stockholm.  i am amazed just how small stockholm is, most places are a short train or ferry ride away. 

saltsjöbaden

in just 25 minutes we were in saltsjöbaden, a small town by the seaside.  the train passes through pretty nature and residential areas.  we were in saltsjöbaden to visit with friends, patrizia and magnus (an italian and a swede) and their children. thanks to kai's friendship with their son axel, we have all just clicked which is lovely.  for fika, patrizia made frappe, an italian fried sweetened dough, which brought back lovely childhood memories.

the area of saltsjöbaden that we strolled has a yacht marina, traditional open air bathing pool (one for men and one for women with a beach in-between), an observatory, and a scenic seaside walkway.  the area is anchored by the grand hotel which apparently has lost some of it's grandeur but still photographs well.  

(the white building is for men and the green one is for women)

each grand home by the water comes with its own sauna which is built to match its home, so cute.

fjäderholmarna

in just 25 minutes, via ferry, we were in fjäderholmarna, a small island that takes less than an hour to stroll its perimeter but we whiled away many hours exploring the cliffs, trying to avoid the nesting birds and their protective mates; stopping for tea and ice cream; visiting the craftspeople in their shops (metal, glass, pottery, textiles); and eating herring at the krog (pub) while watching the boats (cruise ships and viking like boats) float by and enjoying the views.  it was a perfect afternoon to be repeated many times i hope.

arriving to fjäderholmarna island

 

 

 

 

 

waiting for the ferry to take us back home

hope you had a lovely weekend too!

stockholm weekend pics, part one, valborg and tantolundenparken

the swedes sure know how to bring in a long weekend... with a bonfire!  valborg is a swedish celebration of spring and light.  we were happy to take part with our lovely friends ximena and family.  in their neighbourhood, on the ski hill, an impressive gigantic bonfire loomed.  people drank alcohol openly, pouring from flasks and drinking from mason jars but it was primarily a family affair. petter made blueberry tea which was lovely and warm.  the kiddos ran freely up the ski hill and into the woods having a most happy time.  there was music and fire dancers too.  it was a good night.

the lake we skated on

not the prettiest tower but i am told that from up top you get amazing views while dining and drinking,

 

we visited tantolundenparken for kai's second fotboll match.  and this time we didn't miss it!  stefan and i explored a teeny bit of this huge park.  the garden sheds pictured are made available (since 1915) for those who live in apartments without a garden to call their own.  i would love one of my own but the waiting list to rent is outrageously long. back on the soccer field, it was nice to see that kai hasn't lost his ability to maneuver around the field, he played well, which called for some traditional cake eating afterwards!

this pic was taken from a different day and from the bottom of the park hill.

trevlig hund - the owner of this lovely dog told us she was a 'nice dog'

princess cake, prinsesstårta in swedish, is called as such because the swedish princess is fond of it :)

there was all sorts of goodness that stefan prepared at home... flank steak (my body has been craving iron these days), salad with blue cheese walnuts, apples and mustard dressing, and apple pie with the flakiest crust was shared with friends. and on another day, our go to these days, sausages!  

weekend pics part 2 coming up tomorrow.