A sunny Sunday in Stockholm

I had no plans for today, but waking up to blue skies changes that quickly. The drive to Stockholm is relaxing and takes a little over an hour from Malmköping. I haven’t had coffee for almost a week and my caffeine-craving-body gets all excited when the first thing I see, outside of the parking garage, is a Starbucks. I know.. I should be indulging in local treats and support the local community. And that's what I typically do. But not today. I miss having a coffee with peppermint syrup and a slice of pumpkin loaf 'to go', from my time in the United States. So I give in to that guilty pleasure, and that’s OK every once in a while. 

I stroll around Gamla Stan (the old city), which is noticeably the area that attracts most visitors. Asian tour groups with cameras also found their way here, but fortunately it is not super crowded this early in the day. Today I don't fancy diving deep into Stockholm's history. I just want to walk around a little; to get a feeling for the city. Gamla Stan is a beautiful area to walk through and consists of medieval alleyways, cobbled streets, and archaic architecture.

My walk continues to the southern part of Stockholm. The atmosphere is laid-back. Except for a handful of pubs where local football fans are preparing themselves for the derby between Hammarby and AIK this afternoon. While waiting in line for a restroom, I have a chat with an older man: “You better stay outside, for there will be fights, regardless of the result of the game..” I did not bring my boxing gloves, so I’m on my way. 

Stockholm stretches across fourteen islands, which makes for beautiful riverwalks. There are multiple outdoor gyms (great to get my pull-ups in!) and cute places to pause and have a drink. I'm following a guided walking meditation and visualise that my body isn't moving through the city, but that the city walks through me. So while I'm obviously walking, my body is still and feels centered. Quite a powerful experience. I guess it doesn't take a lot to entertain myself..

It’s a sunny day and I notice a lot of smiles. I find the people I've encountered so far in Sweden very friendly. That's always a positive. I am in no hurry to get anywhere, so I sit on park benches for a little bit, listen to a podcast while lying next to one of the rivers and spoil myself with some mjukglass (soft ice cream). It’s a good day.