Stockholm: Day 2
As predicted, I’m deadly sore, particularly in the neck and back. Serves me right for trying to carry around so much crap (even though I decided to leave Errol the Mac in the room while I roam, the cameras and miscellaneous stuff still weigh a ton, or perhaps a tonne). On the other hand, I have successfully managed to locate the closest Tunnelbana stop, spent ages this morning just walking around trying to get a feel for the layout (I wasn’t lost, really!), and actually made it to two museums: the Medeltidsmuseet (medieval Stockholm) and Medelhavsmuseet (Mediterranean antiquities). I tried to make it to a third, the Historiska Museet, but apparently I went out the wrong exit from the T-bana stop, and by the time I found my way back it was only an hour before the museum closed, so I didn’t feel inclined to pay admission. (A lot of the museums in Stockholm have free admission, and quite a few of those that don’t are included in the Stockholm Card deal, but the Swedish history museum doesn’t appear to belong to either of those categories.) Still, I got a chance to walk through a park surrounded by a bunch of rather interesting Functionalist-type flats (not Tessinparken, but I think it was reasonably nearby) and meet some very lovely dogs.*
The museums I did manage to find were enjoyable, though a little small for someone accustomed to the British Museum. I’d say they were both around the size of the Michael C. Carlos museum in Atlanta: several galleries, but not huge. Maybe about a third to half the material was translated into English as well, but when it wasn’t you could usually figure out at lleast the gist of what they were showing you. The Medeltidsmuseet has part of the old 1530s city wall, which is pretty cool, and an exhibit on the practice of archaeology; those were my favorite bits. The walk-through exhibit of a building mid-construction was interesting, but a little simplistic; probably helpful for kids or those unfamiliar with, say, the different types of arches used in medieval architecture. (Indeed, there were at least two different school groups there during my visit. I must say that I was astonished at how well-behaved the children — who appeared to range from maybe 6 to 10 — were, and they generally seemed to be paying attention. Such a contrast to the typical U.S. public school trip, alas.)
Incidentally, one of my favorite new vocabulary words is Hiss, which means “elevator” or “lift.” Very onomatopoeic. This is one of my favorites, from outside the Medeltidsmuseet:
The Medelhavsmuseet was perhaps a bit smaller, or at least it seemed so, but more densely packed with stuff. The standard Egyptian, Greco-Roman, Etruscan, etc. exhibits were well presented, though I must say that they relied a little too heavily for my taste on putting all the discussion of objects in a pamphlet, rather than on a little poster inside the case; perhaps they took the pamphlet approach to save clutter when translating descriptions? Hmm. Anyway, the only thing there I couldn’t figure out was an exhibit on Pompei, which I think was possibly an installation art exhibit or . . . something. There were photographs from the actual Pompei, including photos of tourists’ behavior there, and then there were casts that were obviously modern — including one of teddy bears. Also suitcases decorated with rhinestones. Not sure what was up with that, because the only explanatory text I saw was in Swedish that was way too complicated for my rudimentary vocab, and the video running on loop near the entrance was equally beyond me.
Beyond that, I’ve just been trying to get the feel for how things work around here. Finding the tube stations, and figuring out that the Stockholm Card must be shown to the attendant and, despite the presence of a magnetic strip on the back, cannot be scanned through the machines, helped a great deal. Tomorrow I’m supposed to go to the Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan, and then I thought I’d brave the bus system to try to find the Tekniska Museet, which doesn’t appear to be accessible from the Tunnelbana. Yipe.
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*Stockholm dogs, at least the ones I’ve encountered thus far, seem to be far friendlier than all the London dogs I’ve met. In London, dogs on an outing seem to be focused solely on their human, and seem startled if you wave to them or smile. Perhaps it’s to do with living in such a huge city . . . the dogs I’ve met here are largely more outgoing with strangers: still paying attention to their human, but alert to the possibility that passing strangers might be good for a pat on the head or an ear scratch. They do that same, “Hey, you’re looking at me!” gleeful response that I expect; one largish German shepherd nearly pulled his distracted human off her feet as he came over to say hej. You’ve got to like a city with such friendly dogs.
