Stockholm, Sweden 2024

Flight from Frankfurt delayed 3 hours due to European climate protesters at Frankfurt airport. Comfortably slept 4 hours on upper level of business class on Lufthansa, complete with mattress, comfy blanket, a long sleeved shirt and socks provided by airline. Despite delay, easily made connection from Frankfurt to Stockholm.

Upon recommendation from a local on the plane, took a 2 hour boat ride on the Baltic sea, under the bridges, and thru a Locke into the many lakes of Stockholm. In addition to sailboats, views of high rise townhouses from the water dominate the skyline. Flats full of walls of glass to capture light in winter. Colors of buildings are muted like the color of snow. 50% rent & 50% purchase.

Visited Nobel Prize museum in Stockholm. Controversial prizes include: Both Kissinger and Vietnamese leader received peace prize in 1973 but Vietnam leader refused prize because he didn’t believe peace had been achieved in Vietnam. Two Americans received controversial Prizes (1948, 1949) for inventing now banned DDT insecticides (environmental impact) and the other lobotomy, that negatively affects psyche.

Sweden is slightly larger than California. Stockholm is a city of 2 million persons, comprised of 14 islands accessible by tunnels and bridges. 10.5 million Swedes and 20% of Swedish population are immigrants. Ranked 25th COLA index (as compared to Switzerland ranked #1). Clearly everything I’ve purchased is more or the same as California prices: bottles of water, alcohol, clothes and pharma items. Sweden is a 200 year old monarchy, a capitalistic society, a democracy and a socialist society! Unlike British monarchy, Swedish monarchy does not own palace or property. Capitalistic because they are 16th largest exporter of military equipment and boast 250 private military industries. Democratic because parliament government officials elected by the people, predominantly nurses and teacher. Socialist because Sweden government provides pension or social security and health care to all. Scandinavia countries taxed 38-48% depending on annual salary (US caps out taxes at 38%).

Like Mark Twain, Swede Alfred Nobel the wealthiest man in the world read about his premature death while alive as the Merchant of Death bc of his invention of dynamite. Prompted by this premature eulogy, he donated his wealth to be distributed to 4 prizes, later a 5th prize generated by Oslo, Norway, the Peace prize.

Interesting historical fact is Sweden was neutral during WW ll but according to Winston Churchill, they played both sides for profit. Famous Swede rescued Swedish Jews from trains claiming he was a Swedish diplomat. On the other hand, Swedes provided military aide to the Germans and allowed millions of Germans to march thru Sweden.

Rick Steves tour started with a walking tour with Haakon, a guest lecturer who invited us into his home in old town of Gamla Stan. Some interesting facts: Alcohol not sold in supermarkets and not after 3 on Saturday. Priests more likely to be women. All women faces on Swedish bills including director Ingmar Bergman, actress Greta Garbo and author Astrid Lindgren. Most secular people but everyone studies religion. Plastic water bottles have caps attached. Dogs cannot be left longer than 4 hours, tho not enforced. Parental leave is 18 months for each child, double for twins. Both parents work, no housewives. Employment not disparate among sexes. Vehicles yield to pedestrians but bicycles do not. Good morning in Swedish sounds like moron in English. Cashless society, all transactions Apple Pay or Swish, our Venmo. Stockholm cellular available much of the time.

Stockholm Subway art: Art depicting 1) an archeological excavation site, 2) silhouette of workers, 3) Chernobyl nuclear accident in Russia.

Remains of a 200 foot Swedish warship which sank on her maiden voyage nearly 400 years ago, due to top heavy with canons as ordered by King.

Walk and dip into waters at Kalmar, Sweden