and the winner is...

Oh, the excitement and drama of a lottery! Christmas Bazaar in Salem.

Säby kyrka, Salem (map) 21 November 2009

birds of paradise

Today I want to show you Paradisfåglar (Birds of Paradise), woven by textile artist Sten Kauppi. This gigantic work of art has been recently renovated and covers an entire wall in Ansgar Church.

Ansgarskyrkan, Lidingö centrum (map) 29 September 2009

a view to a queue

Getting stuck in a Friday afternoon queue is no fun. However, this one comes with a splendid view. Queuing on board a road ferry to Vaxholm.

Vaxholmsleden (map) 2 October 2009

me and my Choo Choo

Did you have a scale model railway when you were a kid? I didn't but I can certainly imagine the fun for kids of all ages. Here's the Lidingö tramway again.

Tunnelbana Ropsten (map) 29 September 2009

island art (2)

Another glimpse of the small sculpture "Människan i centrum" by Sven Lundqvist.

Lidingö centrum (map) 29 September 2009

I wish

that my yard would look like this. It never does. Mostly it's filled with all sorts of weeds, and I'm fighting an everlasting battle to win. In the end mother nature's always the winner. I may enjoy a few short days, having won at least one fight, but as soon as I turn my back....

But then again, I don't have a staff of people to do it either, I just can't afford it. The residents of this house can.

Drottningholms slott, Ekerö (map) 20 September 2009

ansgarskyrkan (3)

Churches are important concert venues. Here we're rehearsing Handel in Ansgar Church.

Ansgarskyrkan, Lidingö centrum (map) 29 September 2009

autopilot, take me home

A commuter train navigating between the pillars of the E4 motorway bridge in Södertälje. Don't worry, they have done this before.

E4 Södertälje hamn (map) 21 November 2009

lidingö kyrka (3)

Here's the pulpit in Lidingö Church, seen from a different angle.

Lidingö kyrka (map) 29 September 2009

I tram, therefore I am

Baggeby Grand Central Station is sort of... well, compact. The Lidingö tramway will find its way here on a regular basis.

Baggeby station, Lidingö (map) 29 September 2009

new balls, please!

Girls carefully warming up for that (weekly?) exercise in Ansgar Church. The church offers conference facilities, premises upstairs for youngsters and even a room for indoor sports.

Ansgarskyrkan, Lidingö centrum (map) 29 September 2009

Santa's new house

Huge, is the word. This house, built inside Stockholm Central Station, is built of gingerbread. Truly. I'm not joking. 294 kilos of flour, 92 kilos of marge, 110 kilos of sugar, 66 liters of syrup and the same amount of water. Add about 10 kilos of spices (cinnamon, clove, ginger and bikarbonate) and you end up with enough dough to build this house. Don't know where to find an oven big enough to bake it though. It's all part of an advertising-campaign of course. You'll find the company's name if you look closer.

Centralen (map) 20 November 2009

bus buzz (2)

Ain't no stopping an SL bus. If the road ends, it'll just take the ferry.

Vaxholmsleden (map) 2 October 2009

ansgarskyrkan (2)

Ansgar Church is a modern church in the middle of the village.
Ansgarskyrkan, Lidingö centrum (map) 29 September 2009

get your skates ready

Lake Norrviken offers ample fishing and - in winter time - a popular, fifteen kilometers long skating track.

Norrviken, Sollentuna (map) 26 September 2009

the colour of Lidingö

A street lamp in Lidingö shopping centre tries to make itself seen among all those autumn leaves - long gone by now, I'm sure.

Lidingö centrum (map) 29 September 2009

Hi ho, hi ho

...and off to work we go......Time to switch the guards at Drottningholms Castle. 4 fresh ones on their way

Drottningholms slott, Ekerö (map) 20 September 2009

storkyrkan

Another glimpse of St. George (Sankt Göran) in Storkyrkan.

Storkyrkan, Gamla stan (map) 1 November 2009

guest harbour

Some terms come loaded with warmth and hospitality. Positive vibes through and through. Guest harbour is such a term.

Vaxholms gästhamn, Vaxholm (map) 2 October 2009

bus buzz

A bus can replace many cars out there. And, on some routes, a train can replace many buses. So, what's stopping us?

E4, Upplands Väsby (map) 26 September 2009

tyska kyrkan (5)

Made by F. Zettler in Munich, one of several painted windows in St. Gertrude's Church - German Church.
Tyska kyrkan, Gamla stan (map) 1 November 2009

crown jewels ?

You never know. They might be. I definately see a crown above them. Still lingering around Drottningholm (and there are still a few to come), so who could have lost them? A question without answer.

Drottningholms slott, Ekerö (map) 20 September 2009

liquorice on my mind

Liquorice is said to increase blood pressure. Taking the escalator, on the other hand, should help reduce your pulse. We're at University Station.

Tunnelbana Universitetet (map) 1 November 2009

S:t Tomas kyrka (4)

Before leaving St Thomas Church, I'd like to share this view from the ambo.
S:t Tomas kyrka, Vällingby (map) 9 September 2009

the geology of commuting

Building a railroad in the somewhat rough terrain of Lidingö did require a bit of digging and blasting. Almost looks like busy trams on Lidingöbanan have carved a ravine here at Baggeby.
Baggeby station, Lidingö (map) 29 September 2009

Voff

As a complement to this one, this is what happened a few moments afterwards. Seems it was not just me who wanted that backdrop :-)

Drottningholms slott, Ekerö (map) 20 September 2009

Slussen - and beyond

Everything looks different from above. You can walk across Slussen, pass Södermalmstorg and ride the subway on a daily basis - and yet when you look at it from an elevated position at Mosebacke - it's like you're watching an entirely different place.

Personally I loved the detail and wide range of perspective from up there. It was an amazingly clear day - and Stockholm showed its most colorful and bright side. Accentuated by the occasional lifting crane, of course.

Katarinahissen (map) 8 October 2009

S:t Tomas kyrka (3)

A wooden crucifix by the artist Bror Hjorth is a signum of St. Thomas Church in Vällingby.

S:t Tomas kyrka, Vällingby (map) 9 September 2009

trollholmens skola (2)

Here's Trollholmen School again. Remember all that low-tech fun?
Trollholmens skola, Sollentuna (map) 26 September 2009

hospitality (2)

Walking towards Danderyds sjukhus. Maybe someone at the hospital is about to get a visit.
Tunnelbana Danderyds sjukhus, Danderyd (map) 1 November 2009

bollmora kyrkogård (3)

We're back at the cemetery. There's something ambiguous about the form of this object. Embracing and inclusive - yet with some sharp edges.
Bollmora kyrkogård, Tyresö (map) 10 October 2009

vällingbygrillen

Ice cream, hamburgers and soft drinks. Fast food in the suburb. Notice how the square is paved with granite setts in characteristic circle patterns - literally a landmark of Vällingby.
Vällingby centrum (map) 9 September 2009