mishap ?

Now, what the heck is this? Another one of those "I should have thrown this away, but..."? No, actually not. This shot from a bridge is exactly as it was intended and you might already have guessed what is shown. If not - wait until tomorrow.

others on stockholm bridge darkness

andra om stockholm bro mörker

Vasabron (map) 23 Jan 2008

(not your average) housing bubble

Making ends meet in January is particularly difficult for many people and the cost of living seems to increase all the time. This house was abandoned decades ago as the family moved out of town to a cottage on Ekerö and no new inhabitant has moved in. Notice the guard. He isn't being bothered by many tourists in January but it's a cold night at work. This is of course the royal castle and I'm sure the family moved for other reasons than financial ones.

others on stockholm castle january

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andra om stockholm bostad monarki

Slottet (map) 23 Jan 2008

värtaverket

Värtaverket is Stockholm's largest combined power and heating plant. The first part of the plant was built in 1903 neighbouring the resident area Hjorthagen.

others on stockholm Värtaverket Hjorthagen

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andra om stockholm Värtaverket Hjorthagen

Värtaverket (map) 8 Dec 2007

let's dance

The shortage of daylight calls for an extra dance (and some flash) by Sveavägen. This is the sculpture Dancing Youths by Ingvar Johnsson. The Observatory Grove (Observatorielunden) in the background. See more?

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Den principiella frågan är väl om Observatorielunden rockar fett

andra om stockholm dans skulptur

Sveavägen (map) 25 Dec 2007

SS Norrskär

Sandhamns Express was built in 1910 to traffic the route beetween Stockholm and Sandhamn in the archipelago. In 1947 she was acquired by Waxholmsbolaget and named SS Norrskär. The vessel is 35 by 7 meters, carries 265 passengers and does 10 knots.

others on stockholm archipelago sandhamn

andra om stockholm skärgården sandhamn

Skeppsbron/Slottsbacken (map) 12 Dec 2007

Gustaf Vasa Church (3)

...previously on pixels

King Gustaf Vasa is not the only monarch who has given name to a church and in his case it's most appropriate. He couldn't agree with Rome on a number of bishop's seats to be filled. Finally he appointed his own candidate for archbishop in spite of papal resistance and, in hindsight, thereby introduced protestantism in Sweden.

others on stockholm vasastan

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andra om stockholm kyrka odenplan

Odenplan (map) 25 Dec 2007

broommaker's hill

photo: Michael Zucker

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These red houses are found on Kvastmakarbacken ("Broommaker's Hill"). They look very nice in the bleak January sunshine.
(more by Micke on plenty)

others on stockholm broom

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andra om stockholm kvast söder

Kvastmakarbacken (map) 20 Jan 2008

speedy train

No, this is not a high speed train. It is a long shutter time and the slow Lidingö train that runs on the island of Lidingö in north-eastern Stockholm. It's more like a tram really.

others on stockholm lidingö train

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andra om stockholm lidingö tåg

Solstigen, Lidingö (map) 8 Dec 2007

art hotel

Night falls by Ringvägen. This is the festive front of Clarion Hotel. The nonexistent back yard is slightly less festive.

others on stockholm hotel

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Konsthotell kallar man sig, förresten

andra om stockholm hotell

Ringvägen 98 (map) 20 Jan 2008

grassroots politics

A photo from a citizens' meeting in Katarina school where local politicians and the local police discussed street violence. It is called citizens' meetings and I think we were only a handful 'ordinary citizens' - the rest were officials.

others on stockholm politics violence

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andra om stockholm politik våld

Katarina skola (map) 15 March 2007

harbour

This is a part of Värtahamnen/Frihamnen as it looks on a misty evening in December. The pic is taken from Kaknästornet. The "dotted line" is the bridge to Lidingö. You can also (barely) see the chimney of one of the ferries to Tallinn. I do believe that the big building in front is housing the Stockholm stock market nowadays.

others on stockholm harbour ferry

En dimmig kvällsbild över Värtahamnen/Frihamnen från Kaknästornet

andra om stockholm bro

Frihamnen (map) 1 Dec 2007

eco choo choo

There's no shortage of words about environmental issues these days. Action, however, speaks louder and public transportation by rail remains a neglected area in Sweden. This is Stockholm Central Station (Centralen) in Christmas colours.

others on stockholm kyoto

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Mer snack än verkstad på miljöfronten, när kommer en satsning på tåget?

andra om stockholm centralen järnväg

Centralstationen (map) 19 Dec 2007

Cornelis

Wikipedia: Cornelis Vreeswijk (1937–1987) was a singer-songwriter, poet and actor. Born in the Netherlands, moved to Sweden in 1949. He trained as a social worker and hoped to become a journalist but became instead a musician whose idiosyncratic humour and social engagement are still gaining him new fans. Cornelis became a legend in Sweden and is seen as one of the most important musicians ever.

Statue in Cornelis' Park in South Central

others on stockholm Cornelis Vreeswijk

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andra om stockholm Cornelis Vreeswijk

Cornelisparken (map) 6 Dec 2007

winter waters

photo: Kenneth Blake

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A view of a wintry Skeppsholmen as seen from Strandvägen. Skeppsholmen used to be a strategic naval base at the entrance to Stockholm. Nowadays it's filled with peaceful museums. The yearly Stockholm Jazz Festival is also held here.

others on stockholm skeppsholmen strandvägen
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andra om stockholm skeppsholmen strandvägen

Strandvägen (map) 27 Jan 2006

the party is over

We've seen this boat (or similiar ones) when leaving town. They seem to be in a hurry then. Now, coming home, they are not. Slow and gentle they come back to town, as if they were having a hang-over? In the background the Nacka radiomasts are seen.

others on stockholm boat

Återkomsten av partybåten verkar mer lugn. Pann-knack kanske ?

andra om stockholm
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Nacka Strand, almost (map) 1 Dec 2007

Gustaf Vasa Church (2)

...previously on pixels

Gustaf Vasa Church by the Odenplan plaza was inaugurated in 1906. With 1200 seats this is a big church.

others on stockholm vasastan

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andra om stockholm kyrka odenplan

Odenplan (map) 25 Dec 2007

mid-month theme: subway day

It's not only the commuters that have to wait for the train; the driver has to wait for the passengers to embark the train before he can close the doors. "Look out for the doors, the doors will be closed" or as they usually say in Swedish "se upp for dårarna". This is the blue line between Kungsträdgården and Hjulsta. Picture from Rådhuset subway station.

subway day is a mid-month theme shared by the following blogs:

New York City Daily Photo - PHO (Paris) - stockholm by pixels

others on stockholm subway

andra om stockholm tunnelbana

Rådhuset Station (map) 5 Dec 2007

small pizza joint

(Drottninggatan 2)

Further up on Drottninggatan (Queen st) we find Pizza Källaren (Pizza Basement). They only have one table and two chairs in the very small room, but I guess the name is to be taken literally. Further seating downstairs that is.

others on stockholm pizza basement

andra om stockholm pizza källare

...and tomorrow is subway day!

a day in the sun

Today, at long last, the sun decided to grant us a bit of attention again. December and January are pretty dark months any year but this time they have been particularly gloomy. So far. This is the garden by the Vasa Museum. Looks like it'll need quite a lot of sunshine before anything will grow there again.

others on stockholm january

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Påminner om mina krukväxter, faktiskt

andra om stockholm djurgården trädgård

Vasamuseet (map) 13 Jan 2008

evening out

(Drottninggatan 1)

Evening at Drottninggatan (Queen st). People strolling about, someone hurries to a movie show, a car carefully passes the pedestrian-only-street, the Muffin Bakery is closing for the day.

others on stockholm evening drottninggatan

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andra om stockholm kväll drottninggatan

still Christmas

photo: Michael Zucker

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Hellasgården is an exercise center in Nacka, 9 kilometers south-east of the city, where you can enjoy outdoor swimming in cold water

others on stockholm nacka

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andra om nacka bad jul

Hellasgården (map) 28 Dec 2007

be a square

And not just any square. Some serious market geometry going on at Sergel Square (Sergels torg) days before Christmas. Anything can and will be sold.

others on stockholm sergels torg

Konserverad gröt var nog det enda som fattades

andra om stockholm geometri sergels torg

Sergels torg (map) 19 Dec 2007

welcome in

Behind this door, in the yard, is a restaurant "Gamla Bysis". It's a nice refuge from the noise outside on Hornsgatan. It once was another kind of refuge though. 1781 - 1872 it was a local custody! So you better pay your bill or you might get to inspect the old cells :-)

others on stockholm

Gamla Bysis på Hornsgatan 82 döljs bakom denna träport. En gång i tiden häkteslokaler, men idag betydligt trevligare - förutsatt att man pröjsar notan förstås... annars kanske man kan få göra ett ofrivilligt besök i de äldre delarna av lokalerna?

andra om stockholm

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Hornsgatan 82 (map) 18 Aug 2007

night meal

Sausages and hamburgers for the evening stroller at Henke's grill by Sveavägen

others on stockholm fast food sveavägen

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andra om stockholm snabbmat sveavägen

Gustaf Vasa Church

Gustav I was King of Sweden 1523-1560. Nowadays he's known as Gustav (sometimes spelled Gustaf) Vasa. This church by Odenplan bears his name. With legends like Otto Olsson the Gustaf Vasa Church by architect Agi Lindegren has been a centre for organ music. Here's the full view of Odenplan plaza by the church.

others on stockholm vasastan

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andra om stockholm kyrka odenplan

Odenplan (map) 25 Dec 2007

blue sky?

Usually that means something else. In this case it's the bridge above (Malmskillnadsgatan) that got a nice Christmas decoration. The pic is taken on Hamngatan, close to Sergels Torg.

others on stockholm

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Trevligt med all extra belysning i december, som här - ett långt nät av blå lampor

andra om stockholm

Hamngatan (map) 3 Dec 2007

bad fishing

Stockholm is a city on water. Consequently you often see people fishing. This is the first time I have seen someone taking up nets in the city though. In the foreground is the Liljeholmsbadet, a public bath (the sign says "bath", nothing else).

others on stockholm bath fishing

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andra om stockholm bada fiske

renovation object

The old traffic hub Slussen is long overdue for... something. The debate rages on. One thing is for sure, it'll be different and pretty soon too. The entire structure is decaying and sinking as well.

others on stockholm slussen

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Snart ska hela rasket rivas, snart ska hela rasket bort

andra om stockholm slussen

Slussen (map) 4 Nov 2007

time to go to church again

Adolf Fredrik's Church in evening shroud. The tower lit up beautifully. This pic is from the backside but it is just as beautiful from the front. I happened to pass on this side (for once).

others on stockholm

Kvällsbild mot Adolf Fredriks kyrktorn från Holländargatan
andra om stockholm
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Adolf Fredriks kyrka (map) 27 Nov 2007

evening in Stockholm

The round building is the Tekniska nämndhuset (Technical Board House), the home of exploitation, city development and traffic office. But never mind that, I like the colours this early evening.

others on stockholm evening sky

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andra om stockholm kväll himmel

daily photo theme day: ode to smaller things

text & photo: Pia K

One of the best things of living in a fair, green city by the water is the ample opportunity to stumble over, or hear of through the leafage, new places of wild strawberries (smultronställen). Such a place I found last year, and this photo captures the loveliness of that moment, that place, this city and what’s best of it in at least three ways.

Just the fact than you can enjoy a decent lunch (chanterelle soup and homemade bread) in a seemingly rural and peaceful place, when this café is actually situated just below the busy Västerbron (The Western Bridge), is amazing in its very self.

The other very visible thing can be found in the small details, all around us, everywhere. Here illustrated by an uninvited, but welcomed, lunch companion. Who eagerly, more or less patiently, awaited some left over bread.

And then we have that light, the summer light, that reminiscence of the glorious summer past, that shines through the leafage… This perfect moment - eternalised with a little help from a small, ingenious friend named camera - makes it easy to visualise that the best things in life can simply be found in the smaller things that surround us.

With hopes of and wishes for many such perfect moments in the year to come, Happy New 2008!