Sweden!

Made it without serious incident, I’m pleased to say. Got to the Hotel about 10.30pm and I’m just going to get some thoughts down quickly before they fade.

Stockholm smells different from anywhere I’ve ever visited before. It’s a mixture that’s hard to define, and has mostly worn off now. I remember leaving the airport, opening the door and being hit by a really sharp smell: a very strong salt tang, mixed with tar, peat and the smell you get when cutting masonry with hot power tools.

When I get to a taxi I get an Italian driver! Does he know the Hotel Gustav Wasa? Does he know where Vastmannagatten is? Does he speak English (as I’ve been assured over and over ALL Swedes do)? Does he heck. He also turns out to be the slowest Italian I’ve ever observed behind the wheel of a car ;-)

Although it’s nearly dark, I can get a good idea of the landscape. I realise in mild surprise that it looks very much like the area between Chantilly and Washington DC. All trees and gently rolling countryside further out, then glass, chrome and concrete modern retail and office complexes. It’s good to see lots of names I don’t recognise amongst the few I do. As we’re passing a building I notice a digital display showing temperature – 5’C. While I watch the display changed to FUKT 50%. I’m sure it means something quite different in Swedish - probably humidity - but it did make me smile.