TRAVEL
One of the best ways to explore Stockholm is by boat. right; the Vasa Museum. bottom. is a highlight
,H ’ ~:‘-;.__
F " ’.‘ - “" 'anz c’. 3'32!!er *3” 2 {.s J"
In the bleak midwinter
They might be colder and darker than Scotland right now, but nobody does festive cheer like the Nordic countries. Allan Radcliffe and Doug Johnstone headed for Stockholm and Reykjavik in search of a wintry wonderland
Let there be light
.'\\ the largext metropolis in the higgext ol' the .\'ordic countriex Stockholm proudl} lay claim to he the capital ol‘ Scandinmia. Yet. the
L‘ll_\ t‘SSL‘llllttll} tt L‘Ullc‘clltlll til~
\mall ixlandx \\hich collide at the point where the Baltic in the eaxt meetx lake \liilaren in the \\c‘\l lx easil) negotiated on loot. I-‘ilmmaker Ingmar Bergman exen l'L‘lt‘l'l'Ctl [U lllc‘ S“ L‘tllSll Cttplltll tt\ '1! large \illage. \et in the middle ol a lorest and \ome lakex'
l-‘or all itx modext \i/e Stockholm might not at l‘irxt wear the ideal \xinter dextination tor \un-xtan ed Scotx tra\eller\. Indeed. a woman \itting nut to me on the plane ad\i.\e.\ me to ‘come hack in my. \xarning me that the temperature littl‘c‘l} [01k ll\ e degree\ at llti\ time of _\ear. \Vith \kiex darkening at arottnd 2pm in December. it‘x north rising earl) in Stockholm to catch that all-too-xcarce \hot ol~ \ itamin .'\.
Yet. clemite the harxh conditions. Stockholm radiatex light during the liestixe \eaxon. large. ornatel} decorated treex twinkle do\\n from
102 THE LIST ‘ Q I w
‘ST OCKHOLM RADIATES LIGHT DURING THE FEST IVE SEASON'
the grand buildingx uhich line the harbour. \xhile the main \lltipplllg drag. the l)rottninggatan. \pttl'lle‘S heneath an auning ol' ('hrixtmax light\. ;\lightng l‘rom the airport tranxl‘er hux at central \tation I am immediatel} ttl‘xtll'l‘c‘tl into a huxtling \xinter market. \Varming
in} hand\ around a licakei ol \lrong. lre\hl_\ hicxx ed collec I \xmd
through tre\tle talwlex groaning \\llll traditional Suedixh lood. handrciall \tallx and tik‘llc‘llllIS \melling Ron \land\ t\au\agc \tandxi
l:\en h} llritixh \t.intl.utl\. Stockholan [‘l'lL'L'\ can \ccln prohthrtnel} e\pen\i\e. hut it‘x [‘U\\lhlk' [H \t‘c lllt‘ \lg'lllS ttlltl \ample the e\ccllent local ctuxine \\illlotll lirxt arranging a teinpoiar_\ o\erdral't. ’l'he lile t‘\\t‘llllttl purchaxe l’or \ightxeerx on a budget \hould he the Stockholm ('ard. \xlnch coxtx I‘ltl Suedixh kronet (around L'Zhl lor 3-1 hour\ and tlllo\\\ unlimited entr} to the man_\ local atll‘;tclioll\.
()ne thing Stockholm certainlx doexn't lack ix llltlxctllllx. with a handl'ul of art galleriex and numerom hixtorical c‘tillt‘c‘lltllh all cluxtered around the harbour. Head and \houlderx aliox e itx ri\a|\ l\ the .\lu\eum. home to the L‘Ptlll}llltlll\ l7th centur} \xarxhip. \xhich \ank in Stockholm liarhour on itx maiden \o};tgc in ltilh'. l|a\ing lain prexened in the mud l'or o\ er three centuriex. the \hrp \xax hoixted l‘rom the depth\ in NM and non occupiex a purpoxe huilt building in the old na\al dock}ard. .'\t (Cm—long. all“ heating man} ol llx original intricate car\ing\ and \tatuex. and bathed in a \lark. white light. the \axt \exxel carriex the \inixler air (it a rexurrecled ghoxl \hip.
ll the idea til \pclltllllg lllc leu llHtll'x ol da_\light cooped up in a museum doexn’t appeal. the Stockholm ('al‘d alxo ollet'x lree accexx to the l{o_\al ('anal 'l‘our. \Klllcll [ach ti leixttt‘el} litttlll It) the mouth ol the harbour. taking in much ol the eaxt ol' the cit} and liloating paxt the enormoux cit} [)ttl‘k. lllc' l)llll'g‘ttl'tlcll. \klltixc trees glitter \xith tin} pinprickx ol light during the l'extne \eason.
:\lighting lrom llll\ journe}. and with the \k} \lll‘lllkllig'. l uander itL'l‘t)\\ to (iamla Slam. the oldext part ol the cit}. Home to the Kunglia Slottet ll<o_\al I’alacel. uhoxe man} opulent rooms and
\axa
treaxurex can he accexxed uxing the Stockholm (aid. and the impresxixe Stork}rkan l('athedrall. the \mall lSlillltl l\ a li\el_\ netuork’ ()i- medie\al cobbled streets lined with l'unk} cafes. harx and restaurants. man} ol'l'ering local specialities \uch ax elk meatballs and reindeer