A move to an unfamiliar city--or even an unfamiliar country as I did--requires you to be both creative and adventurous. Investigating a city using websites and books for things to do/see is do-able when taking a small vacation or trip, but it is damn near impossible for an extended period of time. Before I departed for Stockholm I attended a brief wiki history lesson where I learned about the archipelago, the jet stream that provides enjoyable weather despite its northernly location, and that the hipsters occupy an island called "Södermalm."
It was convenient for me to ask students who I worked and went to class with for restaurant recommendations and places to explore around Stockholm. Thanks to them, I quickly learned that: The usefulness of an answer is a function of the effort you put into forming the question. Common sense can go a long way...If you are looking for a nice place for hiking or running then don't go ask someone who clearly hasn't gotten any sun in over 2 years and wears velcro sketchers, ask the guy who spends every weekend camping and brings his lunch to the office everyday of the week. Are you looking for a new coffee shop to add to your list for the times when your office seems to be closing in on you?...then don't waste time asking a person who thinks an espresso is spelled with an 'x' and that the world really does run on Dunkin', ask someone who has coffee stains on their teeth, knows that tea doesn't belong in a bag, or even just a cute girl with dark-rim glasses who looks like she could pass for a barista.
A visit to Sandhamn, the eastern most island in the Stockholm Archipelago, was a recommendation I received early on in my stay, but I decided to save it for the end. I was waiting for a beautiful weekend to make the 3 hour boat ride out to the outer archipelago, and it happened to be my very last weekend in Sweden! I spent the day exploring the island with Jakub, an exchange student from Czech Republic, and even got to watch the end of a yacht race. It turned out to be a perfect day...I am very happy that I got to squeeze in the trip to Sandhamn before I had to leave Sweden!
Brunnsviken
Nothing beats a nice bike ride or run along the shores of Brunnsviken, the lake that separates Solna from Sweden. A quick 5-10 minute jog from my place, as the nighttime fell upon Stockholm the views from this area were amazing...my last joyride through Stockholm was no different. I am sure going to miss this place!
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