A Great End to Stockholm...

Hello from a Pizza Hut, where I just took Lonely Planet's advice and filled up on a big lunch buffet, for only 79 SEK (hehehe, that currency makes me giggle). Salads, pizza, Pepsi, and now a nice Earl Grey ... not bad.

So, last night I watched the band for about a half hour - they were quite good, the lead singer was a big, black guy with a harmonica and sax, and he walked around the room a lot, making me a little nervous that he might spot me, solo, and come sing to me. Thankfully, I got away without being noticed.

I left at around 10:30; it was a chilly walk home, not sure if I mentioned this already but I was wearing black socks and sandals like the World's Biggest Geek because my new Skechers are breaking my feet). I internetted for a little while back at the hostel, then went to bed in a pitch black and silent room (just like the Novi Dan!).

When I woke up this morning at 8:30, I had no idea what time it was, where I was, or how I was going to get out of bed without tripping over anything because it was so dark! I finally manoeuvred my way out of bed, tried to have a shower but it was scorching hot and I couldn't stand it. I had to leave my bags at reception before I left for the day because I'm switching rooms tonight. I'm very lucky to have arrived at that hostel when I did, because it's fully booked tonight, and apparently everywhere else in town is booked too!

I got out of the hostel at 10:00, and went directly to Sodermalm, found the shoe shop I'd seen yesterday, and bought a paid of brown boots. They're the greatest boots ever (second only to my pink Bosnian boots). I shopped for a couple of hours, then because it's quite rainy, and not an ideal day for movie-making, I decided to head inside to this Pizza Hut.

It's still raining, but I have a lot left to do so I'm going to venture outside again now. I'm a little pressed for time here, because I'm planning to leave tomorrow. It's totally unrealistic and expensive, but I really want to go to Norway. I should just focus on Sweden and Finland during this trip, but dammit I want to see the fjords in Bergen! So I'm planning to go to Oslo tomorrow, Bergen the next day, then back via Sweden to Helsinki. It's a little nuts, but, I think, do-able. Bye for now!

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Hello again, later in the evening, from a bar that really knows how to deal with Sweden's cold evenings! I'm sitting outside, on a bar patio, with a red blanket draped over my legs ... fantastic! And the little beer that I just paid 5 euros for is going down a treat!

Sometimes I think there must be something wrong with me, because I am completely not in the mood for any company other than my own. I couldn't be happier spending time with just my own thoughts, and my journal, and beers all by myself. In fact, when someone speaks to me, it really irritates me. Hahaha! Pedro and I will never end up together: we're both such loners, we'd probably never spend any time together at all! (which makes us all the more perfect for each other: at least we both get it).

Anyway, I had a very full, and frickin' awesome day! After lunch, I shopped a little more in Sodermalm, bought some nice legwarmers and a beautiful scarf for Mom, then walked over to Gamla Stan and bought some Christmas souvenirs for Mom and Daddy.

I then decided to visit the Nobel Museum. It feels great to go to museums again; I was missing a bit of culture this summer! I inadvertently snuck into the place without paying, and only realized later, when I was leaving, that there is a 70 SEK admission fee. Whoops! Anyway, it would've been totally worth the price: it was very interesting to find out all about Alfred Nobel, the fact that he was the inventor of dynamite and the reason he decried in his will that his fortune go to prizewinners was because he was a bit of a loner with no family. He was from Sweden, so that's why all the Nobel Prize action happens there, except for the Peace Prize, which he decided to share with Norway. That explains why Barack Obama (recipient of the 2009 Peace Prize, God love him!) will be heading to both Stockholm and Oslo in December. If only he was here this week!

I bought a magnet at the museum with a very fitting quote: "To Travel is to Live", by H.C. Andersen. It's interesting that I found that magnet, because just last week, the guy at the hostel in Pula asked me what my life is about, and I said "travel", and I've been contemplating that answer ever since.

(I'm getting a tad chilly sitting out here now ... this blanket, cute as it is, is useless).

After the museum, I busted a move back to the centre of town, where I luckily found the free IKEA bus, and in no time at all, I was at the IKEA Mecca! Actually, it wasn't all that magical a place; I wandered around, bought Mom some napkins (they were the smallest thing I could find), and was back on the bus an hour later. I didn't even have time for Swedish Meatballs!

I headed again to Sodermalm, and I heard this bar before I saw it. In hindsight, I probably should've sat in a warm and coze pub because it's quite cold, but the blankies (especially the one wrapped around a big guy's shoulders in front of me) are worth it.

My train to Oslo is at 8:30 tomorrow morning, and I don't actually know where to catch it form, so I'll have an early start. Also, I'm a little worried that everything might be fully booked in Oslo, like it is in Stockholm, so I might spend some time searching for hostels online when I get back to the hostel tonight. Mom made a good point in her email: I barely spent any money all summer, so I can afford to spend a bit now. Screw it: I deserve a holiday (but even as I write that, I can't keep a straight face ... my whole life is a holiday!

Bye for now! (and thanks to Stockholm for a great visit!)