Colorful Gamla Stan, Old Town Stockholm

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Blå Gungan translates to Blue Swing, if you’re interested. I love the amount of activity in this photo. Three window shoppers, a shopkeep, a runner and a few more people about their day.

I want this to be my corner cafe.

Just look at the texture of that street. Don’t you want to touch it?

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St George and the Dragon

The town had a pond where a plague-bearing dragon dwelled. To appease the dragon, the people of Silene fed it two sheep every day, and when the sheep failed, they fed it their children, chosen by lottery. It happened that the lot fell on the king’s daughter. Distraught with grief, the king told the people they could have his gold and silver and half of his kingdom if his daughter were spared; the people refused. The daughter was sent out to the lake, dressed as a bride, to be fed to the dragon.

Then what happens?

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Saint-George by chance rode past the lake, and charged it on horseback with his lance, and gave it a grievous wound. He then called to the princess to throw him her girdle, and he put it around the dragon’s neck. When she did so, the dragon followed the girl like a meek beast on a leash.

Oh. Okay. Good job.

Colorful Narrowness

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Monotone Narrowness

And lamps, of course.

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The narrowest street in Stockholm is less than 1 meter wide.

Mårten Trotzigs gränd, literally the Alley of Mårten Trotzig, consisting of 36 steps narrowing to a width of 90 cm.

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The controversy surrounding the naming, as outlined on Wikipedia, is humorous:

In 1608 it is referred to Trappegrenden (“The Stairs Alley”), but a map dated 1733 calls it Trotz gr[änd], a name which, using various alternative spellings, was to remain the name used, save for an attempt in the late 18th century to inexplicably rename it Kungsgränden (“The Kings Alley”). Closed off in the mid 19th century, not to be reopened until 1945, its present name was officially sanctioned by the city in 1949.

Empty Arched Pathways

Hard to believe nobody got into this shot. No baby carriages, no shoppers, no sanitary workers or buskers.

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Stortorget Square

Lion mouths for fountains and cafe seating in the center of old town.

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Patterns and shapes and that rich orange color

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Rat Statue

I show this without citation. I can’t find any information about it. Likely temporary.

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Östermalms Saluhall Market

Okay, not in Gamla stan, in Östermalm, but damn if it isn’t the best place in town to eat every kind of seafood.

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View from Stadshusparken at Stockholm City Hall

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BJCP-certified beer judge, photographer, and software developer from Boulder, Colorado. I use this site to chronicle my worldwide beer adventures shared through photography and stories, with a focus on traditional old world brewing practices.

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