Looking back, there was nothing that could quite describe my experiencing Stockholm for the first time. And as a first time resident, not a first time visitor. Especially as this was right after leaving Texas...the difference couldn't be greater. And also while most part of the world were still under some kind of covid restrictions and Sweden being the outlier.
I landed on June 13, 2021, a Sunday. Throughout the trip I was holding my work permit paperwork. It was entirely in Swedish, so the United check-in agent at SFO couldn't read it and just took it at face value as legitimate reason of entering Sweden. The EU border agent at Frankfurt also couldn't read it because they were Germans. And finally the Swedish border agent also declined to read it because the visa is electronic so they can already see it from their system...so the paperwork kind of functioned like a good luck charm. I just waved it and people let me through.
Monday - moved into my apartment in Södermalm with the housing agent. I remember almost shedding some tears as the housing agent also took off his shoes when entering the apartment. Then he introduced me to the fascinating laundry reservation board, told me where the closest grocery store was, then left me to soak in the fact that I am actually going to live in Stockholm from now on.
Tuesday - Jakobsgatan/St Jacobs Kyrka - I haven't seen so many interesting things to draw in a long time!
Wednesday - Stockholm Skyline (Gamla Stan + Södermalm)
Thursday - Drottningholms slott (finally got my bike and immediately took it out for a spin)
Friday - Slussen! Construction equipment + old buildings = my favourite combination
Saturday - not sure what I did that day oooops
Sunday - Ferry terminal + Gröna Lund (sunset at 9pm)
-my first official work week immediately followed
