New apartment

Here are some pics of our 4th apartment in as many months.  We'll be here for 6 months to a year, hopefully til we get into visiting researcher housing. 

Sleeping toddler included

Our bld on the right, nature to the left

View from our patio

Edit, July 27:
Here's a map.  You'll see that it's actually pretty far from the city, but it's a fast bus trip with only a few stops from our neighborhood to the heart of Stockholm.  You'll also notice a lot of green and blue between our place and the city; that bus trip is really scenic, and there is a lot of wilderness to bike and explore.  In fact, our location is at the beginning of the archipelago.  Although I came here wanting to live in the city, it will be really nice to be in such a quiet area surrounded by nature for a few months.  (Visiting researcher housing will be in the middle of the city, so we'll get plenty more of that).

View Larger Map

Stadshuset

Sunday, we loaded Eli up into the backpack carrier and headed up to Stadshuset - Stockholm City Hall - for a couple tours.  We toured the city hall and climbed this 106m tower.

Eli enjoyed his free ride up the stairs:

 Views from the top:

Gamla Stan

Gardens outside Statshuset 

North, towards the center city

Statshuset was impressive.  It's used as both a working city hall and a reception area with 300 event/yr, including the Nobel reception.  

The Blue Room, where the Nobel reception is held

Staircase Anne will descend when she wins her Nobel prize

The Gold Room.  It was all too exciting for Eli

Mosaic in the gold room

Eli refreshed after a nice nap

Junibacken

Took Eli to a place called Junibacken.  Junibacken's theme is the stories of Astrid Lindgrin, a Swede who wrote Pipi Longstocking and other kids stories.  It features a "story train" that had Eli so mesmerized I had to take a few videos.  The train was actually a car suspended on a scissor lift so it could 'fly' through the scenery. 

They also had some play areas (above), and since it was way past Eli's nap time, he went a little crazy.  But then we made up for lost time...

Finally, the trip home

couple random pics

Eli's ready to hit the clubs

You don't see playscapes like this in the US

Our Summer Home

Here are some pictures of the apartment we're in for the next couple months.

Balcony

Eli's Room

Living Room - larger than our entire last apartment!

Living Room again

Bedroom

Courtyard has playgrounds and a ball court for Eli

Nature Preserve about 2 km from out apartment

Not shown is the full-size eat-in kitchen.  It even has full size appliances, something we hadn't seen in a while. Also not shown are the common areas (indoors and out).  The only downside is that this apartment is spoiling us and making the search for our next apartment less fun...

Catching Up

Sorry we haven’t written in a while.   Much of the last two weeks was spent either in various government offices or trying to survive living in 26 m² (260 sq ft).

It’s amazing what a difference is was going from a 300 sq ft place with nice storage to a 260 sq ft place with no storage.   For example, there’s the “Stockholm shower” for a bathroom, basically just a shower stall with the sink and toilet in it.  It’s not a place you would want to store your toothbrush.   And in the micro-size kitchen there is no place to prep food except the sink or windowsill.   The tiny accommodations with no storage mean daily grocery shopping and constant cleaning.  The worst part of the studio apartment was, after Eli went to bed each night, being stuck in a dark room not making a sound above a whisper. 

So of course, much of the last two weeks was also spent getting out. 

A few days involved trips to Skansen, a huge outdoor historical museum with playgrounds, zoo, aquarium, and plenty of other things to entertain a family with a small child.  

At Skansen's Rose Garden

Overlooking the city

Future engineer, fascinated by the machines

Other evenings included get-togethers with Anne’s coworkers, such as a party at Anne’s boss' house (yes, he has a house, not an apartment). 

And I think every day included at least one visit to a park and playground to get Eli some exercise.

  

No trip to Sweden would be complete without some time in a public pool, properly attired:

And finally, tomorrow we move into our "Summer Home".  Relatively huge at 600 sq ft, with a balcony, two bedrooms, and in a great location.  It's even near some of the few MTB trails.  

Touring Stockholm

A few pictures of Eli and I playing tourist Wednesday, at the neighborhood of Ostermalm and on the island Djurgarden overlooking Ostermalm.  Djurigarden used to be the king's hunting ground back in the day, but now it is all parks, museums, a zoo, etc.

Then Thursday was a holiday, so Anne had the day off work and we toured Gamla Stan, a small island with the best examples of medieval architecture in the city:  

While there, Anne toured parliament (Eli and I started on the tour, but his tantrums put an end to that quickly).

But getting to run around the cobblestone streets, and getting some ice cream, cheered Eli right up: