Walking in Gamla Stan, Old Town of Stockholm, Sweden 🇸🇪

When I decided to return to Japan, I went to the old town to buy souvenirs for my mother and all my relatives. The Japanese souvenir culture is alive and well, and when I asked my mom what kind of souvenirs she wanted, she said, "Not for me, I dont need anything. Thank you though. But I think it would be good to buy for your siblings and relatives". I was thinking about it as I went around the souvenir shops in the old town, because I had no choice but to buy a gift for my mother, of course. There were Swedish Viking figurines and other knick-knacks that people would have a hard time putting down where to decorate it. Buying good souveniors is just hard.

Since I moved to Stockholm, I have often visited the old town, #GamlaStan but now I think that I will not be able to visit there as often as I could after i go back to Japan.

The old town, Gamla Stan is located in the Stockholm archipelago, and there is the Stockholm Palace on the small island. In front of the palace, there is also the Swedish parliament building. There is a big river flowing through the city, and swans and ducks were waiting for spring in the cold winter in Stockholm, swinging on the surface of the river. I watched the flock of swans and ducks on the surface of the water, thinking that they must be a group of guys who think it's a hassle to go south to winter in Stockholm. Well, Stockholm is still cold although you migrated from North. I can't wait for spring.

日本へ帰国することが決まり、母や親戚一同へのお土産を買いに旧市街まで足を運びました。日本のお土産文化は健在で、母へどんなお土産が欲しいかときくと、「私はいいが、兄弟や親戚には買うのがいいと思う」と言った事を言っていました。そう言われると、母へのプレゼントを買わないわけにもいかないので、旧市街でぐるぐるとお土産屋さんを周りながら考えていました。貰っても結局は置き場に困るスウェーデンのヴァイキングの置物や、小物はあるのですがこれといって言いお土産は見つかりませんでした。

ストックホルムに引っ越ししてからはよく遊びに来た旧市街も今後はなかなか来れないなと思うと少し旧市街を観光することにしました。

旧市街はストックホルム群島の中にあって、その小さな島にはストックホルム宮殿もあります。宮殿の前にはスウェーデン国会議事堂もあります。大きな川が流れていて、この時期は白鳥や鴨が越冬をしに川の水面に揺れながら寒い冬のストックホルムで各々に春を待っていました。ストックホルムで越冬を考えるとは、よっぽど南に行くのをめんどくさいと考えている一群なのかなと思いながら水面の白鳥と鴨の群れを眺めていました。春が待ち遠しいな。