Stockholm

A reader recently asked about traveling to Stockholm where he plans to travel solo.

It just so happens that I too will be headed to Stockholm, in less than a month now. My initial experience there was back last century when I was studying in Oslo and took the overnight train there for a weekend. I arrived in the early hours and needed to pee... of course you need money to use toilets there (very foreign to an Australian) and nothing was open for me to change any coins. So my first impressions of Stockholm were quite urgent, and the automatic toilet I ultimately found, door accidentally ajar in a pretty little park by the water is etched in my mind forever.

But there's more to Stockholm than the toilets. Though I'm sure a good many readers will have memorable toilet stories of their own... Most of my memories though, include ice & cold with sunshine to make it all sparkle, and old parts of the town and very little social interaction - because I was very shy back then. I have a collection of pretty photos (none digital) and no recollection of cute men - because I wasn't really out to myself and well, everyone was wearing parkas and things anyway being winter and all.

So what can one expect from Stockholm in 2008, in mid June?

If our experience of the rest of Sweden is anything to go by, an avalanche of Saabs and Volvos, some striking design in the way of architecture, homewares and men (we're wondering if Stockholm will keep up with Gothenberg's high cute man index) and more light than you can find in a convenience store. And these are the things (not in that order) that I am going to be looking for. Of course to get over jet lag I will need a swimming pool, and if that swimming pool has a simple classic architectural feature, nordic gods swimming and a cafe with designer forks, then I might as well end the holiday there and come home, my itinerary completed.

We're looking for accommodation to book, because while friends' friends have invited us to stay with them - we don't want to impose. So if anyone has suggestions on cool places to sleep, please let us know.

Do any of superchilled's readers have suggestions of things one MUST NOT MISS in Stockholm? If you're Swedish, you have no choice but to comment. (I'm afraid it's the law.)