Today we plan on visiting Galma Stan one more time before we leave Sweden. No plan in particular, just a nice walk soaking in the atmosphere. The temperature is in the high 70’s low 80’s, I just checked the internet for Stockton’s weather today, suppose to hit 106! That’s one thing I’ll miss are the walks during the day without the 100+ degree temperatures. Back home, you need to either walk early in the morning or during the evening hours. Well, off to Old Town!
First stop a place to grub. Well.. as it turns out we ended up shopping before we made it to Michael Angelo’s. This was that nice Italian Restaurant we had already gone to eat at a couple of weeks ago but we also knew the food was great. For lunch, I had spaghetti and meat sauce and Lorraine had a pasta with salmon. Once again the food was great.
After lunch we took off and did more shopping. I grabbed some desert (ice cream cone) and kicked it outside of the stores while Lorraine did more shopping. Along the busy street traffic streets of Old Town you get a few street performers. It’s not quite as overwhelming as it is around the San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf but you do get talent. On this particular day we watched a young kid about eight years old play on a portable electric keyboard. He sat there playing classic piano songs. It was total trip watching this little kid play music so effortlessly. Made me want to get back home and play in my studio.
One of the other street performances are the “Hustlers”. I call them that because they do a scam on the unsuspecting tourist that walk the area. Mostly poor suckers that hop off the cruise liners docked on the wharf. Here’s the scam…
There are three cups and a peanut. The object is to find the peanut after the guy moves the cups all over the place. Simple enough. The scam is they have two other guys working with them who pretends to be walking by and interested in playing. They win a few games and the spectators around begin to think this is easy money. When someone really plays the game, the performer turns it up a notch making it almost impossible to figure out where the $##$@! peanut is. I’ve watched these guys time and time again and it’s the same hustle. It’s gotten to the point where I’ve seen them so much I know who the hustle players are and if I don’t recognize that particular bunch I make it a game to figure out who they are. All while muching down a waffle ice cream cone.
After watching the hustlers we were off back to the hotel. On the way we past one of those horse drawn carriage tours. I looked at Lorraine and we both said “why not?”. Out of all the methods for transportation in Stockholm this one is really unique. Not only did you take a leisurely ride around old town but you also got a great narration on OT’s history. It was a more personal one-on-one tour and it was in both English and Swedish.
Once we completed our tour it was off to the hotel but not before stopping at the local grocery store and grabbing our snacks for the night.
Bikes…
When I leave Sweden next week I will have been here 5 weeks. All the time I spent here was during their summer season. That being said, I’m probably here the best time of the year for motorcycling.
For the most part, it looks like the cruiser and sports bike riders are about the same. I see both wherever I go. Lot’s of HD’s, Honda’s and various sport bike makers. One thing I noticed was no matter what you rode more than likely you are wearing a fullface helmet. I did see a few half-heads but they are not as common as they are in the United States.
The photos below show the extremes…
Kawi’s X12R, may be the fastest production street bike currently on the market
This old BMW really turned my head. It almost look so new I was thinking it was a kit bike. I’m still unsure if it was or not. Everything part looked functional and authentic.
I had to throw this photo in since it was so old school. I barely noticed it when I first walked past it. It blended in with the wall so good. Check out the name brand “Rumbler” what a classic.
