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C took us to see Gamla Stan, which had the most old and cute buildings in Stockholm.
the name means 'Old Town' in Swedish, and it encompasses an entire island.
the subway took us there directly.
it's a pleasant place to shop for souvenirs, eat at little cafes and explore alleyways while admiring the architecture of townhouses built in the late 1600s.
it was terribly warm and sunny so we had some yummy ice cream from a crowded shop near the square with al fresco dining. i almost had a liquorice flavored one so everyone seems to warn me against it since it's quite strong and is an acquired taste.
it was the first time i've heard people busk with such delicate voices.
they were very pricey though.
their colors were very brilliant and they sparkled like elaborate Christmas glass ornaments.
there were quite a number of men doing the game where you find the hidden card or ball. they operate in groups to get tourists to bet on them and help them lose some money. it seemed like these scammers enjoyed good business as well, with the lively groups of people surrounding them.
another thing was to be wary of pickpockets because they have rich pickings from the streets thronged with distracted tourists. luckily we did not encountered any of that.
after strolling around and soaking up the unique atmosphere of the area, we took some pictures with the palace guard and walked through the huge plaza between 2 parliament buildings (Riksdag).
this way, we went through the main shopping street of the area, Drottninggatan.
the generic shops and restaurants wasn't half as interesting as Gamla Stan, which still had many areas we hadn't explored.
C took us to the H&M store for home furnishings, which was very cool because we didn't know they did bedspreads, cups and cushions too.
then we ended up at T-Centralen, did some grocery shopping and went home.
