May 23: Norrmalm 1

Suddenly, we were in Stockholm.

3523

It's Katarinahissen!

3526

And Riddarholmskyrkan!

3527

And Stadshuset!

3529

And...wait, what is this? It's the atrium of Cityterminalen, the central bus station. We stored some of our luggage here, I think, to have a lighter load while exploring.

3532

And this is the waiting hall of the adjacent Central (railway) Station.

3533

I count at least six levels of scale in the ceiling.

3542

Well wouldn't you know it, it's Klara Kyrkan.

3544

A closeup on one of the church's distinctive brick bands, contrasting in both color and gloss.

3552

A murder of starlings (or starling-like objects) by the church. Now in...

3553

Now out. Keep goin'!

3557

Some palimpsest on the apse end of Klara Kyrkan.

3561

Wow, um, dreary.

3563

We meet again, Lion. Guess we're on Drottninggatan.

3564

We meet again, Sergelstorg.

3565

So cute! Also, we meet again, Åhléns City.

3568

We meet again, inset letters.

3576

Then we ventured into an inviting courtyard/garden next to Drottninggatan, which turns out to be Centralbadet, a spa opened in 1904, one of Stockholm's most relaxing oases. This is a glimpse of the Art Nouveau main building.

3578

Springtime busted in out of nowhere!

3579

An oasis it surely is; the garden was already lush and full of flowers even in the May North.

3581

I can't handle the blooms!

3584

Across Drottninggatan from Centralbadet is the City Conference Center, in a building still known as Norra Latin (Northern Latin) from when it was a secondary school, between 1880 and 1982.

3591

We went inside and partway up the cool main stairwell. I really like stairwells partly open to other spaces like this.

3593

Vertiginous fishies.

3597

Looking a little wan there, Sun. Cheer up, there's a blowup chicken in the courtyard.

3601

In the same big courtyard on the west side of Norra Latin is this awesome fountain.

3602

SPHERE OF WATER, SPHERE OF FIRE