Conrad Hilton, I Salute You

After a day and a half I can safely say that Stockholm is the most beautiful city I have ever visited. Prague had held that title for quite a long time, but that's over with. This city is beautiful in a quiet, dignified, understated way.

There are North American cities I love: Chicago, New Orleans, San Francisco, Montreal. But for some reason they don't resonate with me the way European cites do. New Orleans and Montreal come closest, but they're the most "European" I suppose so it all fits right?
The picture below these words is the view from our hotel room at about 10pm last night. Of course it helps that the weather has cooperated but I suspect this place would still radiate in a dreary rain. It must be absolutely incredible in a soft winter snow though I'm sure getting around is probably difficult. Steep cobblestone streets+ice=trouble.

This next picture is the ship Vasa which foundered on its maiden voyage in 1628. It was designed by a king who was not a trained ship builder and he commissioned a shipbuilder who had never built a ship with double gun decks before. The admiral who tested the ship's balance knew that there was a strong danger of the ship capsizing in even the weakest breeze but did not want to offend the king and let the ship sail anyway. It stayed afloat for roughly 20 minutes before capsizing. It took 2 years and the modern equivalent of about $50 million to build.

I will now pause for you to consider whether or not the Vasa is an allegory for any recent US history. OK, done?

As was noted in Pulp Fiction, it's the little things that are different in Europe. Here you'll see that the common goose has different coloration. I can tell you they still crap just as much, however.

The hotel has a deal which would surely put it out of business as a bonspiel hotel. If you're a Hilton points member (and really, if you're just anyone because they don't check your ID) there's an "executive lounge" with hot and cold snacks, beer, wine and cocktails from 6pm to 11pm daily. Free.

That's right, I said free. The room has a big flat screen TV and overlooks the harbor. The alcohol is self serve and at last call they tell you to take a drink back to your room. The booze isn't junk either, a few kinds of Bacardi, a few kinds of vodka, cognac, Bailieys, the only thing that's a bit downscale is the whiskey which is JW red but that's fine mixed with sparkling Swedish spring water.

The free light beer is Carlsberg, the dark beer is Affligem. That's a Belgian abbey ale.

So we're off for a round before we look for dinner.