On my last day in Stockholm, I went to the offices of the Lost and Found for the city. This is where everything and anything that's left on a bench, or in Starbucks, or a mall, etc...ends up to be claimed. There were about 15 people in front of me. I took a number and waited...and watched. Behind the counter were bins full of keys, umbrellas, gloves, walking canes, crutches (how do you lose a crutch?), cell phones, etc. When my number came up, I gave a description of my phone (brand, color, case, etc) to an attendant and they went in the back and looked. Nada. Just so you know, if they find something that matches the description you gave them, you would then have to prove it's yours by, for example, starting the cell phone, entering the password, etc.
Oh well, I tried. But I was very impressed with their operations. While I was there, several people were reunited with their keys, hats, and gloves.
Afterwards, I headed over to the Royal Palace for a tour.
Here's some interesting stats:
- 755 feet long
- 410 feet wide
- 1,430 rooms
- 58,000 square meters in area
- 964 windows, comprised of 19,000 panes
- Construction began in 1697, two years after fire destroyed the previous palace.
- It was not completed until 1754, primarily due to a 20 hiatus during wartime.
Ok, now let's go inside and take a look around!!
Using poor little children to hold up a heavy lantern....and in the nude no less!!!
I'm beginning to think I have a 'thing' for chandeliers!
Notice how the rugs are rolled back to protect them from all the public traffic.
One of many porcelain-clad wood stoves throughout the palace.
The relief you can see at the end of the hall, above the doorway in the previous photo.
The mosaic in the floor is completely made of wood.
Ummmm....and people today (300 years later) have hissy fits over breastfeeding in public???
The silver throne.
The silver throne was made for Queen Christina's coronation in 1650.
It has a wooden framework but completely covered in silver.
Below the palace are rooms of the former Tre Kronor palace which was destroyed by fire in 1697 but this area survived fairly intact.
It now houses the museum for the palace.
I guess this is where they chopped the wood and kept it dry for all the fireplaces throughout the palace.
This is a battle tool.
When enemies tried to climb the fortress walls, they used these tree limbs with whittled sharp points to lower down the sides of the walls to cause the enemy to fall.
Ouch!!
Back outside of the palace.
The Parliament House across the street.
The next day it was time to go home, back to Palma. While I was at the airport, I decided to go check their Lost and Found one more time. After giving the lady a description, she went in back and searched. A few minutes later she came back to the counter with a cell phone in her hand. My eyes widened!!!! Was it mine? You gotta be kidding me!!! After I got over the initial shock I knew it was mine but I held out from celebrating until, after entering my password, it started up!!!
I was reunited with my baby!! My life blood!!!!
WOW!!!
Thumbs up to Stockholm!!!! 🙏 👍👍👍👍
Next up...
It's Anybody's Guess!
It's Anybody's Guess!
Dano
