It's a beautiful town about a couple of hours outside of Stockholm. The Saturday of the 6th was great. I woke up to a foggy morning and rainy weather. But then, like a true tourist, I did'nt let that discourage me!
Off we went, my 3 friends and I, 4 of us sharing 2 umbrellas! UU first took us to the renovated offices of the University where she works. It was a large building - a factory converted into swanky modern offices. I couldn't help but click a picture of the 'artsy' chairs over there! Take a look! 
UU's office was super cool!! She had hung up her many paintings on the wall and had a really awkward looking chair that she insisted was a stress-relief chair!
UU's office was super cool!! She had hung up her many paintings on the wall and had a really awkward looking chair that she insisted was a stress-relief chair!Now, there are 3 things in Norrköping that are simply beautiful.
- The main avenue in the city center,
- the arbets museum and
- Stone age rock paintings.
The main avenue at the city center is typically Swedish - Well planned greenery all around, blossoming flowers and flowing blue waters. We passed tree-lined avenues with numbers punched into them, passed a bridge that had countless troughs of flowering plants in full bloom hanging from its hand rail and a beautifully done cactus garden to reach the main square where you find the statues of the 'gossiping ladies'. After 2 cups of Viking coffee (black coffee with whipped cream and vodka - yes, vodka at 9 in the morning!), at a nearby cafe, we set off.
We were headed towards the Arbetets museum. You could say that the exhibhtion starts even before you reach the museum. The street leading to the museum itself was a piece of art - look down and you see beautiful art painted on the tar; look up and you see clothes hanging from a clothes-line that's tied between the roofs of 2 houses. Norrkoping was an industrial town known for its textile mills. Now ofcourse, most of the factories are either converted to universities or museums like this one. And take a look at the building itself. Beautiful.
The museum is worth a visit. Entry is free, the only disadvantage being that all notes are in Swedish. My favourite was the re-creation of a typical medieval shopping street. There was even a hat shop. I just can't imagine Swedes wearing those ridiculous looking hats with dead birds and animals stuck on top of it. Ridiculousness and unwarranted snobbery is something that we assosciate with the British.
UU suggested that we check out some ancient rock paintings that the archeologists had recently uncovered. We passed a humongus stretch of grassland to reach theese paintings. They seem very primitive. Lots of boats, symbols and suggestions of the Lochness-type beasts. Interesting. We ended the perfect day with a perfect dinner. I tried coaxing UU to let us try the Ouija board (I'm terribly intrigued and have never seen it in action!) but she wasn't too kicked by the idea. After discussing ghosts and spirits to was time to hit the bed!
The only thing I missed doing was hop around town in the tram. Yep! Norrköping has trams! But they were off tracks at the time of my visit coz they had dug up the tracks for renovation. Trust me.. going on a tram in this quaint town will not be the same thing as going on one in Dublin or Brussels. It will feel like you are on a tram around a museum town - well preserved, pretty and everything part of an exhibit - including the humans!
Btw, I have to mention the apple trees near UU's apartment complex. Yes!! Proper apple trees, planted at neat intervals just off the well manicured, flower-bush lined paths. They were laden with green and red apples, some of them fallen to the ground. The locals just couldnt be bothered!
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