Written by: Veronica Sanchez De Darivas, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
This is not the kind of article that you will normally read from me. Let me explain. Seven years ago, one of my children got seriously ill and to save my child we had to go all the way to Sweden for medical treatment.
At the time, I used to write for a Chilean online magazine called Claves Magazine, my articles were mostly about my experiences living abroad, although this was a political oriented magazine.
I decided to write an article about Stockholm to express my gratitude for Sweden, its scientists and people because their treatment saved our child. This article was published in Claves Magazine in Spanish in 2016 and it was widely read. Sadly, Claves Magazine closed its doors a few years ago.
However, to start this year 2022, I would like to pay homage to this beautiful city which I came to know well. Gratitude is a high vibration feeling and it should always be expressed. Here is that article translated into English.
Thank you Sweden, you are great!
“I am in Flemingsberg, at the train station located in the suburb of Huddinge, 20 minutes from central Stockholm. It is a day in January, it is almost 12 o'clock and it is 13 degrees below zero. The train is punctual, as always, I sit next to the window to see the snowy landscape, which magically looks pretty, which is not common, since this is an industrial area and it usually looks gray.
Arriving at Stockholms Södra station, before Stockholm Central, where I must get off, I prepare myself for the beautiful view that can be seen from the train between one station and another, before me appears Lake Mälaren, on whose edges you can see the beautiful architecture from the Scandinavian buildings and you can see the imposing City Hall, with its magnificent tower and where the Nobel Prize banquet is held every year.
Stockholm is known as the "Venice of the North", since it is located on 14 islands, linked by numerous bridges, lakes and channels join the Baltic Sea forming a great archipelago, its first foundations date from the Stone Age.
I get off at Stockholm Central Station, which connects the train with the Metro or Tunnelbana, I direct my steps towards a pedestrian street, with many shops, called Drottninggatan. The street is full of people, which shows that no matter the weather, Swedes go out and do their things the same, cold weather is part of their lives, also the lack of light, at 3:30 in the afternoon it is already night in winter.
I am heading down Drottninggatan towards Gamla Stan, the Old City, a nice bridge connects the street with the islet where Gamla Stan is located, the first building I see is the Parliament, which tries to blend in with the architecture of the Old City. I keep walking, further ahead you can see the Royal Palace, which is open to the public and that I had the opportunity to visit, I could see that the Swedish royalty was quite austere when compared to other European royal houses.
A few steps further, I fully enter the narrow streets of Gamla Stan, most of its buildings were erected in the 17th and 18th centuries, but their foundations date back to the Middle Ages, when Stockholm was officially founded in 1252.
The buildings alleyways offer a respectable variety of souvenir shops and restaurants, entering these small restaurants is quite an experience, since many of them have an ancient catacomb-type underground and where now you can enjoy a rich hot chocolate or a good coffee .
I make my way to "Stortorget", the main square where the famous Swedish Academy and the Nobel Prize Museum are located, I have visited this museum before, however a new visit is not too much, it is very interesting to know who the winners of this award have been and what has been their contribution to humanity, in fact I was fortunate to see an exhibition last November to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the award to our poet Gabriela Mistral (Chilean poet).
Sweden is a country of traditions, which can be observed on dates like Christmas. The entire city of Stockholm and its suburbs are decorated with luminous Christmas decorations, giving it a special glow and highlighting the importance given to this beautiful holiday. In mid-December, on the 13th, the feast of Saint Lucia is celebrated, it is a tradition of more than 400 years old, which marks the first week of Advent, brought to Sweden from Syracuse, Italy, where Saint Lucia lived. Concerts are held throughout the country and young women and men dress in white, sing and march in procession.
Cafes and restaurants offer the famous "lussekatter" or saffron buns throughout the month of December and from January to Easter you can enjoy the exquisite "Semla", a bun filled with almond cream and milk cream.
An important part of Swedish life is winter sports, ice skating is a favorite activity, because the Baltic Sea and lakes freeze and skiing, in all its variations, is a popular sport.
I leave the Nobel Prize Museum and walk for a while through the narrow streets of Gamla Stan. Stockholm has many museums, however there are some that it is necessary to visit to stay completely up to date with the history of Sweden. The Historiska Museet is one of them, here it is especially interesting to see the exhibition of the Vikings, which were not really like the cinema has painted them, in fact they did not wear horned helmets.
The Vasa Museet is another must-see museum and where you can see this imposing ship from the 17th century, unique in the world and which is a kind of Swedish Titanic, since it sank as soon as it left the port.
Finally, an important part of Swedish pop culture is the musical group Abba, known worldwide for its unforgettable songs such as Mamma Mia or Dancing Queen and whose museum is one of the most visited in Stockholm. In this museum you can see the musical history of Abba, you can dance and sing their songs and the costumes they used in their concerts are also exhibited.
I now go back to the central station, to walk towards Östermalm, an elegant neighborhood with good cafes and restaurants, it is very cold and it is time for "fika", another of the Swedish traditions, at 2:30 or 3:00 in the afternoon (also mid-morning) you have a coffee or tea with a cake, in fact this Swedish custom has contributed greatly to improving labor productivity in offices and industries.
I go into a nice cafeteria and order a tea accompanied by a "kanelbullé", a cinnamon bun, I wait for the cold to pass, while I entertain myself by observing the people who pass by on the street and after a while I start the road to the central station, where I take the "pendeltåg" which takes me back to Flemingsberg.
Stockholm is a beautiful city, the capital of Scandinavia say the Swedes, it is a friendly city, with excellent public transport and its people are friendly and open, if you can come one day, do it, you will not regret it.
Välkommen!”
Veronica Sanchez De Darivas, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Veronica Sanchez De Darivas is an expert in inner-self intelligence techniques. She shares tools on how to manage stress and negative emotions and on how to use high vibration words. Veronica is a Spanish grammar and literature teacher. During the last ten years, she has dedicated herself to spirituality. She is a Certified Instructor for the Cyclopea Method of Internal Activation of the Pineal Gland (Third Eye), a method created in South America 30 years ago by the spiritual leader Fresia Castro. Veronica is currently the only instructor in the world teaching this life-changing method in English. Veronica is also a number one bestselling author. She has been writing for many years for online magazines and blogs in Spanish and English. Veronica is both a Chilean and an Australian citizen now living in the UK. Her mission is the expansion of consciousness.
