Friday, June 10, 2016

A Busy Swedish Summer Friday


Friday, 10 June, 2016:

The weather continues to be problematic as rain and cooler temperatures were in the forecast.

I started what turned out to be a busy day with a hearty lunch at Thomas Kök where I get my daily free lunch.

 Swedish Cheeses were not
on today's menu

Meat, in a delicious sauce, and potatoes were as usual.

Fueled, I was off to Stockholm for what would be another great day.

 UEFA Euro Cup Soccer

Our Wäsby Warriors have played games on Sundays and have practiced on Swedish National Holidays. Next Monday night when the Swedish National Soccer team takes on their Irish counterparts in Saint-Denis, France, the Warriors will not practice.

Probably a wise idea.

Used Lamp Store . . . TREASURES!

 The Swedish Museum of
Performing Arts

It was closed for refurbishing but that was OK as it was not mob primary target this afternoon.

The Swedish Military Stables

Closed, but no, it was not the primary goal either.

 Here we are

A Swedish Tank

I wonder how Kevin is doing in Las Vegas?

I miss the little man.

Cover me, I'm going in!

The Armémuseum

It explores the horrors of war through art, weaponry and life-size reconstructions.

The Poltava Monument

It depicts Mother Svea, Sweden's national symbol, unfurling a Swedish flag over a fallen soldiering the army of King Charles XII.

The monument is dedicated to "The Fatherland's Fallen Sons."

Of course the museum had cannons

 Decorated Cannons
dedicated to the Sun . . .

. . . and the Moon

Sobering thoughts as you enter
the first exhibit room

These First . . .

 . . . Three Paintings . . .

. . . Set the Tone

Weaponry across the centuries

Great Carvings

 How do you fire this?

Ornate Pistols

Equally Ornate Breast Plate

A Life-Size Reproduction

CHARGE!!!

War Banner

Battle Pennent

This club could leave a mark

 Military Training Awards

L. to R.:
Second Place in the 1911 Team Bayonet Fencing competition, Best Regiment in the 1911 Relay Cup and First Place in the 1909 Light Field Equipment Race

A Great Helmet . . .

. . . another . . .

. . . and yet another one

Gatling Gun

World War I
propaganda poster

 You need all of this when
in the field

 A Mace, a Bayonet and a Grenade

Definitely not the start of a joke.

Sassy Uniforms

Gas Masks over the decades

Tribute to the great Swedish
diplomat who helped persecuted
people escape the Nazis in WWII

Miniature WWII German tank

Short on manpower at the end of WWII, the Nazis had these made up, loaded each one with 83 kilos of high explosives and then, using remote control, sent them at the Allied forces for detenation.
  
Amazing Nuclear Explosion Photo

That was a great little museum and the lack of an entry fee was a plus as well.

Time to meander . . .

Lovely Stockholm Architecture

 Fine church behind the
Armémuseum

 Another shot of the Swedish
Museum of the Performing Arts

 Near a random doorway

Holding up a random building

I was now entering Stockholm's oldest area, the Gamla Stan.

Again . . .

FIKA TIME in a quaint
Gamla Stan café

Love this Gamla Stan Spire

Blooming Balconey

Actually, the Sun was not out,
it was starting to rain

I now left Gamla Stan via the subway to Stockholm's trendy Södermalm district to attend . . .

A Swedish Super Series
American football game

The match-up was hardly stellar as the 1-6 STU Northside Bulls traveled to play the 0-8 Stockholm Mean Machines.

STU stands for Solna Täby United. Both Solna and Täby have their own clubs that field teams at the various youth levels. I'm not sure why they unite for their Senior team but they do. 

The Super Series is Sweden's top American football league. STU and Stockholm were in sixth and seventh place respectively entering tonight's game.

Still the scent of Pride
was in the air as both teams
saw a real chance for a win

Entrance to the
Zinkensdamms IP Stadium

All SAAF rules will apply tonight

Tonight's game was part of SAAF's latest effort to promote the sport in Sweden, the weekly national broadcast game of the week known as Friday Night Football.

Good idea! 

Stockholm Mean Machines (SMM)
U9 players warming doing a
standing long jump

 U13 SMM players were on hand too

Thankfully, the stands were covered

A HUGE hot dog for 30 SEK at the SMM snack bar was a great deal!

The National Anthem

PLAY BALL!!!

STU on offense

 SMM coming off the edge!

It was 14-14 at the half, the play was penalty filled, had a slew of trick plays and had a ton of QB sacks by the STU defenders.

Final Score
SMM 30 - STU 28

The Mean Machines kicked a 44 yard field goal with about three minutes left in the contest to edge STU.

As I said, the game was sloppy but quite competitive and a good night's entertainment.

As soon as the game was over, the now 1-8 Mean Machines' PA System blared Queens' "We are the Champions."

Sure, why not?

Reading Is FUNdamental

HOLY SMOKES!

This young lady can write some serious Nordic Noir!

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