Dealing with jet lag is always a challenge but especially so when it gets light at 3 a.m.  We managed to stay awake our first night here until close to midnight, only an hour after it had gotten dark, and thought we’d sleep for 5-6 hours at least as tired as we were. But, Ryan was up at 3:00, when it was just beginning to get light again, and Clint slept until about 4:30. It was a gorgeous, sunny and warm, day outside and we were raring to go.

Breakfast at this hotel is a buffet but what a buffet it is! The foods are varied and spotlight Scandinavian specialties such as the selection of herring that you see here. There are some American-style choices but we tried to swing towards those that we wouldn’t see as much in the U.S. Everything was delicious!

After breakfast, we decided to head to the old city, Gamla Stan, which is on an island not far from where we are staying. Stockholm is built on 14 islands so there is water everywhere. We noticed this unique style of fishing with nets when crossing a bridge to the old city.

Gamla Stan is a series of narrow, cobblestone streets and alley ways snaking all across the small island it occupies.

In the center of Gamla Stan is the main square that was the center of old Stockholm. It is still a gathering spot though mostly for tourists these days.

People still use the central fountain as a source of drinking water. Stockholm is known for its clean and clear water.

The benches in the square known as Stortorget make a relaxing place to rest your feet and people watch. While sitting there, we overhead more languages than we could recognize from passing visitors.

One of the two royal palaces for the king and queen of Sweden is on Gamla Stan. As in other parts of Europe, the changing of the guard is a spectacle and interesting to watch. We happened upon the switch just as the previous guards were taking their leave.

A routine for the locals here in Stockholm is to take a fika. That means having a coffee and pastry. They will do it multiple times in a day. Most cafes and coffee shops have outdoor seating to make the most of the long summer days before the big dark sets in.

During our day around Stockholm, we noticed this boat setting out from a harbor nearby to our hotel. Interestingly enough, later on we booked passage on it for Sunday. It takes you on a 2 1/2 hour loop around the archipelago, which is made up of 30,000 islands, skerries, and rocks that are in this part of Sweden. We’ll report on that next!