Rest of Stockholm Round Up

So as it's almost time for our next trip away I thought I should finish up talking about our trip to Stockholm. 

The main event i.e. reason for going to Stockholm in March was the OH's desire to see Parsifal on stage. Apparently it's not done very often. To which my response is, well thank goodness for that because wild horses could not drag me to another performance of it. The Stockholm one was, as always, beautifully played and very well sung, but Act 1 has more not-quite-endings than Peter Jackson's Return of the King and  I was just bored stiff all the way through.That said, apart from a few niggles with the production the OH really enjoyed it so that was the main thing.  

It was destined to be an unhappy evening for me all round  because after the opera we went for dinner to what was until then our favourite restaurant in Stockholm, an Italian/Swedish place that we have previously always gone to when in the city.  Never again. We were the only customers, we felt distinctly uncomfortable and there's nothing says that you're unwelcome so much as the waiter approaching you during your main course and asking if you're going to want a dessert because if so they can prepare them now so they are ready as soon as you've finished the main.  And then they will be able to close the restaurant. Since this wasn't much after nine and they are supposed to be open until eleven I wasn't impressed. 

Other than that the only other thing we did that I haven't mentioned so far was to visit the toy museum which was surprisingly underwhelming considering how much I normally enjoy a good toy museum. I wasn't however feeling at my sparkling best that morning so perhaps my view was a trifle jaundiced. 

You will see from the photograph that I continue to come upon weird and wonderful statues wherever I go. I used to think it was only in cities where I went to conferences, but it seems that's just not the case! 

We have not booked another trip to Stockholm for the foreseeable future but I suspect it is only a matter of time. Meanwhile, roll on the Loire Valley next week although I'll be here a couple of times again before we go.