Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 8:30 pm
OK, here comes Harold's account of his stay in the glorious capital of Sweden. And I'll apologize in advance for the quality of a lot of the pics. First and foremost Sweden is really dark this time of the year, and secondly my camera has some issues with focus but I chose those pics which highlighted the background rather than those who showed Harold against a blurry background since you all know what he looks like but I doubt you know as much about Stockholm 
Anyways, on to his own account:
Harold C. Castle, Oct 20-27
Safely ensconced in my DOOM-tube I've finally crossed the great seas and arrived in the Old World. It was all quite a shocking experience I have to tell you - I mean they don't even speak English here, outrageous, isn't it?
That aside I found myself welcomed by a most charming lady upon my arrival - and she actually spoke English!
"Welcome, dear Harold. I am afraid your host is away down in the Netherlands (at least I hope he is) so you'll have to do with me. I'm known as Lady Blue the Lesser but just call me B Junior, will you?"
With those words she gave me a tour of the home where I would spend the next few days. And that was all fine I guess...
...but...
...but...
...BUT!
Where's the LEGO?!
After the initial shock B Junior managed to calm me down though. She told me most of it was still in some weird place in the deep forests of western Sweden. However this eccentric owner of hers had brought some to Stockholm and after a bit of digging we found it.
"Quite a sad lot, don't you think?" she asked me, but I was too full of relief upon seeing ABS to really worry about how much it was. Before looking too deeply into it she had to give me a few words of caution though:
"You see, my owner has this obsession with Batman BUT he isn't satisfied with the official Batman torso and while waiting for a good custom one all the villains are running rampant here."
I didn't really quite understand this talk of flittermice, so to prove her point she showed me to a local bank office where some weirdo that she called "the Joker" was doing what he referred to as a "withdrawal".
"We have the SWAT of course, but they are just simple brutes. Don't stand a chance", she carried on as she continued my tour of the local LEGO population.
"You haven't seen the worst part yet though", she continued in her somewhat discouraging tone. "The ways of those villains have spread all the way down to our sworn enemies the trolls and the undead, and since we knights are far too proud to take to firearms we don't stand a chance. Look, here they are, negotiating on how to divide the spoils of war."
"Now, let's not get too deep into the negatives, shall we? Tell you what, we'll take a tour of the immediate surroundings now and tomorrow we'll take a look at the rest of Stockholm. Sounds like a plan?"
I really couldn't but agree with her since the LEGO society she had showed me didn't quite please me at all. So off we went. Apparently she got to borrow a car from this so called Batman but I am sad to say the comfort left a bit to be desired...
Our first stop was the City Hall.
I was pleased to see a castle of sorts, even though she told me it wasn't even a hundred years old. She told me a lot of interesting things about it though. Apparently they hold some kind of feast there every December for a bunch of scientists who have won some kind of Nobel Prize. B Junior has never been invited though, and neither has her owner...
The strangest part of it all was all the strange persons around though. They were wielding cameras left and right and spoke a tongue that was even more exotic than the Swedish. "Russians", B Junior called them. They seem to love this place. There are at least two busloads* here every morning, or so her owner says at least. She also tried to teach me how to say hello but I am afraid "Здравствуйте" still doesn't go well in my mouth.
After having a good look at it all we finally returned home though to get some good rest before heading out on new adventures the next day. A day which would prove quite hectic...
First stop was "Riksdagshuset" where the Swedish Parliament resides.
And then we went on to the Royal Palace. We saw no traces of the King though, apparently he keeps to another one most of the time.
After that we continued to "Storkyrkan", the Cathedral of Stockholm. She showed me quite an intimidating statue of St: George and the Dragon from the 15th century...
...and a pulpit that I found myself quite fond of.
Our last stop was "Stortorget" where the Stockholm Bloodbath took place some five hundred years ago. B Junior seemed to be really fascinated by the subject but I have to confess I was a bit unsettled by the fact that the Danes had slaughtered some hundred Swedish nobles here. Because, since I was made in Billund I'd techincally be a Dane, right? B Junior told me the Swedes have abolished the laws of nobility though so I hope that means I won't have to kill anyone.
She also told me that in the background you can see the Swedish Academy where those who decide upon whom is going to get the Nobel Prize in Literature reside. I have yet to read something of Jean-Marie Gustave Le-Clézio though, since my travels keep my busy right now. But perhaps, some day when I am settled in my home again... however, now the road beckons and I am on my way to my next stop..
...Australia!
*Actually the Russians beat some kind of record when I came there to take photos with Harold. There were seven busloads of them! Seven! It was so crowded it wasn't even funny
Fortunately enough I just live some ten minutes walk from there though so I came back another day to take the photos.
Anyways, on to his own account:
Harold C. Castle, Oct 20-27
Safely ensconced in my DOOM-tube I've finally crossed the great seas and arrived in the Old World. It was all quite a shocking experience I have to tell you - I mean they don't even speak English here, outrageous, isn't it?
That aside I found myself welcomed by a most charming lady upon my arrival - and she actually spoke English!
"Welcome, dear Harold. I am afraid your host is away down in the Netherlands (at least I hope he is) so you'll have to do with me. I'm known as Lady Blue the Lesser but just call me B Junior, will you?"
With those words she gave me a tour of the home where I would spend the next few days. And that was all fine I guess...
...but...
...but...
...BUT!
Where's the LEGO?!
After the initial shock B Junior managed to calm me down though. She told me most of it was still in some weird place in the deep forests of western Sweden. However this eccentric owner of hers had brought some to Stockholm and after a bit of digging we found it.
"Quite a sad lot, don't you think?" she asked me, but I was too full of relief upon seeing ABS to really worry about how much it was. Before looking too deeply into it she had to give me a few words of caution though:
"You see, my owner has this obsession with Batman BUT he isn't satisfied with the official Batman torso and while waiting for a good custom one all the villains are running rampant here."
I didn't really quite understand this talk of flittermice, so to prove her point she showed me to a local bank office where some weirdo that she called "the Joker" was doing what he referred to as a "withdrawal".
"We have the SWAT of course, but they are just simple brutes. Don't stand a chance", she carried on as she continued my tour of the local LEGO population.
"You haven't seen the worst part yet though", she continued in her somewhat discouraging tone. "The ways of those villains have spread all the way down to our sworn enemies the trolls and the undead, and since we knights are far too proud to take to firearms we don't stand a chance. Look, here they are, negotiating on how to divide the spoils of war."
"Now, let's not get too deep into the negatives, shall we? Tell you what, we'll take a tour of the immediate surroundings now and tomorrow we'll take a look at the rest of Stockholm. Sounds like a plan?"
I really couldn't but agree with her since the LEGO society she had showed me didn't quite please me at all. So off we went. Apparently she got to borrow a car from this so called Batman but I am sad to say the comfort left a bit to be desired...
Our first stop was the City Hall.
I was pleased to see a castle of sorts, even though she told me it wasn't even a hundred years old. She told me a lot of interesting things about it though. Apparently they hold some kind of feast there every December for a bunch of scientists who have won some kind of Nobel Prize. B Junior has never been invited though, and neither has her owner...
The strangest part of it all was all the strange persons around though. They were wielding cameras left and right and spoke a tongue that was even more exotic than the Swedish. "Russians", B Junior called them. They seem to love this place. There are at least two busloads* here every morning, or so her owner says at least. She also tried to teach me how to say hello but I am afraid "Здравствуйте" still doesn't go well in my mouth.
After having a good look at it all we finally returned home though to get some good rest before heading out on new adventures the next day. A day which would prove quite hectic...
First stop was "Riksdagshuset" where the Swedish Parliament resides.
And then we went on to the Royal Palace. We saw no traces of the King though, apparently he keeps to another one most of the time.
After that we continued to "Storkyrkan", the Cathedral of Stockholm. She showed me quite an intimidating statue of St: George and the Dragon from the 15th century...
...and a pulpit that I found myself quite fond of.
Our last stop was "Stortorget" where the Stockholm Bloodbath took place some five hundred years ago. B Junior seemed to be really fascinated by the subject but I have to confess I was a bit unsettled by the fact that the Danes had slaughtered some hundred Swedish nobles here. Because, since I was made in Billund I'd techincally be a Dane, right? B Junior told me the Swedes have abolished the laws of nobility though so I hope that means I won't have to kill anyone.
She also told me that in the background you can see the Swedish Academy where those who decide upon whom is going to get the Nobel Prize in Literature reside. I have yet to read something of Jean-Marie Gustave Le-Clézio though, since my travels keep my busy right now. But perhaps, some day when I am settled in my home again... however, now the road beckons and I am on my way to my next stop..
...Australia!
*Actually the Russians beat some kind of record when I came there to take photos with Harold. There were seven busloads of them! Seven! It was so crowded it wasn't even funny
Fortunately enough I just live some ten minutes walk from there though so I came back another day to take the photos.
