When I finally got to Stockholm it was about 11pm and there was still a hint of daylight! I guess Stockholm really doesn't get too dark during the summer months. I'm staying very close to Arlanda airport so I didn't have far to go, I took a complimentary shuttle from the airport to the hotel. The hotel is nothing like I imagined it to be, it's very isolated and kind of has a school camp feeling but in a good way. I'm staying on the 2nd level and the staircase going up to my room is very narrow and also spirals, I almost broke my neck trying to carry the suitcase up the stairs. It'll be interesting trying to carry that down the stairs, let's hope I don't break anything.
I got up at around 8am the next day and went to have breakfast as there was a free buffet for breakfast included in my room rate. After breakfast I took the shuttle back to the airport as this was the easiest way to get into Stockholm city centre. There is an express train that gets you to the city centre in about 20 mins. When I got to the airport I was rushing and in my rush of madness I purchased an adult return ticket, which I later realised I could have purchased a youth ticket as 18-25 travel on a cheaper fare. I paid almost double for this mistake ($80 AUD I ended up paying), this was a very costly mistake indeed. At least now I will take things a little slower even if it means missing the train, I can always take the next one.
So once I got into the city it was raining, it really didn't stop raining all day but I still decided to do a hop on hop off bus tour of the city. I saw the royal palace and made it just in time to see the changing of the guards. I went to the ABBA museum as you cannot go to Sweden and not visit the ABBA museum. I then went to the Vasa Museum which is one of the most visited museums in Stockholm. The Vasa was a medieval warship that capsized in the ocean before it even began. It was preserved in the water for a very long time before it was retrieved and now it stands as one of the best preserved war ships ever. The ship was magnificent, it was huge and in such good condition. As I was walking around the museum I felt like I was in pirates of the carribean!
After the museum I decided to go get a bite to eat, I went to a fast food place called Max I think (which I later discovered from a local to have the best hamburgers in Sweden). It was pretty good, very similar to in and out in the states which is also very good. I then decided that I can't go to Sweden and not shop at H and M. I have been very good so far with shopping so decided to treat myself. I got a t shirt and a tank top :). After a little retail therapy it was time to head to the Ericsson Globe for the Miley Cyrus concert. I took the train there which was relatively easy to figure out even though everything is in another language, however all the locals in Sweden are very nice and also very attractive. Stockholm has some of the most attractive people I have ever seen, it must be something in the waters here. Also most of them speak very good English which was a complete change to what I experienced in Paris where no one speaks English or refuses to speak English. Good looking and well mannered? I think I found a place to find me a husband! Haha
I got to the globe at around 6pm and there was already a massive line of people waiting to get into the stadium. I ended up waiting in line for over an hour, the outside of the globe was really dirty. There was rubbish everywhere and homeless people rummaging through garbage. It was actually quite sad. As I was in line there was a group of my people (the gays) just behind me. One of them caught my eye but I didn't say anything. He was very attractive, nice dark blonde hair, olive skin, nice smile (good teeth), piercing blue eyes, dressed very well and did I mention the impeccable hair? What's with all these Europeans having such great hair?! Anyway besides the odd sneak peek here and there I didn't do anything.
When I finally got inside the stadium, I made my way straight to the arena floor as I had standing tickets. The support act came on and she was pretty shit. She was slurring and mumbling and to be honest it seemed like she was on something or very drunk. I was counting the seconds till she was finished and waiting for the main act to come on. As I was waiting I suddenly get a whiff of a strong bourbon smell, unless it involves me drinking the alcohol I hate the smell of it. I wanted to turn around and give a massive greasy to the asshole behind me drinking bourbon. As I turned around and had my perfect bitchy retail assistant face ready, I see that it's the guy I was checking out from earlier before.
As I turned around there he was standing with a flask in his hand and he could tell I wasn't impressed. I had to quickly abort my initial plan of giving him the cold shoulder and think of a plan B: say something witty and/or funny. First thing that came out of my mouth was 'I hope your planning on sharing that', he then replied with 'it's yours and you can even have some of my bourbon!' Well played sir well played. I replied with 'let's just start with the bourbon'. And I'm in ladies and gentlemen!
Let me first just make it known I rarely drink bourbon even in mixed drinks let alone straight from a flask. First for everything right? After taking a few sips of bourbon, we introduced ourselves. Let's call him Eric (mainly cause he had a complicated Swedish name), Eric is from the outskirts of Stockholm and has lived here his whole life, never travelled anywhere outside of Europe and is "single and ready to mingle". He was there with a few of his other gay friends and he was only one of two single guys in the group with 2 sets of couples. We had a little bit of light banter, flirted a little and this was cut short by the Queen herself Miley Cyrus. The lights went out and the craziness that is the bangerz tour commenced.
From the get go the concert was pretty spectacular, she came out on a tongue slide of her own face which was absolute genius. There was a midget in the Britney Spears' Oops I Did It Again skin tight suit which was awesome, giant wolfs, kittens, grown men in onesies and lots and lots of f bombs and of course twerking. I was in twerk heaven. The energy of the arena was electrifying, one girl even flashed her boobs and I wish I got that on camera! Most of the songs were up tempo dance anthems except for one, Adore You. For this song she said that if there is someone that you came along with that you are keen on or are dating then this is your chance to make a move. There was a kiss cam that would be projected on the screen throughout the song and if you get on it or want to get on it then you make out with lots of tongue. There can never be too much tongue at a Miley Cyrus concert after all.
As the song started long and behold the kiss cam was projected on the screen and people started making out. There was everything you could imagine, boy and girl, girl and girl, boy and boy, three way kisses, group kisses. I kept thinking to myself should I make a move on Eric? He was sending all the right signals to me earlier before. Then I thought I am not nearly drunk enough to be doing that so I thought I'd pass, then I noticed him edging closer and closer and next thing I knew he had his arm around me. I looked into those piercing blue eyes and quickly looked away. He then pointed up to the big screen and his 2 gay friends where making out on it! We were standing next to them (he still had his arm around me) and next thing I know the camera pans over to us and within seconds we are making out on the big screen in front of 12,000 people.
After that happened it took awhile for it all to register with me. Anyone that knows me knows I am not a fan of PDA (public displays of affection), I don't even like being touched when I'm in public, let alone make out with a stranger in front of thousands of people. Oh well, none of them are ever gonna see me again so what the hell. When the song ended one of Eric's friend comes over and asks me how was the kiss, my response 'it tasted like bourbon' haha. Anyway after some more twerking and dancing the concert wrapped up. As I was leaving I gave Eric a kiss goodbye and like the 21st century kids we are we exchanged Facebook details and I'll leave it at that. :)
With day one of Stockholm kicking off to a smashing start I can honestly say that I have honestly fallen in love with this city. Can't wait for the next 2 days in this beautiful city!
Until next time sexy people,
Ray