Our first weekend in Vasastan

Samuel and I spent our first weekend in our new flat, which is in Vasastan. Where? I hear you ask.

Well, let me (or Wikipedia) tell you... Vasastaden, or colloquially Vasastan, (Swedish for "Vasa City") is a 3km² large city district in central Stockholm, Sweden. With 51,661 inhabitants it is the second most populous, as well as the second most densely populated (17,220/km²) district in Stockholm.

It's Sweden's  most expensive area in which to live (per m²) until recently, when a couple of English hooligans (Michael and Samuel Corless) moved into the area, sending the prices plummeting. The major parks in Vasastaden are Vasaparken and Observatorielunden near the centre and Vanadislunden and Bellevueparken in the north.

So Samuel and I spent the weekend, checking out the area, and ensuring the prices continued to plummet. We walked up to the Observatorielunden (pictured below) and spent lots of time in Vasaparken.

The park is floodlit, so when it goes dark at 4pm(!!!) you don't necessarily have to go home straight away, but it gets cold pretty quickly, so we didn't hang around too long after the sun disappeared.

Sam's football is coming along great, and he talks all the time now. Oddly given I am not into cars, he enjoys pointing out all forms of transport: car, bus, bike, plane, boat. If he's walking he has to stop and point out the car, plane, bus or bike. It takes a while to get from a to b. But it's alright, we're not on a timetable.

It really is a lovely area, lots of cafes, restaurants, bakeries and boutique shops. I think we'll enjoy our time here (if I ever buy in Stockholm, its unlikely I could afford anything in this area!).

For the first time since arriving in Stockholm, I feel oddly at ease. Not happy. I guess that is a way off, but I have an apartment, a job, and Sam is becoming a real little person, and I love hanging out with him. If you had told me when I arrived in Stockholm at the start of August, that three months later, I would be where I am, I would have told you, that you were bonkers. It goes to show with love and support from family and friends that you can achieve anything if you try hard enough. Life could be better, but it could be a lot worse, and for that I am grateful. Thanks for reading this, have a good week, and enjoy the pictures of Sam... If you think Vasastan looks cool and you want to come and visit, please do....