Very strange, but then I swing around the corner and see a small crowd of people gathered around the front of a store. It seems that a woman has just been hurt and was taken away. The police were no doubt looking for the suspect. Only later do I learn that the woman stabbed was the foreign minister, Anna Lindh! Even stranger, I can recognize the photo of this woman and this seems eerie to me until I can place where I've seen her face. Sweden is at the tail end of a massive campaign for the voting on whether to switch to the euro. The propaganda posters on this issue is absolutely everywhere and the posters run 10-1 in favor of switching to the euro. And one of the most common pro-euro posters has a photo of popular politician Anna Lindh on it. So, I've seen her face at least a hundred times since I've been in Sweden.

Later, she dies from this brutal attack and the country is in shock. Just as with the 1986 assassination of the prime minister, the culpret has not yet been found. The killing almost affects the outcome of the euro vote, as polls change dramatically in sympathy with the victim's cause. The "no-euro" vote was far ahead in polls, but the lead completely vanished imediately after the attack. Fortunately, the Swedish voters don't let this sway them come voting time and vote their own minds on the issue.

As usual, I have a tough time with accommodation and have to switch around between mostly bad hostels. However, I accidentally manage to find one outstanding YHA on beautifully green Langholmen Island. At reception, I'm given a card key and also the code to get into the "museum". Without any idea of what I'm in store for, I punch in the code and enter a museum describing the Langholmen Prison. Turns out that this building used to be a prison. Some of the old prison cells are on display in the museum and some are also used as hotel and hostel rooms! It's a bizarre idea, but I love it! They even kept the big heavy prison door and they close with a most satisfying crash of finality that echos within the tiny cell room. This is definitely one of the most unique hostels I've ever stayed at.

It seems that Stockholm is full of surprises for me, none the least being how much I find myself liking the place. I'd expected a pleasant large city, something like Gothenburg, but bigger and less charming. Instead I discover that the older parts of Stockholm are as amazing as anything else in Europe. Even in touristy parts, such as the Gamla Stan, the narrow, twisty streets and old buildings manage to remain genuine and fascinating.

The attractions are pretty good too. The Royal Palace complex is good, yet confusing to tour and over-priced. Drottningholm Castle is better, with its impressively preserved Chinese Pavilion and Baroque Theatre, all set on lovely grounds. The National Museum of Art is good but small. The Stockholm Stadsmuseum is very interesting and full of historical detail. The Vasa Musuem, billed as the most popular in Scandinavia, is certainly the most jammed with tour groups. There is basically only one thing to see here -- a hugely impressive warship from 1628 that sank minutes after its maiden voyage. Everything else in here is filler, but I guess the tour groups just want to walk in and get a great photo of this cool ship. Next door is the better Nortica Museum. In fact, this whole island of Djurgarden is full of parks and museums. Skansen is one of them, a large park containing many prototypical Swedish houses. Also, Waldemarsudde, originally the home of Prince Eugene, which now houses an art gallery displaying his work and collection. The views from here are sublime.

The best attraction in Stockhom may be the water! This city of islands sparkles on a sunny day. I take long walks along the many shorelines and look out from towers and bridges. The place almost takes on a fairy tale quality sometimes. When I first arrived in town and heard claims from the tourist office that Stockholm was "the most beautiful capital in Europe" I thought it was laughable at first. Now, I think that given the right sun and the right shoreline viewpoint, I just might be inclined to give them my vote.