Jean Paul Gaultier

I should say right here and now, that my female traveling companion was twenty years younger than I. 

I'm certain this accounts for the fact that Gaultier's name sounded distantly familiar, but I really didn't know who he was/is and was less than enthusiastic to enter a show of designer clothing. 

My young friend was gushing about Vogue Magazine, pop stars and how she would love to own one of his designs.

 I was barely able to contain her excitement...and I tried.

(There was a t-shirt dress in the gift shop she was willing to consider for $300 US dollars. Hmmm!)

BUT...it was a fantastic exhibition! 

He is a genius. 

I hope you will enjoy these photos as much as I enjoyed seeing his work.

Entering the show.

The faces of the mannequins had video of talking individuals projected onto the surface. 

It was startling and eerie. 

Fascinating!

Whoa!

Oh! This is when I realize who this guy is.

 Veins, muscle and lace-ups.

I see Dali in this one, and begin to wonder at the possible collaborations had these two men been contemporaries.

Film dress.

I want to go to this wedding! 

That was a great show and I'm very happy my friend was knowledgeable. I think I would have passed it by if she hadn't been so excited.

We start to make our way back to the car. We discover, when we are leaving the island, that we did not need to take a ferry, as there was a land bridge connecting the main area of Stockholm. Oh, well.

 I tried to get a picture of rush hour bicycle traffic. This photo doesn't even begin to show the number of people who ride bikes in Sweden. It was dangerous for pedestrians and they (we) are not allowed to use the same lanes. 

The Swedes definitely let you know when you are not where you are supposed to be...verbally and with the bells they all seem to have and use without hesitation.

It was kind of frightening.

"Kaffe" break with  Love (her name), as we try to navigate our way back to our car somewhere underground in Stockholm.

Typical neighborhood street in Stockholm.

We do find our car, get back on the highway and drive home to Eskilstuna.

As we are getting ready for dinner, the fire alarm goes off and we are evacuated from our hotel.

At least 5 engines respond and it seems to be a big deal even though there is no apparent reason for the alarm. We later learn that the hotel next to ours, was burned to the ground a few years previously by the Hell's Angels. 

The Hell's Angels are big in Sweden. Who knew? And why????

Later we have one of the best meals ever, but because it's been a really long day, I don't get any pictures of what we all had...and sadly I don't remember what I had...I think chicken. Mike had  filet mignon and the beef tasted nothing like what we have here. It was so delicious.

Just a side note, in Sweden they have fantastic food and lots of it. They serve large bowls of small roasted new potatoes, tossed in coarse salt to be passed and consumed to all the diners around the table. They are wonderful.

Our breakfast everyday, which I also failed to capture, was a full on Swedish smorgasbord. Meats; salami, turkey, ham, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, pickled beets, eggs (3 different ways), yogurt and sour milk; a Swedish thing, smoked salmon, pate`, pickled herring, cereal, and a large assortment of breads and crackers, like rye crisp...remember those?

And this was all at the Comfort Inn!

Hej då!