Lidingo Speakers Corner

An extra entry to empty my brain of thoughts.....

The afternoon sun covered the red bricks of the buildings and pathways. People walked around with shopping bags, nodding to each other in greeting or stopping to glance in a shop window. Lidingo centre was busy. A man in a suit picked up the microphone perviously set-up by his campaign workers and began to speak. His voice echoed off the shop/apartment buildings making people turn their heads.

As a candidate for the Social Democrats, he reassured the afternoon crowd that his party will continue doing the right thing for the country (the Social Democrats are in power and currently their lead is growing smaller). When he finished his speech, he invited the bystanders to ask questions. During the time I was observing, about 4 people accepted the invitation and drilled the man with their questions. Thus the public debate began.

Lidingo centre is a mixed use area with everything a small town needs. If you can picture three long 4 story buildings with apartments on the top two floors and shops on the bottom . The three buildings snake around a bus stop and public park with a square in the middle adorned by a fountain. A public library, grocery stores, computer stores and the famous System Bolaget (liquor store). Around the outside is a cinema showing the latest Hollywood and Swedish flicks. All of this and more only a 15 minute walk away or a 5 min bus ride! Oh sweet suburban life!

Usually in large cities an extensive public transportation system covers the ground for mobil citizens. Stockholm does well when it comes to transporting its people. A 3 line metro system with transport nodes connecting local buses and intercity train stations complete the people-mover system. Each metro station has its own flair and theme, richly decorated with modern, abstract and local art. It is quite a site and worth a visit to each station. My school is located on one of these stations, but it is mostly decorated by billboards.