7 May, 2001

Arriving in Stockholm, Sweden

Valkommen! (Welcome!)

I arrived this morning (very tired from losing 9 hours due to time changes) and made my way from the airport to the Royal Swedish Academy of Science (Photo 1) by bus and by taxi (about 45 km). The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences decides each year who will get the Nobel Prize in each category. It is a beautiful old building, steeped in tradition. The weather is wonderful, sunny with a temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius. The taxi driver told me it had been raining for several days. Ingegerd Hagman, of the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat (Office), had made arrangements for me to stay in the guesthouse at the Royal Academy (Photo 2). The Polar Research Secretariat is located on the third floor in the Academy building, which is on the grounds at Stockholm University. They have a large stuffed polar bear (or "ice bear",  as they say) in the office (Photo 3).

Ingegerd showed me around the guesthouse and to my room where I rested a bit then met up with her again for lunch. Also joining us was Ann-Sophie Rickby, also of the Polar Research Secretatiat, and Martin Sohlberg, director of the Teacher Programme at the Royal Academy. After lunch, I walked around the University campus and also visited Stockholm's Natural History Museum.

Valkommen igen! (Come again soon!)

Dena Rosenberger

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

The Guest House

Me and the Bear