Seeing Gamla Stan with Ylva da Silva

Ylva da Silva showed us her hometown this morning. It was brisk, about 20 degrees, and we took off walking to a nearby underground station and then jumping aboard a city bus. We were headed to the Old town, on the island of Gamla Stan, one of fourteen islands that make up Stockholm.

“Nobody gets married anymore,” said Ylva, when we asked her about her ‘marital status.’ “And only two percent of the people go to church here,” she added. The idea of marriage she said, is out of favor and she never goes to weddings.

She’s had five kids and just a week ago she moved to the center of the city…to the island called Gamla Stan where the parliament is. She works there as a guide. We stopped by her top floor apartment, which was built before the year 1000. “I don’t have key, but my daughter is there, she’ll let us in.”

She showed us the compact and classically old features of the apartment. It will be nice to be so close to work, and to the city, she said.