Stockholm 1999. Business Trip, Old Stones & Harbor Vibes

A throwback to one of my old city discoveries.

When a work trip turned into a proper love affair with Stockholm.

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Stockholm from the water. The city that refuses to be ugly

It was 1999. The world was still worried about Y2K. I was on a plane to Stockholm for a business visit to Envox.

If you know Envox this cool dudes were doing stuff with voice applications and IVR back then.

My visit to this business friends was a typical and standard flight. Than we spend hours sitting in a modern office, drinking a lot good coffee, talk about roadmaps of the products - so, typical business talk.

But then I had the afternoon and the next morning off from all that and time to put myself in the lovely city of Stockholm.

Best. Outcome. Ever. I got to explore the city by feet for several hours.

The Envox Office. Where Nerds Dream in Code

My personal Envox story

It was the era when a small, sharp Stockholm outfit gave us Germans the toolkit to turn Dialogic hardware into real customer projects.

Best thing beside the business - it gave us an excuse to discover that Swedish meetings end on time, Swedish coffee is shockingly good, and Arlanda in January is colder than your worst Eifel winter morning.

The office was clean and efficient very Scandinavian. It had wood, ergonomic furniture and whiteboards with technical diagrams. The team was sharp and friendly.

The product discussions were interesting. The coffee machine was operated with seriousness. By afternoon I was done and set loose on the city.

Gamla Stan. The Old Town That Refuses to Modernize (Thank God)

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The cobblestones have seen things. Centuries of things.

I went to Gamla Stan. Stockholms old town. The streets are narrow. The buildings are painted in deep ochres, dusty reds and faded yellows.

Every corner looks like a postcard. The Stortorget. The square. Has iconic colored merchant houses. I wandered without a map. Got pleasantly lost.

The Old Town is located on the small, lively island of Gamla Stan, featuring cobblestone streets and buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries.

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Attractions include the medieval St. Nicholas Church and Stockholm Palace, the king’s official residence. The stylish bistros serve modern Scandinavian cuisine. Nightlife takes place in traditional bars and chic cocktail bars. Concerts are held in the summer at Riddarholmskyrkan on the neighboring island of Riddarholmen.

As I said, a perfect place to get lost.

The Harbor. Stockholms Secret Weapon

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The harbor that makes every other harbor a little jealous

After Gamla Stan I went to the waterfront. Stockholm is built across 14 islands where Lake Mälaren meets the Baltic. The harbor area around Skeppsbron had an atmosphere.

I sat on a bench watched the boats and ate something from a stall. I thought: this city has figured something out.

The Stockholm Formula

There's something about Stockholm that just works. The architecture is serious without being oppressive. The water is everywhere without being chaos.

The history is present without being a museum. The people go about their business with confidence. Coming from a business schedule landing in this city and having an afternoon to drift through it. That was a gift.

Envox was a reason to come. Gamla Stan was an one to stay.

The Numbers

After and before this trip, I remember many great meetings in Stockholm in early 2000 years. It was always a pleasure.

Getting There & Around

Stockholm is easy. Arlanda Airport is well-connected. The Arlanda Express train gets you into the city in 20 minutes - just perfect!

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Gamla Stan is walkable from the station. Cross a bridge enter another century. Public transport is excellent and logical.

Have you ever had a business trip that turned into a city crush?
Share it in the comments. I want to know.

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