Show & Tell: Four Things You Should See in My Town

This week's Show & Tell theme (from Maisoui this month) is Four Things You Should See in My Town. If you thought I'd show you my favourite haunts in Stockholm you'll be disappointed. Instead I will tell you about Södertälje*, the town I grew up and lived in until I was 19. My family and some of my friends still live there so Södertälyeah is still a big part of my life.


So, if you're ever in Södertälje, you shouldn't miss:

1) Tom Tits Experiment

Tom Tits Experiment is a hands-on science museum for all ages (so you won't be stared at if you go there without any accompanying kids, trust me). It has four or five floors and a park full of showcases and experiments answering those questions you have always asked yourselves: what does a brain feel like? How heavy is a pregnant belly? How to make your own space rocket? You can play with water, try bicycling on a rope and go up in a hot-air balloon. It also has a great shop with fun, pedagogic, genuine toys (far from the Toys 'R Us crap).

If you're wondering who Tom Tit was "he was an imaginary figure who carried out a range of scientific experiments in the French magazine, l'Illustration, and in several books published at the end of the 19th century".


2) Sydpoolen

Sydpoolen is an adventure water park type place but of the indoor kind and thus a bit smaller than some of the outdoor kinds, or proper water parks; I guess adventure pool is a more appropriate name. It also has a gym, a spa and other stuff adults like; especially when those adults have grown tired of the slides and the wave machine, which is likely to happen a few hours before the kids do. I haven't actually been there for a long time (read: years) but I hear people visit Sydpoolen from all over so it seems to remain popular. When I was little we had to go to Eskilstuna for an adventure pool so I remember how happy were were when they rebuilt the place and transformed it from a regular pool house to an adventure place (when I was ten if I remember correctly).


3) Torekällberget open-air museum


Torekällberget is an open-air museum, also called living history museum, à la Skansen. Torekällberget is much smaller though as it's only representing life in town and country over the last few hundred years from Södertälje and its vicinity (the county of Södermanland), while Skansen is supposed to represent all parts of Sweden. Torekällberget doesn't have a Swedish (animals) zoo like Skansen but has typical Swedish farm animals - goats, pigs, cows, etc. - in the country part of the museum, which doubles as a petting zoo. I especially like the old store in the town part where you can buy old-fashioned bisquits and sweets. I've also always been fond of the old school and the automobile exhibition (hope it's still there!). There is also a very good restaurant and a smaller café/lunch place for hungry visitors.


4) The anthroposophy community


There is a big anthroposophic community in Järna outside Södertälje. Anthroposophy is a spiritual philosophy based on the teachings of Rudolf Steiner. It emphasises inner development and an approach to the spiritual world that is similar to that of the scientific investigation of nature. The anthroposophic centre in Järna is well-worth a visit. You will see interesting architecture, eat good organic (and often vegetarian) food - or buy some locally grown products to take home - and perhaps see a play at the culture house. There is also a school (Waldorf pedagogy) and a hospital, mainly for palliative care.


* For those of who don't know, Södertälje is located southwest of Stockholm and it's part of the greater Stockholm region but more of a separate town than a suburb. The tube doesn't run that far but a commuter train will take you from Stockholm to Södertälje in 45 minutes and a car in 25-45 mintes depending on from where in Stockholm you start and on traffic.

Images from Vaksalaskolan, Sydpoolen, Torekällberget and Antroposofi.info