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Thursday, November 8, 2012

Stockholm


I go to Sweden often.. In June of 2010, I was fortunate enough to spend two do-nothing days in Stockholm before attending a conference in Vaxjo. I took many photos. Using some of those photos, I decided to construct this webpage in order to entertain your vanity.
When I was there, it was two weeks before the Swedish royal wedding. Their crown princes was getting married, and many people were talking about the royal family. Kings or queens do not have much to do with physics these days, but the king of Sweden is somewhat special to physicists. He hands out Nobel certificates to exceptional physicists. If you are sufficiently young, and you do physics correctly, you may receive the Nobel certificate from this princess who will become the queen of Sweden when you are ready.
  • Here is a photo of the royal family. (from a Swedish post card without copyright statements.) The young lady (far right) wearing a tiara is the crown princess. The princess has a brother, but she is the eldest child. According to the Swedish constitution, the first-born will continue the monarchy.
    Two hundred years ago, Sweden was invaded from both east and west. Russia occupied the province of Finland, and the province of Norway was captured by Denmark. To make things wore, the king of Sweden did not have children who could continue his monarchy. He thus decided to adopt a talented young man who could manage military affairs. He looked at Napoleon's army and invited a brilliant general named Jean Baptieste Bernatatto to become the prince and eventually the king. He became King Charles XIV of Sweden.When the general came to Stockholm from France, he came with a French girl named Desiree. Desiree was Napoleon's childhood sweetheart in Corsica. After hearing Napoleon became great, Desiree went to Paris to marry him. But Napoleon was deeply in love with a widow named Josephine. Desiree became heartbroken, but was invited by Bernadotte go to Stockholm with him. She went and produced Bernadotte's children for the present Swedish dynasty.
    Like Prince Charles of England, the crown princess of Sweden has many first names. I was very happy to note that one of her first names is Desiree.

When you go to Stockholm to pick up your Nobel certificate, you may need the following map and guide.

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