IKEA Adventure

Hello everyone,

During my last week in Stockholm, I had to go to a center of Swedish culture: the IKEA mega-store. Now, I must first admit that I, Kristine, have never actually set foot in an IKEA store before this week. What I know about IKEA is from movies and from a few IKEA-loving friends. But since I have spent the last two months drinking out of IKEA glasses, using IKEA utensils and living surrounded by Ikea furniture, it seemed fitting to visit this mecca of Swedish design.

This Ikea store is located in the suburbs, but there is a free bus that runs every hour on the weekdays from Central Station to the store. I took this IKEA bus (which had a 'Welcome' doormat in it!) to the store, not knowing what to expect.

While waiting for the IKEA bus, I noticed that someone
had put those orange headphones on the statue in front
of Central Station. Probably because of the local
construction. I found this immensely funny. 

 I guess I don't have any other IKEA store to which to compare this, but this store was HUGE. I took an escalator to the fourth floor, where you could walk around the cylindrical building to see lots and lots and lots of furniture. In the middle of the cylinder-shaped building was another set of showrooms. I counted three cafes and a play center for kids.

My first IKEA adventure

I wish I went here when I first arrived to buy a blanket and a pillow. They were too expensive at the department stores in downtown Stockholm, but I totally could have purchased a reasonably-priced pillow from IKEA. However, since I am leaving soon, I decided to not buy anything.

I did, of course, have to check out the IKEA cuisine. I had Swedish meatballs with mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam. What great traditional Swedish food!

My IKEA lunch

To exit the building, I finally circled around down to the ground level. Then came a labyrinth of bedding and lighting and boxed-up furniture in this extension from the cylindrical building. It literally took me twenty minutes to see the light of day after exiting the main cylinder area. The map of how to exit looked like a maze. Anyway, I finally made it out and I took the bus back into the city. IKEA trip = success! Although it really made me want to furnish a room. Perhaps next year when I'm back in the US, I'll travel to my local IKEA store if I'm missing Sweden!

Goodbye, IKEA!