Why Portland and Stockholm Should be Sibling Cities

It’s no joke that being in Stockholm feels eerily similar to being back in Portland. I showed up in Stockholm on July 17, which is smack dab in the height of summer. Although the majority of Swedes choose this time to take their copious amounts of holiday and head to the outer islands, the city still showed me many colors; tourists included.

Being a native-ish Portlander (20 years) on the move, I noticed so many similarities that I’m convinced the cities were separated at birth.

Do you really want more friends?

It’s a well known fact that (native-ish) Portlanders are friendly to a fault, causing traffic jams trying to allow the other person to take the right of way, giving money to strangers, rallying for civil rights, etc… This friendliness isn’t, however, sticky. If a Portlander has just given a new transplant directions to the nearest pub that has ping pong, played a round with them, and bought them a pint, that does NOT mean the Portlander will exchange numbers or ever take a call from what could, in other worlds, have been considered a new friend. The Portlander will politely change the subject when the stranger casually mentions “we should do this again sometime” or give a vague excuse about walking their dog if they ask “what are you doing next week?” It’s all well and good until someone wants to genuinely connect.

My tour guide in Stockholm is from England and quite an energetic and outgoing guy. Being from the UK, we know that stereotype – the “Hey mate, come on in, meet my family, have a pint, stay the month!” kind of person. Well, he admitted that he’s lived here for 7 years and just made his 6th Swedish friend through hard work and perseverance. Again, most of the Swedes in Stockholm have vanished for the summer, so I can’t attest to that theory directly, but I can verify those I’ve met have been extremely warm and welcoming. The gleam in their eyes, though, tells me they’re just as happy to watch me walk away, back to the airport and on to another country.

Sibling Rivalry – In Sweden, it’s easier to pretend to not speak English.

Coffee Culture

If you own a coffee shop in Portland and you do not already have cardamom on your list of add ins, go. Do it now. Stockholm has a coffee shop on every corner and none of them start with Star or end with Best. The caffeine addiction is strong in both towns with multiple options on every corner. Stockholm has even gone so far as to name their coffee and pastry habit as Fika. What could Portland’s be named? Cash hemorrhage?

Sibling Rivalry – Stockholm’s default brew is dark with a hint of tar and it’s up to the customer to customize to their liking while Portland requires the customer to convey 40 word sentences to the barista to get what they want. Either way is fine, as long as the pot is never empty.

The color of your skin

Summertime in Stockholm boasts a 3-4 more hours of daily sunlight than that of Portland. For those who failed math, that’s several more hours of sun exposure every week. There are beaches all over the city in Stockholm and many rivers and lakes available to Portlanders with very short commutes. So why is it that, in both cities, sunglasses are required more for the brightness of the locals’ legs than for the actual ball of gas in the sky? The only people with brown legs in either place were actually born that color. You’ll see farmer’s tans or merged freckles or bronzed shoulders or lobster skin, but nowhere will you find forearms matching shins.

Sibling Rivalry – In winter, those who live in Stockholm need to take vitamin D pills to replace the sunlight.

Bridges over the river… I mean sea… I mean lake

Portland is quite proud of the numerous bridges seaming the east and west sides of the city though not quite as proud of those connecting to Washington. The bridges are beautiful and iconic to a city split by a wide river; each one with its own uniqueness. There are 12 bridges in Portland, all sizable. There are 57 bridges in Stockholm. Due to the island makeup of Stockholm, this is to be expected, but it’s the vehemence with which each city proudly displays their bridge culture which makes them related.

Sibling Rivalry – Even in the downtown area, it’s safe to swim in the water under said bridges in Stockholm.

Bikes and Scooters and eCycles, oh my!

Both cities’ topographies are poster children for two wheeled transport options, unlike hilly cities like San Francisco or Lisbon where the average tourist would be hard pressed to make it back to their abode.  Both cities have rentable scooters and bicycles scattered all about on sidewalks, street corners, and in private yards. Both cities have a high percentage of residents who already embrace or are on the cusp of embracing non-motorized transport.

The ability to scoot from place to place is an enviable choice when faced with million mile walks or crowded mass transit. Two wheeled transport for a renter is also a good budget option. The cost of renting a scooter in either city will set you back only a fraction of the cost of that morning latte. I will tell you, though, that until I have secured medical travel insurance, I will not be trusting my life to my balance and traffic skills on a scooter.

Sibling rivalry – It’s abundantly clear, however, that Stockholm has invested more time and money in infrastructure to support these choices. The fact that everywhere you go, there are clearly marked lanes for pedestrians vs two wheeled vs four wheeled vehicles makes it feel safe and functional for everyone involved, no matter your choice of transportation.

Foodie Schmoodie

Portland has been known as a city full of great food, whether it be the robust food truck scene or the multitude of pop-up restaurants begging for your attention on the east side. In fact, even the west side is trying to step up its game. There is food for any palate with gourmet (and street food masked as such) selections everywhere. The brunch options are lengthy, almost as lengthy as the lines you find yourself in attempting to taste the food! There is Burger week, Dining week, Wing week, Vegan Food Festival, Seafood Festival… you get the idea. Food is important to a Portlander.

In Stockholm, it’s much the same – down to the food trucks. At what would be considered a “mall food court” in Stockholm’s Sodermalm neighborhood, there are a handful of restaurants so touted that their chef’s names are emblazoned proudly on the marquee. I had the opportunity to try some out and must admit that it’s the right thing to do.

Burgers recently came to Stockholm in a rush and were immediately accepted as the next great culinary discovery (next to the hot dog and meatballs, of course). There are burger joints on most corners, many with cult followings. Unfortunately, due to the infancy of the trend, most meat burgers are a little on the flat and gray side; they could use a little more depth and pink, but they make up for it with fantastic toppings! It’s not difficult to find a bay shrimp topped burger, or an avocado stuffed patty. In addition, Stockholm is on par with Portland in the vegetarian/vegan space in that non-meat options abound everywhere, including grilled halloumi. Yum!

Sibling rivalry – You must sell your left arm, right boob, and your first born to eat out in Stockholm. Even at lunch, a typical burger is easily $18.

Nature

Both cities’ residents are obvious nature lovers. Why wouldn’t they be with the most perfect weather from May to October, when all things planty spring forth? Portland’s parks are numerous and many take up some serious space. In Stockholm, you can’t spit without hitting a green space; there’s even an entire island fittingly called Djurgarden covered in a lush green park with, obvs, water on all sides. I was lucky enough to have the entire island to myself one morning and wandered through what I can only consider my dream business… A nursery/bar/event venue. Boom.

Both inhabitants also know that the sun is a precious resource, so they take every chance possible to get out in it. It’s impossible to find a Swede in Stockholm during the summer (who does not work in the tourism industry) because they’re off climbing, swimming, hiking, boating, etc… As a matter of fact, if you want to visit a locally owned business in Stockholm, do NOT try it in summer! There are “I’m off enjoying the actual sun, closed until Sept” notices everywhere.

As a lover of the green stuff myself, it’s been absolutely refreshing to see the abundance of flowers all over Stockholm city. In fact, most of the plant life grown in Stockholm is exactly the same as in Portland. In addition, almost every abode is littered with houseplants to tide the folks over in the darker months. The AirBnb I was in actually had more than 15 potted plants plus almost that many starts, which is a higher number than the square footage.

Sibling Rivalry – None. Nothing can be lost by this. But Stockholm DOES have Roomba mowers, does Portland?

Inclusivity

Stockholm and Portland both have a soft spot for the underdog. I won’t get into politics here, but it’s an obvious correlation, the total acceptance of strangers and those of differing backgrounds. You can easily find co-ed bathrooms, expect to accommodate all skin colors, see numerous tattoos (on a single person), and appreciate the love of all sexual orientations in both locations.

Sibling rivalry – In Stockholm, I did see a very young woman with a single smoking cigarette tattooed on her thigh. Sigh.

Quirky

Both cities embrace the unusual, whether it be bright hair colors, or uni-cycling, there’s no fear of the different.

So… would you choose to visit?