Author: Benjamin Trotter

We decided to take the X2000 train back to Stockholm because it was a lot quicker. My pass covered it, so I was glad that it shaved off 3 hours of transit time back to Stockholm. When we arrived, we were picked up by Andreas, RickardÂ’s best friend. It was cool to finally meet him, because I had heard so many stories of him. We hung out at his apartment, and he is just as a fan of KENT as I am, so we listened and talked about Kent and their upcoming concert weÂ’re going to attend. We then went out to Stockholm to another amusement park, but this time not to ride rides, but to watch a concert. A Swedish band called Eskobar and Weeping Willows were playing, and Andreas had invited us to go. It was really cool to see how the Swedes watch concerts and how safe I felt there. ItÂ’s really different from the US in respects of violence at the concerts. It was a lot of fun, and then we headed back to RickardÂ’s house at night.

Today we got up prepared to have a day at the Amusement Park Lisaberg. We got in, and immediately I wondered how many rides Rickard and I could actually handle. We felt a little old being there, but we had a great time. I have been laughing so hard with our conversations, that alone has made the entire trip worth while. But, riding these rides was so hilarious too.. us dizzily leaving the roller coasters and having to take a break until the next ride. What happens when you age???? Anyhow, we had fun and decided after 10 rides that we were satisfied and that it was time to leave. We had a nice dinner and walked around the port before going back to the hotel.

We headed out around 11:00am to get a train to Göteborg for a couple of days. The trip took a while because there were so many transfers. The scenery was nice though for the most part, until it started to rain. It sounds like just before I came to Sweden the weather was perfect, and now it is really not so good. I was lucky though with my entire trip thus far with weather, so it’s no big deal to me. I am seeing so much cool stuff anyway, the weather need not be sunny everyday. We got some tourist information on one of our connections and found a hotel that is actually on an old ship called the Viking. So, we called and booked a room for us. It turns out it was a great place because not only were we in walking distance of the Amusement Park, but also the rest of the town center. Göteborg was nice, and I really liked seeing it because of APL too… if I were to be placed in Sweden my 3rd year rotation, it would be in Göteborg…

Today we drove out to Åtvidaberg, about 2 ½ hours SE of Stockholm to see his grandfather and play some golf. This house was so funny, it was completely out in the country, which is beautiful I might add, but was so old, that it showed that the people of long ago were a LOT smaller than they are now. The house looked like it was miniature, Rickard’s head touched the ceiling practically. Funnier than that was the elf guesthouse that Rickard and I stayed in. It looked like a little tree house and had two beds in it, and that’s where we slept. That evening we went to the golf course to hit up some golf. Of course, for those of you who know my admired skill in sports, you know how well I played—I am just glad no one got hurt. Just another experience for my memories…

Today is the big day that I came to Sweden for …the Midsummer Celebration of the longest day of the year, with the sun just barely setting at 11:30pm. We started the morning out with a breakfast and watching the fathers in the neighborhood fetch some sticks and flowers to construct a Midsommar Stång. It is a Christmas Tree looking structure with a cross and two circles hanging down. It looked strange to me, because it reminded me of the Blair Witch Project. We then headed for Ekeby Loge to watch the typical celebration around the Midsommar Stång. Around the Stång, children danced and sang typical children songs and played games. The weather was not the greatest in the morning, and it actually started to rain a little, so we headed back after watching the games. Once back to Rickard’s house in Haninge, we went to his neighbor’s house across the street to start a party. We started with a very traditional lunch of Herring, potatoes, cheeses, breads and all sorts of different flavors that I had never had before. It was very interesting, and the neighbors were really fun to talk to. Of course, like every other Swede in Sweden, everyone’s English is amazing. Sad thing is with that, I doubt I will learn as much Swedish as I had hoped. I am of course picking up phrases and am reading a lot of newspapers trying to decipher what is being said, so needless to say, I am learning. We stayed up the entire day playing games and having a competition with everyone… Rickard and I, out of 9 teams came in DEAD LAST. That was really disappointing given that we were playing against 50-year-olds in games like darts and such. Anyhow, the day carried on until the night where the subject of LINE DANCING came up. Rickard had joined me several times while in the states to Cotton Eyed Joe’s for Line Dancing, and all the neighbors wanted to try it. So, here I go out into the suburb streets of Stockholm teaching about 30 drunk Swedes to do the Tush Push. It was absolutely hilarious, and everyone had a good time. Rickard and I then finally went to bed about 2.00am and it still looked like dawn outside!

Today my flight leaves for Stockholm, Sweden, where I get to see Rickard! I will stay with his family in a suburb of Stockholm and we’ll celebrate the Midsummer Celebration (The Nightless Night), see KENT in concert!, and possibly some other travels through Sweden! I am so excited to finally go there, that leaving the “hosteling of Western Europe” is not too sad of a good bye. Not to say that obviously my travels have been a nonstop party, but last night I found myself enjoying a full night’s sleep which is hard to come by while hosteling. Anyhow, I am off to Scandinavia for the first time! Hej dÃ¥!

Rickard was at the airport to pick me up, and we went straight to his family’s house in Sommerbo, Hanninge about 20 miles from Stockholm. I LOVE SWEDEN. I LOVE SWEDEN. I am so excited to be here, and have so much to update, but am leaving today to go for a trip around Sweden that Rickard has planned for me. So I will be off for the next week, and I don’t know when I will have any internet access until i come back to his house.