The Fall 2008 Phoebe Literary Journal will include multiple examples of my meeting doodles. Thanks to editor Ethan Edwards for contacting me - the issue looks great.
July 2008 Archives
We took the X2000 fast train from Stockholm back down to Lund, where we relaxed and laughed with Tommy and Maria for the last few days of our epic Swedish journey. There's nothing quite like winding down in a back yard full of singing birds and sunshine.
In just 62 whirlwind days, we had traveled 9,708 miles back and forth from Seattle to Copenhagen and another 3,000 miles while in Sweden. We ate, we drank, we gained weight. We loved every minute of it.
Thank you, all 73 of you, for your part in our happy and memorable adventure:
Tommy, Maria, Per, Nina, Greta, Gerd, Marita, Sven-Ake, Hans, Agnetha, Camilla, John, Niclas, Lina, Marica, Janne, Elin, Ida, Inger, Ulla, Lisbett, Siv, Inger, Ulf, Helene, Bo, Imant, Arla, Bitte, Per, Felicia, Hannes, Iva, Stig, Ewa, Sofia, Sandra, Ann-Mari, Bo, Ann-Sofie, Linnea, Andreas, Leif, Monica, Suzanne, Marie, Barbro, Bengt, Viktor, Johanna, John, Lars, Helena, Julia, Gun, Linda, Elsy, Janne, Eivor, Jenny, Anna, Andreas, Evangelina, Caroline, Hakan, Gosta, Aida, Jenny, Pelle, Ted, Johanna, Magdalena and Klara.
We return home with fond memories of a beautiful land and warm, generous relatives and friends. You opened your hearts and homes to us, and your hospitality will not be forgotten. Have a healthy and happy summer!
-John and Monika
Before leaving Stockholm we had to visit at least one overtly tourist thing. We chose the Absolut Icebar, a bar made entirely out of ice, right down to the glasses. The place is kept at -5°C all year; when you go in, you're given a coat and gloves.
It wasn't long before Monika and I started getting cold, but between the vodka and the fascinating surroundings, we soon forgot the temperature.
Even the walls are made out of ice, and we loved the way the light moved through it.
The next day we headed out to Skeppsholm, where we visited the Moderna Museet, a fantastic contemporary art museum.
To get there, we took a subway line that runs further underground than other lines we had used. All of Stockholm's subway stations have public art in them, but the ambiance of this line was unlike anything we'd ever seen in a public transportation system.
Skeppsholm is an island, like most of Stockholm. Coming up out of the subway, a scenic walk across the Skeppsholm bridge got us to the museum. The boat in the background is the af Chapman, a permanently moored sailing ship that is a youth hostel.
At the end of this fine day, we visited a konditeri for one last bit of fika. As always, the pastries were works of art, and the coffee carried a kick.
Rush hour was on its way to Stockholm, so we hopped another subway train back to the hotel, and packed it up.
Next up, back to Cousin Tommy and Maria in Lund, then home to Seattle!
Heading back to Stockholm's Gamla Stan (Old Town) was a great idea. Monika and I walked up and down just about every little street in this area, stopping into small shops, noticing little details and watching people.
One shop that was incredible was a thrift store in the cellar of a centuries-old building. We descended two flights of granite stairs into the most wonderfully claustrophobic space I have ever seen. I couldn't stand up straight because I kept clocking my head, and we had to navigate the shop walking sideways.
Looking back up the narrow staircase, we were greeted by the shop dog. "He catches all the rats", the cigar-smoking owner informed us.
At the top of Gamla Stan sits the Royal Palace. This structure is massive, and houses museums, royal offices and is used for representative purposes by the royal family.
Around its perimeter are individual guard houses, with a member of the Royal Guard standing watch. At first glance it would seem that these guards are largely ceremonial; after all, the palace is massive. Then I noticed the menacing weapons.
As we stood looking at the enormous facade of the palace, another guard was making the rounds, checking in with each stationary guard. We took him to be a senior officer, although we couldn't figure out what rank his dog was.
At the end of the day, we headed back down the hill to the subway station, snapping pics of Gamla Stan the whole way...
Upon leaving Piteå, we had a choice: we could either drive leisurely and explore as we had on our way up, or head straight down and spend some more time in Stockholm.
We chose to head straight to Stockholm, but the trip back was not without its unique scenery. We stopped alongside the highway several times; plants that were nowhere to be seen just a few weeks ago were suddenly in bloom.
At one point, on an otherwise deserted stretch of highway, we encountered this giant granite sculpture by Claes Hake:
When we reached the Höga Kusten Bridge, where we had stopped on our way north, we decided to give the hotel a try. That was a great idea. Every room boasts a view of the bridge - here was ours:
After a sound sleep, we decided to make a beeline for Uppsala. This would be a full day of driving, so we didn't stop much, unless Monika saw flowers, of course.
We reached Uppsala tired and thirsty, so we checked into a room, and wandered out in search of a beer. Having found a sidewalk cafe, we sat back and took stock of things; our trip to Sweden would be ending soon, and we were having a beautiful time. Monika and I raised our glasses to each other, toasted, and drank. That's when seemingly millions of birds took off from every rooftop in the city and swarmed over us.
Choosing to see this as a good omen for the next day's drive to Stockholm, we slept well.
Returning the rental car was a simple as it could be; all we had to do was take a fast train from the airport into the city, switch to the subway line that went back to our hotel, and that was it.
We had returned to where the blue-eyed crows eat salads. We were back in Stockholm.
Our last day in Piteå was Midsommar, the most important holiday in Sweden. We had the best seat in the house, as Midsommar festivities took place at Badhusparken, where we were staying.
Monika had collected seven different kinds of flowers. Tradition says that putting these under your pillow on Midsommar will make you dream of a loved one.
The customs and rituals performed on this day include the raising of a majstång (maypole), which is decorated with greenery and escorted to its installation point by musicians and dancers in traditional dress. This was a fine day for the children, who were fascinated by the hole that had been dug for the pole.
With great fanfare and dancing, the majstång was lowered into its resting place.
Then came the best part: Sma Grodorna! Everyone, children and adults alike, dances around the pole, imitating a frog. As the lyrics to the song describe all the funny parts of a frog (ears, tail, etc.), everyone imitates a frog. Yeah, I don't quite get it, either, but it was sure fun to watch.
When the ceremony was over, everyone headed home. Monika and I were told that the raucous Midsommar celebrations would go on all night around the country; apparently, on this, the longest day of the year, when the sun barely sets, many people drink themselves silly and eat too much.
We figured this might be a gross exaggeration, but who knows - isn't there always a bit of truth to these things? Here's a great German IKEA ad that parodies Swedish Midsommar; I guess someone in Sweden took exception, as the ad was pulled:
In any event, it was a beautiful day that has been taking place in Sweden for thousands of years, and we loved taking part in it.
