An [incomplete] record of places seen, adventures enjoyed, and
memorable encounters with Scandinavian people
THURSDAY MAY 26
We had a coffee at the airport train station. We then
settled into Downtown Hostel in Copenhagen, I took a shower, and Cathy and I went
on the afternoon walking tour, which featured a walk by Christiana – the
“colorful counterculture squatter’s colony” as Rick Steve’s tourbook calls it.
Christiana is a historic town of non-tax payers who are hippies and where doing
gateway drugs (and perhaps harder drugs too) isn’t penalized. You can only live
there by being born into it or marrying into it or having a special, needed
skill. You’re not allowed to run or take pictures there, according to our tour
guide. Then we had the complimentary dinner of lentil soup at the hostel and
met a girl from Montreal who had just quit her 10-year job and was on a
vacation before starting a new one – which she didn’t have yet! Two older, kind
Asian women shared our bunk room with us.
FRIDAY MAY 27
Cathy and I took a refreshing, early-morning, 8-mile run (in
preparation for my race on the following Saturday). The one downside was she
tripped and her knee bled! She got a “plaster” – what they call bandages here –
and it healed over the course of our trip. We then showered and enjoyed the
hostel’s lovely breakfast spread of delicious fresh rye bread, deli meats and
cheeses, scrambled eggs, little sausages, and coffee and milk. For the rest of
the day, I mostly just worked at the hostel while Cathy explored.
We took the train to Malmo in the
evening. On the long, long walk to our place, we took a break and stopped at a
small grocery store, where Cathy bought delectable salted licorice ice cream
and some beer. We drank the beer once we got home, but ate the ice cream
outside while sitting on the only bench in sight: a bus stop bench. Three young
Indian guys in a stationwagon jovially said they were hungry and wanted some,
as they sat at a traffic light. We did not share, of course. When we got to our
place, we watched the first half of the movie Frozen.
The most memorable thing that happened
today was that at 12:30 a.m. (technically middle of the night Saturday), our
Airbnb host realized he gave us directions to the wrong place. He has two
Airbnb’s, and at 12:30 a.m. he came in the kids’ room in which we were sleeping
and he turned the lights on and said, “Who are you?” “Jennifer!” I exclaimed.
He drove us to the right apartment, and gave our two nights to us free of
charge.
SATURDAY MAY 28
Today midday (after a lovely breakfast inside) Cathy and I
went to the Malmo Eastern cemetery and flowershop, both designed by the
architect Cathy loves and has studied, Sigurd Lewerentz. I worked inside for
some of the day while she explored. We had Mediterranean food in an open
outdoor shopping mall area for dinner.
SUNDAY MAY 29
Cathy and I made an
early morning cemetery visit before our train left—good thing the sun rises
so early in these parts in midsummer! She had more buildings to see and I had a
long run (10 miles) to do, in preparation for the marathon. The Malmo Eastern
Cemetery is beautiful, not eerie.
Arriving by train to Klippan at 10
a.m., we first asked a young mom walking with her child on a town sidewalk where
the church was, and she said, “Sorry, I don’t know English.” This is when we
met our “friend” – whose name we never learned but who we would see recurringly
throughout the day. He was a slow-pedaling elderly Swedish man on his bike who
directed us two times (and who we saw a total of four times) to St. Peter’s
Church. Good thing for him—the google map wasn’t leading us in the right direction,
and the sidewalks were pretty quiet at 10 a.m. At first he thought we wanted to
go to a restaurant, and made a hand-eating motion, but then he realized we
meant church (we had said kyrkan in our attempt at broken Swedish). “Oooh!
Chuuurch!” he exclaimed when he knew where we meant. He gave us some
directions, including a circular motion to indicate a roundabout on our route. Somehow
I deciphered gas station from something he said or gestured. He knew some
English, and said “right side” with perfect pronunciation. The second time we
say him was 5 minutes later as he was checking-up on us. “Hello?” he said as he
biked up alongside us, reminding us with a circular hand gesture the route we
were to take. The third time, we just
saw him around town after the church service; he didn’t stop for us this time
but nodded and we said “Thank you, we found it.” The forth time was at the
train station as Cathy and I awaited our evening train to Stockholm.
After church service, an
outstanding tour by the priest of the church, Ann-Marie Nelson, and an
impromptu, makeshift photoshoot around the outside of the church and
surrounding gardens/park, we had a delicious pizza lunch at a family-owned
pizza restaurant in Klippan. Then we hopped on an earlier train on a different
carrier than our own, because we wanted to get to Stockholm before 11 p.m. We
were not aware that there were different brands of train carriers. Well, we got
kicked off the first train and nearly kicked off another. But, we did end up
making it to Stockholm at 9 pm. and not 11 p.m.
The first conductor who checked our tickets was a young guy with
shoulder-length blonde hair who told us it would cost 799 kronor to stay on
board this incorrect train. So we got off and waited for an SJ train at a
remote station.
While waiting on that train
platform, a youngish mom with shoulder-length, dirty red hair and a
baby-carrier on her chest approached us and asked us if we needed help. I
explained to her how we boarded the wrong train-- a small wooden train -- and
she said, “that doesn’t sound good!” She was friendly. Cathy and I then took
our chances on the next incoming train, and the older conductor (this one older
and much more serious looking and sounding—he looked like the quintessential
train conductor), told us upon inspecting our tickets, “You are on a later
train. This is not alright. That train is a lower fare. Come with us to [town
name].” At first Cathy and I thought he meant we were in trouble, for us to
come with him to the car on the train where deviant passengers got their
reprimand. But he meant, stay on the train until we reach a station where your
correct train will pick you up. We got off once, prematurely, and Cathy asked
him is this the place? He said no, the next one, so we re-boarded. Then, as we
were about to get off at that next stop, the same conductor in a completely
unexpected show of generosity and mercy, took us aside and quietly said,
“Stockholm is your last stop, correct? If you move around your seating you can
stay aboard on this train.” We were so thankful.
We found our next airbnb place, a
small studio with a ½ bath (and shower next door that we used), easily. We did
our laundry (with Freja’s, the hostess’s, generous help, as the machine in our
studio was broken) that night, finished watching Frozen. Cathy’s hands
and feet started showing signs of an allergic reaction—maybe hives? They stayed
with her throughout the whole trip, getting worse and then getting better, but
never fully going away. But she hunkered on without any complaints at
all—amazing. I don’t know if I could have handled it as well as she did.
MONDAY MAY 30
Ventured to Uppsala! I discovered
on my email at 10:30 a.m., after taking a refreshing 6-mi run in the
morning (the riverside route of which Cathy figured out for me the night before), that an American academic who I knew was fortuitously having an overlapping guest lecture at the university today at noon. Cathy
was game for hopping on a train right away. We got there in 2 hours, slightly
late. We found the lecture room, but foolishly I was too timid to walk into the
lecture 25 minutes late. If I could have a do-over, I’d walk in that room! The
secretary who helped us find where it was was unsure we could barge in
mid-flow. After saying hi to Heather afterwards, it was clear that we could
have just gone in there. It was on her recent book on the magazine industry.
Cathy and I walked Uppsala and had a great lunch at a pub before heading back
to Stockholm.
TUESDAY MAY 31
Looked inside Royal Palace and I got reprimanded by a worker
there for taking a picture up on a balcony and making it look I was sitting
there (I wasn’t, it was an optinal illusion—Cathy did it before me and didn’t get caught). Then we spent 4 fun hours at the Modern Art museum and ate a delectable traditional Swedish lunch
in the large café there; we opted for this rather than the reocmmended fika just because we were hungry! We left for our Helsinki cruise on the Viking Line at
5:30. Cathy and I had some great conversation with the two of us, and then later we met two very vivacious (one funny and one intellectual) Swedes -- they worked in sales for IKEA and this was a 2-day break for them -- who we had conversations with on
WEDNESDAY JUNE 1
Helsinki, Finland! We awoke at 8:15, just in time for the
ship breakfast buffet we paid for. Turns out that roacking boats and a room with no windows can make you sleep for a long time! We got off the boat at 9:30 or so and had
the day in Helsinki. We toured around on foot (using Rick Steve’s book as a
guide). It’s a very fishermany-porty looking city. The highlight was seeing the
main square that reminded me so much of Columbia’s Low Plaza, nicknamed the “urban beach” (the central
walkway and stairs leading up to Low Library, where students often sit, chat,
and even lay out in the sun.) In Helsinki, in this plaza has the same brickwork
pattern on the ground, but the buildings around are different (of course). The
cathedral is strategically placed between the government building and the
university building (the latter two being mirror images of each other), the
three buildings forming a 3-sided perimeter around the plaza area.
Cathy held my bag for me for 40
minutes while I ran a beautiful 4-mile route along the river. I delighted in
spending about 4 hours in a city library working on diss stuff and drinking
really, really good coffee while Cathy explored. She was so good to push me to
explore with her at least for half the day.
THURSDAY JUNE 2
Returned from Helsinki; Cathy and I visited the Vasa ship
museum and had a wonderfully tasty lunch at a restaurant we passed by, called Broms.
We also visited the Stockholm City library (not sure of its name) with a modern
addition by an architect that Cathy LOVED. It was really, really fun. At the
restaurant, she had cod and I had an excellent salad with fresh asparagus,
avocado, spinach, tomato, hard boiled eggs, bread, and a veggie I didn’t
recognize that looked like tubular celery. We then split up and explored
separately; she went to an H and M to get long sleeve shirts and I walked to
Skansen but they closed at 4. When I returned, I took a run along the water. I brought some money with me so that afterwards I could immediately look in stores and maybe buy myself a refreshment before heading back to the apartment. So I walked around Gamla Stan looking vaguely for some souvenirs for loved ones. I saw a sign propped outside a coffee stop (called The Coffee Stop) advertizing in-house roasted coffee blends and decided to peak in. My conversation with the front-cashier person turned into her offering me a percolator-made sample of the coffee before making my choice. Honestly, I didn't expect to buy it on the spot until she did this. Then, as I was about to leave, she offered me to sample some of the lunch menu that the owner and her co-cook were getting ready to unveil tomorrow. It was cold shrimp salad on italian bread, open-sandwich style. They served me a full serving! And wanted my honest feedback. Honestly, I found it very hard to say anything negative about it. It was about 1,000x better than the similar cheap cafeteria-prepared, in-a-plastic-box dinner I had bought on the Helsinki boat 2 nights ago. Then the front cashier person (a friendly blonde woman probably about 35 years old, from Gothenburg) told me about princess cake, a very traditional Swedish dessert with almond creme in it and green icing on the outside (they also had a pink option in their glass case). "You must try some somewhere before your trip is over," she told me, and I told her I had never heard of it but that I would. On a culinary impulse, I decided that in the precious 7 minutes before they closed, I would run back to the apartment, get Cathy, and go buy a slice of that cake. Cathy immediately said yes, and off we went. Well, guess what! The cashier let us in seconds after locking the door and turning off the lights. While the lights remained off, we got a slice to go and then the store owner said again, "I want you to try another lunch selection." (coveyed to me through the cashier-- I assume she's the one in the store with fluent English as she kept translating back and forth between me and the two ladies in the kitchen in the back) So Cathy and I enjoyed a cold-curry chicken salad on bread too! Like, I'm talking, two full portions basically! This was to be our dinner. When I tell you this whole thing was marvelous, I can't convey how truly awesome this was. Tasty, I felt loved, I felt God just being so fun, generous. and playful in this moment by showering us with this totally lavish expression of hospitality and friendliness on the store owners' part. The cashier asked for a review on Trip Advisor which I promptly did that evening. SO AMAZING!
In the evening we attempted to go to a clinic to get Cathy a steroid shot but all the places we went were closed or did not have an ER.
In the evening we attempted to go to a clinic to get Cathy a steroid shot but all the places we went were closed or did not have an ER.
FRIDAY JUNE 3
This was perhaps my favorite day. I got up early and visited
Skansen, the Nordisk Museum, and ended the day by attending the Zest Pasta
party (as part of the marathon festivities) and picked up my marathon bib at
the 1912 Olympic Stadium (“Stadion” in Swedish). I left the apartment at 8 a.m.
and was back at 8 p.m. Today was the first day I used the subway (called the
“T-bana”) and tram system. I met two young men from Germany traveling together
who lifted by spirits by telling me of their travel woes (ironic, I know), how
their things were stolen out of their car and the Swedish police weren’t much
help after the fact.
At Skansen,
I focused on the old town portion and decided the zoo portion wasn’t a priority
for me. So I visited about 12 old-time, real reconstructed buildings that
served as the bakery, printer’s house, ironworks workshop, furniture factory, a
lodge for day workers, a spice store, an old farmstead from Smaland (built in
1470!), among others. Talking to the museum workers, who acted in character for
each of their jobs in their respective eras, wearing period clothing, was the
COOLEST thing. Made me feel very connected to my Swedish heritage and probably
some of the experiences my own distant relatives had. I had lunch there and it
was superb: baked chicken, roasted potatoes, strawberries, green salad with
corn and delicious mustard dressing, and cooked snow peas.
Then I
spent from 2-5 at the Nordic Museum. This basically seemed to fill in the rest
of Swedish history, and had artifacts from daily life in Sweden from about
1700-present. I took the tour there as well.
SATURDAY JUNE 4
Marathon day! Cathy was an amazingly supportive friend.
Cathy found me at the stadium when I finished (around 3:40 p.m.) and I enjoyed
a non-alcoholic ginger beer there—Ed- something brand. Afterwards I showered
and we treated ourselves to a very nice Swedish dinner at Sturehof. Cathy
totally spoiled me and called it my princess day. I think one thing I learned
on this trip was the power of friendship to help us accomplish great things! My
time was way better than I anticipated it would be: 3:35:32! Honestly it’s
because of her.
I also
received good news today via email about the status of the IRB report I filled
out at Emory—I am free and clear! Upon taking my 2nd shower of the
day, I felt overwhelmingly thankful and I thought that this was my favorite day
of the whole trip.
SUNDAY JUNE 5
Traveled to Copenhagen on a 5-hour train ride; got there at
1:30. I did not take any further adventures; today was a rest day for me. We
planned out our Monday—Cathy was an expert with her map and travel guides. She
is like the ultimate Puzzle Assembler! I have benefited immensely from her problem-solving
and planning skills on this trip. She says I have an ease with asking strangers
for help that has made a huge difference for us, too. I’ll choose to believe
her.
MONDAY JUNE 6
We started our day with fantastic lattes at The Coffee
Collective (a small shop). Then we visited
Superkillen park, basically an outdoor skateboard park which Cathy thought
would be cooler than it was. From there we ventured to many places that Kierkegaard
frequented, as directed by a NYT article, in which the travel journalist gives
a much more lively alternative to paying homage to the theologian-philosopher
than just looking at his plaque and furniture collection at the City Museum
(his former home was converted into a bank). We visited on foot, with the help
of buses in between:
1.
Assistens Cemetery, where he’s buried (and many,
many bikes were passing through, commuting to work!),
2.
On the bus, passed by the Peblinge So lake where
he took many walks and I think the opening scene of one of his novels is set.
It is a nearly-identical lake nearby the one where Cathy and I took our first
run – and she, her first fall on the cobblestones, scraping her knee – on our
first morning in Europe (May 27th).
3.
[At this point, we took a break to visit
Roskilde Cathedral and have an excellent smorgabrod lunch at Aamaan’s, as
recommended by an information desk person at Superkillen Park.]
4.
Then we went up the Kobmagergade Rundetaarn
(round tower), in the shadow of which Kierkegaard lived. In close walking
distance were both the church and the cathedral he frequented. The cathedral
was very simple and it had burned down 4 or more times in its history!
5.
Lastly, we saw Kierkagaard’s statue in the Royal
Library Gardens, another place he frequented (I think). This was on the same
grounds as the Black Diamond library – a modern extension to the Royal Library.
6.
At 7 pm, we went to the Aquarium and especially
enjoyed (among all the fish) the otters (who we named Vernon and Fluffy) and
the dragon seahorses. The architecture was supposed to be impressive, but which
I think looked like a Big Mac box.
TUESDAY JUNE 7
Coffee Collective again today for us! We went by metro to a
bigger location this time and had a scintillating early morning convo (sooo
refreshed from yesterday), complimented by the BEST Danish pastries (which we
discovered on our way) – a raspberry one, a cinnamon roll one, and a “birthday
cake” (my name for them) ones, with yellow frosting and sprinkles – and while watching
people out the window. (Best part: we discovered the pastries by accident when
walking the wrong way!) One pedestrian was bringing her tiny toddler daughter,
clad in a pink coat and purple leggings and a hat, to the park across the
street; another put her bike on its kickstand and walked inside in a carefree
manner, not locking it.
The remainder of today was a study
day for me. I sat at the Urban Hostel and moved (for change of scenery) to the
Copenhagen Central Train Station nearby while Cathy explored. Then we ventured
to the airport at 4:30 pm.
Love this report! Isn't it a wonderful country to visit? Looking forward to pictures soon, too! Welcome home, you international marathoner, you!!!
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