Stockholm - Day 1 & 2
LAX
Despite not having a single hour of sleep the night before, I was eager to start my trip to Stockholm.
I used my credit card to enter this store and simply walked out with a turkey sandwich. RFID has been around for some time, but I’ve not come across one in domestic airports. Also, LAX Parking implemented the automated license plate recognition (ALPR) systems. Good to see LAX is making technological improvements.
Tres Amigos
Once I boarded, a wave of exhaustion struck me, but wanting to adjust my circadian rhythm, I read books instead. The first book was The Lucifer Effect. Unfortunately, I had little emotional strength to read this dark book. It literally took me thirty minutes to read just two pages. I kept putting the book down as I couldn’t quite grasp the malevolent nature of humankind. Without the emotional fortitude required to digest its contents, I could only conquer three or four pages before moving onto the next book. Please check back later if you would like to see my review.
The author of The Perfect Predator captivated me with her amazing dedication, resilience, and humor in the race to save her husband from a deadly superbug. I’ll also upload a review of this book later next week. The last book was a reread of When Breath Becomes Air. This book is a tearjerker and it made me think about my own death. Again, check back later for my take on the book. By the way, I am not a fast reader, I just like to read multiple books congruently.
BWW
Five hours later, I arrived at JFK and what did I see? Buffalo Wild Wings! Feeling nostalgic, I entered the restaurant and found a bar stool next to an Alabama football fan. Now, I have very limited knowledge about sports in general (e.g., I recently confused Cincinnati Reds with Red Socks, and NY Nets with Jets), but I heard UT had a momentous victory against its more famous, formidable opponent. Don’t get me wrong; I love playing sports myself but have little interest in watching other people playing games. However, even as an uninterested spectator, I do appreciate the fact that fans can vicariously go on a hero’s journey through athletes who have mastered their craft through superhuman discipline. It took over an hour to get my food, but the wings were just as delicious as the ones I had in Ohio. But I thought the price of Blue Moon ($16) was a bit much.
On the Way to Sweden
Soon I found myself next to a fifty-eight-year-old Puerto Rican who was traveling to Sweden to see her daughter. Monica and I started talking about our respective travel plans, but the conversation took an unexpected detour. The topic of our conversation moved onto her childhood and current struggles. I quickly combed through my briefcase for Sherlock’s deerstalker or Freud’s cigar but found only Joey’s propeller hat. With an audible sigh at the realization of my own inadequacy, I just lent a couple of listening ears.
By the way, I asked Monica if I could post our conversation on my blog, to which she happily agreed, but requested to have her name changed (the alias was her suggestion).
Eight hours later, the Boeing 767 landed in Sweden.
Swedes
Based on a few interactions I had with Swedes, I found them incredibly kind and accommodative. For example, I was having a hard time finding a parking spot in Stockholm and this helpful person not only helped me find a spot, but he also paid for my parking with his app. Thank you, kind stranger. Another example was when I asked for a restaurant recommendation, a couple went out of their way to walk me to Salu Hall. Here is yet another example (three within one hour!). At Salu Hall, one must pay to access the restroom. Excuse my elitist stance and bourgeoisie undertone, but I ain’t paying no dang money to pee pee. Especially when I am already paying for food. As I stared at the locked door with the look of befuddlement, this gentleman tapped his credit card to get me access to it. Thank you, kind sir with a Patek Philips watch (there is more to this story which I may add later).
Without going into too much detail, Monica confessed how difficult it was for her to say no to her newly married husband and described how she struggled with their new living arrangements. I gently put my metaphorical hat down and posed the following question. How can your yes mean anything when you cannot ever say no? You seem to believe your consent proves the sacrifice required to keep the relationship alive. I asked if she would be okay if her own daughter made a similar sacrifice. The answer wasn’t a simple no, but hell no! Her accent made the declaration so dramatic. She might have awakened a few passengers. I followed up with another question if she should embrace her inner self who clearly did not want to accept the unfair treatment. Her tears answered my question. We conversed for three hours, and I fell asleep at around 3 AM Sweden time.
B. Anderssons
The first thing I purchased at the food court was these elk, reindeer, and wait for it… bear jerky sticks at B. Anderssons. Bear meat? Yes, you heard it correctly. These were not cheap ($60 USD, which equates to $5 per stick), but the kind owner beguiled the time with interesting hunting stories and gave me a few samples to try. These smoked meats were nothing like beef jerky/sausages I’ve ever had, and they were delicious. The owner also recommended the adjacent restaurant for lunch.
Elmovist
Toast Skagen at Lisa Elmovist resembled a seafood rendition of charcuterie. The dish consisted of various smoked/cured/fermented fish and roasted potatoes. Man, oh man. It was simply incredible, and the pairing wine was on point as well. Not only that, the restaurant’s ambience and the presentation of the food (Bonna Porcelain plates) were great as well. I also liked the fact that the chef, not the waiter, brought out the food. The dish represented its country well. Neither my palate nor words are refined enough to adequately describe the superb taste of Toast Skagen, so let me borrow a quote from the movie The Matrix: … was quite naturally perfect. It was a work of art. Flawless. Sublime. It was finger-licking good. In case you couldn’t tell, the last sentence was mine. The whole dining experience was accompanied by incredible service and ended with a cup of near perfect espresso.
Krona
After leaving the restaurant, I walked over to the ATM and withdrew about $2,000 Krona (~$200 USD), which I later realized was a mistake. The lady on the currency reminded me of one of my male colleagues I used to work with.
American Hotdog
After the oh-so-satisfying meal, I walked about three kilometers to Vasa Museet. On the way to the museum, I saw this statue. A hotdog wrapped in a US flag squirting ketchup on his head? How dare you portraying… wait. Spot on, my friend. Carry on.
Vasa Museet
For 190 Krona/$17 USD, the museum was well worth visiting. I highly recommend it.
Flags
I love the Swedish flag – it is up there with the Swiss flag in terms of recognizability and aesthetics. If you want to learn about vexillology and what makes flags beautiful, I recommend watching this video. It’s informative and entertaining.
I went back to the hotel and slept for 11 hours that night.