Sunny Stockholm

It's another blue sky day in Stockholm.  Today marks my last full day in the city until I begin my travel back home. I just said goodbye to Alexander,  my last CouchSurfing host. He took me out for a mini semla before we parted ways at the central station.

Alexander showed me several sights around town, including the Royal Library, which was a first for me. We ate at several nice places in town and enjoyed chatting about Sweden, the Netherlands, and the United States during our walks. Alexander is currently in an intense study period for his engineering exams. Even though he's busy with his studies, he took time out to show me around Stockholm. For that and all his hospitality, I am grateful!

Opinions about last night's Mello show are still going strong. Everyone at the central station and on the subway was talking about the show after Alexander and I left the student center. The biggest point of conversation was the international jury vote. This contest marks only the third time since 2005 where the official jury's vote changed the end result. This isn't sitting well with the public, since many people feel the general public should have the final say. A few of the newspapers are reporting difficulties voting as well. I sent in a few votes myself and am unsure if any of those made it through. That's not real news though. It happens every year. When you have a million votes trying to get through in an hour and a half, some just won't make it.

I hear there's a song church service at nearby St. Clara church in about an hour. I'll head there and then it's off to find a few interesting things to bring home to family and friends.

Busy Wednesday

My meeting with Ausben Jordan was exciting but far too short. I was able to chat with him for about twenty minutes between his West Side Story rehearsals and his lunch break. He told me he had no idea about Melodifestivalen or Eurovision before he was asked to dance for Loreen in last year's program. That shouldn't come as a surprise because the two shows are not well known in the US. He also mentioned a major differences between the two shows. He said there is more diversity in music during Eurovision than in Mello since this qualifier focuses more on music from one country instead of many different countries. He thought about entering his own song in Melodifestivalen this year, but he wanted to make changes to his entry and didn't have time to do so before the deadline. He said he's still interested in sending something in and performing it, so we might see him in next year's show.

Ausben striking a pose. He's part Native American, as you can see by his t-shirt.

A walk around Stockholm reveals a few places covered in old snow. It's quickly melting away.

A library satellite in the city's culture house. You can even use your own USB to download ebooks and music from a public kiosk to take home.

A part of the government buildings in the Old Town.

Pink and blue sunset near Slussen.

A popular street food trailer in town where you can get herring and potatoes with Wasa bread.

I also met Alexander, my CouchSurfing host, at a place called Slussen this evening. The name roughly means "sieve" and it is a place where trains, buses, and pedestrians pass through. It's a bit of a junction point. Everything and everyone is funneled into the same place, hence the name. Alexander had booked a table at a local vegetarian restaurant named Hermann's, a popular place for students because of its friendly student discounts and incredible view of central Stockholm. The restaurant even let me get a discount because I'm studying in Texas. We ate so much, I'm not sure I'll be hungry tomorrow morning. 

Alexander, my host for the next few days and me.

 Vegetarian delight. The evening's theme was Middle Eastern vegetarian.

After dinner, we headed back out to Alexander's home in the suburbs. He lives in a house with a Swedish family and a few other university students. We chatted about Stockholm, our lives, the Swedish language, studying, and interesting sights in the town. He also taught me to fly and land an F-14 on a carrier, with an iPhone app. You have to use your bus/train travel time wisely. When Alexander found out I work in a library, he suggested a few must-see libraries in the area. And, for me, a vacation is not complete without a visit to a library. I've already managed to see two in Stockholm already, however, I'm always up for seeing more libraries.

There's no sign of Melodifestivalen here in town, which is a bit disappointing. I expected to see at least a billboard or two. So far, there's been nothing. Karlstad is definitely winning that contest. They made a party out of it, which is what the contest is supposed to be. Alexander did tell me about the Student Unions, who have scheduled Melodifestivalen viewing parties on Saturday. That's the only indication so far that the contest is happening. I've spoken with a great deal of people so far about the contest and have only had about 4-5 people admit they watch it. I think something's odd. 3.5 million people tune in each week, yet I have only run into a handful of people who say they see it? Pia, the representative from Melodifestivalsklubben, told me there used to be a stigma attached to the contest but it is not really as obvious today. It seems there's still a bit of it left, otherwise I think more people would admit to watching it. By my count, I've asked 50 people about the contest. Statistically speaking, about 15-20 people should have seen it, yet only 4-5 have told me they watched it. I'm hoping to find someone who can explain this discrepancy to me.

Meetings in Stockholm

A meeting with fellow Texan Ausben Jordan is on the agenda today. He worked with Loreen last year during both Melodifestivalen and Eurovision. They took home the top spot at both competitions and that's why Sweden is hosting Eurovision in May. 

Take a look at their winning performance:

Ausben is an accomplished dancer, actor, and musician currently preparing for his role as Loco in West Side Story at Stockholms Stadsteater. They are rehearsing today since the show opens on Friday, but he's graciously invited me to speak with him about his work during his lunch break. I'll find out what the contest looks like from a dancer's perspective and how Sweden's Melodifestival compares to Eurovision, the biggest live non-sporting event in the world.

After that, it's time for another CouchSurfing experience. Alexander is a student from the Netherlands who is staying with a Swedish family. I'll meet him tonight at a popular vegetarian place in town and learn about his experiences studying abroad. He'll be my host for the next several days and has promised a guided tour of his favorite places in the city.

Hello from Örebro!

The ice skating was great fun! It is much harder than it looks. We were able to skate on one of Sweden's biggest lakes, lake Vänern. It is frozen solid. Emma told me the ice is so thick, it could comfortably hold a car even though you could see large splits in the ice. In fact, people sometimes drive cars out onto the lake and lock up the wheels on purpose for an unforgettable ride. We also walked through the city park called Mariaberget, which includes many historical buildings, a petting zoo, and a kids playground. I enjoyed it tremendously.

Listen to the crunch. A path has been cut through the snow for skating.

Jonatan told me a little bit about his work with Melodifestivalen today as well. Photography is his hobby and he was able to step in and help this year when a fan website needed people to cover the event. He has been traveling around to all the qualifiers in Sweden and will be in Stockholm too. He said he took about 3,000 photos at yesterday's rehearsal and 8,000 in Malmö last week. Of those, he will get about 100 usable photos. I also thought my backpack was heavy. Seeing Jonatan's backpack helped me put things into perspective. He carries around a lot of equipment to get the job done. You can see some of his handiwork here at Poplight.se.

I said goodbye to my second set of CouchSurfing hosts a few hours back and have arrived in Örebro. I've also settled into my hostel for the evening. The Ritz Nightclub opens its doors at 10 p.m. and closes at 2 a.m, so the night has just started. The club plays a blend of 80's and 90's music with a touch of today's tracks. This evening, they have promised to play several Ace of Base songs as well. Bonus. There is no word yet on when Jenny Berggren will take the stage.

I've been getting my recording gear ready to use by emptying used memory and replacing batteries. I expect to run through a lot of both. For now, I will head out shortly in search of more of my favorite Swedish foods before the club opens up.

Swedish Adventures

Our CouchSurfing meeting last night included fifteen people from several different countries, including Spain, Germany, and Switzerland. We gathered at 7 pm and chatted for two hours. We continued on to a club later in the evening. It was about 2 am when we got home and we all went straight to bed. I'm not as young as I used to be, yet I still made it to the morning.

I'll be staying up late again today when I visit a nightclub in Örebro to see my favorite singer, Jenny Berggren from Ace of Base. Before that, Emma, Jonatan (a photographer for Melodifestivalen), and I will go skating. I haven't ice skated since I was fifteen. Emma has a helmet for me to use because I might need it!

I will be leaving Karlstad for Örebro a little later in the afternoon. First, I have to add a few songs to Emma and Christian's song list. They created a CouchSurfer playlist and their previous guests have added music to it. It's now my turn and I haven't yet decided what I want to add.

CouchSurfing - Round Two

Emma and Christian are my new CouchSurfing hosts. They are an energetic, fun loving, and happy couple who live just outside Karlstad. We met each other downtown this afternoon, chatted for about an hour, then went shopping for food. When we got back to their home, Emma and Christian made dinner. And I chopped the onions, since that's the full extent of my culinary skills. They did not hold my lack of skill against me. Our dinner consisted of tasty meat patties made with whiskey cheese, potatoes, mixed veggies, and a wonderful brown sauce. Emma made everything from scratch and it was one of the best home cooked meals I've had in a while.

We sat around the table discussing a variety of topics from books and movies to Swedish society and, of course Melodifestivalen. The young couple are also avid readers, so we enjoyed talking about the books they have read and want to read. Christian is a fan of fantasy books and buys them often. Emma studied interior design, so she has several books on the topic here at home.

The pair are open to hosting visitors from all over the world. They have hosted a few people from France recently and will take in another CouchSurfer tomorrow in addition to me. He is a photographer for Melodifestivalen and will stay with us for a day or two. He has a lot of work to do, so we might not be able to chat for long. Still, it should be an interesting experience hearing about the contest from many different people.

Thursday means a visit with Pia, a representative from the Melodifestivalenklub, a 400 member strong group  who celebrates the contest year round. Pia will give us the scoop on celebrating the six week contest from a club perspective. Emma and I will also attend a CouchSurfer meeting in Karlstad later in the evening, so we'll get to meet more faces who dare to open their homes and lives to people around the world.

Emma has planned a little outing on Friday. We will find some nature reserves and enjoy the brilliant blanket of snow covering the area. We might also be able to try some Nordic Skating. That's where you strap on a pair of blades and skate across the ice as far as your feet will take you, or at least until you run out of usable ice.

Once Friday comes to a close, I'll take a little detour. It's off to Örebro, a city a few hours to the East. There, Jenny Berggren, my favorite artist will perform songs from her solo album, "My Story", at Ritz Nightlcub downtown. I couldn't miss the opportunity to catch the performance since it is so close to Karlstad. Jenny also coached Terese Fredenwall during Mello this year. Maybe she will have some things to tell us about her role in the contest this year? We'll see.

I will be up early tomorrow to get to the arena, a place named after one of Sweden's most beloved coffee brands: Löfbergs Lila Coffee.

Another Day, Another City

Tomorrow brings another town. Karlstad is up next on the agenda. It's time to meet Emma and Christian, my Couchsurfing hosts in the city. I'll also visit the Swedish American Center. The center was created in the early 60's to strengthen ties between the two countries. I'll see what they're up to these days and learn more about the work they're doing.  

We'll get back to Melodifestivalen, too. It's almost time for the Second Chance round. Karlstad is host and they've promised a good show. Time to see what the city has to offer in terms of pre-festival entertainment. Malmö was quiet on that front. Will Karlstad also take the same tactic? Or will they throw a big city party? One way to find out. The train leaves early in the morning. 

Officially Couchsurfing

I finally made it to Göteborg and have started my couchsurfing experience. Michael, who lives in the city, is hosting me during my stay. I arrived at his door a few hours ago and was promptly invited on a tour of his lovely home. Michael is a painter and his home reflects his profession. The colors are expertly applied and professionally coordinated.

We spent our first few hours chatting about Gothenburg, Melodifestivalen, Sweden, and the US. Michael came to Sweden in the early 90's and raised his family here. He speaks Swedish and is a citizen to boot. Being from LA, he loves Mexican cooking, which he misses. Trying to replicate the original recipes isn't always easy. Some ingredients like corn tortillas and habanero peppers are nonexistent. Michael is a creative guy though, so he mixes and matches flavors to come as close to the real deal as possible.

Michael is also quite thoughtful. He went to the library and checked out a mega-tome on the history of Melodifestivalen for me. It is packed with information. I'm getting an education in the song contest from a man who does not watch the show himself. You never know who might have new information waiting for you. Michael doesn't watch the contest regularly, but he does recall watching it when his son was a kid.

We also had an extensive chat about Sweden and the United States. We discussed everything from the weather and the music, to immigration and social services. We have several experiences in common such as having difficulties with the language even after all these years. His bookshelf looks just like mine: a mix of books on Sweden in both Swedish and English, along with dictionaries for both languages.

Right now, it's time for bed. I've got my own bed in the living room. Michael set out a mattress, covers, and a pillow for me and has given me my own private space so I can get a good night's sleep. 

Tomorrow, I'll head out to the Emigrant's House in Gothenburg and learn more about Swedish Immigration to the United States. Later on, I'll meet other Couchsurfers for a chat about the Mello results so far.

Surfing in Sweden

For most people, traveling usually means staying in a hotel. It's a convenient place to sleep and store your stuff. It can also keep you from experiencing a deeper connection to the area. Hostels can be a good alternative to hotels since you have the opportunity to meet other travelers and see the sights together. It's nice, but it's not the full cultural experience. What other options are there? One option is to couch surf.

The concept is simple. You sign up on sites like Couchsurfing.org or BeWelcome.org, fill out a profile, and find a host in the city you want to visit. You and your host both have a profile, so you can check each other's info and reputation. If your host agrees to let you stay, arrangements are made and plans are put into motion. You have a place to stay and you get to meet locals that are willing to let you into their lives and their culture. You can return the favor by hosting others when you get back from your trip. It's a short international exchange. An exchange of lives, cultures, ideas, languages, and experience.

I have only recently heard of this concept and, being a former exchange student, was intrigued by the possibilities. I had to try it, so I've set up several arrangements and am ready for my first international surfing experience.

First up is Michael in Gothenburg. He's from the US and has lived in Sweden for many years. He doesn't watch Melodifestivalen, but he has agreed to shed some light on living in both the US and Sweden. In Karlstad, we have Emma and Christian, a young Swedish couple who possibly love music even more than I do. They have agreed to share their musical tastes with us and in return, we get the privilege of adding a few songs to their ever expanding international playlist (gathered from previous couch surfers). Stockholm brings a stay with Alexander and his Swedish family. Alexander is a college student from the Netherlands staying with a Swedish family during his studies. He has promised to show us around the capital city while giving us his views on the culture and the contest.

The trips to Malmö and Växjo are a bit hectic, so those visits include a stay at a hostel. We'll get to meet a few fellow travelers there. Do they know about Sweden and Melodifestivalen and semlor? If not, an introduction is in order!