Home in Houston

I had a quiet, safe trip back home. The trip is over, but the blog is not. I still have a lot to talk about over the next few days. I still have things to say about the contest and the trip overall. And videos to upload, too. I'll spend the next few days delving into the topics I haven't had a chance to write about yet. 

Until then, a few pics from the final leg of my trip:

My flight is boarding. An unusual time for takeoff.

Sunset over the East Coast

Tourist jackets at the gift shop, although it's a bit warm for them. It's 60 F/15C outside at night and 73F/22C during the day right now.

The rodeo is in town again. A current installation at the airport celebrating its return to town.

Lounging Around in Philadelphia

I find myself in cloudy and dank Philadelphia. One more leg and I'm almost home. Good thing too. My check-in luggage is breathing its last. One of my wheels has lost its tread entirely and the other is halfway there. The handle has lost half of itself on the flight from Amsterdam as well. I can still telescope the handle out, thankfully. It just looks funny. My brand new boots look like they've been through three winters as well. But it's all good. You know why? I'm in the US Airways lounge. I had a free pass and was determined to use it. I finally have the chance. I'm currently sitting in the peace and quiet of the lounge with a nice view and comfy furniture and free food (my favorite part!). I could get used to this.

Slightly industrial Philadelphia seen from concourse A.

The food court in the main terminal.

Philly has an exhibit on The Surpremes on display.

US Airways lounge at concourse A. Nice and quiet!

The view from the lounge. 

Another area of the lounge.

 And the free food! Am nom nom nom nom!

Did you know Philadelphia used to belong to Sweden? In 1638, Swedish settlers colonized a portion of the East Coast and even had a fort called Korsholm in what is now the southwest side of Philly. The Dutch took over the colony in 1655 and many of the Swedes who settled there stayed in town. The English took it over from the Dutch in 1664. There's even a Swedish American Museum in the city because of the area's history, although I've never been there. Maybe another day. For now, I'm enjoying the lounge before my flight to Houston. I think it's time for some hot chocolate. See you in Houston!

Sweden at Schiphol

One hour to go before boarding the flight to Philly. The second level of Schiphol promised even more shopping experiences. It also provided a lot of opportunities to see Swedish culture abroad. I stumbled upon several Swedish products while wandering around the departures area upstairs. So far, I've seen Swedish books, stores, and food. I've even heard Swedish music over the airport speakers.

Swedish crime fiction is still hot. Three different authors are represented here. 

Clothing giant H&M is almost as ubiquitous as other multinationals like Apple and Starbucks.

Raw samon cured with salt, dill, and sugar. Not too popular here. This is on sale, 40% off.

Daim, a typical and popular type of Swedish candy. It used to be called Dajm. It was changed to make it more English friendly.

I also found a library smack in the middle of the departures area. It's simply called Airport Library and it is the first permanent airport library in the world. It's made up of several couches, two long desks with iPads, free wifi and outlet plugs for charging electronic equipment. Several shelving units sit behind the desks and include books on Amsterdam and the Netherlands in different languages. I like! Right now, several people are using the library, including myself, naturally.

It's about time for me to leave Europe, so I'll say farewell until I hit the other side of the Atlantic. I will leave at 12 PM and get to Philadelphia around 4 PM, with flying time clocking in at about eight hours. The magic of crossing time zones going West. An eight hour flight takes only four going the other way. The flight is not fully booked, so no chance of a bump for me. Maybe from Philly to Houston? I would take it if they offered!

Schiphol - The Airport that Never Sleeps

It's 3 AM at the airport in Amsterdam. The check-in and departure areas are closed, but arrivals are still trickling in. Planes continue to arrive all through the night. People are waiting in the arrivals area for family and friends. The airport even contains a unique machine where you can make a banner to surprise your arriving passenger when they step out of the gate. People in the departure area are milling about busying themselves by reading, watching TV, chatting, or trying to sleep. Some shops stay open 24 hours, so there are still a few places to get something to eat. Security patrols all areas and are easily visible since many of them ride Segways around.


Like Copenhagen, Schiphol airport also has a shopping area. It's more like a mall, really. There's a large shopping area before the departure gates. I'm sure there are even more shops on the other side. I've yet to find out. I arrived late last evening, so I haven't been able to check in. It will be a few more hours until I can see what's behind the gate.

Schiphol is an airport on a massive scale. The airport employs over 60,000 people. You'll find over 35,000 parking spaces outside. Inside, there are over 100 shops. There are 32 check-in areas, 91 gates, and over 110 airlines represented. No wonder it's open 24/7.

My flight to Philadelphia leaves at noon CET, so I have quite some time to kill. Once I check-in, I hope to find some interesting sights and stores on the upper level as well. Until then, I will be walking the arrivals area and sleeping in a nook here and there. Waiting in an airport is practical but not glamorous.

Welcome to Schiphol!

Empty check-in counters at 11 PM

KLM has its base here, of course. 

Where do you want to shop? Only 109 shops to choose from.

Or make a banner for your passenger.

One of the open eateries at 3 AM

A typical breakfast offering.

How many hours is it from here?

CPH - Kastrup

I can still tell I'm in Scandinavia since I halfway understand people when they speak, if they speak slowly. That and there's a ton of Danish goods to buy no matter where you look. The airport wants you to shop and shop big. The stores are everywhere at Kastrup and you can't avoid them since you have to walk past them to get to the terminal. Otherwise, the airport is clean, well-lit, and nicely designed. That's another reason I can tell I'm still in Northern Europe. The design and layout is always clean, sleek, and modern in this area of the world.

The sun sets in Copenhagen on the way to the airport.

I made it! Leg one of three on this trip back.

People rushing about and shopping. Both sides of the walkway are lined with stores.

Wide, well-lit, and clean hallways. A hallmark of Scandinavian life.

Back to the Beginning

I've made it back to Malmö where my trip started. It's always eye-opening to backtrack on your travel. For me, it reminds me where I've been, who I've met, what I've done, and what I've learned. When I came through Malmö almost three weeks ago, I didn't know where to go or what the future held. I've lived that future and am coming back with new experiences and new views. To see my arrival city again is to remember the past.

Traveling back to the US is also a bittersweet feeling. I love travel and new experiences, yet I am happy to get back to Texas again. Swedes have a saying for that, "Borta bra, men hemma bäst". Being away is nice, but being home is the best. I love being home, yet I will miss Sweden - as I always do.

Everything is magnified when I know I have to leave. I walk by a restaurant and smell food I will miss. Songs play in the shops and their lyrics seem to always say something to me just before I have to leave, "Leaving on a jet plane. Don't know when I'll be back again." Posters on the walls advertise events I won't be able to attend. Conversation in the air lingers. That conversation in Swedish will change into Dutch then English. Being surrounding by Swedes casually chatting about their day will soon be a memory. And, yes, I'll even miss the weather. I've grown to enjoy the cold, crisp air and the brisk breezes. It wakes you up and makes you more alive somehow.

I have a few hours left before I have to move on to Copenhagen. I'll spend those hours the best way I know how -  by walking around, reminiscing, taking in the sights, and storing it all in my memory. It will have to last awhile. I truly don't know when I'll be back again.

I Fought the Food...

...and the food won. Sadly, I couldn't make it through the last four semlor. It ends well, though. I didn't die and I now have four semlor left for breakfast. Mmm, good!

I'm up early to catch the train to Malmö in a few hours. It takes a while to get there from Stockholm, so it's good to have a full stomach. I'll do some more shopping when I get there, since Copenhagen is just over the bridge and my flight leaves for Amsterdam tonight. There's always time for shopping.

I arrived with near bursting bags almost three weeks ago. My backpack and rolling duffel bag are now half full. I take the  "pack a little trash" approach when I travel. Pack those scruffy jeans and worn out sweaters, then toss them along the way. Some people don't like the approach. It works for me. It leaves more room for fun stuff like candy and food. Who needs clothes when you can have Swedish candy? Priorities, people!

Goodbye Växjö. Hello Stockholm.

The skies are clear, the weather is warming up, and I'm in Stockholm. Can't beat it. My entire day consisted of a morning walk, a museum visit, a train ride to the capital, and a trip to the grocery store. So far, I haven't seen any of Stockholm yet, except the inside of a supermarket. There are a few unusual things to see there.

One of the main streets of Växjö in the morning.

These billboards are common across the country. Anyone can post a notice. This one is plastered with the events of just one club.

On the way to the Glass Museum and the Emigrant House

Swedish design can be a bit of a question mark.

Or it can be sleek and modern.

Or even futuristic and abstract.

Inside the Dream of America exhibit.

 Walking down Snus Street in the museum, a mock-up of a Swedish American street in Chicago.

New York that way... a long way that way.

It's already dark in Stockholm and I'm hungry. Supermarket trip! This supermarket is selling Bison from the USA.

OLW loves to play up on American stereotypes in its advertising and packaging.

One of three places in the supermarket where you can buy cheese. It's a major staple here.

Yum. Vacuum sealed fish.

 Frozen berries by the scoop.

Information! The semlor are near the front, people.

Super tasty cinnamon buns, which have their own day in Sweden in October. 4 for 25 means they're about a dollar each, which is a steal.

I've never seen these before. Canned sausage. Maybe like spam? I'm not willing to find out.

Ready to eat whole shrimp. Seafood is big everywhere since Sweden has so much coastline to fish. 

Hmm, wild boar, reindeer, or elk for dinner?

I'll take elk, thank you!

The View from Växjö

A few pictures and video from Växjö and the surrounding area:

 Traveling by train in Sweden looks like this much of the time. Trees and snow and an occasional building.

On the train to Växjö

Arriving in town near the travel depot.

Unique architecture at the travel depot.

First order of business: Dinner. A chicken, banana, pineapple, and peanut pizza. Savory, sweet, and packed with protein - and maybe a little fat too.

Enjoy the silence. The sound is working on this clip. Walking on a pedestrian path during sunset.

Home Sweet Home. Evedals is located just outside of the city. I called the hostel's number, the person gave me a code over the phone, and I retrieved my key from a locked box near the door. I was told I could pay in the morning.