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.

A Concert, A Bed, and the Mission Church in Gnosjö

I currently find myself in the town of Gnosjö, a small town in the lower central part of Sweden. It's also on the way to Växjo. The mission church in the area had a concert last night and the guest speaker was Jenny Berggren. I read a quote about Melodifestivalen from artist Louise Hoffsten, one of the finalists in the contest a few weeks back. She said it is difficult to put on concerts while Melodifestivalen is on TV. So why not see what a Saturday night concert looks like when one of the programs is on TV? Instead of watching Melodifestivalen last night, I was at the concert in the church.

I've had a memorable time here at the church so far. I got here yesterday and haven't left since. Yes, I stayed overnight. I will explain how that came about a bit later. For now, it's time for breakfast and in  45 minutes, the church service begins. After the morning service, I will head to Växjo and from there, I will tell you about my time in Gnosjö.

Commence the Countdown!

I love traveling - both the process and the destination. You learn from everything and everyone you meet along the way. This time, you and I will be meeting many, many people at several stops. Here's a short rundown, which is always subject to change when traveling!

• Malmö - Our first stop in Sweden. This southern city is hosting the fourth and last semifinal on February 23rd. We will be there early to catch the first practice run on Friday night and then we'll attend the big show on Saturday evening. I'll be cheering on the artists, especially Terese.


• Göteborg - The second largest city in the country and a historical place for many Swedes who left for America in the big immigration. For many, the skyline of Gothenburg was the last glimpse they would ever have of their native land. We will visit a few of the important areas around town. We'll also meet up with some locals to talk music and Melodifestivalen on Tuesday night the 26th.


• Karlstad - The second chance round happens here on March 2. Eight artists will compete for the last two golden tickets to the final. We will meet with members of the Melodifestival club in Sweden, a country-wide contingent of fans who follow the contest year-round. Swedish America also has a presence in this sunny city. Twenty percent of Swedes who immigrated to the States came from this region. The Swedish American Center highlights this fact. We will take a tour of the center.


• Växjö - I've never been to Växjö and Småland, so I look forward to visiting a new area of the country. If you have any must visit/must eat places, let me know! I do know the city has a huge research center for Swedish American genealogy and information. That will be a definite stop in our itinerary!


• Stockholm -The crowning of the 2013 winner happens on March 9. The final week promises to be full of energy and interviews. We will chat with Semmelmannen, a connoisseur and expert on semlor. His well-known and well-visited Tumblr blog documents and grades semla offerings across the country every year. We will also stop and see what Ausben Jordan is up to after his work and winning dance with Loreen in last year's Mello and Eurovision contests. 

• Other plans? - Who knows what might happen on the road? Never plan too much because you could end up in some crazy places with a host of fascinating people. Like a Boy Scout, you should always be ready for anything.

Our winding path all around the southern half of Sweden.

I don't dare go further north during winter. My Texas hands and toes couldn't take it.

It's going to be a busy trip, so gather up your stuff and get packing. We have less than a week.