Guys. I kinda can’t believe it. I’ve been in Sweden for A WEEK! I have been without a single familiar face for A WEEK! I haven’t had sushi go-round from down the street from my apartment for A WEEK! And you know what? I’m doin pretty damn good! Frankly, I’m surprising the hell out of myself.
Here are some things I’ve observed in the past week:
- Things are on point in Sweden. People are on time to the second and the public transportation never fails.
- Folks are law abiding. You can be standing at a crosswalk with no signs of cars for miles and people will stand as still as statues until that walk sign turns green. The first time I observed this I was in awe.
- There are a lot of blonde people. More than you can even imagine. It took me a few days to actually notice, but once I did I was, again, in awe.
- The food is…. well, maybe it’s too soon to tell, but, aside from the delicious pastries and baked goods, I haven’t tasted a single thing that made me pause and say “mmmm!” I really hope I’m wrong about this one…
- There are parks EVERYWHERE! This is great as parks are my favorite!
- Swedish people seem to be out to convince me that they are all cold and unfriendly, but I am yet to meet a single person that fits this description.
- There is an H&M on every corner and the folks working there all wear white gloves and it’s really strange.
- Things are pretty quiet. The subway is one tenth the volume of the typical MAX train.
A few highlights from the past few days include taking a three hour walk in beautiful Djurgården Park with a new Swedish friend I was introduced to that so happens to be an encyclopedia for Scandinavian knowledge, exploring a new city, and experiencing a high speed train.
Here are some picture highlights!
Impromptu parade of sorts.
Sun worshipping.
My trip to IKEA was a success. The potatoes are whole instead of mashed and the hot dogs are way skinnier. The free bus was amazing. I teared up while looking at couches because I saw our couch and missed Kiel and Bella.
Views from a ride “home”.
Got warm enough to take ma pants off.
Cruising around Uppsala.
Swedish uniformity comes in handy in flash mob situations.
My airbnb hosts win awards for their home brew!
“More falafel less racism”
Church pics.
Very old library.
Unreal danish filled with vanilla custard and blueberries.
Castle.
Gardens.
I’m currently waiting on Hannah, who will be here in the next two hours! It has been very important for me to spend some time solo, but I’m really looking forward to exploring some more with a best bud by my side!
Peace, love, and patchouli –
Portland Pollyanna
Portland Pollyanna 