A Swedish Thanksgiving

So over a month without any posts. How sad! How sad! Well not a lot of interesting things have been going on here, especialy no picture-worthy events.

But last night, Kelly and I went to Liseberg again. Why Liseberg, again you say? Well after the summer season, Liseberg closes down and sets all of their Jule (Christmas) decorations, which includes a ton (and I mean that in the literal sense) of lights. They only open a few of the rides, but mostly it's the addition of all the vendors and the decorations that draws in the people. Last night was their reopening, and boy was I impressed. The sheer number of lights was awing and beautiful. Some of the trees looked like they were made out of light themselves. I now know that the 'Christmas Bush People' from down the street (Kyle and Dad know what I mean) mus t be Swedish. Only they know how to get that kind of even light coverage.

I tried taking pictures while I was there, but it's tough taking light pictures at night. Here's some of the best:



First off: That's the Skytower they made into a tree. Yes, the 10 story thing that takes you up and circles around to let you look at the city. You can basically see this tree from all over the city (at least my part of the city). I just think it's cool.


The entrance to Liseberg.


Checkout the ice rink they setup outside in the concert area.




I love the reflection in the lake in this one.


The most in focused picture of the night! Yay! (And still beautiful)


Me posing outside the mini-ski slope they setup for little kids to ski.








They even decorated the long escalator up the mountain to the SkyTower with electric blue lights and snowflakes.


BE AFRAID! It's the scarey St. Lucia painting outside the Haunted House. St. Lucia's Day is HEAVILY celebrated here.

Maja and Kelly were planning on baking cookies at Maja's place with her children, Yani and Linus yesterday, and Maja also decided to have lunch and invited me over as well.  Lunch was delicious (as usual), as I have discovered that crawfish are really yummy.  I didn't think I was going to be able to fit into Maja's kitchen to help with the baking, as there were already two women and 2 children, so I sat in the den with Maja's husband talking of all things, science.  Maja's husband is an organic chemistry professor at the university.  So his recent exam was mostly what we talked about.  (organic theory is something that I like discussing but cannot practice as making things is actually kinda boring).

After the cookies were finished, and I ate more than my fill, we went out for a walk to go feed the cows. Well really, Maja, Kelly and I walked.  The kids rode their bikes. Yani being solder would ride his bike down to the end of the block and wait for us, but Linus (being 3) pretty much rode along side with us, pedaling as fast as his little legs could taken him.  I think on little kids bikes, they purposely make them at a higher gear just so older people can keep up with them.  Anyways we visited these cows, which were kept down in a fenced in area closer to the river that leaders to the ocean.  Only these aren't your normal dairy cows. These are shaggy, stout cows.  We brought a couple of carrots and crackers that the little ones threw from an overlook along the side of the fence, but the cows were far on the other side of the field.  Once they noticed we were there, they came (slowly) over to us. Basically one cow (the dominate female I assume) found all out presents, and the rest of the cows moved in.  They surrounded the fence; I'm assuming they wanted more food, but we were empty.

We finally went back and were convinced to stay for dinner.  More food from the Maja family.  It was a realy great day indeed.

A coworker, Ingela, put this article on my desk yesterday, and I needed to share it with the rest of the world.  Check it out here http://www.talarforum.se/article/colin_moon/158/are_swedes_really_that_normal-colin_moon.pdf.  Oddly, it's pretty true.  Sometimes I question how anyone really gets any work done here, as there are always meetings or people not here (usually they are sitting outside just enjoying the sunshine.).  Yet, the Swedes are really good at being efficient at what they do.  So I have yet to figure it all out, but I think I'll have a pretty good idea after two years.

So another week's gone by, and I've starting this trend of not posting.  Well I hope this week was because of my continued poor health and not a new trend.  Yeah, I was still sick all week.  Mostly my body's just been so tired.  The brain function well enough, but the eyes screamed, "Close ME!"

I really though I would be OK on Monday, as over last weekend I was feeling alright.  But I got up on Monday morning, showered, shaved, got dressed.  All as normal.  But as I sat down to put on my shoes, I suddenly lifted my head to find that I had lost 2 hours.  I them proceed to curl up and bed and sleep another 2 hours.  I finally drag myself to school to get all the info I need to goto the doctor and proceed there.  Unlike last week, the doctor's office was packed.  I took my number and waited.

When I finally got to see someone after four hours, for the cheap price of 200 kronor no less (rather than the 1500 they quoted me last week Go Fig.), the doctor basically said, "it sounds like a virus and all you can do is rest."  A normal response here from what I understand.  They saw me for maybe 5 minutes and prescribed me a decongestant and some cough syrup.  Yeah I needed a prescription for Sudafed and NiteQuil. lol. 

So I went to the closest apoteket (pharmacy) to fill my prescription (they e-mail them here so you can go to any one) and then to Folkuniversitet since they are all in the same area. At Folkuniversitet, I found my Swedish teacher to explain my situation and find out what we're going to do that night. And finally I go home to sleep.

And sleep is what I did.  I think I slept 15-20 hours everyday last week except for Thursday when I tried to go school.  But on Saturday I starting feeling well enough to move around.  So I tried airing out my room and doing my laundry.  I had been living in the same 2 pairs of jeans and two sweatshirts all week.  And my comforter just felt nasty.  It was really to feel somewhat normal again.  I'm not perfect yet, but I am definately going to school.  I can't wait to spend a  day outside of my room!

(Plus while I was sick I put together a list of odd things about Sweden. Hopefully I can put them together and post them sometime soon)

I haven't been posting as much this week because somehow on Tuesday I caught a nasty cold.  Mostly I've been extremely tired, a little stuffy in the chest and throat, and achey in my head and legs.  I tried sticking it out, going to school and continuing to setup the lab, on Tuesday and Wednesday because I needed set up a massive order with one of the lab supply companies.  Unlike in the US, I can't really go and order things for the lab as I need them.   I have to tell Maja what I need and either she orders it or passes it along to one of the secretaries.  It helps keep us more accountable for what we buy, but I'd really like to get things setup as son as possible (as would Andy as he is really pressuring me).  So I put together a spreadsheet with all the catalog numbers of all the things I found we need (a list that I put together the week before as I unpacked the things we shipped over from the US).   And since Maja is going to be in the US next week, working with the lab there to learn how we do a lot of the nanofabrication things we do, it needed to get done last week. 

Thursday comes along and I just could stand it anymore. With the help of Ann-Sofie, I found my way to the equivalent of the doctor.  To see someone, you grab a number, wait for it to get called, talk to a nurse at triage, and then see someone.  I only got to the triage part though, twice.  The first time they needed identification (why have this person number system if you can't give give the number).  Oh I can handle that,  So I go home (45 tram across the city), grab the passport (I can't wait for my Swedish ID), head back on the tram, and wait again.  This time when I get up to tirage, she asks for my EU card.  I blink a few times to grab my bearings and ask what that is.  Apparently it's a European Union insurance card. No they couldn't take my American insurance card, it need to be a EU card otherwise it would be 1500 kronor (~$200.00).  I didn't have the energy to try and understand it better nor did I want to pay $200.00 for a doctor to tell me I had a virus (which is what the nurse said I probably have when I described my symptoms.  All I wanted to do was go home and rest. And that's exact;y what I did.

Friday and Saturday I spent the day in bed, mostly sleeping, listening to the radio, and watching a random DVD or two on my computer.  I am appreciative that I had a lot of calls on Friday to make sure I was doing OK.  Everyone was making sure nothing serious had happened to me.  I groaned a little every time I heard the phone ring or IM buzz, (all I wanted to do was sleep), but looking back on it, I'm glad they did.  And apparently the insurance thing is taken care of, I just have to pay for it and get reimbursed.

Today I went grocery shopping because I was out of food.  That drained a lot out of me; so I think tomorrow I will try and see the doctor again.  Hopefully I'll be out before my Swedish class starts as I'm starting the intermediate level (M W 5:30pm-8:00pm for 6 weeks).  Wish me better health!

Too nice a day to post anything. 68, sunny, and beautiful. I am out to wander about.

Cya!

For all the smart, practical  things I have I have seen in Sweden, there are still a bunch of surprises. One such is the elevator.  So I bring to you, how to use a Swedish elevator.

The Elevator!


Step 1: Hit the button


Step 2: OPEN the elevator door.


Step 3: Step in the elevator.


Step 4: Close door.


Step 5: THEN choose your floor. Stand correctly so that you don't get yourself stuck!


Step 6: Slide your elevator card and put in your pin code.


Step 7: Watch the floors go by, making sure not to go near the door or past this grey sensor. Otherwise the elevator stops.

Step 8: Leave elevator and go about your day.

All last week and this week, the students from this year's incoming class, known as Year Zeros, have been on campus.  Apparently they come early (classes don't begin until September 1) for a series of team building exercises that last about 2 weeks.  From how it's been explained to me, you get together with you major and bond with them over this time period, basically doing everything together.  Everyone wears these cards around their necks that have '0' on the top and a 3x4 (at least I think it's 3x4, it might 2x5) grid pattern on the bottom and might be wearing the same clothes.  There's a couple of older students that organize all this, leading them around and showing/telling them what to do.  Each day they go around doing weird and kinda embarrassing stuns, so that they can fill in their cards.  They usually end up having a cook out together at night in one of the many social areas (like in the garden/park area in front of the Chem building).  Oddly it all sounds a little like Greek Rush week to me. ; )

So first story goes like this.  At lunch, one of the other grad students was telling us how he saw a bunch of the year zero kids trying to slide down the stairs beside the chem build last week.  Since the Chem building is built into the side of a huge hill, one side has a series of steps about four stories hight.  Every half flight or so, there's a little landing and then the stairs continue.  So one of the older students demonstrated how to do this.  He grabbed one of those big plastic trays used to transport bread in the grocery store.  He then sat down in it as he flies off down the stairs, crouching along the way.  As he went down the stairs, he's shakes and bumps, but when he hit the landings, all is smooth as he used his momentum to carry him to the next set of stairs.  it must have been quite the site.  I wish I could have seen it for myself!

Second weird story was as I was leaving the Chemistry building today.  There's a big lobby in the front of the building (it actually looks like the lobby was added onto the building much later as the decor is much nicer and there are windows, doors, and brick walls where the lobby meets the building) where many of the students hang out to eat, study, talk, rest.  So as I'm walking out today, I see all these people standing in the front near the windows.  But mostly they are just wearing jeans.  Then I notice that most of them are missing shirts (men and women). Apparently they are changing and switching clothes in the middle of the building.  I laughed, not believing what I saw, and leave the building thinking what other crazy things they have had to do.

Edited on September 5, 2007: I found a picture of the cards!  Here's what it looks like.  It's really big and basically covers your whole torso.

So Kelly had this brilliant idea today of going to PizzaHut.  Yes there's PizzaHuts in Sweden!  They're only located in the center par of town (the touristy area along the Aveney).  Now I should explain why this is really funny.  The Sweds (and most of Europe it seems) really likes their pizza.  It comes as a personal pizza, about 12-14" in diameter, and a slightly thing crust.  They will put anything on it, and you start out eating it with a knife and fork.  A typical pizza consists of meat, veggies, and a sauce.  Meats vary from sausage, chicken, shrimp, tuna, gyro (kebab) meat, mussels, anything.  Veggies are a little more common, the typical onions, peppers, mushrooms, lettuce (uncooked), olives (unpitted and rolling on the pizza), whole banana peppers.  Then the sauce is usually but on top of the cheese. And this is isn't your mom's tomato sauce.  You're more likely to get tzatziki or bernaise sauce or one of the many other looser sauces they put on meat.  Finally, every pizza comes with a 'sallad,' which consists of a vinegar-based cabbage coleslaw and spices (looks like black pepper to me).

Go to any pizza shop, (which will probably be run by a family of Middle Eastern immigrants) and you will find a menu of pizza names that count at least 40, but sometimes upward a 100 different types of pizza.  You do have your standard calzone and you have your ham and mushrooms – type of pizzas. But they are soon dwarfed by pizza combinations you could never think of!  Curry, banana, pineapple.  Tabasco, ground beef, chili, garlic and onion.  Mozzarella, mussels, giant shrimp, garlic and parsley.  There's too many for me to translate!  And don't know them until you've tried them.  Normally they turn out pretty good.

So the curiosity to try a Pizza Hut in Sweden was just too great.  Would it be like the American style I grew up with or would it be the Swedish style I'm am growing to love?

Well first of all, the restaurant is completely different.  It's more like stepping into a trendy downtown restaurant than the actually pre-fab huts were all used to in the states.  There's a patio outside where you can sit and enjoy the fresh air (complete with blankets and heaters for when it gets cold).  The inside is stylishly designed, and upstairs you'd find the bar.  This ain't Kansas anymore.

As for the pizza, I'd say it was a hybid of the two styles.  The hand-tossed, pan, and cheese-filled crusts were all present.  But, hand-tossed is known as 'Italian' here, and the pan pizza wasn't quite as thick.  The topping selection was a little less crazy, using only the most common ones.  Being the food adventurer that I am, I was able to order a Tokyo pizza which was their vegetarian pizza (onions, green onions, red peppers, and sliced tomatoes) with teriyaki sauce on top.  It actually turned out really good.

We had waffles with ice cream and what I think was strawberry sauce for dessert.  Yes a real dessert menu.  All for about $20, which isn't bad for a prepared meal in Sweden.  I forgot my camera but will take some pictures when I get a chance to go again.  Yay for new adventures. 

Today was going to be a wonderful day.  Maja had this great idea on Thursday to head out to the archipelago Saturday, which is a series of four islands (I think it's four) just south of the city.  It's where everyone in the city goes for day trips during the summer when they want to get out of the city.  And the Sweds always want to get outside and out of the city.  To get there you basically take a ferry that uses the same fare as the trams.  So I could ride down there for my normal tram fare which translates to about $3.00 (very cheap to travel across the city and on a boat if you ask me). 

Unfortunately, the weather did not want to cooperate with us at all.  Friday was an amazing day weather wise, blue skies, 70 degrees, little humidity.  It was like perfect weather to go outside. Everything was looking peachy for today as well!  Even the forecast said more of the same.  .... But then this morning hit.  I wokr up to tons of fog, a rain storms, gusting winds, and cold.  Right as I start to head out the door to catch the tram since it would take me 45 minutes to get to the boat where we were meeting, Maja calls me saying the trip was cancelled.  And honestly it was waaaay too cold to be going out there.  It wouldn't really have been much fun.

BUT! Maja says we'll just have you over for tea later this afternoon.  Cool!  If I haven't mentioned it before, coffee/tea in the afternoon is well followed here.  We have it every morning and afternoon (10:00 and 3:00 respectively) when in lab.  So for the first time in my life, I'm actually drinking a lot of tea.  I don't think coffee with come along down the road because I like my caffeine cold and fizzy.  Anyways, so I leave at 2:00 to try and be there by 2:30 for tea, but end up not really getting there until 3:00.  I took a wrong tram and one that I needed, despite me being at the busiest part of town, didn't come for like 20 minutes when they usually come in 10 minute intervals. (This could be because it was the weekend).  

Anyways, I finally get there to a waiting Maja and her three year-old son Linus (Lee-noos cause they are French after all and really really nice French people), who was long blond slightly curly hair.  Where he gets it from, I have no clue because his parents both have black hair.  We walk up to Maja's spectacular apartment, where I meet her other son, Yani, age & (I think).

I had a lot of fun having tea and just talking as well sat out on the balcony.  It was surprisingly warm; I think because the balcony was kinda tucked into the side of the apartment.  We ended up talking so long, it turned into dinner.  It was funny how there was this huge apartment with six people trying to cram ourselves into this small kitchen.  It was still fun though talking about science and who the Swedish economic system works and internet dating.

(Side note: It sounds like Europe's kinda jealous of the 'American Dream' so to speak.  Since the taxes are so high here, it's much more difficult to get ahead of everyone else.  On the flip side, it's really tough to fall behind.  Whereas in the US, our lower taxes provide for better monetary gain but less protection in case we fall through the crack.  The Swedish tax rate ranges from about 25%-50%, whereas the US is around 10%-30%.   Think about how much extra money you'd have in your pocket  if you lived in the US rather than Sweden.  As Maja's husband said, sometimes it doesn't pay to make money.  Now this is probably oversimplifying the who system, but it's the perception help by some Sweds and has helped me appreciate our economy more.)

Both of Maja's kids were great.  Yani played the cool older brother, but he seemed to have a lot of fun cooking in the kitchen.  Linus is wild but still a lot of fun.  He was a little shy at first, but after our tea, all he wanted to do was play. As we walked up to the stairs to the apartment, he hid in his mom's arms and I played hide and seek with him.  Then later after tea, he became more bold, wanting me to chase him or to play dead while he shot me.  Oh I love playing with kids. Even better when they aren't mine and I can rile them up without paying the consequences.  :)

It was 10:30 when I finally left, but I left with a full belly and a happy smile.  What else could you ask for, huh?

Now I'm really enjoying meeting all the Sweds on my lab floor.  We spend a lot of time together chatting because they have a nice lunch room on the floor where we have lunch (of course) and the mandatory coffee breaks (10:00 and 3:00). 

There's Maja, the married, French, post-doc in my lab who's been living in Sweden for 7 or so years (she earned her PhD here).  She's basically the lab mom, has an opinion on EVERYTHING, is extremely nice, and is willing to help you out regardless of what you need.  Eric is very opinionated as well and will talk you ears, head, mouth, nose, whatever right off.  He's very relaxed and a cool guy.  Ingela (I swear I have to be butchering her name) is a happy, bubbly person. Then there's Johan (another name I know I am butchering), who is very quiet but likes to hang out with everyone too.  Those have been the four that I've seen the most (plus who went out with me last week). Most of the floor's been on vacation since I've been here.  But those are the ones I can name and know well enough.

Anyways here's the story for today:  Maja was trying to get everyone to goto the gym yesterday for an aerobics class.  Great idea!  I mean the gym is the building next door.  If I worked for Gothenburg University, it's be cheaper 'cause they pay for part of it.  You can't lose right?  (note: I didn't go because 1) I felt horrible Thursday 2) I have a free gym that's apart of my rent and 3) I don't like exercise classes. But it was still a really good idea to get people to go.)  So she talked about it on Wednesday.  And was asking everyone if they were going on Thursday.

During lunch she was asked Eric if he was going.  After mumbling, trying to think of a good answer, Eric responds with, "I didn't bring any clothes."  To which Maja responds coolly, "Well you have pretty nice boxers, you can wear those." My mouth just fell open.  It was so funny and definitely not something I would hear at school in the states.

Then, later on we were discussing different exercises and what the class did.  And how push ups don't work a useful part of the body; they're all for show.  Maja replies that they work your pectorals and would life your breasts up.  Ingela says, "Well that's what I wear a bra for! A bra can do that!"  You can't but laugh with these people.

I had an interesting conversation with a friend over IM and thought everyone might like to hear.

Friend: Are there things you cannot get, in Sweden, that you miss?  I have been curious about that
Me!: Not that I can tell so far.  It has surprised me how similar to the US, Sweden is in terms of products.
Me!: The grocerey store has all the same things, if not the same brands.  I was expecting to be totally clueless at the store, but it's not that hard really.
Me!:  For example, I can get Sun-Maid raisins, or Uncle Ben's rice or sauces.
Me!: But sometimes it's brands that are just missing
Me!: So if I like a specific type of cereal, I might not find it now.
Me!: (I really miss my Almond Honey Bunches of Oats or my Cracklin' Oat Brand)
Me!: Biggest missing thing are medicines. They are tightly controlled here because health care is through the government. So no NightQuil when I get sick.
Friend: you cannot get certain over the counter things ?  you have to go to a doctor?
Me!: Well for example NightQuil doesn't exist here at all
Me!: but yes
Me!: mostly
Me!: I've not been sick yet, so I've not been to the Apotek (the one and only pharmacy that is also controlled by the government)
Me!: So I don't know what's in there or not, but I suspect a lot will be difficult to get because I would need to see a doctor
Friend: interesting
Me!: They are almost afraid of antibiotics here. They're scared of over use and allowing bacteria to mutate so that they will be inpervious to the antibiotic.
Me!: It's particularly tough to get them

To expand further, here are some interesting shopping related thing I miss or were surprised to find.

Nothing here is open past 9:00.  10:00 is you're lucky.  Most stores close at 7:00 in fact.  And forget on Sunday, 5:00, that's it.   It's just the grocery stores that will stay open that late.  And even that is like 8:00. ugh. I miss being able to go grocery shopping at midnight or 5:00 in the morning if I want to, especially to bypass the long lines.  Bring me a Wal-mart!

They love milk products here.  There's mjölk(milk), filmjölk (thick milk), and yogurt.  All of which is pourable and can be put onto cereal.  Filmjölk is like a yogurt smoothie.  It comes in different fruit flavors (like yogurt) but is thinner than yogurt.  Yogurt is also thinner than American yogurt and comes in all different kinds of flavors, raspberry, strawberry, mild, extra bacteria ...  yeah, you read that right.  But they all come in cartons (one liter or less).  What if I want a nice big gallon to last me two weeks?  No? So I have to keep coming back every couple days, fighting against the long lines of people?

Frozen vegetables are plentiful. Yay!  (For some reason I assumed those were an American, 'gotta have it now' 'rush, rush, rush' kinda thing)

Curry is easy to find. Yay!  Veggie curry here I come.

Cheese is basically swiss cheese ... whole cases exist in the grocery stores (even the small grocery stores) of it  Why they need so much of it totally escapes my mind.  I chalk it up to, they love their milk here.  So no (very little really) yellow cheese here!

Small grocery stores suck at give selection.  I want a cereal aisle, not 10 boxes to choose from.  (This is pretty much a problem with shopping around in the city. If I had a car to travel to a real supermarket, I'd be less unhappy).

Yesterday I went back to Liseberg, the largest amusement park in all of Scandinavia.  Well i this is the largest, I hate to see what the smallest looks like, but like I've said before it is still an extremely fun place to go visit.   I tried to take my camera this time, but my batteries died soon after we got into the park.  Kelly was nice to let me have some of her pictures from last night and our first visit.  Enjoy here!

The floor invited the new Americans out for a drink last night.  So we went out on Aveny, in one of the many areas they setup for the Culture Fest.  I had a great time.  Too bad I had to cut the evening short, since I had Swedish class this morning.  Though as I walked home, I ran into another concert outside the Art museum, only this time it was by a Christian Gospel ... I want to say choir, but it wasn't technically a choir. They were missing the robes.  But they sure were overly happy like a gospel choir should be.  It was really weird to see them; they made me chuckle.  But it was a good reminder of the South.  If I closed my eyes, it was almost as if I was back home.  Then of course the rains came; so I went home.  I didn't take many photos, but here are a couple.

This one was shot by Kelly.  As we were hanging out, we notice this guy getting into this costume.  Apparently, they were trying to raise awareness for AIDS in Africa.  I question their choice of attire, but when in Europe ...

Here's the choir I ran into at the Art museum stage.

Check out how shiney and fluorescent this guy's shirt is!  Another choice of attire question, but what do I know?

So Kelly and I try the bank yet again.  This was around 2:30 on a rainy day.  When we get there, we both grabbed numbers and waited in line patiently.  When my number's called, I explain my situation and hand my passport over ... only to be DENIED!  Apparently you need a piece of paper with your personnummer on it in order to get a bank account.  UGH! And my paper went the way of the dodo last week, when the trash I was suposed to take out opened and got yogurt and water from who knows where all over it, rendering the paper smelly and unreadable.  Now to figure out a way to get a new one.  Internet or go back to the tax office ... we'll see how this works out.

On happier news, later tonight I went on a field trip with Folkuniversitetet. This week is the Göteborg Culture Festival, and they planned to goto a jazz concert on the waterfront with fireworks later. Neat ... too bad the rain caused the concert to be canceled.  Despite it being perfectly sunny when we met at 6:30, it was pretty wet up until then.  So I learned we were going to the Art Museum, which is along the Aveny right by where I live.

Unfortunately, I was not allowed to take pictures in the museum.  It's pretty small though and not to overly inspiring.  I saw one really neat optical illusion box and two extremely humongous, detailed maps of Rome and Göteborg in the 15th century.  But on a whole, I'd skip the art museum on your trip to Göteborg if you have other pressing things to do.  Fortunately there was a free concert by the local symphony right outside the art museum when we excited around 8:00.  I listened and enjoyed for about an hour an a half but left when the rains came.  Now on with the pics!


These first three are all in the same area as I walked to meet with Folkuniversitet; they are right outside Liseberg.  First up is Korsvägen (pronounced korsh-vah-gen). This is the most difficult area to drive in Göteborg because it's a huge circle with many ways to go all picked in tightly together.

The Hotel Gothia Towers, which overlook the city and Liseberg.  Apparently they serve a dish called Kingsize that consists of a piece of brad piled high with shrimp, probably enough for 2-4.  I'll have to check it out one day.

And finally Universium (the local museum).  Also, another place I need to visit.

This is a school I pass on my way to Folkuniversitet.  Now this is a grade school I would want to goto.  Lookat how HUGE it is!  it's very majestic, no?
Just some roses I saw. I'm amazed by the number of flowers, let alone roses in the cite.  They're really hard to grow, yet I see them ALL the time.  You go Göteborg!
I
n the old part of the city, where the streets are all cobblestone and lined with cafes.

Yes! there is a Hard Rock Cafe!  My favorite travel restaurant destination is here.  Even though it is a franchise (basically meaning the prices are jacked waaay waaay up), I still love it.  I ate there once already.  now all I need to do is go back and buy me a shotglass.

So this was right before we went into the Art Museum.  I just had to snap a picture of this poor marching band.  The color guard seemed so clueless, but the one standing there in front (with the baton and her hand behind her back) has the most confident, smug smile on her while her mates looked so uncoordinated.  It was like, "Yeah, we rock."  But they do have marching band here, just for you, Dad and Kyle.

The Art Museum, this shot fails to showcase how big it really is.  Despite me feeling that it had little to offer on the inside, the building is insanely huge.  Maybe it's just cause I'm used to the Philadelphia Museum of Art (think Rocky).  You can't even see everything in that place over the span of a weekend.

From the steps outside the Art Museum, looking down Avenyen towards the heart of the city.

Same place as before, only looking up. Ain't it purty?


Same place as before, only looking down over the crowd.  Wow, that's a lot of people.
The symphony!

The conductor.  She was half the fun to watch.