Copenhagen & Oresund Sweden is Our Next Destination

I am a bit nervous and scattered. That's because ahead of me is a 4-hour drive to Newark Airport, then a 5:50 pm flight on SAS to Copenhagen. Paul Shoul and I are going on a trip that is billed as "A Thousand Year Odyssey," it will include the Danish city and then a trip over a very long bridge to the Oresund region of Sweden.

We will see ancient Viking boats, and enjoy the 24-hour sun of summer in Sweden. It's a short trip, we fly back Sunday. But it is always taxing and anxiety filled when I have to depart in the morning of a trip. So many things to wonder about. So many things I gotta do.

But when we sit back on the plane and sip white wine, and laugh about our fortune of being on another junket to a strange and marvelous place, we'll be relaxed and begin to unwind. Then we'll begin blogging, and note-taking, and pretty soon we'll be able to share our trip with thousands of others who tag along reading the blogs or read the articles on the website. Good bye soggy rainy New England--hello Little Mermaid!

Gothenberg, Sweden: The Lights are Low and Mellow

We arrived in Gothenberg Sweden today, pretty jetlagged and happy to dive into our soft down beds at the Elite Hotel in the center of this seaside city. On the plane I was briefly thrilled to be able to get on the Internet using the soon-to-be-discontinued Connextion service by Boeing. It cut out after just a little while. Here, the place to get email is 7-11, where I bought a 3-hour card for nine bucks.

We got up and walked around this city that is lit up with candles and lights for Christmas. Outside of many shops there are little candles burning and in most windows are the upside down V shape of candle lights. We ducked into one of the thousands of cafes and had a creamy latte, the place was so packed, people here really really love their coffee!

Our first impression of this Sweden's second largest city is that is is cozy. Cozy and warm, the lighting is the main thing you notice. Inside stores, cafes and even the airport, there is this very mellow overhead lighting, halogen spotlights, no where do you see America's famous flourescent floods. No, here along with the wood floors (especially cool in the airport!) it is all very ambient, low light. I never knew what a difference that makes but the effect is to make each cafe or store look cozy and inviting.

We walked a big loop around the city and came to a park where there were four iron firepits with blazing logs, and kids skating on a little pond. It got dark about 4 or so, same as at home, so far we are not experiencing the long long darkness we expected.

Flying to Sweden Tonight

Today I am up early thinking about what I need to do before we fly tonight. We are going to Sweden for a week's trip, visiting the city of Goteborg on the Western coast. I have not thought that much about this destination, letting the place just sneak up on me, and now it is time to take the trip. SAS Airlines offers in-the-sky internet, for free since Boeing is cancelling the service as of Dec 31. They don't charge but again, don't guarantee that it works that well.

We have asked our Swedish hosts to introduce us to interesting people we can dine with to learn about Goteborg. So far they've set up a few techies, newspaper reporters and some artists. This is the best way to get a good story--ask the people who live there to tell you why they do.

Cindy is in charge of actually writing the story this time...I get to just take notes, snap photos, and keep my notebook full of business cards and menus and websites to add details to the story. We originally wanted to be gone for Christmas, but the flights didn't work out, so we'll return next Friday, but still miss a lot of parties and holiday things. We will be home for Christmas.

In the mean time I hope you'll tune into this blog if you'd like to get a glimpse of what it's like in Sweden in December 2006.