Wednesday, May 20, 2009
onsdag 19 maj 2009
Last day of work before semester, or vacation. I guess it's not vacation so much as a long weekend. Here, red days are vacation days, like Thanksgiving, Easter, etc. But if there is a day in between that day and the weekend, you usually have that off, too, which my friends call Squeeze Days, or klämdagar, I believe.
And Fred is back from America! So we had a great talk about what to do with the information I've gathered, and where the project will go from here. It was really nice to have some serious direction! As of publication of this post, I have all the buttons documented, but none of the other hardware I will eventually work on...although there are potentially more buttons made out of materials I haven't explored yet. But it's nice to know I'm headed in the right direction! So I was in the basement all day, measuring and drawing...tiring and painful for the thumb (I use a really serious caliper).
When I got back to the boat, there was a nice party for those whom worked on the exhibit that opened a few weeks ago. They graciously donated much food and beer to my cause, and we talked a bit. I sat out in the glorious sun, and after a while Odd came by to invite me to dinner with them, and of course I said, "yes, if it's ok."
After everyone was showered and ready for dinner, Tommy and his brother went in the work van and the rest of us got into Herman's daughter's Volvo. So Herman is driving, Odd sits in front, and I'm in back with Jann Olof, the 3rd most darling 84 year old man I've ever met (after my two grandfathers), who speaks about as much English as I speak Swedish. I wonder if he's above the age cutoff for fluency in English? But I didn't know it was Herman's daughter's car when we get in, so I'm sitting in the back with an 84-year-old Swedish man, and Swedish pop comes SCREAMING on the radio, it was just ridiculous...and perfect. I couldn't stop smiling.
We took "the scenic route" to the restaurant in Södermalm, which is called Herman's, no relation to the man driving. As we walked in I realized that it was a vegetarian restaurant, since both Odd and Jann Olof eat no meat. It was pretty much my dream come true--a huge vegetarian buffet with relatively cheap beer, plus an incredible view of the city from where we sat, in an atrium-like area. The employees advised us to take two plates, since the buffet was closing soon, and the guys took three. I had some wonderful warm lentil salad, cauliflower, some of the best hummus I've had anywhere, and tons more...what I felt was two plates full. Herman (our friend) had lots of jokes to make about the meatless nature of the food, which reminded me so much of how Gil and Bryson and everyone used to try to get me to eat the "meatless" chicken wings at Voodoo Grill.
It was a glorious dinner, and we came home and took a tour of the Sankt Erik's engine(s?). SO BIG. I know this is a big boat, but I guess I didn't realize how big the engine is (engines are?) and how little space people actually use for living on this boat. None of it really clicked for me, since I have little frame of reference, but it's a beautiful old engine. I will take pictures someday, at least Mike will enjoy them.
It must have been past midnight at this point, so Herman and Jann Olof went home. Odd went to bed, but Tommy promised to finish the wine left over from the exhibit party with me, so we sat in the salong and talked about everything, as I seem to do here.
As he left (ok, walked maybe 10 feet to his boat), I promised to help them with the Ikea bunk beds and tables they wanted in their boat....so....
Thursday, May 21, 2009
törsdag 21 maj 2009
I wanted to wake up and help them right when they said they started, something like 8...but it ended up being more like 930. The first bunk bed took me like two hours to make, somehow...I think I was nervous about getting it right, even though it's just Ikea follow-the-pictures construction.
But after that first bunk I got some knäckebröd, kind of like Wasa crackers in America (also swedish, also available here, does Wasa ring a bell to anyone?), that are more than a staple in Sweden. I put some mild soft cheese on it, as well as the Mango-vanilla chile pepper flake marmelade on it...and I don't think I'll eat anything else for the rest of my time here, it was so good. I've already used so much of the marmelade that I think I'll have to go back to Uppsala for more. Which is fortunate, since I think I'll end up visiting one of my friend's friends who lives there.
I offered some of that soup I had made to meat eaters, and some couscous I had made to the veggies, and everyone had a fantastic lunch, if I do say so myself. No one seemed to mind that the carrots were not fully cooked.
After lunch, I went with Tommy to the grocery store in the suburbs, which was quite an experience. It's...sort of like a Super Stop and Shop, I guess...but Swedish. Way bigger, and WAY CHEAPER than the ones in the city, obviously, but I just couldn't bring myself to buy so much stuff because I didn't have a recipe in mind. Tommy was planning a barbeque that night, as we had been talking about for at least a week or two, and I helped him find all the things he needed for that. I didn't have my camera with me, so I can't show you the picture I took with my phone (stupid Dell), but they have tubes and tubes of what they call American Dressing (I forget the translation)...I guess that's like Special Sauce? Ketchup and Mayonnaise? Ick, who knows, I didn't buy it to find out.
But we came back, I put together another bed, and it was time for dinner! In Connecticut, in the summer we grill literally every night, so I've really been missing that. The great part about this barbeque was that, first of all, it was done on DISPOSABLE GRILLS that don't exist in America, as far as I know. Secondly, it was pork tenderloin, asparagus, and potatoes, the normal fare for our barebeques...but different...maybe not Swedish, necessarily, but it was delicious! Plus I got to try grilled halloumi, which could have been my whole meal.
Tommy is on the right, grilling away. I couldn't exactly get anyone to get my really hilarious joke about barbequeing to celebrate the Ascension, which is why everyone but these guys had the day off on Thursday....oh well. Note the goverment-issued work pants!
His "starters" were grilled asparagus, halloumi with chopped red onions, and sundried tomatoes....amazing!
The main course was marinated lamb tenderloin, incredibly fresh potato salad, and grilled zucchini! The veggies had what I believe were chickenless chicken breasts. Tommy won't take my praise as he should, but it was amazing.
After dinner we had kaffe, as required by unwritten law, and looked out on this view from midships, which has become my religion:
We sat outside, on benches they got from an outdoor church, and those who were cold (aka everyone but me, as usual) put on the reflective fleeces Tommy and Odd wear when they do their real job, putting up motorway guard rails.
Voilà les hommes! The DARLING men. I'm not sure why Herman, furthest to the left, decided he needed to make that "wow, that's hot!" gesture for the picture...maybe it was the chiles in the potato salad? Jann Olof is next to him, then Tommy, and Odd is on the right. Note the brilliant yellow fleeces, as well as the beautiful green kyrka benches. H and J.O. are the electricians, and are brilliant!
After dinner we had kaffe, as required by unwritten law, and looked out on this view from midships, which has become my religion:
It was a feast of feasts! After dinner I put together THREE TABLES, which everyone was very impressed by, including myself, even though it's rather thoughtless work. One table to go, and one more bed, I believe, although that might come later to leave working space up in the bow.
We worked, worked, worked, had some tea, and then all went to bed a bit after midnight.
Friday, May 22, 2009
fredag 22 maj 2009
Woke up at 11! It was marvellous. I took forever to figure out what I wanted to wear, got a great outfit on, and walked outside....where it was raining. I took most of the exciting parts of the outfit off, put on my yellow raincoat, and headed off to the National Museum! Here is a view of it from Gamla Stan:
I apparently was not in the mood for museums. They have an exhibit up for two more days of the Pre-Raphaelites, which I should totally love...but I was kind of bored. There were too many things to see, and, more significantly, too many people!
I skimmed through the exhibits on design from 1500-1899, and then the 1900-2000 exhibit as well...which were both very nice. I think if I had gone there a few weeks ago I might have been more excited? Maybe not. I had already seen a great exhibit on Swedish design at the Nordiska Museet, this felt like a little bit of a redux. It was sort of like the NY Met to me (don't tell NYU)...maybe I just need more direction, personally. I'm sure many people appreciate a loose approach to chronological order and multiple intersecting rooms, but I'm not one of them. However, there were lots of beautiful things to look at!
Next is the Historiska Museet, and there are many more on my list! I need to something else in the meantime...I never thought I'd be THIS museumed out, but there are just too many....
Next I walked around Gamla Stan and had another HUGE slice of quiche at the darling little cafe I went to the other weekend...and finished quickly to give a couple my table. They felt bad but I wanted them to sit and enjoy the place and the wonderful food, and I was almost done anyways. I went into the yarn shops and the hantverk places where they have handmade Swedish things...I think...as handmade as they can be outside a real workshop, I imagine.
I finally got to go to a Stadsmission shop...it's like Goodwill, a place that sells secondhand things and the proceeds benefit the less fortunate. The one on Gamla Stan is tiny, but there were great things and it inspired me to find the other stores for potentially better finds! I'm excited to find the one in Södermalm...although that part of town is renowned for being the twin of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, I think it will be next on my list of places to visit in Stockholm.
I wanted to go away this weekend, but I must have gone about it the wrong way...I'm not finding anything cheap and easy, and I'd rather save my money for the places I KNOW I'll go later. I might still make it out to the archipelago in the next few days, we'll see. Until then, maybe I'll plan on making it to the other Stadsmission shops, or who knows! I'd definitely like to get a view of Stockholm from the water, even if I have to go on a silly one hour tour. I forgot to mention that I won't be able to sail on Vega next weekend...the man who had contracted the boat found out that there would be no showering for two days and cancelled the trip...idiot. I guess you could say he doesn't deserve to sail on the boat, though, she doesn't need namby pamby guests.
I read a little bit, drank an Astrakan Äppelcider, which is exactly what is sounds like, and was delicious. Maybe a little too sugary to drink more than one, but it's one of those things I'm glad to experience while I'm here. I looked at the schnapps and aquavit while I was at Systembolaget, traditional beverages here, but I'm not sure that anyone would drink them with me, and they're not exactly for drinking alone.
The rest of the weekend I have to myself! Anyone with good ideas is encouraged to suggest.
Love always,
Arianna
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