Sweden 2024

Today was a repeat of yesterday pretty much. Fika and books.
Met Monika outside Åhléns, hopped on the subway and tried the Vete-Katten on Söder. They did not have any cinnamon there. Meh. I like to sprinkle cinnamnon on my latte, a proper café should have cinnamon.
I had an oatmilk latte (of course) a wienersemla and a muscovadobulle - a first for both. I love semla and this kind is a hybrid of some sort. The traditional semla is a bit different. There is even a day dedicated to the semla here, Fettisdagen which falls on February 13th this year . Big thumbs up for the wienersemla, I loved it. The muscovadobulle got thumbs down from both me and Monika.

At the table to our left sat a couple that saw some books that I brought with me so we started talking books and authors. That was nice. I got some more books. These two. Stacken by Annika Norlin and Morgon och Kväll by Jon Fosse (recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature 2023).

When we were done with fika we walked. And took a peek inside Kulturhuset, I like that place.
Pippi, Barbapappa and the rest of the gang in this picture is childhood to me.

Then it was time for Hej Då och vi ses and a hug.
It might seem like all I do is meet up with friends for fika, read and take slow walks and take pictures of things. I WISH.
I have been occupied everyday since I arrived with stuff pertaining my Mom and I have been spending time with her everyday.

Busy day today. It is a quarter to midnight, I am tired. 
I met up with Monika outside Åhléns and then we strolled over to Vete-Katten to fika, it's like our tradition. The place was packed, not a single table available so we left and wandered around for a bit. Saw this beautiful sight.

And this tomte in Gamla Stan. One thing I have not yet experienced, the beauty of the northern parts of Sweden. I want to visit Lappland. And other counties too. Sweden is made up of 21 counties (we say landskap). Lappland is the furthest North, Skåne is the furthest South and Stockholm is in Södermanland.

Then we walked back to Vete-katten and managed to find a table and sat there and talked for probably two hours - a proper fika. Prinsesstårta of course!

I could not resist, had to get these books. Jävla Karlar by Andrev Walden, the author's debut novel which he received Augustpriset for last year. I read a few chapters on the commuter rail back home. Promising!

I am looking at one extra suitcase going back to Portland. Bringing stuff back with me.

Last night I walked by myself in the winter evening from Medborgarplatsen to T-Centralen......I felt like a stranger in my own city. This place that I am so familiar with but at the same time removed from. The familiar sounds and views.....I love my city but I also don't know where I belong. It is a conflicted feeling. Like where should I be? I don't know.

The ice quietly bumped around in Mälaren. I kept on walking......my heart on fire. 

Walked by people giddily ice skating in Kungsträdgården.

The lyrics to a melancholy (melancholy sounding to me at least) song that reminds me of childhood. "Ingen dager synes än men stjärnorna på himmelen de blänka." I get a weird feeling in my stomach when I hear that song. Staffan Var En Stalledräng is the name of it by the way, it's a traditional Christmas song.

I got off the commuter rail and walked. It felt like one of those winters when I was a child. A beautiful evening, not too cold a great evening for a walk. Those childhood winters felt majestic and mysterious.

I descended on Stockholm last week. Not a flashy arrival like Abba in a helicopter at the cover of their album Arrival (1976), more of tired and stuff because of delayed plane departure but still happy nobody sat next to me so I got two small seats all to my self.

It has been intense. Last night I got to relax a bit and today was the first time I made it into the city to meet my friend Carmen for fika. We went to Gunnarsons, it has been a Stockholm staple since 1946. I had a latte and apple pie with vaniljsås of course. So yummy and so cozy.

I have been trying to care for and help my Mom. Lots of tears. Angst. Guilt. Reflections and thoughts about life. Like I mentioned, a very intense time. I am tired in my brain. So much to think about. I have to write stuff down so I can focus and rememeber all the tasks.

I have the most amazing and wonderful friends here. Truly. I am so grateful for them and blessed to have them.
My friend Monika gave me this......a prinsesstårta made out of glass and a coffee mug that has FIKA written on it. Some of my favorite things.....