I LEAVE FOR SWEDEN
TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY!
The process for this adventure officially started yesterday as I made the decision to travel to Europe a little lighter this year by shipping the majority of my belongings to Hässleholm by boat. This is an old Paul Petrich trick that The Travel Channel also recommended, so I decided to give it a shot.
Uffe Palmbrink, the Hässleholm Hurricanes President, got me in contact with California Shipping located in beautiful Stanton, California. They work primarily shipping cars, motorcycles and small boats to Scandanavia and Australia. For a fee, they will ship my gear as well.
Magnus Karlsson
Göteborg Marvels, Giants and Mustangs
Magnus, a Swede, runs the yard at California Shipping. We struck up a conversation and he asked why I was shipping things via boat to Göteborg, Sweden. When he found out that I was coaching an American football team in Hässleholm his eyes lit up and away he went.
Magnus, it turns out, played American football in Göteborg for three teams over the years, the Marvels, the Giants and the Mustangs.
Marvels . . . cool nickname!
When I went in to speak with the very charming Emelie, also Swedish and the secretary in charge of the office, she informed me that Magnus had given me a substantial discount on the shipping price that Emelie had quoted me over the phone.
The small world of Swedish American football is a good thing indeed!!!
Rusty the Car
California Shipping sends hulks like this 1930's Coupe and the 1940's Hudson across the way to collectors and fixer-uppers.
On the way home, I drove north on the 405 San Diego Freeway. As I approached the City of Carson, to my right a gigantic Blue and Yellow beacon caught my eye and I just had to pull off the Freeway to, for the first time in my life, visit an . . .
IKEA!
HUGE!
I took a tour of this three story home furnishing palace and have decided to go crazy here when I come back from Sweden. Great looking, comfortable furnishings at very reasonable prices.
I had been told that in their cafes they sell Swedish food like meatballs and I was hungry, shocking I know. I approached the cafe ready to try some delicious delicacies only to find that they sold only two Scandanavian favorites . . . hot dogs and pizza?
I passed.
Salvation!
Next to the Hot Dog Stand they did have a nice variety of Swedish foods and drinks.
Take Home
After checking out their wares, I settled on just a few simple things.
Sweet, delicious, Svensk Hällakaka which is soft Arctic bread.
A jar of awesome Sylt Fläder & Apelsin which is orange and elderflower marmalade.
Knäckebröd Flerkorn is a multigrain crispbread that goes great with the marmalade.
I opted for a box Kakor Havreflarn, sweet oat cookie crisps. You have to have dessert after all.
The lady at the counter asked if I wanted a bag to carry my new goodies, I said yes and for only 59 cents I had my very own IKEA bag!
WHAT A DAY!
"Plötsligt i Vinslöv"???
3 comments:
Hey George I've been following your blog since I was in Sicily with Jason and Christie. I'm excited to see what happens in Sweden. Too bad about the meatballs. They are extremely good
Whenever I go to Ikea I pick up several packages. Use them in my Italian spagetti dishes. International cuisine. Cheers
Terry
Terry,
That means that you are dabbling in the world of Fusion Cuisine.
EXCELLENT!!
George
I can't believe you'd never been to IKEA. That's un-American.
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