Danish QBs

SWEDISH FACT-OF-THE-DAY:

No, polar bears do not live in Sweden.

Today, Ryan and I rode the train to Copenhagen to meet with a pair of American QBs playing football for teams in Denmark.

Our first endeavor was to do a little sightseeing in Demnark's capital city before meeting with a EuroBall legendary QB, Stan Bedwell.

The awesome Marmorkirken

Guarding the Amalienborg Slot

The Amalienborg Slot has been the home of the Danish royal family since 1794.

The Guard's View of Amalienborg Slot

My favorite spot in Copenhagen for Fika

The Copenhagen Opera House

Old and New Naval Ships

The Frihedsmuseet

This is the Danish Resistance Museum and was the first place I visited when I first arrived in Denmark back in March. It was definitely worth another look and there is no entrance fee!

Shooting an Informer

Not a typical art museum topic but perfectly cool here.

Oh . . .

Danish Resistance Armored Car

Home made. How did the Nazis not notice this car roaming about the countryside?

I love Onion Domes

Stan Bedwell, Euro Legend QB

Stan has been playing in Europe since 2006 and winning everywhere he stops.

American football is played on a country by country basis in Europe and the weather plays a key factor as to when each country starts and ends their season. As a result of these overlapping seasons, Stan has played in all or parts of seven different seasons during the past five years.

His travels have had him playing for the Basel Gladiators in Switzerland in 2006, the Pori Bears in Finland in 2007, the Valencia Firebats in Spain in 2008, the Kragujevac Wild Boars in Serbia in 2008 and 2009, the Kouvola Indians in Finland again in 2009 and finally to Denmark in 2010 to lead the Hvidore Stars.

We shared a beer and swapped EuroBall stories for over an hour. Believe me, he has seen a lot and should definitely write a book!

After our meeting, Ryan and I got on board another train to head north to Helsingør to meet with Stan's exact opposite in terms of EuroBall experience, Scott Boer the QB for the Kronborg Knights playing his first season in Europe.

Expert Pizza Makers from Trapani, Sicily!!!

No disrespect intended, the pizza in Sweden is solid at most places but made by refugees from various Middle Eastern countries. When we got off the train, we told Scott that we were hungry so he walked us over to a pizza shop he likes and, lo and behold, the two chefs were from Sicily!!!

There pizza was straight from Sicilian heaven! I haven't had a pizza this good since we left Sicily. If I had only known about this place when I first arrived back in March.

No horse meat unfortunately.

The oldest building in Helsingør

I've noticed this building before but did not realize, until Scott pointed out the plaque on the wall, that it was built in 1577!

Scott Boer and Ryan

Scott hails from Modesto, California and seems to be having a great experience in his rookie season in Europe. After our divine pizza experience and a quick tour of Helsingør's Old Town in the rain, I decided it was time to head back to Hässleholm to meet up with Laurie.

Ryan opted to spend the night at Scott's apartment and see more of the city.

Kronborg Castle on a blustery day

Rough day to be sailing a small boat

Kevin and Ingemar Olofsson

By chance, I ran into these two on the train from Helsingborg. Ingemar is a Defensive End for the Hurricanes and his son, Kevin, wants to be a professional photographer.

We had a good time and Kevin is truly funny.

When I got back to Hässleholm I knew that Laurie would not have wasted the day sitting at home since today was the first day of another big Hässleholm's event, FESTIVALDAX 2010.

Caviar Langos

There are food booths all over the town selling exotic fare as well as more traditional items . . .

. . . like ice cream

Movie Star Sighting

Our big guy is Bertil "Obon" Nilsson, a star in the Swedish cult classic film "Plötsligt igen . . ." that I purchased the other day. He works for NorreSkåne as a reporter and it was in this capacity that he made his cinematic debut.

Greek grilled meat baquette

Enough for the two of us and much less exotic than the Caviar Langos.

Jasmine and Matilda Boesgaard

were enjoying the evening

A lonely but good smokey jazz singer

A really good country pop band

The Devil's Work

Deep fried banana, vanilla ice cream and honey . . . this just has to be good for us.

I'm full.

Laurie just can't pass up a bargain

Six Croc shoe decorative buttons for only 50 Krone. Such a deal!

FESTIVALDAX 2010 goes on through Saturday night.

GOOD TIMES INDEED!!!