May 3: Back to the Future

This is the day that Marty McFly went into the future in Back to the Future II (Anya says). This is the day that Anya and I went to Sweden.

First, the rest of yesterday’s highlights.

We put on our finest dress we have here and went to the Sandnes Kulturhus (Culture House/Concert Hall) for the “Humanistisk Konfirmation” or the rite of passage for atheists. It is a celebration where most women in attendance and some men wear a bunad or traditional Norwegian dress.

The confirmation for most 15-year-old youth is done with a two year curriculum in the Norwegian Lutheran Church (no longer a state church), but those who aren’t affiliated with the church established a traditional rite. It is marked by young women most often getting a bunad (in a design and colors from that area, which can cost up to $4,000 with lots of silver jewelry). Oda shared with us the stories of the gifts that were given by family and the women who had embroidered her skirt and shawl. No young men wore bunads, but Oda explained that the young men typically aren’t done growing, so it doesn’t make sense to get it now.

Also, the family and friends give gifts of money. One of Anya’s classmates received a total equivalent to $3,000. So, it is a big deal.

Afterwards, we were invited to dinner with the family and friends, where there were some speeches honoring Oda. We met at the Sandes Ulf Stadium, where there is a room large enough to host the 32 or so of us.

There was wonderful food and fancy desserts, including the tradition kransekake.

It was a wonderful time, and it was special to be invited. Oda has been a great friend to Anya, and it was a privilege to be part of her celebration. We were sat next to Oda’s neighbors, who are great in English (wheh!). The Norsk husband met a beautiful woman from Maritius (islands East of Madagascar) of Indian descent in engineering school in the UK. Wonderful conversationalists and special neighbors to Oda, who is like a big sister to their daughter and son.

Now highlights of May 3:

Today, we flew to the Arlanda airport and took the high-speed train (127 miles per hour) to Stockholm.

I chose a hotel very close to the central train and bus terminal to minimize the walking, We checked in quickly and took a taxi to the Vasa Museum.

“The Vasa Museum is a maritime museum in Stockholm, Sweden. Located on the island of Djurgården, the museum displays the only almost fully intact 17th century ship that has ever been salvaged, the 64-gun warship Vasa that sank on her maiden voyage in 1628. The Vasa Museum opened in 1990 and, according to the official web site, is the most visited museum in Scandinavia” (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasa_Museum).

I remember visiting the ship in its restoration process in 1978; it stank with whatever they were using to treat the wood.

Then we were off to the nearby ABBA Museum.

Afterwards, we walked down the waterfront and into the central parks with fountains, statues, and amazing architecture. They don’t thrill Anya, but they amaze me. Then we went to the shopping district. This thrills Anya! The shops were closed by then on a Sunday evening, but she’s scoped out where she wants to visit tomorrow.

Our windowless hotel room is about twice the size of the queen sized bed, with a bathroom with a bit less area than the bed. This is what $111 can get you in downtown Stockholm. It does have free wifi and breakfast in the morning.