Dreaming of Freedom

Well after a grueling few days I’m closer to launching Dad’s new and improved website. The website is looking alright and after I transfer the domain name and it’s got it’s own special webspace then I’ll be making you all have a look at it and begging for constructive feedback.

We spent a few happy hours in the sunshine today, cycling up to Partille to have a delicious dinner with our Gothenburg friends. It’s our last weekend of total freedom before K starts his masters course and all the hard work that entails.

The Swedish is coming along slowly… very slowly!

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I seem to have been really busy with a little routine of attempting to learn Swedish and find a job. I’ve spent the last few days sorting out paperwork that will hopefully allow me to work in schools out here. Keyvan has a friend visiting from England and they’ve been living life up with the Göteborg Pass. They’ve been out to visit the old fortress, taken a Padden boat tour, scaled the Lipstick and looked around the Universeum which they say has a mini rainforest inside. The Göteborg Pass seems to have been a hit with them so I’ll have to try it sometime.
Meanwhile I’ve started work on a new website for my Dad so watch this space!

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The cultural festival was quite good. The city was heaving with people night and day. On Friday night we went to see Circo da Madrugada - Fallen From the Sky. It was a magnificent acrobatic, tightrope walking, juggling and fire breathing display. The story they structured all this around was based on a Brazilian legend - that every 500 years the angels are allowed to come down to earth and enjoy themselves for a night. The performers were fantastic. They swooped in on wires from the tops of the government buildings that surround Gustav Adolf’s Torg and entertained us for a good hour with their amazing feats. Fearless, they bounded up and down the huge dome shaped steel structure, swirled on ropes, swung on swings and made us all fall in love with the sheer beauty of their movements.
On Saturday we explored the numerous stalls and street performances that were dotted around the city including the medieval fair at the Cathedral.
And on Sunday we wandered into Liseberg seeing as there was free entrance to the theme park after 5pm. We’d so far failed to go in as it costs 70 sek to get through the gate and that doesn’t include any rides. We had a good look round the place and it was ok but I’m not really into theme parks. I was hoping I would manage to get one of the huge bars of chocolate that I see everyone walking around with but sadly you had to play a game to win them so my dreams went unrealized!

I’m continuing my punishing regime of a Swedish lesson a day and can now say a few sentences and recognise a few words and have even managed to say a couple of sentences to real Swedish speakers and had the pleasure of them understanding me.

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I’ve finally got myself into a routine learning Swedish and can now actually say a couple of sentences - I’ve been mainly focusing on how to say I can’t speak Swedish and today I actually got to say ‘Jag förstår inte svenska’ to a real life Swede. I’ve been using a variety of programmes all of which seem very good. I’ve also treated myself to a couple of kids books from the library (hard going I can tell you - these kids don’t get it easy!) and have relied ever more on the translating genius of Systran without which I would be lost.

It’s not all work! Tonight I’m going to go on one of the free cultural events going on in the city. For the last few nights we’ve been watching the fireworks out of our window and wondering what was going on. Now a helpful poster at the library has told us all. What would I do without these steadfast cultural institutions!

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So firstly, out of context and belatedly a big hugs and kisses congratulations to Will and Ella!

Secondly you all need to be buying Now or Never because it’s as irreverent and hilarious as ever. Although it’s been out for ages I’ve only just seen it so you’re getting this sales pitch now.

And thirdly why is it either boiling sunburning hot or blooming raining in Sweden?

Apart from the last gripe the love affair with Sweden is continuing. I’ve spent several days with Ellie exploring the city and convincing her that Gothenburg is the best place in the world. We’ve been to the now completely open Art Museum, the library (which I have now joined), Gunnebo House, Klippan, The Botanical Gardens, Lindholmen on the ferry, the coast, all the other museums, several parks, and all the nice little streets and churches hidden away. We’re now both convinced that it’s just much much nicer than England. I think it’s the sensible attitude here - communal heating systems and laundry rooms, recycling, a interest in healthy lifestyle, the cleanliness and quietness, the efficiency, the general politeness, and perhaps the fact that we live in the city centre and can walk and cycle everywhere and have no need for a car but have the option of using a good transport infrastructure if we want.

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