Without any doubt, Sweden is one of the top three favorite countries I've ever visited.  The City of Stockholm is a jewel to live in or at least experience, particularly Gamla stan.  Sweden will always be near and dear to my heart not just because I met a hot blonde Swede way back then in San Francisco.  But because of that fateful meeting (and continued friendship up to now), I got immersed in the country, the people, the language, the food and the drinks such as schnapps and the "water of life!"  I even studied Swedish I (Basic) and II (Intermediate) at SF City College and got two A's.

To complete the immersion, I headed to Sweden eventually, with a goal to observe and document the fall season colors that I've heard so much about and also if by chance I got lucky, see the aurora borealis.  This was where I began to love and appreciate adventure travel as I went by train, by post-bus, and hitch hiking as I tried to make it as far as I can to the Arctic Circle (since I can really get to the North Pole).  Although I fell a bit short due to time constraint, I experienced the warm hospitality and acceptance by people who I met along my journeys, particularly the regular (the real folks) as I trekked from Stockholm to the Lapland.

I will never forget the attempted "crossing of the border" to Norway as Rune Andersson (see photo The Deer Hunter above and on my Showcase slideshow) and I escorted by a few Swedish girls hiked up the mountain of Sweden as I went with him as he marked spots at the ski resort/hotel he was managing and preparing for the winter season at Kittelfjäll.  Without conditioning, I ran out of air and thus told them to continue without me.  On my way down the slope, I sort of got "lost" and met some spirits and trolls who lived by the woods (but that is for another story).  Also, the hot saunas after dinner (no coed sessions: the men in one room, the women in another of course) as we drank ice cold beer and exchanged the pros and cons of USA and Swedish living; the retired policeman and wife in a old Volkswagen Beetle, whom I conversed mostly in sign language since they did not speak English and my Swedish was quite elementary then; the gentleman who gave me a lift on a beat up Volvo pick up truck, and the three young teenagers who also gave me a lift as they headed down towards Stockholm for a rock concert.  In a way, I was glad that non of the SAAB, Mercedes and BMW cars did not pick me up. Meeting these folks endeared me to them. I think at that time, I was the 1st Filipino, let alone 1st Asian that they have ever seen.  They have never even heard of the Philippines when I told them where I was born.

I now reminisce my introduction to Surströmming, akvavit (acquavit) and the singing of the song "Helan går!" which up to now I can still sing fairly fluently.  I also loved the marinated herring sandwiches that became a new personal comfort food that I ate everywhere, from train stations to hostels.

Until my next trek to Sweden, "Leve Sverige och Skål!"

Är inte texten:

"Helan går sjung hoppfadderallan rallan lej. Helan går sjung hoppfadderallan lej. Och den som inte helan tar, han heller inte halvan får. Helan gååååååår, sjung... hoppfaddrallan lej!"

(thx for the editorial review Ulla!)

Translation: "Now it's time to drink, lets sing, and if you don't drink this one you won't get another".