RICK AND MORTY - OSLO, NORWAY TO STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN - DAY 9
I’ve seen so many cities before they wake up. Lake Como when it snowed remains my favorite. I'm not a morning person, but I love getting up before everyone else. It’s so peaceful, and there’s a sense that the world is entirely your own, even for just an hour. *This can also be achieved by staying up late until roughly 3 or 4AM.
With a 3:45AM wake up call, I check out, and before I drop off my key, the male receptionist asks for my name and key card.
ME: “Emilie Svensson, Room 407”.
RECEPTIONIST: (Norwegian pronunciation) “EMILIA SVENSSON?! That’s literally the most Scandinavian / Swedish name I’ve ever heard”!
ME: “Yeah, well I grew up mostly in the States if that helps at all”.
RECEPTIONIST: “No! That is still the MOST Swedish name ever”. *laughs so hard I can't get another word in.*
ME: (Heard this for the millionth time). *Says nothing, smiles and walks out as the receptionist continues to laugh to himself.*
I made it to the train station, missed the first train at 4:40AM, and caught the next one at 5AM heading to the airport. I still made really good time, and was very early to “the show”.
All 9s today- Grandpa’s number. I arrived, checked-in, and went to gate D9, with my seat 9D, on Day 9 HA!
On my way to the gate, I spotted two works from Edvard Munch. *Edvard Munch did the immortally famous painting, "The Scream". I had no idea there was a Munch museum in Oslo- I would’ve loved to have gone. Unfortunately, it would’ve been the same scenario as yesterday, where the Museum would’ve closed at 5PM, and I would’ve only managed to get 30mins to enjoy his works. Hopefully next time, if I get a next time. Admittedly, the descriptions of Munch’s love life, or lack there of, are frighteningly similarly to mine. All the same, it made me feel a particularly strong kinship with him. It's a bit disturbing though.
At the gate, I ate Viking crack for breakfast, (Bullar), before I boarded. *Bullar is a traditional Swedish pastry with flavors of cardamom, cinnamon, or vanilla.
The flight was so short from Oslo to Stockholm, we basically just took off and landed right away. I grabbed my pack, and met Mom. Guess who we ran into after?
UNCLE STEVE! Mom bumped into him while I was in the toilet. We were just arriving as he was leaving to head back to Los Angeles. Too bad he couldn’t stay longer on his holiday, and be with all of us in Gotland for the wedding. Oh well- See him back home in the States!
Mom and I got to A.K.'s super easy. We toured her insanely beautiful house in the suburbs of Stockholm, and I made Mom some coffee, and an omelette for the both of us after freshening up. I cooked, emptied the dishwasher, re-loaded it with our used dishes, and sent Mom to bed for a two hour nap while I went to Lidl down the road to pick up all the food we ate. I also picked up some blodpudding *(pigs' blood), and lingonsylt *(lingonberries), because how could I not? Hopefully we can have some tomorrow, and / or when we come back from the wedding. You know other than fiskbullar, blodpudding med lingonsylt is my favorite Swedish nostalgia meal. The best “poor man’s meal” you could get.
Mom only said she slept one hour on the plane ride. I wanted her to adjust to the time change, so after a two hour nap, I got her up with more coffee at 2PM. We hung out, and just relaxed. It was really nice to have down time from my stomach / crazy Norwegian travels, and from Mom’s massive stress before leaving. We both know this will be the calm before the storm, a.k.a. the big bash for the wedding.
Mom and I had this running joke about the light switches in A.K.’s place. They’re dimmers, but for whatever reason, Mom can’t figure them out. When A.K. came home from work, between the three of us, we laughed until we cried because it was so funny. Youtube “Rick and Morty light switch”, and it’s basically the same joke. Absolutely hilarious!
A.K. came home with more groceries, and we all three wined and dined. She made us the most delicious meal. Before going to bed, we ran a load of laundry, and crashed for the night. Mom was jet lagged and exhausted, and I was just exhausted from the early wake up call.
Love,
eM
Xoxox
