How do you spend a day in Berlin? First of all, hearing the conductor on the train on the way to Berlin saying that "it's 18 degrees below zero" is kind of a turnoff. Upon arrival, one option is to buy a daily public transportation pass and go around on random, getting off at random stops. This works for a while, at least until you have seen Alexanderplatz, the only place you really know. Then you realize that this is not very efficient. So a better method is to call an old-time buddy you haven't seen in over 5 years, bug [View Full Entry]

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There is no doubt that he's Italian. At first sight, he could be an important business man with his nice suit and greasy hair. Turns out he is not. He's on vacation from his job as a truck driver. He has visited his girlfriend in Denmark over the Christmas holidays. A girlfriend who lives in Sweden, due to bad politics in Denmark...!?! Wonder if he got that right... But again, wonder what is the language of communication between him and the girlfriend, considering his English is still pretty early in the developing stage. Nicholas offers me a piece of his orange. [View Full Entry]

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It's my first Swedish Top League hockey game. In fact, I think I share that experience with all the members of our little group. Maybe the Finn has done it before. Probably not the German or the Swiss. Definitely not the Belgian. The arrangement is professional. Starts off with the national anthem of Sweden. Just in case, the lyrics are on a little TV screen in the ceiling. National anthem karaoke...For whom? Fair enough though, Swedish hockey fans probably know the Russian/Soviet national anthem better, it's been more frequently played...or why not the Canadian...? Anyway, the game starts [View Full Entry]

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Not often does a standard 90 minute train ride in your own home territory make you feel good, particularly when the train is late and you're going to a party. The party in this case is "The Sail" in Karlskrona. A very nice little town in southern Sweden with a nice little summer event. The region is a bit remote, off the tourist trail to Stockholm and Gothenburg and other major attractions in Sweden. Therefore it's a bit surprising that the family next to me speak American English. Not having spoken English in a while, and being a huge fan of [View Full Entry]

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The manager of Tom’s Garage has obviously been watching Coyote Ugly. Apparently he liked it enough to make the female bartenders dance on the bar disk. He got a few things right; the music is right, 80’s rock music; the girls are young and sexy; the crowd is young, drunk, and enthusiastic. The manager forgot a few crucial things though. He forgot to instruct the girls to have fun. They look like they’d rather be somewhere else. Anywhere else. He also forgot to dress them accordingly. How could he expect anyone to go wild over baggy shirts and pants? Finally, he [View Full Entry]

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After a tough game of beach soccer, it is customary to go for a post-game analysis at the closest place that serves beer. Ok, maybe not, but that's the outcome of this particular game of Swedes versus locals. One local joins our little group of Scandinavians. He's not from California. Moved out there to catch a break. Pretty much like everyone else in LA. "So what do you do for a living?". "I'm a professional bum" is his rehearsed and completely unshy answer. It's almost with a sense of pride he tells that he used to sleep on the beach or [View Full Entry]

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Bright lights, big city. New York City is it. As long as you don't drag your feet behind and go with the flow, you'll be fine. Regardless of your opinion about big cities, Manhattan will take your breath away. It's very much like on TV. Yellow cabs, huge department stores, poor people, rich people. Of course there is more to it than that. But why seek the sidestreets when Broadway is right there...? Madison Square Garden wasn't destroyed by Godzilla, and it wasn't destroyed by terrorists. Game on. Rockefeller Center is almost like on TV just before Christmas. The giant Christmas [View Full Entry]

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The day started off as an above average day. Michael Jordan announced his comeback with the Wizards. Given the tedious tasks at the bank, this was likely to be the most exciting news during the day. Not so. Late morning, after a few hours of updating customer records in my little cubicle, the news reached the huge office space without windows. 50 or so cubicles all of a sudden came alive and spread the word. The lack of television sets caused a lot of confusion and insecurity of the validity of the rumors. "They bombed World Trade Center". "...and now they [View Full Entry]

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Gameday in Los Angeles. Game six of the final series LA Lakers - Philadelphia Sixers 2001. The setting is ideal for a good time. Warm and sunny, party on the rooftop in LA. Barbecue and beer. The excitement of the game does however not mount to any hights. The Sixers have nothing really to put up against the Lakers. Shaq, Kobe, and the others land the second consecutive NBA title in LA. The Spanish guy co-hosting the party shares my grudges against the Lakers. Right after the final bell rings he opens the window and screams in despair: "Philadelphia!". Despite the [View Full Entry]

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Razzoo’s is the name of the nightclub. One of the most popular on Bourbon Street. It’s usually crowded on weekends. So also today. A couple of guys start fighting on the dance floor. Probably over a woman. The music stops. The performer on stage asks the crowd ”Quit fucking around or get the fuck out?”. ”Get the fuck out!” is the chant. Out they go. Isn’t democracy wonderful…? [View Full Entry]

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