Välkommen to Sweden
With Covid restrictions ebbing in Europe, I took advantage of an airfare sale and snagged a flight over the Atlantic. My buddy Markus lives in the Swedish university town of Uppsala, just north of Stockholm, and offered a standing invitation to come visit him and his family.
Markus came over to the States for school and to play football. He reached out to me a year ago to learn more about my company SkullSparks and college athletics creative. We zoomed frequently and he discovered that in all my trips to Europe, I’d never had the opportunity to visit Sweden.
This trip in fact would take me further north than I’d ever been in my life. As I studied the map, I realized it would also be the furthest east I’d ever been, just edging out my visit to Olomouc in the Czech Republic back in 2018.
Although Sweden in January sounds bitterly cold, it’s surprisingly mild for its northern latitude. The Gulf Stream brings relatively warm water to the Nordic countries and moderates the climate.
I departed Tulsa on a Delta flight to Atlanta and then switched to my international flight. Air France provided a new feature I hadn’t seen before from my seat: a video feed from the tail of their 787. I watched live as we blasted down the runway, climbed into the air over Atlanta and turned east.
The flight was far from full and I enjoyed an entire row to myself. The attentive French staff kept us supplied with wine and champagne. Roughly eight hours later, we touched down in Paris. After a two-hour layover, I was off again with a quick flight to Stockholm followed by a short train ride north to the city of Uppsala.
Markus found me at the station and we took a quick hike around town to help minimize my jet lag. The afternoon sun was welcome but seemed low in the sky to me. Again, the northern latitude.
Uppsala is home to Scandinavia’s largest cathedral and the historic site of the coronations of Swedish monarchs. The University in Uppsala was founded in 1477 and today teemed with students.
After a good night’s sleep, I felt fairly adjusted to the seven-hour time difference. For lunch we sampled a food court that featured Swedish seafood specialties.
Markus’ mom, Helene, then picked us up in her car and drove us to Gamla Uppsala (literally “old” Uppsala), a small village just to the north.
Of course both Markus and his mom spoke perfect English. Helene had just returned from a trip to Florida, one of many visits to America. Of course I had to make sure Markus was supplied with OU and Auburn gear.
As early as the 3rd century AD, Gamla Uppsala was an important religious, economic and political center. Early written sources show this site was widely famous in Northern Europe as the residence of Swedish kings.
People have been buried in Gamla Uppsala for 2,000 years, since the area rose above water. Originally there were thousands of mounds in the area but most have become farmland, gardens and quarries. We looked out on the mounds that remained and wondered who was buried inside.
The atmospheric tavern nearby featured a hearty Mead which we drank out of Viking horns. You couldn’t have asked for a more interesting introduction to Swedish and Nordic history.
On a typical trip, I’m trying to manage a rental car, accommodations and the itinerary shortly after landing. Markus and his family have provided me a gracious welcome to their home country and I’m grateful for the opportunity to explore this beautiful land. Stay tuned.
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