John Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley
I had recently been working on a blog entry and only got started with it. I just was not happy with it, it was just not going as I had planned. So I saved that entry and decided that I would come back to it on a later date. Then I picked up John Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley. I had recently picked it up at a 2nd hand store. The opening paragraph blog entry.
The pretense of the book is that John is traveling around America with his poodle Charley to rediscover it. The year is 1960 and Steinbeck is about 60 years old. The book is excellent and I would highly recommend it. Several parts caught my attention as being true even today. I want to share with you the opening chapter. I have highlighted a couple of the lines that I liked the best.
-When I was very you and the urge to be someplace else was on me, I was assured by mature people that maturity would cure this itch. When years described me as mature, the remedy prescribed was middle age. In middle age I was assured hat greater age would calm my fever and now that I am fifty-eight perhaps senility will do the job. Nothing has worked. Four hoarse blasts of a ship’s whistle still raise the hair on my neck and set my feet tapping. The sound of a jet, an engine warming up, even the clopping of shod hooves on pavement brings on the ancient shudder, the dry mouth and vacant eye, the hot palms and the churn of stomach high up under the rib cage. In other words, I don’t improve; in further words, once a bum always a bum. I fear disease is incurable. I set this matter down not to instruct others but to inform myself.
When the virus of restlessness begins to take possession of a wayward man, and the road away from Here seems broad and straight and sweet, the victim must first find in himself a good and sufficient reason for going. This to the practical bum is not difficult. He has a built-in garden of reasons to choose from. Next he must plan his trip in time and space, choose a direction and a destination. And last he must implement the journey. How to go, what to take, how long to stay. This pat of the process is invariable and immortal. I set it down only so that newcomers to bumdom, like teen-agers in new hatched sin, will not think that they invented it.
Once a journey is designed, equipped, and put in process, a new factor enters and takes over. A trip, a safari, an exploration, is an entity, different from all journeys. It has personality, temperament, individuality, uniqueness. A journey is a person in itself; not two are alike. And al plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us. Tour masters, schedules, reservations, brass-bound and inevitable, dash themselves to wreckage on the personality of the trip. Only when this is recognized can the blow-in-the-glass bum relax and go along with it. Only when do the frustrations fall away. In this a journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it. I feel better now, having said this, although only those who have experienced it will understand.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Monday, January 22, 2007
Leaving Sweden in the Snow
I left yesterday morning on a business trip from Uppsala Sweden to Gibraltar. We finally got some snow in Sweden, which is actually the first time this winter. The roads to the airport were not plowed at all, it is not too surprising since I left the house at 5am.
I was shocked to learn that no flights were cancelled or delayed. I was expecting some delays. As I was waiting to board the flight, they were clearing the snow away from the runway. The interesting part about this, since normally it would not be that interesting watching someone clear away snow, is that they actually moved all the snow away in trucks. It was not good for plans to go over “large” piles of snow.
The flight was to leave at 7:05 in the morning, which means I had to get up way too early in the morning to get to the airport. I was a little surprised when they had us board the plane actually earlier then what we would normally board if the weather was nice. I would not have been. We sat on the gate for almost 2 hours. First they had to de-ice the plane. That is expectable and not overly surprising. That took about an hour. So then we were all ready to go.
The problem occurred when the car that was to push us off the gate did not have snow tires on. So the wheels just spun around in circles. What I do not understand is why, in Stockholm of all places (if it was a freak storm in Spain, that would be a little different), the vehicles do not have proper tires. You would think that it would be kind of important, but apparently not. So there we sat, another hour on the plane waiting for a vehicle to push the vehicle that was to push the plan (confusing?).
In the end, we arrived with out any problems and that is the most important part, even if it was 2 hours late. It is just amazing to me. Swedes seem to be in shock when it actually snows in Sweden. It is almost as bad as when the English are shocked when it rains.
I left yesterday morning on a business trip from Uppsala Sweden to Gibraltar. We finally got some snow in Sweden, which is actually the first time this winter. The roads to the airport were not plowed at all, it is not too surprising since I left the house at 5am.
I was shocked to learn that no flights were cancelled or delayed. I was expecting some delays. As I was waiting to board the flight, they were clearing the snow away from the runway. The interesting part about this, since normally it would not be that interesting watching someone clear away snow, is that they actually moved all the snow away in trucks. It was not good for plans to go over “large” piles of snow.
The flight was to leave at 7:05 in the morning, which means I had to get up way too early in the morning to get to the airport. I was a little surprised when they had us board the plane actually earlier then what we would normally board if the weather was nice. I would not have been. We sat on the gate for almost 2 hours. First they had to de-ice the plane. That is expectable and not overly surprising. That took about an hour. So then we were all ready to go.
The problem occurred when the car that was to push us off the gate did not have snow tires on. So the wheels just spun around in circles. What I do not understand is why, in Stockholm of all places (if it was a freak storm in Spain, that would be a little different), the vehicles do not have proper tires. You would think that it would be kind of important, but apparently not. So there we sat, another hour on the plane waiting for a vehicle to push the vehicle that was to push the plan (confusing?).
In the end, we arrived with out any problems and that is the most important part, even if it was 2 hours late. It is just amazing to me. Swedes seem to be in shock when it actually snows in Sweden. It is almost as bad as when the English are shocked when it rains.
Friday, January 05, 2007
Christmas in Sweden
Every family has their own holiday traditions. One can not say that traditions are truly one nation’s, because individuals of that nation or of another nation will either share those nationalistic traditions or ignore them. With that being said, I am going to exactly that- talk about the traditional Swedish Christmas.
The first major difference of a Swedish Christmas compared to an American Christmas is that the main day of action is on Christmas Eve, the 24th, compared to Christmas Day in the states, the 25th. The events of the holiday actually start on the 23rd, or as I like to call it- Christmas Eve Eve.
M’s family spends the day doing a serious cleaning. Not just a little cleaning, but major cleaning. I am talking about moving all the furniture and cleaning. For some reason, not sure what that would be, but we missed that. Actually we miss that most years. It was only my first Christmas in Sweden that we “managed” to get there in time to “participate” in the cleaning. Once the cleaning is completed, the more fun Christmas traditions begin. The tradition of making the gingerbread house is the first. Now, most families only make a small house, but not M’s family. They go all out. Some of the better ones in the years past have been the Eiffel Tower, Tower Bridge and a working lighthouse (bad idea having a burning candle in the lighthouse). Then it is the decorating the Christmas tree. All the decorations are more of the traditional ones. You will not see any Hallmark decorations on a Swedish tree. Though the highlight of the 23rd is the ham testing. What is ham testing, it is exactly what the name indicates- testing of the Christmas ham. M’s parents actually make two hams every year now. We have ham with a special hard bread and Christmas mustard (one thing about Sweden, it has a “special” version of nearly everything for Christmas- cheese, beer, soda, tea). The real highlight of the event though is the snaps and lots of it. With ever shot of snaps, everyone sings a new Christmas snaps song. This has to be my favorite part of a Swedish Christmas!
After the late night, the entire family wakes up Christmas Eve. The kids placed a sock at the foot of their beds so that the Christmas elves could leave a little treat for them. The entire family brings their socks into the living room where the Christmas Eve morning breakfast is waiting. The old people have coffee when the kids have hot chocolate with their ham and cheese thin bread roll-ups. The thin bread is special and comes from Leksand, not the case for all families. Then it is time to test the Christmas cookies. A rough estimate of the different types of cookies is about 20. In theory you have to taste each one. I usually get about 3 or 4 of them down before my cookie limit is hit.
Lunch, my least favorite part of the Christmas holidays, is serve around 1pm. It is two dishes. The first is Lutfisk. If you have not tried it, it is not worth it- I promise! It is kind of like textured jello. I always claim for the three days after Christmas that it is the lutfisk which actually gives me a sour stomach. M’s father loves it, though it is really foul. The second part is rice porridge with cinnamon and sugar. Not my favorite, but better then lutfisk, that is for sure.
At 3:00pm every Christmas every Swedish family sits down to watch the Disney Christmas special- or known in Sweden as Donald Duck. I really do not understand why Donald Duck is the name, when he is barely in the movie. Anyway, in reality most people turn the TV on, but they sleep through the entire thing. The programs on TV are the same every year. In fact they are on the exact same time every year.
The dinner is a smorgasbord. It is eaten in two phases. The first phase is the seafood section. It has several different flavors of herring- sour, curry, dill; and several different types of salmon- smoked and fermented. Once that part is complete, which is not too bad thankfully, everyone moves on to the meat section. Here is where you get to have the Christmas ham, Swedish meatballs and sausages. Usually the smorgasbord will also have a variety of small things, like moose sausage, pâté and jonssons.
After dinner, and this part varies from family to family, is when Santa finally comes. He walks from house to house carrying a lantern and knocks on the door. He walked in the room and asks if there “are any good boys or girls here?” Then he hands the gifts out to all the kids. Santa in Sweden is not the traditional Coca Cola Santa. This Santa is skinnier and more plastic (it has to be the plastic mask that they wear). I actually find this Santa a little scary. If I was a kid, I really would. Once the gifts are distributed, then it is the last fika of the day. This is usually between 11 and 12.
The 25th is, as sad as it sounds, is nothing. Most Swedish families will meet up with relatives, but for the most part the holiday is over. The Christmas lights and decorations will not be taken down until mid January.
Every family has their own holiday traditions. One can not say that traditions are truly one nation’s, because individuals of that nation or of another nation will either share those nationalistic traditions or ignore them. With that being said, I am going to exactly that- talk about the traditional Swedish Christmas.
The first major difference of a Swedish Christmas compared to an American Christmas is that the main day of action is on Christmas Eve, the 24th, compared to Christmas Day in the states, the 25th. The events of the holiday actually start on the 23rd, or as I like to call it- Christmas Eve Eve.
M’s family spends the day doing a serious cleaning. Not just a little cleaning, but major cleaning. I am talking about moving all the furniture and cleaning. For some reason, not sure what that would be, but we missed that. Actually we miss that most years. It was only my first Christmas in Sweden that we “managed” to get there in time to “participate” in the cleaning. Once the cleaning is completed, the more fun Christmas traditions begin. The tradition of making the gingerbread house is the first. Now, most families only make a small house, but not M’s family. They go all out. Some of the better ones in the years past have been the Eiffel Tower, Tower Bridge and a working lighthouse (bad idea having a burning candle in the lighthouse). Then it is the decorating the Christmas tree. All the decorations are more of the traditional ones. You will not see any Hallmark decorations on a Swedish tree. Though the highlight of the 23rd is the ham testing. What is ham testing, it is exactly what the name indicates- testing of the Christmas ham. M’s parents actually make two hams every year now. We have ham with a special hard bread and Christmas mustard (one thing about Sweden, it has a “special” version of nearly everything for Christmas- cheese, beer, soda, tea). The real highlight of the event though is the snaps and lots of it. With ever shot of snaps, everyone sings a new Christmas snaps song. This has to be my favorite part of a Swedish Christmas!
After the late night, the entire family wakes up Christmas Eve. The kids placed a sock at the foot of their beds so that the Christmas elves could leave a little treat for them. The entire family brings their socks into the living room where the Christmas Eve morning breakfast is waiting. The old people have coffee when the kids have hot chocolate with their ham and cheese thin bread roll-ups. The thin bread is special and comes from Leksand, not the case for all families. Then it is time to test the Christmas cookies. A rough estimate of the different types of cookies is about 20. In theory you have to taste each one. I usually get about 3 or 4 of them down before my cookie limit is hit.
Lunch, my least favorite part of the Christmas holidays, is serve around 1pm. It is two dishes. The first is Lutfisk. If you have not tried it, it is not worth it- I promise! It is kind of like textured jello. I always claim for the three days after Christmas that it is the lutfisk which actually gives me a sour stomach. M’s father loves it, though it is really foul. The second part is rice porridge with cinnamon and sugar. Not my favorite, but better then lutfisk, that is for sure.
At 3:00pm every Christmas every Swedish family sits down to watch the Disney Christmas special- or known in Sweden as Donald Duck. I really do not understand why Donald Duck is the name, when he is barely in the movie. Anyway, in reality most people turn the TV on, but they sleep through the entire thing. The programs on TV are the same every year. In fact they are on the exact same time every year.
The dinner is a smorgasbord. It is eaten in two phases. The first phase is the seafood section. It has several different flavors of herring- sour, curry, dill; and several different types of salmon- smoked and fermented. Once that part is complete, which is not too bad thankfully, everyone moves on to the meat section. Here is where you get to have the Christmas ham, Swedish meatballs and sausages. Usually the smorgasbord will also have a variety of small things, like moose sausage, pâté and jonssons.
After dinner, and this part varies from family to family, is when Santa finally comes. He walks from house to house carrying a lantern and knocks on the door. He walked in the room and asks if there “are any good boys or girls here?” Then he hands the gifts out to all the kids. Santa in Sweden is not the traditional Coca Cola Santa. This Santa is skinnier and more plastic (it has to be the plastic mask that they wear). I actually find this Santa a little scary. If I was a kid, I really would. Once the gifts are distributed, then it is the last fika of the day. This is usually between 11 and 12.
The 25th is, as sad as it sounds, is nothing. Most Swedish families will meet up with relatives, but for the most part the holiday is over. The Christmas lights and decorations will not be taken down until mid January.
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