After something like 9 or 10 years dreaming about Sweden, finally I was there, landed in Copenhagen, early December, 2004, waiting my connection to Stockholm; folks, my hands was shaking, and seems all butterflies in the world was flying inside my stomach.
I don't know how many of you readers reached your dream in life, for you folks I can say, its far beyond happiness...
So, I got into the plane for the connection towards Sverige; I was euphoric, almost forgetting to breath, and then, after some minutes, I saw my beautiful Stockholm from above. I guess this was one of that views I will never forget... it was around 15:00 and the sky was a mix of blue and orange, a really beauty sundown.
At that point, there was a feeling of peace inside of me, some feeling I got for the very first time, and I still feel how it was.
We landed... and I saw, Årlanda. yes! I was there. already dark and in a hurry to meet some good friends that was about to pick me up at T-centralen... exchange money, finding bags, find the right bus or train and so. All set, it was time to march till Sthlm heart. I was getting calm, as it was my first trip aboard, I was quite worried, excited... when I remember, from the bus, on the way to T-centralen I saw some company name followed by AB and right there all euphoria passed by and I found myself in Sverige, seems like the world around just stopped and I just felt I was touching, feeling, living my dream.
That trip wasn't about tourism. to be honest, I didn't go to museums, city hall.. no, I just had the day-by-day Stockholm. The weird thing is: all visual signs were in swedish... (ops marcos, what did you expect??) yet, even my swedish don't go far from the very basic polite words, I didn't feel lost or out of the shell, I just felt I was at home, it was all so familiar, so natural. weird, cause I never have been there before. Actually your writer here can say it was like walk in São Paulo city (where I do live), sure, with references, but wasn't like be in a total unknown place. If some of you ask what was on my mind by that time... Im was feeling I was at home. there is no other way to describe my feelings. It's like when you have a trip far from home for long time and when you miss it more then anything in the world, you get back and see all your goodies again... that was like I was feeling...
So, as I have some good swedish friends, I have been told a few times I could get disappointed about it could be a cultural difference, maybe some would be cold, but that was the swedish way and bla bla bla... and I can tell you guys, down here many people have this view, and well, we really are different... latin blooded and so on... but well, I got there ready for a shy hand shake and nothing more warm than that; I was wrong. As many people use to say, once a swede call you as friend, there is a real friend for life time. and the reception was exactly like that. I was treated in the best way they could do, and I remember clearly, how much they cared...
As my trip wasn't much about tourism, I can not provide you guys a tourist perspective. I just had some good fellows around, walks through the city, heavy metal gigs and so on...
So, what could go wrong so? I had to leave; had no visa to stay. but life is long... :-)
What I can say after this trip is: My lovely Sweden worth a shot if you are not a swede, and if you are, smile when you look through the window, cause outside there, is the most beauty and enchanting place in the world
Hej då