Well, we survived our 2 day "business" trip to Stockholm. Not that there was a lot of business. We spent maybe 3 hours at the trade fair that we had travelled to attend. Which really was a waste of time as there wasn't much of a chance to spend any indepth time with any one supplier. There were a couple of people I wanted to catch up with, and a couple of products I specifically wanted to view in person, and I managed to do that. So that was good. But I missed out on a few last minute stalls which looked really interesting. Why we had to wait until the middle of the day before flying from Luleå to Stockholm and then fly home again early the next day is beyond me. I'm sure they were likely cheap tickets, but not that much cheaper. And it surely it would have paid for itself through the knowledge gained by having sufficient time to actually learn something.
I really like Stockholm, I have to say. As a place to visit, I can't speak for how it is as a place to live in. I've always considered Sydney to be one of the prettiest cities in the world, closely followed by Perth. But I reckon that Stockholm on a sunny day might just have them beat. Not being one to lie in with a hangover, I was up at first light and for a nice walk from our hotel in Södermalm through Gamla Stan and back again. It's a delightful walk and there's always something new to see every time. I'm not a Big City guy, but it's nice to play in one every once and a while.
The overall experience was somewhat spoilt (as expected) by the notion that everything we did had to involve alcohol in some way. I'm not anti-alcohol, I just don't accept that it's a necessary part of life. It is possible to have a good time without a can of beer in your hand. Barbeques still work, and players still kick goals. One thing I do appreciate about Sweden is the lack of a bond between alcohol and sport. I never understood how some many people seemed to miss the irony that such a performance restricting substance belongs anywhere near a high performance activity. Never understood that one. The 2 are poles apart. Even as a spectator. I grew up in that environment, I must confess. Right from when I was playing sport in high school we were always encouraged to "have a beer" with the team after the game. I ask you, what 15 year old boy is going to say No to that ? And so the bizarre connection was formed. Sporting events were often sponsored by beer companies, Hell, sometimes even car racing events. Anyone else spot the problem with that ? The same thing happened when I started working. Peer pressure is pretty tough when you're the young new guy, intended or not. So drinking became an automatic part of socialising. I'm ashamed to say that I was probably in my mid 30s when I felt confident enough in myself to go out with my drinking buddies, and not drink. That's probably a fair indication of the power of the drinking culture.
Swedes do drink a lot. I'm not going to defend them on that. Most of the rumours out there are pretty much true. But, for the most part, the point of the exercise is not to drink. The drinking is a side dish to whatever the main purpose is. And that distinguishes Sweden from many other countries. When we were planning a party, the first thing we bought was alcohol. Then we thought that we probably should have some food to go with it to try and look like we weren't complete cavemen. But having no food wasn't a deal breaker. Swedes buy alcohol, but they tend to buy it to complement something else. And for all their love of drinking, I've never had one person argue with me if I've decided that I don't want to have a drink this time. Not a one, not even a pressuring second glance. Absolute acceptance of my decision. I appreciate that. To be in the company of influential people this time (even if only for 24 hours) who do have a problem with alcohol, was not a lot of fun and was an unwelcomed reminder of sad days gone by. If it were not for my relaxing stroll through the beautful city of Stockholm I probably would have felt cheated out of 1 day of my life. So thank you, Stockholm.
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