Dad

Leaving NJ...

...to Alameda...

...then Twin Peaks

1996 Sweden

March of the Living

Remembering

27th December 1996

Dear Michael,

Now, that I am about halfway in my trip to Sweden I can make a "report" to you and describe all the things that happened to me since I arrived. The trip to Malmo (through Copenhagen, Denmark) was uneventful. The plane left and arrived on time. I was awaited at the Malmo terminal by my cousin, Jurek Wiener, who took me home but had to leave immediately because he had some patients scheduled. His wife was home and prepared for me some "welcome breakfast".

I stayed with them a few days and flew to Stockholm to see another cousin and his family where I stayed one week, from Friday to Friday. It is unusual but both my cousins, the one in Lund and the one in Stockholm are named Jurek, but the one in Stockholm is named Gold, and both their wives are named Asia (pronounced Ashia, a nickname for Joanna). The Stockholm cousins have two children, an older girl named Beåta and a son Jacob. The girl is college age and the boy in last grades of high school.

I also have a friend in Stockholm. He and I walked though the city, and it is a beautiful place to walk. The old city is ancient, many buildings dating back to 12th century. The palace of the King of Sweden is located smack in the center of the city and I saw the changing of the guards there. Practically next door stands the Royal Museum of Art.

The weather was sunny, but very cold, -13ªCentergrade (slightly below OªF), although devoid of any humidity, so it was bearable. Once I got chilled I went to an old restaurant in the Old City and had a big plate of hot "Gulaschsuppe"; more like a tasty, thick beef soup with lots of chunks of beef, I also had a cup of delicious, fragrant coffee and some pastry. Then I continued my walk. When I was finished I took the subway home to my cousins place where I called you as it was your birthday. But because of the time difference (9 hours earlier in SF) I could not get you. I was very sad because I wanted badly to speak with you . I sent email and only yesterday, few days after my return to Lund I found out that a reply arrived. My cousin printed it out and I'll receive it a day before New Years Day when the one from Stockholm and his sister fly to Lund for New Year's eve.

One day I had bad luck. It was Monday and I decided to visit the Royal Museum. I ate breakfast early, took a bus to the subway then the subway to the vicinity of the Museum. then walked for quite a few blocks. As I came to the gates I was told that the museum was closed Mondays. It would not befit this writing to tell you what I said to myself. I visited the museum the next day.

One day I decided to take a train to Uppsala. I wanted to see the oldest, most famous Swedish university and also the medieval cathedral. I took a train for the 45 minute ride. The city is unforgettable. The oldest part has streets the width of a room, many are cobble stoned. A real students paradise. The cathedral is a huge, beautiful gothic structure. They started to build it in the 12th century and finished in the 14th. It contains many royal graves including one of a Polish princess, who was married to the Swedish king in the 14th century. The cathedral contains many paintings, sculptures and beautifully and intricately carved woods. A real pleasure to look at.

The one big problem with visiting this part of the world this time of year is that the days are very short, much shorter in Stockholm and Uppsala then in Lund which is about 500 miles to the south. The days start about 10-11 AM and end around 2:30. In Lund they are only about one hour longer. There is no snow to speak of, either in Stockholm/Uppsala area or in Lund (there is in other parts of Sweden). Despite this, I am having a good time here.

I am back in Lund now. It is also a very ancient university city with a beautiful cathedral. Inside it is a very large medieval clock dating to the middle ages. I wish that I had your camera; I would take a photo of this clock to insert it in this report. The face of the clock is about 15 feet in diameter and shows the phases of the moon, the position of stars, it's a masterpiece of medieval art.

The Christmas dinner was made according to an old Swedish custom with many good local courses mixed with Carp-Jewish-Style, as is an old custom in Poland. It was a real feast, but to be honest, I overate.

Today I drove with Jurek's mother and another lady to the Malmo museum, about 12 miles away. There is an exhibition of old Roman art, sculptures, gold and copper objects, many of which never left Italy before. Tomorrow we have a date to go to an auction. We'll see what happens there.

My dental work has been finished, at least half of it. The other half will be finished on 31st December.

I'll write soon if I get a chance. Jurek is now installing internet (+ email) but it takes some time here before it is really working. This is not the USA.

I love you and miss you terribly. As per our conversation before my departure, I hope that we will see each other in February in SF.

Love

Henry