July 27, 2018 - The journey home.
We were traveling by train through the wheat fields in southern Sweden when it struck me how much I was surprised by this trip. As we flew past vast fields of gold in the July sun I remember that I didn’t expect to see such a thing.
To be honest, I left for this Episode not really knowing what to expect. I knew so little about this part of the world and after our somewhat exotic excursion in Episode III I thought it might be tame and homogeneous. My preconceptions were rooted in stereotypes I saw on TV and Viking myths. I could not have been more wrong.
Over and over I have found that is the best thing about travel. Your parti pris is bent. Your ignorant notions about how the world works are walloped and your eyes open. You see differently.
If you read any survey of “The happiest place to live on earth” you will discover that it is not Orlando, Florida. Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Oslo consistently rank at the top. Their populations are remarkably content, have a high standard of living, a superb social safety net, a compassionate and liberal world view, and an unusual taste for reindeer hot dogs. Scandinavia is not homogenous but rather has a diverse and unique history which has shaped much of Western culture.
They are not free of struggles. Numerous wars were fought here. The Roman Empire, at the height of it’s power and reach, was stopped here by these people. And, despite being so far north, a trading empire flourished here that reached as far as Istanbul before America was even an idea. These are no small things.
The land here is both strikingly beautiful and harsh at the same time. This dichotomy makes Scandinavia unique. I take from here vivid images of Norwegian waterfalls , cobbled city squares, decaying Russian palaces, vibrant alive cities, and visits with kind open people. I take from here much more than I expected to find. And that is a good thing.
This is the end of Episode IV of ‘The Road to Bali’. The last time I was here was over forty years ago. In the haze of that memory I can only remember “LEGO Land”. I will remember much more now, but given the march of time it is unlikely we will return. Maybe in another forty years.
The pastries alone are worth the trip. Episode V ‘SPQR’ begins in October.
Flash, Charlie we’re comin’ home.
Comments