Dan is unhappy with this picture
Annexet, Stockholm
Whoa. We're way off my linguistic radar now. I don't even know the Swedish word for Swedish. Fortunately, everyone you approach with a sheepish "do you speak English?" replies, "a little" with a shrug, and then proceeds to conduct the conversation flawlessly in a charming accent. Which is just as well because I don't even know the Swedish word for Swedish. I've never been this far north. It is very very cold. I just want you to bear that in mind.
We wake up in the shade of the giant globe of Globen City, which is as Star Wars as it sounds. Globen City is the unholy union of several venues, a hotel, a mall and an enormous globe. They are playing Rick Astley in the mall. We resolve to leave for the centre of town as soon as possible.
I don't know if you're aware of a thing they have called "the Single European Currency". This is a very convenient system by which men and women can travel around many different countries in a place they have called "Europe", buying goods and services all the while, and when they leave one place they can use the same money in another place, thereby diminishing the need to buy a second suitcase to carry all the useless change you have accumulated between borders. This tour has been an education in the practical benefits of the Euro, which are thrown into sharp relief by leaving the euro zone and finding yourself alone and confused amongst the Krona. How many thousands should one withdraw from the cash machine? How far into town will 136 krona take you in a cab?
Despite this we manage to find our way into Stockholm and enjoy the sights for an extremely short time before the early showtime calls us back to Globen City. It's the biggest venue of the tour but the crowd seem strangely muted. They also seem strangely young and pasty-faced (and I mean 'pasty' as in savoury parcel.)
While we were in Stockholm Dan bought a hat. He's not completely sure about it, so if you see him wearing it, perhaps you can say "nice hat, Dan". It will make all the difference.
Dan is unhappy with this picture
