Terrorising Tourists (and the Changing of the Guard)

I managed to trick a tourist yesterday. It was quite accidental, even though what happened was something that I hoped to do. I was standing at an intersection when someone spoke to me. I didn't understand what they'd said, so I assumed that they were speaking in Swedish. I turned to them and meant to say "I don't speak Swedish" (in Swedish) but managed instead to say "I speak Swedish". The person then garbled some english about how they were just looking for the main train station - so I pointed in the right direction (it was not very far away) without speaking. That night some poor American tourist must have been wondering how they managed to ask directions of one of the few non-english speaking Swedes in Stockholm. Hee hee. I did at least point him in the right direction.

While not misleading tourists, I was watching the Changing of the Royal Swedish Guard at the Palace. There were shiny helmets, there was marching, there were bayonets and there was a band. 

My favourite part was the ceremonial handing over of the walkie-talkie when the guard in the guard house changed over.

My second favourite bit was when the naval band planned the theme form the TV series 'Jag' - sounded very impressive.

It went for quite a long time, and there are at least two different 'changes' as the one Dr M saw was different.  I wonder how many different ones there are. I might go back another time to find out.

Countdown - 3 weeks to go

I hereby announce this blog open.

Littleswedishblog is here so that family & friends are up-to-date with my adventures during my littleswedishtrip. Right now I am on the countdown to departure - I have my ticket, passport and a signed leave form - in three weeks time I will be winging my way to Stockholm via Bangkok.

I have resumed my Svenska lessons (which had been on hold during my broken jaw experience) and am up to lesson 8 of 10. I am not sure of the value of said lessons as the lessons seemed to be written around the idea of a young American man speaking to a young Svesk woman, with him offering drinks and meals - I don't think I will need to know many of the phrases as the only person I am likely to invite back to my place is my husband (and he speaks English). However, it is fun to learn, and hopefully I can learn enough to understand a little of what's said around me. I think the reading component will be more helpful as it will help me know how to read place/street names so that I can ask for directions if required (although if they answer me in Svenska; what I am looking for will either need to be here (har) or over there (dar botta) otherwise I wont be able to understand them).

With 21 days to go, goals for the next week are:

• research what Dr. M & I are going to do with our rare and precious weekends during the trip
• sort out this blogging business (how to get it looking the way I like, learn how to insert photos etc) and load a swedish font so that I can use the extra letters in the Svenska alphabet (those a's with the funny things on them)
• finish the oral component and start the reading component of the Svenska lessons
• pay all the bills and try and figure out if any are going to come in while I am away

Hej da!

(that's goodbye for those of you who haven't finished the first lesson of Pimsleur's Swedish 1)