Gothenburg, Day 3
No pix today, but I'm taking the camera to the office tomorrow.
General observations:
1) No one makes eye contact over here. It's unreal. And if they do make eye contact and you speak like you would at home (the South), they look at you like you're crazy.
2) Almost everyone wears black or dark clothing. I've seen a few tan jackets but the sports team jackets or colorful windbreakers that people wear in the States are missing. And don't even think about a warmup suit...
3) Lots of people on bicycles.
4) Beer is EXPENSIVE!!! I just paid $8.11 (64 SEK) for a pint o' Guinness!
5) Food is expensive!! I paid $20.16 (159
SEK) for a burger and fries to go with the Guinness. Fortunately the burger was very good and the place had malt vinegar for the fries (or chips since it was a British pub) but geeze!
Edit: this may have been because the pub is next to a fairly expensive hotel, as I've since had another burger, just as good or better, for 119 SEK down in the old part of town. In fact my whole meal last night (200 gram burger and a pint of beer) only cost 173 SEK ($22.45).
6) Of course part of that could be the 25% sales tax on food...
7) And part of the reason for the 25% sales tax is that Sweden is (let's hear it boys and girls) a Socialist country. Cradle to grave health care....except if they are out of the needed medicine....in which case....you wait.
Why do I point out 4, 5, 6 & 7? Because at the rate we've hurtling down that road, the day of the $20 burger ain't that far off! See
8) Lots of Volvos on the streets. Probably has something to do with having the national headquarters of Volvo Car, Volvo Truck Corp., Volvo Bus and Volvo Parts in town...
9) Lots of Toyota diesel cars on the streets. Especially taxis. Little things about the size of a Yaris.
10) While the Swedes are courteous drivers, for the most part, I'm glad I'm using company transportation from the hotel to the office and back!
General observations:
1) No one makes eye contact over here. It's unreal. And if they do make eye contact and you speak like you would at home (the South), they look at you like you're crazy.
2) Almost everyone wears black or dark clothing. I've seen a few tan jackets but the sports team jackets or colorful windbreakers that people wear in the States are missing. And don't even think about a warmup suit...
3) Lots of people on bicycles.
4) Beer is EXPENSIVE!!! I just paid $8.11 (64 SEK) for a pint o' Guinness!
5) Food is expensive!! I paid $20.16 (159
SEK) for a burger and fries to go with the Guinness. Fortunately the burger was very good and the place had malt vinegar for the fries (or chips since it was a British pub) but geeze!
Edit: this may have been because the pub is next to a fairly expensive hotel, as I've since had another burger, just as good or better, for 119 SEK down in the old part of town. In fact my whole meal last night (200 gram burger and a pint of beer) only cost 173 SEK ($22.45).
6) Of course part of that could be the 25% sales tax on food...
7) And part of the reason for the 25% sales tax is that Sweden is (let's hear it boys and girls) a Socialist country. Cradle to grave health care....except if they are out of the needed medicine....in which case....you wait.
Why do I point out 4, 5, 6 & 7? Because at the rate we've hurtling down that road, the day of the $20 burger ain't that far off! See
8) Lots of Volvos on the streets. Probably has something to do with having the national headquarters of Volvo Car, Volvo Truck Corp., Volvo Bus and Volvo Parts in town...
9) Lots of Toyota diesel cars on the streets. Especially taxis. Little things about the size of a Yaris.
10) While the Swedes are courteous drivers, for the most part, I'm glad I'm using company transportation from the hotel to the office and back!
Comments