Marilyn Goes to Sweden, Part 1: Adventures in Videography!

Adventures in Videography!

To say I am a novice international traveler is an understatement.  In sixty-six years I have left the US for a week in Mexico  when I was eighteen, and about a week total in Canada.  So, traveling to Europe was quite the big deal for me, and of course I wanted to capture large swaths of the journey on film and video for later scrapbooking and viewing.  At the same time, I didn't want to spend so much time peering through a camera lens that I lost the moments of actually being there!

I took a few photos in Goteberg, which was our first stop on our way to Stockholm  where we would begin a week long driving tour of central Sweden.  My high school friend Carla had won round trip plane tickets for two and was able to arrange a direct flight from San Francisco to Copenhagen, and then on to Goteberg.  Since our tour's departure was from Stockholm, we both decided that it would be fun to try the high speed train to cross the country and would allow us to really see the Swedish countryside.

We were not disappointed.  Leaving Goteberg, we were quickly barreling through the most gorgeous landscapes.  Lush and verdant, the country is a vision of forest, farmland, and sparkling lakes, all mixed and mingled together.  Having left California, which, due to four years of drought, was brown,  tinder-dry, and on fire, the sight of such greenery was indeed a treat to behold.  Also, California's forests and farms are mostly in different regions or at least elevations, so seeing fields of freshly harvested hay and other grains right in the midst of forests of both evergreens and deciduous trees, already beginning to don autumn colors, was new and exciting to me.

I marveled that nearly every home, barn, shed, outbuilding, for the two hundred mile trip was painted the exact same shade of deep brick red, with white trim.  Set against the deep greens of the grasses, trees, and bushes, the contrast of the red homes is very appealing.  I knew there had to be a reason for the red buildings everywhere, and I looked forward to finding out what lay behind this uniformity that stretched mile after mile.

The train was amazingly smooth-riding and quiet, allowing me to snap some pretty decent photos from my iPhone.  Carla had dozed off, so I spent my time peering out the windows, wondering what delights awaited me.  Suddenly it dawned on me that I could video the countryside as we sped by, giving both a panorama of the many sights and a sense of how quickly we were zipping along.  I took a quick trial video to see if it would be too blurry, and discovered that it worked just fine, so I was ready to VIDEO TAPE SWEDEN!  I got nice and comfy, steadied my hand, and began to film.

I couldn't believe my good luck and timing, as we zoomed past homes, barns, corrals, and commercial areas.  I captured horses, cows, and sheep grazing on the emerald green carpet that lay in front of dazzling waterways.  I was surprised to see windmills of varying design, but all looking like they had been operating for many, many years.  What a perfect first glimpse of the country that is Sweden!  And, as my phone camera did all the work, I just sat there holding it while the world outside my window rolled by.  I could film and be present!  Cool! 

Imagine my surprise when I swiped the play icon on my phone, and learned, much to my chagrin, that I had spent the entire time filming my own headband!  Guess I'd accidentally put the camera in selfie mode.  I burst out laughing, waking Carla up.  She was highly amused.  I was once again reminded why I will never become too cocky or swell-headed--the all too frequent reminders of my own ineptness!

Herewith is "Marilyn's Amazing Video of the Swedish Countryside!"  I have pared it down to a mere 30 seconds or so from the original four minute study of my head and its adornment. I even added some ABBA!  Behold the wonder of my cinematic talent!

Alas, there is a sad ending to this tale, in addition to once again proving myself to be world-class fool.  The next day, unbeknownst to me, while touring Stockholm by bus, by boat, and on foot, the self-same headband, my favorite, by the way, was completely blown off my head in one of the many gusty blasts of Baltic wind.  Luckily I have this nifty video to remember it by!