Recap of George’s Trip to Stockholm, Sweden

First of all I was surprised of the similarities between New York City (where I work) and Stockholm.

Everything from McDonalds all over the place, 7-11 Convenience stores, Taco Bells to the city culture and the subways (underground trains). I felt like I was in America except for the fact that Swedish was the primary language which I could barely read or pronounce!!!

The Hard Rock Café had some real cool stuff. Autographed photos, many Gold Albums, a set of Dolls I never seen before (not the ones were used too), awards, assorted pictures, magazines,

I met two ABBA and Kristina fans there also. Susanna and Linda. Susanna was near my hotel in Medborgpladsen. We met and then chatted and I gave her one of my best Kristina photos - she loved it. She also told me Peter Joback lived nearby too. We went to her apartment and watched the Kristina TV special and I finally saw myself in the video!!! This was from the Minnesota concert held in the high school. I heard about my appearance in it and I even have a video copy of it from another Swedish gal but I didn’t convert it from PAL yet.

We then we went out for dinner and chatted about our cultures, careers, etc.

Then I met with Linda a few days later who tried to gather some other from Stockholm but it turned out to be just us. We met under this "giant mushroom" sculpture – strange meeting place!! And we went to this Swedish restaurant and I ate this delicious Salmon dish, I love seafood.

I tried meeting with Benny at his studios but he was too busy. But I did speak to him. I wanted to show him my Kristina pictures from the two Minnesota performances along with my web site so he can see the interest here in America and try to find out info about Kristina and Mamma Mia from him. And do a brief interview for the Fan Club magazine. Instead I have his snail-mail address and I’ll mail him my questions and pictures instead.

I also tried to see Agnetha. I was outside the entrance to her house, it was a rural farmland area. Not what I expected. I was curious to see where she lives and hoping to see her, give her a card and hopefully an autograph. I waited around a few hours and kept seeing a car enter and exit but with tinted windows in the backseat so I couldn’t tell if she was in there or not. Slowly I walked up the private driveway passing her horse stable and I barely saw her daughter and a glimpse of her also then they retreated back indoors. Bummer huh!!! So then we headed back to Stockholm.

I even saw and entered Polar Studios and took some cool pictures of its entrance, lobby and a small statue of Stig and some awards to Polar regarding ABBA. We couldn’t see the studios since recordings were taking place. The studios are hard to notice unless you know the address. No markings, signs on its outside until you approach the door.

 

The ABBA Goodies I found and bought while there:

Kristina Song/Music Book

Cost: 250KR

ISMN M-66150-002-5 1997 14 songs

Purchased at: Svala Soderlund

KungL. Hovmusikhandel Ab

 

The Very Best of ABBA (sheet music) Cost: 268KR

Poster (lots of pics from The Movie)

Purchased at: Velodrome Torsdagar 19-03

Agnetha LP EMB 31094 1974 Cost: 350KR

Souveneir Program Cost: 150KR North American and European Tour 1979

ABBA by Harry Edgington Cost: 100KR Magnum Books, 1977 ISBN 0417 033702

 

 

I wanted these two books also but they were too big to haul back home.

It’s the history of the Music Festival which ABBA performed Waterloo and started everything. It has several chapters and lots of very good photos of them performing there.

Melodi Festivalen

By Leif Thorsson, 1999, Premium Publishing ISBN 91-89136-004

 

This book is by Bengt H. Malquist who is a photographer that took many photos of our group and many other groups and celebrities. The book had about 20 photo of our group some in black and white. One photo I really enjoyed was Agnetha looking through a window while she was pregnant with Christopher (I presume). Here is the info for anyone interested:

Stjarnornas: Fotograf 395KR

By Bengt H. Malquist

Premium Publishing 91-89136-098

CD’s

1998 Tribute Record