Day 51 Malmo / Fire and Ice

 51 a great sleep last night, 8 hours nonstop. Absolutely no probs in the dorm which was full to the gunwales with 18 travellers. Well there was some loud involuntary hiccupping from further down the dorm, probably due to a bit too much drink (I used to do that in my drinking days), but it didn’t prevent me falling into a deep sleep. Had a leisurely breakfast after showering, and left the hostel about 10.30. Decided to take my laundry into a laundry service, and again got a bit lost as I was trying to follow the map. Quite pricey though. Hadn’t done any since Morecambe back on August 14th, and I feared I might be beginning to pong a bit! Left them with the owner and walked into Malmo city centre. At the Gustav Adolf square, there was an Italian promotion going on, with lots of stalls selling Italian food and crafts. I bought some biscuits and a latte and sat by one of the many fountains in this city…. Very peaceful. And there was a tenor singing classical and easy listening songs with his backing music coming from his sound system. He was all kitted out in evening dress suit, very traditional. He was Richard Stark, an English singer. Beautiful. During a break I went up to chat to him and bought 2 of his CDs which he autographed. I’m becoming even keener on trying some form of street entertaining myself, not for the money but just for the experience of making random passers by interested in whatever I would be doing. 

I walked down to the station and checked times for my train tomorrow back to Copenhagen… Every 20 minutes, no prob. On my way back I looked around another beautiful old church, and signed the visitors book with a thought for all those people in the world suffering at the hands of others. There was one man having a rest in a pew, complete with all his belongings. A thought struck me that maybe the churches could offer their space and seating to any homeless people, whether here or back in N Z, or in America, London or wherever, rather than sleeping rough. It seems such a shame that these large buildings are empty. Except for services of course. The organ was very impressive. And the high ceilings painted in great detail. 

At 3pm I met Fire and Ice who picked me up with her daughter in the car seat in the back, and brought me back to her home in another part of Malmo. Lovely home and surroundings, and enjoyed coffee and pastries before she brought me back to the hostel so I could get my laundry before 6. Impressed with all the languages Fire and Ice speaks, 4 I think, and impressed with young Akira who was understandably a bit shy. After bringing my laundry back, I set off again in search of some dinner. Found a nice Indian restaurant and had chicken korma and Naan bread, nice.

Early to bed tonite, another travelling day tomorrow, although the distance to Copenhagen is quite short. Goodbye Sweden, land of Abba, Bjorn Borg and a million cyclists…..