Wiebe Wakker
June 15, 2016
Day 90 Sunday March 12
My host Aryan is a huge car fanatic. He has many cars, most of them Citroen’s and he converts them so they run on ethanol. He has plans to make his old Citroen electric and already has a line of batteries ready. He knows everything about cars and with his knowledge he could even tell me details about my own car, which was useful.
Around noon I drove to another part of Stockholm where I met Mikael. He invited me because he wanted to teach me about the human part of sustainability. Mikael is a yoga instructor, I thought he was my age but actually was 10 years older, because his state of mind he looks younger too (at least that’s what he told me). Being around Mikael makes you feel really relaxed and he is a very open, intelligent and friendly guy.
As the Euro has started we decided to watch a match but first we did a 30 minute yoga workout. We did some exercises with breathing techniques and after completion I felt completely zen.
Day 91 Monday March 13
The Dutch embassy in Stockholm invited me over, they are based in a very hip area in the city and I could park my car behind the gates. I was in touch with Frank already a few weeks, he works at the Embassy and made a list of interesting initiatives to visit in Sweden. He and some colleagues welcomed me and later the ambassador came by for a talk to. She was very interested and had some tips to travel through the country. As it was lunchtime we went to a local bar and they plugged me in with food their, great people!
I really want to see more of Stockholm but as I had work to do I decided to drive the car outside of the city and work from there.
In the evening I would meet Misha, Mikael hooked me up with him and I only knew his address and name. Apparently he lived in an student apartment and as I didn’t know his lastname I couldn’t find his room. I checked every door on every floor of the apartment (about 8) but his name was not on any. I contacted Mikael and after a few minutes Misha’s roommate showed up, Misha was late from work. It was around 6 and knew that Sweden was playing against Ireland. The football atmosphere in Sweden is very different to The Netherlands. Back home two weeks before the tournament all the streets and houses would turn orange but here it’s not like that. Not even many people watch the game. I watched the first half alone and later Misha would join me.
Misha was just like Mikael and spiritual guy. He traveled around the world and while Couchsurfing in Holland he met a guy who inspired him to become vegan.
Misha likes to cook but not just for himself, a few years ago he started cooking for people in the neighborhood who where interested and soon it will involve into eating parties where 40 people showed up, giving him the nickname ‘The Lappi’s Chef’, named after the area he is living in. Now he doesn’t cook large scale anymore but still is involved in Stockholm’s food business. He collects vegetables which almost are to be thrown away and cooks for refugees.
