The times they are a-changin'

 

Oh! How time flies! Looking through some old photos of ourselves we found these little "trophies" from Dad's early years. Above is a photo from a brief career as a troubadour. This particular photo is from Tossa de Mar, north of Barcelona in Spain, where I and my brother Martin earned a few bucks playing in local bars during one summer. We were able to pack the places night after night while we performed. Notice the fuzzbox on the table! It is not plugged in to the semi-acoustic guitar I play. ;) It belongs to the man in the corner, Tom Jones' former bass player. The guy in front is a member of the old Spanish folk/pop group Trio Montenegro. Due to some unfortunate circumstances they had to end their performances as a duo.

A well-groomed look as a boy soprano in the Gothenburg Cathedral's Boy Choir. Circa1983.

Another photo from the boy choir era.  This is probably taken during one of many Sunday Mass performances. Around this time is when the choir performed the Swedish premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem. I remember it to be a gruesome experience, as an 8-9-year old, to have to memorize 64 pages in Latin.

Bow-ties will never go out of style!

My brother and I a few years later in life. Enjoying malted milkshakes during a Sunday brunch at Silver Diner near the house where Tara and I lived in Fairfax, Virginia.

Touchdown! (or something...) Three years old heading for a swim in the coastal waters near our summer cottage.

 Hiking has always been a great interest of mine! Above is photo from an excursion during springtime in a nearby forest in Gothenburg. The jacket was sewn by my mom. Wellies are always a good thing to have when hiking in Sweden! 

Above is the start of my first longer hiking trail experience. I was nine years and did a three day hike on the southern part of the Hallandsleden trail, in the woods near the family's summer cottage. The second day included rain, rain and more rain - and me getting stuck with my foot in a fence when walking through a farm field with caddle. If I remember it correctly my dad took out his knife and carved an opening in the wooden fence around my ankle to make it possible for me get free.

Ski training. My first pair of skis, with old bindings, similar to what Telemark skis have today.

Up on a Swedish fell mountain. One of many cross-country tours. Me, cutting out snow blocks to build a snow hut.

Me and former Prime Minister Carl Bildt (now the Secretary of State for Sweden) after a lunch meeting at a school cafeteria.