Great weekend and a hoarse voice :-)

I have had a great weekend in Örebro with Champions of Rock, hotel, dinner and the company of my lovely sister.

We started from Upplands Väsby midday and after a 2 1/2 hour drive we approached Örebro. We saw this big sign saying Conventum, Söder (south) in a mile, and that's where we should go off the highway. But no more sign saying Conventum or south so we continued driving but after a while we realized we were getting out of town again so first exit we went off and tried to turn around but almost ended up in another highway. Finally we were on the way again and when we now came from the south there was a big sign saying Conventum, city south so off we went.
Those of you in Örebro that does the signs, please alter the one where it just say West not south!!!

Anyway we reached the hotel and wanted to go out on town. It was now around 3.15PM and they said the shops were closed. Closed? on a Saturday afternoon? One mall might be opened, the receptionist said, but only until 4PM?! We are used to shops being open at least until 6PM or more. So dissapointing but instead we went to our room and relaxed. Soon it was time to find somewhere to eat and we ended up at the hotel after a walk on town where several restaurants were full already. We took a glass of champagne and Helen ordered pasta of the day and I a club sandwich with currysauce. The only problem was that when the food finally came they had made a mistake and I also got a plate of pasta of the day. It was paprikasauce and I can't eat that so that's why I went with another dish. So even more waiting before I finally got my food. Then I was so hungry that I could only eat a little.

Have you ever felt that? You are so hungry (I hadn't eaten all day except for a bowl of yoghurt) and when you finally get food you're full? I can't understand that but I function like that. It would be funny to hear if someone else have had that feeling.

Then off to the show. The venue was right beside the hotel so only like 5 meters to go :-)
Our seats were the best in the house, row 1 just in front of the stage and so close we almost could touch the artists. And then it began. What a show!! I just love Queen's music and with a singer like Peter Johansson, who played Galileo in We will rock you, in London for 2 years, what can be wrong? He has such a range in his voice which you wouldn't believe just looking at him. He was backed up by Nina Söderquist a lovely friend who played Lady of the Lake in Spamalot in London. She's a gifted singer with a rocktone in her voice and lots of comedy in her vains. She's not afraid showing emotions and has a very expressive mimic. Also backing up Peter was Kerry Ellis, a great musical artist who has played the role of Meatloaf in We will rock you as well as other great roles in West End. What a voice in that tiny body.
Those three was backed up by superskilled musicians all from England and a choir that was great.

I was completely happy the whole time and at the end when everybody stood up and sang We will rock you, We are the Champions and The show must go on, I had chills down my spine and I really truly sang and danced with the consequence that yesterday my voice was very very hoarse and it still is. A bit better but far from good. But it was worth it I can tell you.
The final song was I want it all and at that point the audience sang like one and it couldn't have ended in a better way.

Afterwards we met with Nina and Peter and I had brought a bottle of wine each for them and for Nina also photos from when she performed at the cruiseship to Helsinki. Already then Hasse and I said she would be a star. And we were right. We are also friends on Facebook and MySpace and have been "talking" for a couple of years but this was the first time we met "live". And she was just as nice as I thought.
I'm also friend with Peter and we had a chat and I said I really hope he will play Galileo if the musical comes to Sweden and it will so I will keep my fingers crossed for that.

After a hellnight with a bed that was hard as a stone and with a bedmattrass that was thin as paper. I wonder if every room was like that? we went down to have breakfast and the hotel was so full so we had to stand in line to get something to eat. When we had finished we went out but on the way out I saw Peter, his wife and their baby so I stopped and talked to them. He has the most beautiful little babygirl with the name Milli Grace. He introduced me to his wife as the mother of the keyboardist in H.E.A.T. It turned out he had voted for them at the Melodifestivalen. Good taste!

So after that we were ready to return home and by 3PM I was home again after a lovely weekend. Thank you Helen for driving so good and for the company, lovely as ever.
Now we have Hairspray to look forward to and also Christmas concert in Linköping later this year.

Today I have worked like h..ll and tomorrow I'm going to have lessons with the students in marketing, bookkeeping that is in my field. Very exciting but fun.