Price list for Sweden (approximate)

Exchange rate: $7 Swedish Kronor is $1

Water or cola bottle                                            $2-3

Ice cream cone                                          $3

Banana or apple (at 7-11)                            80c

MacDonald's meal                                       $10

Big bag of chips                                          $3

Hot dog (7-11)                                          $3

Pizza Hut buffet all you can eat                     $15

Italian pizza ("pizzeria")                                $9-12

Sushi                                                        $15-20 for a full meal

Pasta (restaurant)                                      $15

T-shirt (souvenir)                                        $15

Soccer jersey (real)                                     $50-100

Pair of jeans                                               $100-300!!!

For parents:

Cup of coffee (at a cafe)                             $4-5

coffee is cheaper at 7-11 but taste less good (have to try the Swedish coffee!!)

Beer (in a bar)                                                    $8-10

Glass of wine (in a bar)                                         $8-10

(As you can tell alcohol is expensive in Sweden. High taxes on alcohol)

Special Swedish items to bring home:

• Hand blown glass (Sweden is known for its art glass)
• A Dala Horse (this is a "must" to bring home to your parents; the symbol of Sweden for sure!)
• A Swedish flag
• Pennants from the Swedish soccer clubs (there are 4 teams in division 1 in Gothenburg, so it is a "big" soccer city
• Team t-shirts or jerseys (GAIS, IFK Gothenburg etc): jerseys are expensive (up to $100) but t-shirts can be about $15-20. Every sports store will have them. Also popular are the Swedish team shirts
• Other Swedish handicrafts, available at most stores on the Avenue.

Sightseeing events:

1. Liseberg amusement park (www.liseberg.se): free entrance but the kids have to pay a fee to go on the rides.

2. Alvsborgs Fastning (www.alvsborgsfastning.se; fort from 1600 hundreds): this is a fantastic excursion that several families in the past have enjoyed. The cost for the ferry is approx. 140 S.Kr. for adults and approx.  70S.Kr for kids and it includes guiding on the way of Gothenburg harbor and the fort itself. Once their there are a lot of activities to do: for 50S.Kr the kids can sign up for a medieval team competition, and there is lunch sandwiches (seem really delicious) for 45 S.Kr and we can book that in advance so they'll have our sandwiches ready since we are a group. Also, kids can swim in the ocean and fish once on the island. Those interested in fishing, bring your fishing gear!! Lots of great fish to get in Sweden. Also: if interested in snorkling, bring goggles. Although the water is cold (about 70 degrees), there are starfish and interesting fish to look at!

This boat tour is highly recommended by all who live there.

3. Universeum (www.universeum.se) This is an exciting museum in the middle of Gothenburg that has an aquarium, a science expo (interactive, where kids can try space suits and drive 18 wheelers), and a rare monkey exhibition. Entry fee with Gothia Card is two for one.

4. Fantastic dinner experience: Go to the top floor of Gothia Towers (across from Liseberg) and order their shrimp sandwich. It costs 140 Kronor ($25) but is worth every penny (at least 50 of fantastic shrimp caught outside of Gothenburg), and has a fantastic view over Gothenburg. Something to do when the kids are going on the roller coasters across the street in the amusement park.

5. Another place to eat shrimp and other shell fish (typical Swedish food) is Långedrag, outside of Gothenburg. There you can also fish and enjoy the beautiful sunset. The exclusive seaside resort Långedrag was built during the 1860s and is still a popular destination for excursions. The GKSS boat harbour and restaurants are situated here. When the weather is nice and clear, you can witness the most extraordinary sunsets here. Långedrag is conveniently located for visitors to Nya Varvet or those going to or from Saltholmen. It is within walking distance of Nya Varvet. To get here, take tram 4 to Långedrag. You can also fish or swim at Långedrag and enjoy a cup of coffee, dinner, or all you can eat shrimp (I will find out the price but think it is about 200 S.Kr, or $30-35, for the all you can eat shrimp).

6. "Paddan" Boat tour through Gothenburg; this is a must (see map)! Check different tours and prices at: http://www.paddan.se/SE/index.htm. This is the same company that goes out to the fort outside of Gothenburg.

7. Feskekörka the “Fish Church” is a market hall for seafood built in 1874. The building is reminiscent of a church, hence the name. Fresh fish is slightly more expensive here than average, but the quality and the atmosphere make it worth it. Feskekörka is located by the Rosenlund canal and is within walking distance of Brunnsparken. Or take trams 1, 2, 3, 4 or 9 to Grönsakstorget, which is only a few minutes' walk away. There is also a restaurant in Feskekörka.

Other stuff to remember:

1. Restaurants in Sweden do not do "doggiebags" (the servings are smaller so don't need to).

2. If the girls are hungry, snacks and water bottles are much cheaper if bought at grocery store than 7-11 etc. There are grocery stores located close to the school girls.

3. If you are in need of a large burger and a beer, go to The Rock Bar (I think it is on the Avenue). You can get a large burger and a beer for 100 S. Kr.

4. Internet: The players will have access to internet at the school (at times). The parents will most likely have access at their apartment or if you bring your own computer here are some places you can visit.

    IT-Grottan: Chalmersgatan 27 (031-7787377)

    Gameonline AB, Magasingatan 25 (031-135171)

    Evas Palex, Kungsportsavenyn 39 (031-163070; this is a coffee house and internet place)

    Condeco, Kungsportsavenyn (031-7114010, also a cafe and internet mix)

5. Most places sell both postcards and stamps (for example 7-11 or "Pressbyran"); stamp costs 11 S.Kr to the us.

Let me know if you have questions.

All the best,

Mattias

415 205 0401

Map of Gothenburg:

Dear Gothia-bound families,
 
I am passing on some information from our tour organizer about things to do while you are in Gothenburg with your families.  There is additional information for all the players that you will should have already received;  this info is for those of you joining us there.  Here are some important logistics:
 
Arrival in Gothenburg: There is the usual array of taxis and buses for getting into Gothenburg from the airport.  Here is a useful link on the various options:
http://www.visitsweden.com/sweden/travel-guide/getting-around-in-sweden/airport-transfers/from-gothenburg-airports/
 
Meeting up with the team: The girls are staying at Anas Skolan, Falkgatan 8.  Those of use coming from Denmark via ferry will arrive at the school at approximately 4:30-5pm on Sunday afternoon.  The girls must check in with the tournament officials with their passports when we arrive to certify the roster.  If your player is arriving with you, please let me know when you expect to arrive in Gothenburg so we can get your player certified.  Ideally, you can meet us at the dormitory at 4:30-5pm.    If you are not yet in Gothenburg at that time, we will need to take your player to a central check-in point after arrival to be added to the roster. 
 
After we've checked in, we will receive the Gothia cards/bracelets.  If you are NOT travelling with your player, you are welcome to come visit us at 7:30 to get your Gothia cards.  We ask that you not arrive before then as there are 24 teams at the school who need to be certified and it is a bit chaotic until they are all checked in.  We also realize that Sunday night is the final of the World Cup, which starts at 9pm.  We are looking into a venue where we can watch the game.
 
Game schedule: We are scheduled for 3 games so far in the tournament on Monday-Wednesday afternoon.  If we advance, there will be more games later in the week.  The games are unseeded, so we have no idea what caliber of teams we will be facing.  Our Lions team page will have links to the tournament results page.  (see previous email for the webpage)
 
Other things to do/see: Gothenburg is a charming city and is very welcoming to tourists.  Gothenburg hosts Sweden's largest amusement park, the Liseborg, which is a favorite destination for teams and families.  There are also boat and ferry rides to smaller islands and nearby beaches.   The team's non-soccer time is likely to be a combination of "hanging around" time at the school with teams from other countries as well as team excursions.  The attached email has ideas on activities in Gothenburg.
 
I look forward to seeing you and your players in Scandinavia!
 
Betsy Munz
(415) 346-3447
 

Dear Lions families:
 
Our trip is fast coming up!   This email has some general information about the tournament schedules and preparation for the trip.
 
Schedules:
I have attached the overall travel and game schedules.  Each tournament has a Group Play round where we play a  game against each of the other 3 teams in our group.  The top teams from the groups advance to the semi-final and then championship round.  The groups are unseeded, so we have no idea of what level opponent we will face.  All of our opponents are from Norway, Denmark, or Sweden.
 
We have a team website at <lions.weebly.com/scandinavia-2014.html> where we hope to post pictures, results, blogs, etc.
 
Chaperones:
Michelle Spinner, a coach who is a student at USF, will be staying with the girls in the dormitories.  The girls have met Michelle since she has worked with Norman in the past and has been at some of the practices this month.  You will find Michelle's biography on our website.  In addition, Teeka James (Norman's wife) and I will be travelling with the team to both tournaments.  In Gothenburg, approximately 20 parents and siblings will be joining the group as well.  The boys travelling with us will be staying with the boys team they are joining.
 
Money:
All meals are included during the tournaments themselves.  The players will need to purchase meals on our 3 travel days and will also need to pay for snacks, drinks, and incidentals.   I am attaching a list of items/expenses that Mattias's teams have purchased on past trips to give you an idea of the kinds of expenses the girls might incur. As I have mentioned previously, Sweden and Denmark each have separate currencies.  Your player can change money at the airport or bank.  Having an ATM card is preferable to carrying a lot of cash.  Be sure to inform your bank of your travels so they don't block the ATM card and also ask them about exchange fees at foreign ATMs.  Some banks have foreign correspondent banks where there are lower ATM fees; you can ask if your bank has such a relationship with any banks in Frederikshavn and Gothenburg (slight chance, but worth asking!)
 
 
Leisure time:
When not playing soccer (either games, practice, or friendlies),  we will be exploring the region, enjoying water parks/beaches/amusement parks, visiting with other teams, or just relaxing in the dormitories.  Norman has been contacted by a Swedish girls team that is going to be in San Francisco this spring and we will make plans to meet them while in Gothenburg.  Gothenburg is home to Sweden's largest amusement park, so there will probably be an excursion to it as well.
 
 
Go Lions!