Today is the day that I am most excited for on the entire schedule of events. Getting to go to Volvo and tour their facility as well as see a crash test was exhilarating in itself, but then for the evening entertainment we are went to the Aveqia gourmet cooking school. When we arrived at Volvo we were a bit early, so we went into the visitors center and we were able to look at a 2020 Volvo S60 and 2020 Volvo XC90. They are absolutely stunning cars, and unfortunately for my pocketbook, I think it fits me pretty well.

We ended up heading to lunch at the corporate cafeteria with our hosts Morgan and Sylvia. I got the chefs special which was pork medallions, grilled tomatoes, and a potato that was in the middle of hash browns and fries. It was very good and very reasonable on cost at 95 SEK. From lunch we headed over to the crash test laboratory. For reference on how big of a thing it is to see a live crash test, Both Morgan and Sylvia has been with Volvo for 20+ years each, and this is the first crash test they have seen. The test that was being run was a 30 degree impact at 25 MPH, with an unbelted passenger. (They were testing for a US standard, which fun fact, the US is the only country that requires a standard to be met with an unbelted passenger). For many reasons we were not allowed to take photos, but here is a photo of Volvo’s crash testing facility.

The crash was awesome to see, although the sound of it hitting the wall brought back some memories of when I was in a car accident when I was 18 years old. You never forget the noise or smell of it. After the test had been completed we got a full tour of the manufacturing plant. This tour was a VIP experience because most tours only go around the outside of the building, but we were able to be up close in personal to the assembly line. So much so that we were able to speak to a few of the line workers in passing and say hello. Again, for safety and other privacy things, we could not take photos inside the factory, but here is a solid picture of me stepping out of my brand new car!!

The cooking class involved us breaking into 4 different group and cooking a 4 course meal and enjoying it together! I was so overwhelmed bu the flavors and the fun that I forgot to write down what was served. For now, here are some amazing photographs of the 4 courses!

We got back to the hostel around 11:30 PM (4:30PM Chicago Time) so it has a bit of a late night, since is 1:28 AM (6:30PM Chicago Time). With a big day tomorrow at Hasselblad, ABB, and the Hockey Game I am off to bed.

Key Takeaways

• The amount of moving parts on an automobile assembly line is mind boggling
• Gourmet cooking is unreal
• Poppel’s Pilsner and Double IPA is an incredibly balanced and tasty beer!