tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-329731862024-03-07T16:52:31.145-08:00Linköpinglivin'"Välkommen till Linköping, Sverige." or "Welcome to Linköping, Sweden." In July of 2006, I moved from the United States (hometown of La Canada, CA and recently Seattle, WA) to Sweden for a life adventure of living and working abroad. This blog is the account of my experiences in Sweden and beyond, updated weekly - no more, no less. Thanks for browsing to Linköpinglivin'.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-49389588377272401172008-12-01T20:21:00.001-08:002008-12-01T20:36:00.487-08:00www.tuk-tuktalker.blogspot.com - Come Join the Fun!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF2CX9h7wyV5Oq85eyALenA4YXZoka8hrdfD_yTMeEJ7L-BnEopTodrTmrcTFz0qDwCqpJLuy5BAaHffoH3jrKmcho6ciJIEZUUwUClu1PAOPNNsCbLVE0zK798b2LPpNbI_BmbQ/s1600-h/Chiang+Mai+-+Paige,+Sean+tuk+tuk.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275043724906617682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF2CX9h7wyV5Oq85eyALenA4YXZoka8hrdfD_yTMeEJ7L-BnEopTodrTmrcTFz0qDwCqpJLuy5BAaHffoH3jrKmcho6ciJIEZUUwUClu1PAOPNNsCbLVE0zK798b2LPpNbI_BmbQ/s320/Chiang+Mai+-+Paige,+Sean+tuk+tuk.jpg" border="0" /></a> And with this entry, we conclude Linköpinglivin'.<br /><br />It's been a great journey - for which I am so grateful to all the faithful and occasional readers and commenters - and I can't wait to get back to Sweden someday soon.<br /><br />Until then, please come join the fun in Thailand:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.tuk-tuktalker.blogspot.com/">http://www.tuk-tuktalker.blogspot.com/</a><br /><br />Vi ses en dag snart, Sverige!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-77503252239090168752008-11-24T22:51:00.001-08:002008-11-24T23:16:45.121-08:00A Thailand Time Out<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272486962037776498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRi4Kx0MzoKNoJ1Y3vR5yZblHeyfZqpKwPa5kSKf10Fc4E-vXkjq9y9DoZpBo8ggzEj0_rq2-1B2A6G9ySIOfmpjD_VRddNs6oYp8nD7mXQNcrCDKJx5Vq7Z7c8beqoEPvUtyJjQ/s320/Chiang+Mai+Bamboo+raft+Sean.jpg" border="0" /> <div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_yH89YCTYpd00nPcqwqYaiTDUTjD6eCJeuDEplpT-RJ3aWKKQEhXnyX7YOIjUuJ-Q4dJqHdkFVD4VN0otBQU5MFdvnYX-ZImPNiQFdPPr81kfykEHC3E7qvVcHShr2euPitzzbw/s1600-h/Chiang+Mai+Bamboo+raft+Paige,+Sean+04.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272486969802899746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_yH89YCTYpd00nPcqwqYaiTDUTjD6eCJeuDEplpT-RJ3aWKKQEhXnyX7YOIjUuJ-Q4dJqHdkFVD4VN0otBQU5MFdvnYX-ZImPNiQFdPPr81kfykEHC3E7qvVcHShr2euPitzzbw/s320/Chiang+Mai+Bamboo+raft+Paige,+Sean+04.jpg" border="0" /></a> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272486973948247010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1kcpAsVFdnly5J-iEAc9UR4Gr13rN58NlMSvlLWA-bu2utQ2WJfpeQAFyvXXHExH9oe9v-oR_iWnTzYH8SI2qXA6ggkbzQRu1q7RCVE7mm5DyiItTJIdy9FLCNnfT4xPJWTCFw/s320/Lampang+(29).JPG" border="0" /></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272486982638194082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlnyj82JRm-KJiVHtqrpzwBpVxQwj5NXjp61QApgWmYWiTslJMnWZoeb9HtjOA1JdikurzRy6wFXrEP-vvdWOMlpPdKOjxfz3Ii_8iR0um-tGVOD2qkUwtVxQ-K4SpXYqIO2O-HQ/s320/Chiang+Mai+-+Paige,+Sean+in+tuk+tuk.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272486976312186690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiolYlKH1ycOa4kYLtT7q31jbiswmvqnpCtqLBGNfY_sk3ORbYcMzBhXL06D_LamPAgBGU2lofvyHB3SR0MOztMpOLouW_3ZdoM_UEkLAJAG0l2hvKrKjVMLtvC6EiDUxHAhKzpAQ/s320/Chiang+Mai+Bamboo+and+Elephants+06.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div></div><br /><p>For someone so compelled by Europe’s history, culture, food, people and grandeur, and for someone who proudly declares how much he prefers cool weather to hot weather, and for someone who still had not explored so many areas of Europe that simply cannot be missed (Ireland, Spain, ITALY!), an excursion to Thailand might have seemed like a curious choice.<br /><br />Sure, plenty of Swedes take that flight from Stockholm to Bangkok, and then they head straight to Thailand’s famous beaches and islands, but Sean never went anywhere in Europe for beaches or warm weather (Russia in November?).<br /><br />“Okay, I’ll come down, hang out in Thailand for a couple weeks, then I gotta get back to Europe and continue my escapade until I go home for Christmas.” This was my plan.<br /><br />There was an empty seat on my plane from Bangkok to Rome that left last Thursday morning.<br /><br />Amazing how travel and life priorities can be altered when someone captures your heart….<br /><br />I’ll be staying in Thailand for a little while, but despite my ever-changing plans, you can always rely on a weekly blog entry to cover the story of some travel adventures, some cultural discoveries and, apparently, some unexpected (though welcomed) turns on the journey of life.<br /><br />However, a blog entitled Linköpinglivin’ simply won’t suffice in Thailand.<br /><br />Next week will mark the last official blog entry to Linköpinglivin’ in the form of a link to a new blog about my “time out” in Thailand. Blog title suggestions are currently being accepted.<br /><br />See you next week, one last time before we “all” make the jump to Linköpinglivin’, the sequel.</p><p>Pictures above:</p><p>1. Just another day guiding a bamboo raft in the mountains of Thailand.</p><p>2. Paige and Sean river rafting, Thailand-style.</p><p>3. A Thai barbecue helps celebrate a birthday of some of Paige's students.</p><p>4. In the back of a "Tuk-tuk" motorbike taxi, the best form of road transportation in Thailand.</p><p>5. Baby elephants are large, but cute.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-36590642625579864252008-11-17T21:34:00.000-08:002008-11-18T04:25:51.455-08:00Thailand Part 2: Chiang Mai<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269879464013070130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijx4yHczk_kNOZqYMh7vT84w-0OIhxrEeD360_8dnYzgvlcpIoFiStpVnjugpaCk0ILp35ZJrc-EPRDAsFem7X83kJw5qAha30CIGT3SCcfR0w6O_k2P42mss_T_RYyjmk7WfAdA/s320/PB120182.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269879469545559554" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf7jxHh86pcKzqTWdmuUyJ3tZe_03B4TS8FPcHcKFEJz1ZAuUdi_IGGG60XLDIoEizd6OzWqfcWOskzoHULTD1MNC4VAKrMdBaCn4B6iGAfsbNGOHpvxJ02jQtV64uoLK4pg_htQ/s320/PB120131.JPG" border="0" /> <div><br /><div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269879476003950802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-c3t6Urnaij5LyYVmKCV40h3c6dSsPGYbS8WGBEToZtTXoVKlZ3dwnip2UngUYHwphR2y25EBjX80axhpEEzWGrxGbHaDgiNknOaSlRac8n3ppyoiEiQB3T4Qk5JpS9Fd-TLASA/s320/IMG_1557.JPG" border="0" /> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269879465945719922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 180px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 120px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSSozCD0x5f4hzAWQE0qX-S06mN35NafT1OVtDifpRLz4dkiZiEqo4JIpzPq4EStnR7-JMgIVmeM0cntSnFfaAFab-vnb31-dlT6yOWStlOQUn_iOytD0Bnj7Xn63MI7nxgd1gVg/s320/loy_krathong+for+blog.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269879487654004610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqoCuEG7PGSBDdajnPF0q8WkH4DsSMcASn2dQnbAtGEZxhGudw3ssDm_8u-jalU7zEOJFdut_R8VUv-kR9DIkO-Q9Yh9-rDROQ8nY4z52NSxJjLda68JXxbi17RLnSSgPIPf1BUw/s320/Chiang+Mai+-+0028.jpg" border="0" /><br />As my post-Sweden/Thailand experience continues, and Bangkok just becomes bigger and bigger with endless opportunities for new sights, exploration and ways to enjoy the warmth of climate and people, I remember that any trek to Thailand must include getting away from Bangkok and its metropolitan city-life in order to be exposed to a truer Thailand, a more revealing perspective of what distinguishes Thailand and this regional culture from other countries in the world.<br /><br />Chiang Mai is Thailand’s second city and a 12-hour overnight train ride will get you to this northern, mountain enclave for a completely different experience of Thailand. Chiang Mai is almost like an overgrown village. Not too many large buildings, just a few scattered highways and very little of it screams “commercialism.” All you need to know is, despite Chiang Mai’s population of nearly 1 million people, you have to search far and wide to find a McDonalds, which I just had to look up on the internet in order to know if there even was one.<br /><br />Though a popular tourist destination for backpackers and other “farang” (foreigners) for the many markets, festivals, elephant riding, cooking and massage classes, Chiang Mai has a much more personal and comfortable atmosphere than Bangkok, still maintaining pieces of culture which include Thai, Lao, Burmese and Chinese influences due to its location on a historically significant trade route.<br /><br />And if you travel enough, every-once-in-awhile, your scheduling benefits from your complete lack of planning and awareness – unbeknown to me, Thailand’s famous Loi Kratong festival was taking place three of the four nights I was there, so the night sky was lit up with flame-powered air lanterns and the river was speckled with candles resting on banana leafs celebrating the 12th month’s full moon.<br /><br />Yes, I’m a long way from Sweden.<br /><br />And the United States.<br /><br />Perhaps one of the best parts for the visiting “farang” from the north is that Chiang Mai’s mountain climate decreases the temperature dramatically, which was welcomed by this converted Swede still getting used to temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius.<br /><br />More from Thailand next week, including some clarity to my ever-changing personal plans for post-Sweden. </div><div></div><div>Pictures above:<br /></div><div>1. "Sawat-dee k'ap" from Thailand!<br />2. The elephant is the animal symbol of Thailand. Asian elephants are smaller and have smaller ears than their more famous African counterparts.<br />3. Night festivals for Loi Kratong include endless colors, décor and lights. Thailand is very good at color, décor and light.<br />4. A Loi Kratong hot-air lantern takes to the sky (picture courtesy of the internet).<br />5. This is Paige – the reason I am in Thailand. More about Paige on Linköpinglivin’ next week.<br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-18372854448054206492008-11-08T16:45:00.000-08:002008-11-08T17:06:24.780-08:00Thailand Part 1: Bangkok<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266453897171784418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8OImw58WyVfHkPNGeeqSHv8pS7l9DAfa_peyoFtXi-Bl9E33f8ciahyphenhyphena7Am3_bV-3QabSnTY4NzesN9A9FnfDbl5hU6MP7rJFYQnzs4LnHHyyLPMogqwOLT91Rz26QE-gMs2Rw/s320/Thai+Flag.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266453904663440898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzH4VEsnAYSlVWz_6ANh0PB7fk-_lZsvrBmw-lduhQ3SjpnFBIjojbnkqTi4U3LetfmJUgM7ZtdYKq-xvMxZhtyMW0SgnLXP-zpqSG6EhiCQwkamly3xhy4B8CzHrrMPIXXyh8KQ/s320/Lak+Muang+-+Sean.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg89-OFlX_YIa4CnWJtZnnWGDsGPZpdXyTtjNmPhn8t3lPBVA_YAurdq2Ng7fBhe4ZHk68mRD2yjJLHlYXViVGhhnrFK_WH8A-vfANweAUhsn9MXy1Rf0l15Zo3rNM_kCGps2DBvQ/s1600-h/Wat+Phra+Kauw+and+Grand+Palace+02.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266453913214625810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg89-OFlX_YIa4CnWJtZnnWGDsGPZpdXyTtjNmPhn8t3lPBVA_YAurdq2Ng7fBhe4ZHk68mRD2yjJLHlYXViVGhhnrFK_WH8A-vfANweAUhsn9MXy1Rf0l15Zo3rNM_kCGps2DBvQ/s320/Wat+Phra+Kauw+and+Grand+Palace+02.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266453920360046930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZCPBU3ZN2bhF_wRJJ0WTi3rhmtAuSAeSvGwPSQW2Epc5Xff1lzASS7rmP-p5NV6fGzOxmQ4BeEbM7LZkRYPLfxHe7wFwVVY4yYPUWZg5JNl9RCcHK9DR7uLWa7eIfaCTOOc9Gw/s320/Bangkok+transportation.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266453931230459522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYY8Au2GnNV5cL5uuxsKXA5Yb3-RD_9BOrHn-128uJlRJ-_lfB2fqnnVZvXQMez6s_8S36a1W3i9_lYs38DQdiqRWxF9dvd3kjE0k0cvQ6mgbA75zhrHvlRUhvWSVMWB8_LiXVg/s320/James+Dinner+11.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />This week, my post-Sweden life began by stepping off a plane in a part of the world I had never before experienced, South East Asia. While I had been to Shanghai as a teenager (back when going to China wasn’t cool), I had never been this far south on our globe - quite the shock after having never been that far north in Sweden.<br /><br />My vision of Bangkok before arriving was a huge, chaotic, congestion-filled, dirty, hot and unruly city that would be, well, quite a change from Scandinavia.<br /><br />This perception is accurate, but I’ve already learned to get past the initial traumatic welcome to one of the world’s biggest cities (10 million live in Bangkok) and discover what lies behind the big city organized chaos.<br /><br />Two things strike the unsuspecting visitor to Thailand: Warmth of climate and warmth of people. For those of you in Sweden, brace yourselves. Thailand has been hovring at about 30 degrees this week (88 Farenheit). Yeah, it's tropical. Yeah, it's nice. Yeah, even for someone who generally prefers the cooler weather, it's not so bad.</div><div></div><div>More importantly though, even in the big city, due to the friend I am visiting here, I have been able to connect with Thai people in a way that surpasses what travelers usually experience. This has made all the difference in my first week in Thailand. The Thai people on the street and in the home are quick to smile, quick to laugh and display a warmth and friendliness that touches the traveler from the beginning.<br /><br />My advice when travelling to any part of the world: Get past the initial impressions of the place, be they positive or negative, and get to know the people. After just five full days in Bangkok, the warmth of hospitality and welcome that Thai people have developed a reputation for is clear.<br /><br />Check back next week for more from Thailand and what my post-Sweden life is bringing…<br /><br />Pictures above:<br /><br />1. Thailand’s flag.<br />2. Temples abound throughout Thailand, but the most illustrious and ornate are found in the heart of touristy Bangkok.<br />3. More mesmerizing temples.<br />4. Three examples of transportation in Bangkok: Taxi, bus and “tuk-tuk,” the tourist’s favorite way to get from point A to point B in Bangkok.<br />5. Welcome to Thailand, Sean.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-63952736354165666602008-11-02T14:34:00.000-08:002008-11-02T14:42:14.428-08:00A New Adventure: Thailand<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVVnBGc1Dyeajvz3rMk7KOYW_B4lbZZqJ4DB8TMRa4-55fDLn_2wuke_k_cq9CEY_u8ih4uE_g0m1fFd0Swh4j-OHO8qMcw5aKLAjztiqtVm13k50y6-uxB9oJsklS3ZdF-wHXg/s1600-h/Sweden+Map+for+blog.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264192908280104386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVVnBGc1Dyeajvz3rMk7KOYW_B4lbZZqJ4DB8TMRa4-55fDLn_2wuke_k_cq9CEY_u8ih4uE_g0m1fFd0Swh4j-OHO8qMcw5aKLAjztiqtVm13k50y6-uxB9oJsklS3ZdF-wHXg/s320/Sweden+Map+for+blog.gif" border="0" /></a> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264192911609202674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-RE07hFMQn7W_vXKyKsJTyoALQZezHzWVV62yzXNukkXqPpEpWsRQC_gjXVfjXua0ZEr3_qJwgmxAHVK5th2_wDAQT9DVL9ZZFW-ggWfRmKH_5kCXYslK8ExvZQSCHfB2CTyltQ/s320/Stockholm-Skansen+Swedish+maiden+group.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264192914889091986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArdy2ujkGwMFMoAyEZaBmFTfDW2fNo0IY2cn3ezbUZCU4UttdiHqQ3XGeSGi4vJxXXo0EZsxhh_LVZPkvdFN19jFTCz3XZAD2Fm8Ig-5j_kUMr466HC-q0u7Pg4s_x0gcN48AwA/s320/Thailand+Map+for+blog.gif" border="0" />It was a somewhat remarkable and wholly unexpected set of circumstances that brought me to Sweden and now it is a remarkable and wholly unexpected set of circumstances that will take me to Thailand, my first stop in my post-Sweden life. I fly to Bangkok tomorrow.<br /><br />I can just hear all you Swedes saying “one last vintage Swedish experience for Sean, because flying to Thailand has indeed become a very Swedish experience.” It’s estimated that 4% of all Swedes went to Thailand last year (360,000!), but I assure you that my plans don’t include sitting on a beach all day every day, okay maybe just a few days…<br /><br />As this is the final blog entry about this country that I have come to appreciate and enjoy so much, I want to extend a word of “tack så mycket” to the many Swedish, American and other readers for their contributions and faithful reading of Linköpinglivin’ over the past two-plus years. This blog, and the enjoyment I have found through it, has been one of the most unexpected highlights of my Swedish experience. You helped make this a rich and rewarding Sunday/Monday evening exercise.<br /><br />And to emphasize the point once again, though the Swedish influence on this blog will be concluding with this entry, the blog itself will continue, so if you’d like to stick around and see what the next adventure has in store, you would be most welcome.<br /><br />Svenskar, jag har kommit att älska dina land och människor. Jag kommer sakna er, Linköping, Stockholm, fika, sommar ljus, vinter snö, köttbullar, prinsesstårta, Santa Lucia, Domkyrkan, Kanevad, Åbacka, Mjellerums Gård, Norins Ost, Äntligen bröd, Bilar, Stora Torget, Bosses Glassbar, LHC, röda sommar stugor, Ryttargårdskyrka, kanelbullar, Svenskaspråket och så mycket om Sverige. Tack så jätte mycket för allt. Ska komma tillbaka snart!<br /><br />Hej då Linköping, hej då Sverige. Vi ses.<br /><br />To Thailand. Please come along.<br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-8765373960339424532008-10-26T13:16:00.001-07:002008-10-26T13:48:16.188-07:00Linköpinglivin' Welcomes Budget Travel Readers<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261560123113595298" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 188px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 250px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qONDhUNx6Bk4mKRkvc4JyKmLcBo4tjsOLY70tlKzArPBhoWnMyc_Om1P_pZwDFjhwBQ5kWYzIGY1gEaa_o6qxVn2WDQUHTvLtymSWAwAT1BSXlmK36YsK6XNkjodVj-Y6Tn0/s320/Budget+Travel+cover.jpg" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261560138713046322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7WygoLuXTq93Ah7fpo9hfCa9XqQeUM6JL6XFzXtufTZY71tK3lDRuaNdTOkJ4HwdNNh2fdEkCFBoQsX-3RfJ3hlZBXD6PizqTcjiGf5MiCny9KeZ5N11ErDfmixw7dm-1c5CA/s320/Stockholm-Skansen+Swedish+Flag.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpBTJnga8BVU0jqRXOGbYUSzAv_mXosmqAWXftD6XtkN7rrzlr7iYB5TwKKf__QPQTrxcRjo20rgPqSZifTypoXESV9Wq1FvIMfIv1_fv3ajxjEfq_3OnZFevap_wcR-uW90aD/s1600-h/Stockholm-Gamla+Stan,+Sean.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261560151981763602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpBTJnga8BVU0jqRXOGbYUSzAv_mXosmqAWXftD6XtkN7rrzlr7iYB5TwKKf__QPQTrxcRjo20rgPqSZifTypoXESV9Wq1FvIMfIv1_fv3ajxjEfq_3OnZFevap_wcR-uW90aD/s320/Stockholm-Gamla+Stan,+Sean.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261561195935782050" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgai7dPrnnqUL4WsX-h1Hd69fTnkGDEhgQcAqZCSvu7PZYzh1BNvKuJiPQe3UKvYISSWQq-b4Jr1OL-0-ttAEOOFK0fRPAqPF4QF5kTjXas2GDP-QnrvZJ9WGWtcz41kjRSOl_A/s320/Linkoping-Domkyrkan+close+up+3.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261561693658463778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIyFYOsj4-JFEMcT-iWDRTFKlEW1rsBw3F4wtiw-SNi5FJa9jzWV2NIfVHEOc1Un349hMbmkDBVWZI1jujS8oIII4P2KeGIHeg3_RLusChk7LVk2COmcTEv8-0Es677tYMakSV/s320/Linkoping-Bike+scene+2.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div>A special welcome to Linköping and Sweden for all readers discovering Linköpinglivin’ for the first time.<br /><br />Budget Travel, one of the most popular monthly travel magazines in the United States, seeks to help the common traveler find unique and affordable experiences of travel both inside the U.S. and worldwide. The November issue of Budget Travel has a feature about how to start a travel blog and includes some advice from (and a link to) Linköpinglivin’.<br /><br />For over two years, Linköpinglivin’ has taken a sometimes playful and sometimes meaningful look at Sweden through the eyes of a foreigner. Linköping (pronounced "Lin-shipping") is found two hours south of Stockholm and is Sweden's fifth largest city. This blog can be intriguing for Americans of Swedish or Scandinavian descent, helpful for foreigners who have responsibilities or relationships with Swedes and entertaining, maybe even enlightening, for Swedish readers who until now have made up more than half of the weekly readers.<br /><br />However, this is an interesting time to potentially increase the Linköpinglivin' readership level since my memorable experience of living and working in Sweden will be coming to an end next week. While the blog itself will continue as my travel and new cultural exposures are only just beginning, the Swedish focus will be shifting, and shifting quite dramatically, too.<br /><br />After one more journey to Prague to visit my Dad this coming week, my adventure abroad will continue, but far from the European escapade that I have come to enjoy so much.<br /><br />Linköpinglivin’ welcomes first-time readers and promises all readers that if you’ve come to look forward to this weekly perspective on culture and travel, rest assured that your best procrastination excuse will indeed be continuing.<br /><br />See you next week as we wrap-up Sweden and look to the next great experience of people and travel a long way from where we started. </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Pictures above:</div><div></div><div>1. The November issue of Budget Travel (see an earlier blog entry on the subject of starting a travel blog from April 2008 on Linköpinglivin').</div><div></div><div></div><div>2. Though all Scandinavian flags have this type of cross pattern, Sweden's is the beloved <em>blå o</em> <em>gul</em>, blue and yellow.</div><div></div><div></div><div>3. Me during my first adventure in Gamla Stan, Stockholm's Old Town, in 2006.</div><div></div><div></div><div>4. Linköping has a massive cathedral called <em>Domkyrkan</em>. I've always enjoyed the smaller town community and charm of this humble city with some really great people. They will all be missed.</div><div></div><div></div><div>5. Bikes are the friendly mode of transportation for many in Sweden and Linköping's main square always reveals this....</div><div></div><div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-52402628500723324012008-10-20T13:42:00.001-07:002008-10-21T09:03:35.342-07:00Swedish Fun Facts: One Last Time...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkfkxaGKux20znM6OMCWzIU_hs2x1aFcP5ekAMbanBvJ5W5cxUGvR8RaaXyz2OmD9-ZjWv9hq3537JDhkSsn39rVs4WA4BqtxK8hciv_Ruic-UBbKLllr4S4KcCw-yYGFTy_h/s1600-h/Crayfish+34.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259341986701153858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkfkxaGKux20znM6OMCWzIU_hs2x1aFcP5ekAMbanBvJ5W5cxUGvR8RaaXyz2OmD9-ZjWv9hq3537JDhkSsn39rVs4WA4BqtxK8hciv_Ruic-UBbKLllr4S4KcCw-yYGFTy_h/s320/Crayfish+34.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz691FqB1cG_Pos9D_YJAmuDsmM2LA_vhgDQ0WozCRFOtu4rTecLiI6wDZWZKrr7cphhJUES2RZhO57vrL5G6duxs56GJnbY4ls8g7spk0hrlgFcUgwFG3SRyxsQJiKNp6HvFc/s1600-h/Kanelbulle.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259342001765157698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz691FqB1cG_Pos9D_YJAmuDsmM2LA_vhgDQ0WozCRFOtu4rTecLiI6wDZWZKrr7cphhJUES2RZhO57vrL5G6duxs56GJnbY4ls8g7spk0hrlgFcUgwFG3SRyxsQJiKNp6HvFc/s320/Kanelbulle.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0nerejjXvBXV6pbDe4iCkK2T-MV64RbRw3Bi45bDttHKUbLvB4g9mGfZVHpK1q3oTIKTtotMKrfXV0tv7mUbcBpDkACYBnuxNmdhbC8ijokCX0Xc9JpAECoU2-ryfgiEmMGor/s1600-h/On+the+Djurgarden+boat.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259342006786775522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0nerejjXvBXV6pbDe4iCkK2T-MV64RbRw3Bi45bDttHKUbLvB4g9mGfZVHpK1q3oTIKTtotMKrfXV0tv7mUbcBpDkACYBnuxNmdhbC8ijokCX0Xc9JpAECoU2-ryfgiEmMGor/s320/On+the+Djurgarden+boat.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTAnAGFpUQlxiCcmIkNIJRLGSU4J7ht3UyeCfi3Uj42R8BoupqQpA8fvgea9YhE5RtHc0U3uAVbdmKytasPrHhq-FL3wD6qx8uRuT-ti4c_SrjHRhy4f6KOAYm31-S88MaAHJa/s1600-h/Ice+Bar+Kelly+and+Sean.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259342024119242306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTAnAGFpUQlxiCcmIkNIJRLGSU4J7ht3UyeCfi3Uj42R8BoupqQpA8fvgea9YhE5RtHc0U3uAVbdmKytasPrHhq-FL3wD6qx8uRuT-ti4c_SrjHRhy4f6KOAYm31-S88MaAHJa/s320/Ice+Bar+Kelly+and+Sean.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdty3as3iooV50T8C1pWXku2jdEaFbhMtzt-MXocSRFkq5RiXkwonIV7pG4Xyo9gjx7QhEwR0nQ-u7AmejUjY7y5cDmROeodHjqXex89aqm_pP78aPh2a_avkaS_3jT72mr10R/s1600-h/Ice+Bar+011.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259342030038377506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdty3as3iooV50T8C1pWXku2jdEaFbhMtzt-MXocSRFkq5RiXkwonIV7pG4Xyo9gjx7QhEwR0nQ-u7AmejUjY7y5cDmROeodHjqXex89aqm_pP78aPh2a_avkaS_3jT72mr10R/s320/Ice+Bar+011.JPG" border="0" /></a>It’s been over two years, but new things keep popping up in Sweden (or old things that I realize I never mentioned on Linköpinglivin’), so settle in for one last go 'round of Swedish Fun Facts:<br /><br />*Swedes refer to the weeks of the year not as “the last week in February” or “the middle weekend in October,” but, predictably in Sweden, the weeks of the year all have numbers. The first week in January is Week 1, the fourth week in January is Week 4, etc. Christmas is always Week 52 and as for the other week numbers, who in the world could ever keep track? Well, not even the Swedes. That’s why they have a handy website: <a href="http://www.vecka.nu/">http://www.vecka.nu/</a> Just click here and all your woes about the weeks will be solved! The numbers of the week starts to work as soon as you get a calendar which includes them…<br /><br />*Many of you have started to notice the wide array of “köping” towns located in southern Sweden. In addition to Linköping and the previously mentioned Norrköping and Söderköping, there is also Nyköping, Enköping, Jonköping, and just Köping. Köpa means “to buy” in Swedish and these were commercial towns on the way from Stockholm to Malmö and the rest of Europe in days gone by.<br /><br />*Sweden is a country, similar to what is well known about Japan, where guests are generally expected to remove their shoes upon entering a home. Those shoes are usually full of snow, mud, rainwater and such that mess up what is usually a nice Swedish hardwood floor.<br /><br />*Worldwide opinion considers Swedes to be very open about sex and there is a strong perception of strong promiscuity among Swedish women. This mis-perception came from a Swedish film in the early 70s that pushed the boundaries of what is acceptable and became internationally acclaimed. The fact is that Swedes are very modest in public and are extra sensitive when a woman is publicly degraded for the sake of advertising or tabloids.<br /><br />*However, Swedes are also known for letting go a little bit when they leave the boundaries of their own country! Apparently, <em>lagom</em> (“not too much, not too little, just right”) often only applies to a Swede only <em>while</em> in Sweden…<br /><br />*In Sweden, if you don't want to receive advertisements in your mailbox, you merely need to post a sign or attach a sticker "<em>Ingen reklam, tack</em>," which means "No advertisements, thanks." How un-American of them!<br /><br />*I heard recently that as high as 4% of the Swedish population traveled to Thailand last year alone (approximately 360,000). That’s the same percentage of Americans that OWN a passport… (other recent popular travel spots for Swedes escaping the darkness of winter have been the Canary Islands and the Costa Del Sol in Spain).<br /><br />*Swedes usually consider November the longest month of winter (even though it’s not officially winter yet) because it’s too early for snow, but it’s getting darker and darker every day and the next festive occasion is still a month away… Glad I’m skipping town before November’s darkness arrives!<br /><br />This has been fun. There’s plenty more interesting, curious and unexplained fun facts about Sweden and her people, but you’ll just have to come here and find out for yourself from now on. I will leave Sweden in two weeks.<br /><br />After lamenting recently about my overlooking of Stockholm’s bar made entirely of ice, I decided to try it out during my last trip to Sweden’s capital. Tons of fun, as I knew it would be. It was really "cool."<br /><br />Unexpectedly, I had one more visitor to Sweden, the last of my 26. Kelly Ronan, a former student with whom I worked at the University of Washington made the trek up from Romania where she is working for the fall. From Stockholm to Linköping, IKEA to the Ice Bar, frukost to fika, Kelly was a more than memorable final guest. Thanks for the impressive pilgrimage, Robo, and for our continuing friendship long after Seattle.<br /><br />Pictures above;<br /><br />1. One recently-captured crayfish looks much bigger than it actually is in the hands of a student with whom I work.<br /><br />2. That is one American-sized <em>kanelbulle</em> found in a storefront window in Linköping.<br /><br />3 - 5. Friend and final visitor, Kelly, enjoys a boat ride and a cold bar in Stockholm.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-85760519407581860662008-10-13T11:25:00.001-07:002008-10-13T11:50:00.093-07:00Why It's So Cool To Live In Linköping - Part 5: Norin's Ost<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCDK_bT62-lcr0zyHRIFWU6gP3kB-kgV9e451wlcPTq-RiID8U8pb1zaGbS9SQhz7VAyzpvjq5ljrerNcnO_5bREi9YWoUOdqwdUjjg25lfT1mCB0kNTnom34jcHdS8OUUwo_/s1600-h/Norins+01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256707125295481458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCDK_bT62-lcr0zyHRIFWU6gP3kB-kgV9e451wlcPTq-RiID8U8pb1zaGbS9SQhz7VAyzpvjq5ljrerNcnO_5bREi9YWoUOdqwdUjjg25lfT1mCB0kNTnom34jcHdS8OUUwo_/s320/Norins+01.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNWOs4mP76W0I00XpMHNhmT0Fxd9Pk5ekNwP09vWBzHDq5CL1aJbMms_d8XMIEsymm61cd7yK9kBYAfN2vq7QCVS840JiFn-4UO28OYFtiLQRgFhfxfdaL-31sBW-wceZViUQ8/s1600-h/Norins+04.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256707128342420722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNWOs4mP76W0I00XpMHNhmT0Fxd9Pk5ekNwP09vWBzHDq5CL1aJbMms_d8XMIEsymm61cd7yK9kBYAfN2vq7QCVS840JiFn-4UO28OYFtiLQRgFhfxfdaL-31sBW-wceZViUQ8/s320/Norins+04.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ooiM7sfkRDuy0tOBu4a4-3tgEZeMnRkma80rQ9JokrWZBH-PXfcuL-xJdBT2eyQBdWwFOr7sW5_OwYYwsooKJ7aGNohkXcdQHOLZsYsk7PwVE4pETQ5zNcDoDi0CFmgNmIIE/s1600-h/Norins+03.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256707136331040258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ooiM7sfkRDuy0tOBu4a4-3tgEZeMnRkma80rQ9JokrWZBH-PXfcuL-xJdBT2eyQBdWwFOr7sW5_OwYYwsooKJ7aGNohkXcdQHOLZsYsk7PwVE4pETQ5zNcDoDi0CFmgNmIIE/s320/Norins+03.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9UVAG5S_ebiBRNKmmp92o7RGb63MrkztClfHx_9A0paFyhsm4YquMcZmK952MdjGGD0gctDxlk6Kky9TBacASwRHFZwd5IhCEkhCaKlOHwwY1O6Pyx0idYoTttEVKRYYrCwWN/s1600-h/Norins+07.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256707141283508114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9UVAG5S_ebiBRNKmmp92o7RGb63MrkztClfHx_9A0paFyhsm4YquMcZmK952MdjGGD0gctDxlk6Kky9TBacASwRHFZwd5IhCEkhCaKlOHwwY1O6Pyx0idYoTttEVKRYYrCwWN/s320/Norins+07.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZzlC2sGN9kvDdjxKu7dPq8zN9l5HM15AsPZDIj3NUGtmpqRTan-Hx_Y4pUB2FyrGXpKsnHVp4KkijiFymmVgMyp_ktRt_hPyGdT09X_XCTpJILb4VLkhI4RSQWyenX0Ad43_/s1600-h/Norins+09.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256707141146645378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZzlC2sGN9kvDdjxKu7dPq8zN9l5HM15AsPZDIj3NUGtmpqRTan-Hx_Y4pUB2FyrGXpKsnHVp4KkijiFymmVgMyp_ktRt_hPyGdT09X_XCTpJILb4VLkhI4RSQWyenX0Ad43_/s320/Norins+09.jpg" border="0" /></a>If you’re not hungry when you start reading this blog entry, you will be by the end of it. <em>Ost </em>means “cheese” in Swedish and the mere sound of that word causes fika-loving Swedish hearts to soar.<br /><br />In Linköping, we have a little cheese shop. Actually, there are two of these little cheese shops in Linköping and then one more up the road in Norrköping. These are the kinds of shops Americans walk into and think, “I love being in Europe!”<br /><br />Most people might think of these kinds of shops being in France, Switzerland, Italy and other places where cows (and sheep and goats) roam, but we have one up in Sweden, too. We have one in Linköping. And, in this humble bloggers opinion, it’s the best little cheese shop in the entire country.<br /><br />Go Linköping.<br /><br />To conclude our five-part Linköpinglivin' series on why living in Linköping is so cool, we take a look at Norins Ost.<br /><br />Lena and Mats Norin are the third generation of cheese shop owners in their family. Since 1931, making Norin’s Ost the oldest cheese shop in Sweden, the Norin family has provided Linköping with Swedish-made, and more recently France- and Italian-imported, fresh cheese of all kinds: Hard, soft, cow, sheep, goat, blue, white, sharp, mild, expensive, inexpensive, cheese that smells bad, cheese that smells good, cheese that you will hate and cheese that you will love.<br /><br />It’s an acquired taste, but if you know what I’m talking about, the smell of a good cheese shop can’t be beat. (And if you have never been in one, you will want to leave at first waft, but stick with it - it gets better.)<br /><br />As if merely importing and “maturing” (as opposed to the actual making) wasn’t enough, the Norin family spends time distributing their cheeses throughout Sweden, educating groups, business and individuals about the art of cheese, wine and virtually everything that makes for a good picnic as well as working hard to find the next great discovery in the wide world of cheese. Speaking of good picnics, you can also pick up marmalade, crackers, vinegars, olive oils, cookies, chocolate truffles, pesto, olives, mustard and dried fruits of all kinds at Norin’s Ost shops.<br /><br />Fresh, local, variety, high quality, personal touch, Linköping knows where to get the best cheese for breakfast, lunch, dinner or fika. Just check out the website and observe what one American travel writer affectionately refers to as “a festival of mold,” the European cheese shop.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.norinsost.se/">http://www.norinsost.se/</a><br /><br />Pictures above:<br /><br />1. Norins Ost is found on Storgatan above Stora Torget and also down on Nygatan below Trädgårdstorget in Linköping and on Knäppingsborg in Norrköping.<br /><br />2 - 4: Cheese, glorious cheese.<br /><br />5. Lena Norin and an American treasuring the time behind the glass at a European cheese shop.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-19960574550896317492008-10-06T11:51:00.001-07:002008-10-06T12:13:50.477-07:00Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda in Sweden<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0mXjpTXObLcBAd_68yUHOvURBkfemfOTrxS4KrSaPzuxkSkm3TIP7rD7z60X9QQiTm5lwxdxCGI68cN_bFYayfyMXzUvf4llgzR6w56M3_5b4NbJjFx-TFRdWYLsZi6G0vPpc/s1600-h/TORP+Midsummerstang+04.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254118923311353794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0mXjpTXObLcBAd_68yUHOvURBkfemfOTrxS4KrSaPzuxkSkm3TIP7rD7z60X9QQiTm5lwxdxCGI68cN_bFYayfyMXzUvf4llgzR6w56M3_5b4NbJjFx-TFRdWYLsZi6G0vPpc/s320/TORP+Midsummerstang+04.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCXqFGavzK7CdUymIr26v_6F7B2VOiiq9wu46hBoIu3EWLf4NF9C1n3uNOEPG4RPWk9gM9-QdRtLA0KtoR_xxLcc12WgnaFQ0lELyM357hbIQ5W23aBVXFQpHEoi91-av3pVK-/s1600-h/Linkoping-Crayfish+and+Aquavit.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254118939898019970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCXqFGavzK7CdUymIr26v_6F7B2VOiiq9wu46hBoIu3EWLf4NF9C1n3uNOEPG4RPWk9gM9-QdRtLA0KtoR_xxLcc12WgnaFQ0lELyM357hbIQ5W23aBVXFQpHEoi91-av3pVK-/s320/Linkoping-Crayfish+and+Aquavit.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeFgxjXsBhbepO8bEWMML8m3ySPpukxLbzjv58611GS4c_TWfIJ2ssU9xUL7jH2EAAT_acMdZpY03TgDkL76vjaxoWBwmvjEmXXQTqi9SZfHh8DTrbi2xF_navFNmy5PiCr69S/s1600-h/Stockholm+-+Gamla+Stan+01.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254118943935597618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeFgxjXsBhbepO8bEWMML8m3ySPpukxLbzjv58611GS4c_TWfIJ2ssU9xUL7jH2EAAT_acMdZpY03TgDkL76vjaxoWBwmvjEmXXQTqi9SZfHh8DTrbi2xF_navFNmy5PiCr69S/s320/Stockholm+-+Gamla+Stan+01.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwb7Cl8vptwhjtXYt8EzpN6f0ePxBkoeqPx5H9jeFlQp-G7vLWUqURUfRkZe1Vg_fUHYzN0bkK7r4wpZEvx9R-s3WBy9LL2wYu1NM_LQxZRyhgDl0JsEFqQADgFTjugtEgFtM/s1600-h/Stockholm+-+Skansen+Fika+Food.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254118951183438786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwb7Cl8vptwhjtXYt8EzpN6f0ePxBkoeqPx5H9jeFlQp-G7vLWUqURUfRkZe1Vg_fUHYzN0bkK7r4wpZEvx9R-s3WBy9LL2wYu1NM_LQxZRyhgDl0JsEFqQADgFTjugtEgFtM/s320/Stockholm+-+Skansen+Fika+Food.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4N4BULjrFbpJL8ErJhVwf6nfv_vRJWunXJUKxl2GVqK2fe4zbxmJk72uGCCvo1JSEHwxQeShagWNE2C_Lyy2YXzSc5aSYg_wGuipXg0VGHE6UOBgSYf8zZ5oWetprsUCEwPe/s1600-h/March+snow+LiU+05.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254118959826027986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4N4BULjrFbpJL8ErJhVwf6nfv_vRJWunXJUKxl2GVqK2fe4zbxmJk72uGCCvo1JSEHwxQeShagWNE2C_Lyy2YXzSc5aSYg_wGuipXg0VGHE6UOBgSYf8zZ5oWetprsUCEwPe/s320/March+snow+LiU+05.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda in Sweden<br /><br />After over two years, 100 weekly blog postings, hundreds of fikas, a few trips here and there and a lifetime of adventures and experiences as a privileged temporary local in Sweden, my days of watching and living everything Swedish are coming to an abrupt end. <br /><br />On November 3rd (less than a month), I will step on a plane that will take me away from Sweden, only to return someday as a visitor. Where that plane will take me is something for a later blog entry, but for now I want to consider, in the midst of all the things I <em>have</em> experienced and enjoyed in this great land, a few of the things I wish I <em>had</em> been able to fit into my all-too-short Swedish escapade, but sadly did not. <br /><br />In good ol’ American optimism, the following list can also be considered a list of goals for me to accomplish as a visitor to Sweden in the future, because I hope to always have a trip to Sweden planned in my future. Like most Americans I have talked to who have at one time lived here in Sweden, I shall miss it terribly when I am gone.<br /><br />10 regrets, also known as goals for the future, from Sweden:<br /><br />10. I never made it north for the midnight sun experience. In fact, even more than the midnight sun, I would have liked to get to the north of Sweden to compare and contrast the Sweden I have come to know with what life is like up there. Most people around here with whom I share this regret gently reassure me with the following words, “That’s okay, Sean. We’ve lived here our whole lives and we’ve never been up there….” <br /><br />9. Not only did I never make it to the famed (at least outside of Sweden) Ice Hotel, but I didn’t even do the Ice <em>Bar</em>, which is located in Stockholm and Copenhagen. I take solace in the fact that this is a touristy experience that I never did, but then again, I loved all the other touristy things I did in Sweden (Skansen and the Vasa Museum over 10 times each – c’mon, I had visitors, of course!).<br /><br />8. I never learned to like, or really even try, the Swedes’ beloved caviar-in-a-tube or liver paste that spreads like butter , both popular with the over 1,000 fikas in which I participated. Okay, I’ll admit, this one is NOT a goal for the future.<br /><br />7. Unless something strange happens in the next few weeks, I will never have had to experience anything remotely having to do with Sweden’s health care system, which makes my personal defense of this “socialist” system a little weaker to my American friends and family…<br /><br />6. In addition to the north, I missed Dalarna, the Glass Kingdom and the island off the east coast of Sweden, Götland, which apparently has an outstanding medieval city in Visby. And if that’s not enough, with all the travel I did, I never made it up to Norway…..ouch.<br /><br />5. Though it vastly improved over the course of time, my “sj” and “sk” Swedish pronunciations always revealed me to be the English speaking soul that I am. I hate those letters….<br /><br />4. Bilar and Äntligen bread, two of my favorite everyday foods in Sweden, are two of the many things I will regretfully need to be weaned off of.<br /><br />3. The Royal Palace at Drottningholm. Yeah, missed that, too. But I saw the Vasa 11 times….<br /><br />2. I never walked onto someone <em>else’s</em> property, threw down my tent and sleeping bag and stayed overnight. Nope, won’t be doing much <em>allmänsrätt</em> in the U.S., that’s for sure.<br /><br />1. You know those high taxes I’ve been paying from my salary and every last cinnamon bun or train ticket purchase? Yeah, those high taxes. Well, I won’t ever see one krona of that in paternity leave, retirement, health benefits or education. Of all my Top 10 lists, this is the strongest #1 <em>ever</em>. This is one big regret that will take a long time to get over…</div><div> </div><div>See you next week as we continue to bring the Sweden portion of this blog to a close, but don't think that, just because I happen to be leaving Sweden, this blog will be ending. Oh no, we've only just begun, everyone. We've only just begun....</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-61615740593593267452008-09-29T11:47:00.000-07:002008-09-29T12:15:29.254-07:00The Stockholm Archipelago and the Swedish Love of Water<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifyD42xamLNwxdff9KnoMOHVMgSkHhy2IxmPv9WeSXXIJHrumd1g0o18Q_OIRuZAOJYiv8RnwlP-9dHHPqZHVForELxC0YmQp-41WlHoSCdg0aG-Jt6TEmkMyUtBvjZGSZ9uI1/s1600-h/Archipelago+for+blogg.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251518217736588850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifyD42xamLNwxdff9KnoMOHVMgSkHhy2IxmPv9WeSXXIJHrumd1g0o18Q_OIRuZAOJYiv8RnwlP-9dHHPqZHVForELxC0YmQp-41WlHoSCdg0aG-Jt6TEmkMyUtBvjZGSZ9uI1/s320/Archipelago+for+blogg.png" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgylTpYjVwUVeepa4Saa5te4CKlAhW4EUbWrGX5y9wiZq7PEtuWhMOuNO5cud1nER4sQwS8LQncrNo0CYXyoOEqYfaPAFLok4sx0ldYU3duzQRW8b2qJ7gQ1oyVibgQd5ddPGcI/s1600-h/Stockholm+Archipelago+08.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251518222721143042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgylTpYjVwUVeepa4Saa5te4CKlAhW4EUbWrGX5y9wiZq7PEtuWhMOuNO5cud1nER4sQwS8LQncrNo0CYXyoOEqYfaPAFLok4sx0ldYU3duzQRW8b2qJ7gQ1oyVibgQd5ddPGcI/s320/Stockholm+Archipelago+08.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuFGXwVesZbE45G2qVCs-qyf0wX-lUUMCkCi3gScdjKmHx-3vdS0YtGGRJPHikqo7tuHcp2gH5NIpCU_FjX8Vbvuv4nl9CaMZec_5fzP3B3fYuuNFU7vFmQA2I1C0o7osgnKfc/s1600-h/Stockholm+Archipelago+01.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251518230112896626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuFGXwVesZbE45G2qVCs-qyf0wX-lUUMCkCi3gScdjKmHx-3vdS0YtGGRJPHikqo7tuHcp2gH5NIpCU_FjX8Vbvuv4nl9CaMZec_5fzP3B3fYuuNFU7vFmQA2I1C0o7osgnKfc/s320/Stockholm+Archipelago+01.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifD5Jg6F-HcX2CJyKqjtQdh0tI22MpWhy74GVNzOl8urbsRIkRasNL8VBDO7n1Rber_OHN4-O41Cw7PJxk0PRtukxLf_jYTxCbImmDgz4KIdIz-C2ZKsCc4sx93FrGajdqivzQ/s1600-h/Archipelago+for+blogg+02.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251518258302021538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifD5Jg6F-HcX2CJyKqjtQdh0tI22MpWhy74GVNzOl8urbsRIkRasNL8VBDO7n1Rber_OHN4-O41Cw7PJxk0PRtukxLf_jYTxCbImmDgz4KIdIz-C2ZKsCc4sx93FrGajdqivzQ/s320/Archipelago+for+blogg+02.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgtkJdSrGa9dkuRN0gfy1ZvODYDBGj2mJsHkzjaamVmoiNq38bk6N2ictmFneD8i0OpBjgTaxl2818jSNJ_Yuh8RbC98Q2CkUTpAt1ORxurZeiuZb9dJ5pRJzwK_bZimgTlpr/s1600-h/Swedish+Summer+Day+03.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251518265768217154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgtkJdSrGa9dkuRN0gfy1ZvODYDBGj2mJsHkzjaamVmoiNq38bk6N2ictmFneD8i0OpBjgTaxl2818jSNJ_Yuh8RbC98Q2CkUTpAt1ORxurZeiuZb9dJ5pRJzwK_bZimgTlpr/s320/Swedish+Summer+Day+03.JPG" border="0" /></a>I admit this timing is bad.<br /><br />It’s almost cruel to write a blog for a readership that is partially Swedish that talks about the wonder of water and the sweetness of sailing when the days are darkening and any remembrance of summertime smiles are overcome by the coming winter….and oh, it is coming. Trust me, winter is on the way….or so the Swedish mentality is always convinced.<br /><br />Yet to write a blog about Sweden and, even though there have been officially 100 (!!!) posts as soon as I click “Publish Post” on this one, to not have anything about the Archipelago (Swedish: <em>Skärgård</em>) and the Swedish love for anything water is to miss an important element of life in this part of the world. And since this blog about Sweden is coming to an all-too-quick conclusion (more about that in the coming couple weeks), I have to get it in.<br /><br />Bear with me, everyone. Perhaps you can just save this entry until next May…<br /><br />The perception about Sweden in the rest of the world is the typical “cold, dark, polar bears in the streets” belief, so how could anyone enjoy the water or sailing in that kind of climate….? Well, no one does during the 10 months of winter.<br /><br />However, when the sun comes out and shares it’s magnificence on an expectant Swedish populace, the only place to be is the lake, canal, river or sea nearest you. Swedes love the water, love to be by the water, love to swim, bathe, wade, float and sail in the water. It seems that nearly everyone has some sort of access to a boat or canoe or something water-oriented. Sailing and maritime culture dominate a Swedish summer. Swedes are known as some of the best travelers in the world, but no one in their right mind leaves Sweden during summer – just head to the <em>röd sommar stuga</em> and be by the water. A Swede couldn’t ask for a better “world’s longest vacation” than that….<br /><br />There's a reason so many emigrant Swedes made Minnesota, "land of 10,000 lakes," home.<br /><br />Those frequent Swedish trips to Thailand and the Canary Islands are saved for winter, of course, so one of the many popular places Swedes love to spend their summer is in the Stockholm Archipelago. This collection of 24,000 islands – I’ll say that again: Twenty-four <em>thousand </em>islands – is found about a 3 – hour boat ride outside of Stockholm, welcomes you to the Baltic Sea and looks like broken glass on a good map. One can just imagine the maritime paradise of these islands made of rock and left over from the Ice Age. Some islands are just big enough to step on and others have hotels on them. Swedish delight is not some fancy pastry, but a Swede in the summer finding his own private part of the Archipelago.<br /><br />One might say that everyone worldwide appreciates water, so why is the Swedish enjoyment any different. To that I will simply say that while most people in the world do indeed enjoy the interplay of sun and water, most people in the world have also never seen snow. Actually, I recently read that 3/4ths of people in the world have <em>never</em> seen snow.<br /><br />Enough said.<br /><br />Long live the anticipation for, enjoyment during and memory of the Swedish summer and the Swedes’ beloved world of water.<br /><br />See you in the Archipelago.<br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-9251558908372415382008-09-22T11:01:00.001-07:002008-09-22T11:08:09.083-07:00Tallinn, Estonia....via the Baltic Sea<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIzzYZ5Oylw9DkU4ClZnZYVCVrhSX4bTvPy03f7GPkMp1JfFXjzqZ6X10FSe-7X1Vplf5jQb__zOC35jRqXlwZmk_UnoG5qrVbPSZfuTNfZ33ZoScsVPBt1_j-nXn4P5iZ1mNM/s1600-h/Old+city+outlook+view+of+towers.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248908476163198818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIzzYZ5Oylw9DkU4ClZnZYVCVrhSX4bTvPy03f7GPkMp1JfFXjzqZ6X10FSe-7X1Vplf5jQb__zOC35jRqXlwZmk_UnoG5qrVbPSZfuTNfZ33ZoScsVPBt1_j-nXn4P5iZ1mNM/s320/Old+city+outlook+view+of+towers.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuzsxEetYB4AeXwPGMGf97Uiw98_8TX4Tn4G3qffnD-AgcTErsNKgExk4NGU6Uxb41d9IP9zjZU3PnbChozsgHYAGS1pL4ahI12ylYDbZ7Am617EbADj3vzP3ggoJz2jlqS050/s1600-h/Tallin+Boat+01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248908482779175058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuzsxEetYB4AeXwPGMGf97Uiw98_8TX4Tn4G3qffnD-AgcTErsNKgExk4NGU6Uxb41d9IP9zjZU3PnbChozsgHYAGS1pL4ahI12ylYDbZ7Am617EbADj3vzP3ggoJz2jlqS050/s320/Tallin+Boat+01.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihcFM5dWkyDhVdFUctPsowkLx_v8FXkv9IhfRSZQ9-G9Ba0Iqu5Ei3G8JwRD_fmbKUIedrEXmt7ibPpK0WRES1dGCwpawCxmTcjcoZa8NL8PPuwsJbtS_vNEj5Q-b0l9B15lVL/s1600-h/Old+Town+Hall+and+Square.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248908491150204738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihcFM5dWkyDhVdFUctPsowkLx_v8FXkv9IhfRSZQ9-G9Ba0Iqu5Ei3G8JwRD_fmbKUIedrEXmt7ibPpK0WRES1dGCwpawCxmTcjcoZa8NL8PPuwsJbtS_vNEj5Q-b0l9B15lVL/s320/Old+Town+Hall+and+Square.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZWa1Gr3vMK4mKDZXZOs8pklvAKuSDfsPxJj-UpL3KjmgK9XxvVlZdacmZVsNzlJ9nDRcm-IP1APH4yc-WmooCrVQhYrGcicq9HKT5ewlgCXp-FONGDgXKV-NZESrnulXc0NFr/s1600-h/Master+handicraft+square+01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248908498128303938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZWa1Gr3vMK4mKDZXZOs8pklvAKuSDfsPxJj-UpL3KjmgK9XxvVlZdacmZVsNzlJ9nDRcm-IP1APH4yc-WmooCrVQhYrGcicq9HKT5ewlgCXp-FONGDgXKV-NZESrnulXc0NFr/s320/Master+handicraft+square+01.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1rDEjG-4nTbdEu55aPmkogOe-e6ihAIrdslD5ZpHVsTUdLXvokAIzE3gSVILnqI7sdc3NFZw-upRjHzpoMyTeYediG_vMg-JjrIuTjbSVmaOa_zI2sWk2i_UxGMnUrisKc73G/s1600-h/Funny+bike+in+Tallinn.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248908507472324610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1rDEjG-4nTbdEu55aPmkogOe-e6ihAIrdslD5ZpHVsTUdLXvokAIzE3gSVILnqI7sdc3NFZw-upRjHzpoMyTeYediG_vMg-JjrIuTjbSVmaOa_zI2sWk2i_UxGMnUrisKc73G/s320/Funny+bike+in+Tallinn.JPG" border="0" /></a>In what will probably turn out to be the last of many memorable trips I have taken during my 2-plus years in Sweden, this past weekend I ventured across the Baltic Sea on a cruise ship to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia and one of the best preserved medieval era cities in all of Europe. <br /><br />Along with the other former Soviet Baltic states of Latvia (Riga) and Lithuania (Vilnius), Estonia is also trying to establish its own identity and break free of their recent Soviet past. While Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic have made the quickest strides West, the Baltic countries are smaller and not as geographically-advantaged as their former Eastern Bloc comrades and have therefore, had a harder time gaining their independent identity. <br /><br />Additionally, with a population make-up of many different types of ethnicities and ancestry, Estonians will probably always look multiple directions for their heritage. Consider Estonia part Russian, part Northern Europe, part Central Europe and add a small sprinkling of Western Europe. There you have a country full of intrigue for the traveler coming over from Sweden, down from Finland or up from Central Europe. <br /><br />As an American, I’m a sucker for a good medieval city. Cesky Krumlov (Czech Republic) and Brugges (Belgium) come to mind and Tallinn is right up there with them, except that Tallinn's old town is still part of the capital city of its respective country. The old city towers with their burnt red, cone-shaped tops as well as four different, high-steepled churches make up old city Tallinn’s charm from afar and good food, drink, handicrafts and creative capitalism attempts (along with all the normal historic and quintessential charm of an old European city) represent Estonia well from up close. <br /><br />If traveling through Scandinavia, consider making the two-night and one day journey via the <em>Tallink</em> ferry from Stockholm (or from Helsinki for a four-hour ride). The cruise ship atmosphere and the reward of a still-undiscovered European old town are well worth the reasonable fare.<br /><br />Here’s to Estonia and the other Baltic countries and their journey to continued identity independence and Western recognition.<br /><br />Pictures above:<br /><br />1. Estonia iconic images are of the cone-shaped tower tops in the old city.<br /><br />2. A pleasant and affordable ferry ride with cruise ship amenities provides a fun alternative mode of travel to Tallinn from Stockholm.<br /><br />3. Tallinn’s Old Town Square with Old Town Hall, the center of attention all seasons of the year.<br /><br />4. Just another cobbled European lane for this American who continues to romanticize these types of cities….<br /><br />5. A fun way to get around Old Town Estonia.<br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-44801157942650179822008-09-15T11:14:00.000-07:002008-09-15T11:34:14.108-07:00Gender Equality in Sweden<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4ZjgqHUBx-aqQH1-F926drtJZVyGDzKwjdbozb1gMT7uorEW_kUv9XvY8-ndwhM3vQRlMW1Yg1WAS05S2MwBjuN7rwSouNR4lcZgXpIR4qpJqJqkTdB8ducQGDhd7Y0hquG2/s1600-h/gender+equality+blog.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246313541601035138" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4ZjgqHUBx-aqQH1-F926drtJZVyGDzKwjdbozb1gMT7uorEW_kUv9XvY8-ndwhM3vQRlMW1Yg1WAS05S2MwBjuN7rwSouNR4lcZgXpIR4qpJqJqkTdB8ducQGDhd7Y0hquG2/s320/gender+equality+blog.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiusYg8AfnFFEjc48EGqFn2PhNG3-W0IEd8fY-Vn-Wyon8XlbWRmvfUOjG_3m9hjb0qcjMJlIDVSYd7WEMnptT8P8jMhFOtRyPCWWtTgZujGQ7g2i_XwoirarMKcffTGLtD5_kL/s1600-h/SwedishFlag.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246313543858542786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiusYg8AfnFFEjc48EGqFn2PhNG3-W0IEd8fY-Vn-Wyon8XlbWRmvfUOjG_3m9hjb0qcjMJlIDVSYd7WEMnptT8P8jMhFOtRyPCWWtTgZujGQ7g2i_XwoirarMKcffTGLtD5_kL/s320/SwedishFlag.png" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-YZVr9012aqwrqIMHCdCysK3h7v_ViwLGPBlaT_l4A-QA5NnQ-ujHH11kEusZA3FwkduLVIqhX9EhOK2LSWAkCjifFegpUhltYoLXOwf1oNbake4rbZAutjk5fuJd_7cgsJm3/s1600-h/male-female-restroom_blog.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246313543458429026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-YZVr9012aqwrqIMHCdCysK3h7v_ViwLGPBlaT_l4A-QA5NnQ-ujHH11kEusZA3FwkduLVIqhX9EhOK2LSWAkCjifFegpUhltYoLXOwf1oNbake4rbZAutjk5fuJd_7cgsJm3/s320/male-female-restroom_blog.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The "Battle of the Sexes," Swedish style.<br /><br />When the world thinks about Sweden, one of the first things that comes to mind is the socially and politically progressive policies, laws and general attitudes. Wrapped within this is the perception, and perhaps the reality, that Sweden is a world leader when it comes to equalizing the genders.<br /><br />Let’s take a closer look, based on one foreigner’s observations and a bit of informal research….<br /><br />*One of the first things foreigners notice when walking around Sweden is the number of men pushing strollers.<br /><br />*Married or not, your tax form is exactly the same and you will file individually (Swedes would be interested to know that a couple filing their tax forms <em>together</em> in the U.S. receive certain benefits).<br /><br />*The term (and, I assume, the position) “<em>Ombudsman</em>” was first coined in Sweden…..<br /><br />*All foreign men learn early and often <em>not </em>to open that door, pay for that meal or make any assumption on a date or in any social circumstance that she cannot take care of herself…<br /><br /><p>*When a couple has maternity/paternity leave, <em>he </em>almost always goes back to work sooner, because he almost always has the higher paying job (among other reasons).<br /><br />*Inevitably, CEOs, Board members, high ranking officials and other positions of power are heavily male-dominated in Sweden.</p><p>*There is no expectation or assumption that, when a Swedish couple gets married, they will take his last name. Sometimes it is her last name that is taken or even an entirely new last name is made up.<br /><br />Sweden has a cultural head-start in gender equality because of the high social value placed on self-sufficiency. A woman is expected to provide for herself and if a man so chooses to help out in the typical family model, well then, great, but….<br /><br />While you are hard pressed to find any laws or social policies that are not gender equal or neutral, it doesn’t take too long to find social attitudes, usually unconscious or unspoken, that betray a certain bias toward the one in the majority or with the power, in this case, the men. "Old Boys Clubs" are still alive and well in Sweden, perhaps even more than other countries (even though those Old Boys are arguably more conscious of and educated about their own natural prejudices than their peers in other countries and societies).<br /><br />My conclusion upon observation from the outside is that Sweden’s population is indeed very sensitive to gender equality and expects a general attitude of self-sufficiency and equality among the sexes. Yet as with most societies, certain unconscious and subtle forms of discrimination are easy to find.<br /><br />Not surprisingly, Sweden, while ahead of most if not all other countries in the quest for gender equality, still has a ways to go, something most Swedish women would probably tend to agree with, but you might have to really probe her in your questioning to get past the initial national pride of being a "world leader" in this area...</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-66511173513414569732008-09-07T10:20:00.000-07:002008-09-15T11:38:03.854-07:00Why It Is So Cool To Live In Linköping - Part 4: Åbacka Cafe<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghfidZlvzmcTppdJdFbEGASbmJoWKt0cX6BIOEBkR9OOYLrUddaNefG29WCDp85WawIaT51h2igcyjjlrOt0B36mBuJ1qGt020GCqBs4Hf4uTI1Jb_kweuwxiUftWLzco3q11b/s1600-h/P8300487.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243332909634130194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghfidZlvzmcTppdJdFbEGASbmJoWKt0cX6BIOEBkR9OOYLrUddaNefG29WCDp85WawIaT51h2igcyjjlrOt0B36mBuJ1qGt020GCqBs4Hf4uTI1Jb_kweuwxiUftWLzco3q11b/s320/P8300487.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikMHsMKi1obqJXWMltP_L5J4LdoX1JStFDwgurgz6TC090lApaUeZ95DQDx48ChtRhNWGvpKPKP4dJppavppGAlVktOTMrqRVFzxK_5YtMItYGeNoMvkf-T1n6nuz78F7CR43i/s1600-h/P8300488.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243332916279648146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikMHsMKi1obqJXWMltP_L5J4LdoX1JStFDwgurgz6TC090lApaUeZ95DQDx48ChtRhNWGvpKPKP4dJppavppGAlVktOTMrqRVFzxK_5YtMItYGeNoMvkf-T1n6nuz78F7CR43i/s320/P8300488.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMH-Ww_iU5ACrv5_PiA2RdEsErRNiEixhvDOacM9_YkbItfig0m6Tr1ZptfVaKguIdctTKAvmOxWy62X4ytt6A-ra3y-AsKc92mFwd-Xn7sdrlj_6zIZs2lTDIyi7fbQ3wvDO/s1600-h/P8300494.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243332922336822850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMH-Ww_iU5ACrv5_PiA2RdEsErRNiEixhvDOacM9_YkbItfig0m6Tr1ZptfVaKguIdctTKAvmOxWy62X4ytt6A-ra3y-AsKc92mFwd-Xn7sdrlj_6zIZs2lTDIyi7fbQ3wvDO/s320/P8300494.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuhcZLdzHq0sJlcLOuq3lI8d2xb0dyeyugSdUfjsIv6FpaixjSvJRPslXhtMNDmoF_J8BEMs0x6vKzGt_v-QijJxuwP_lO52dQCsxuMD2p2yBZ3S85vbZrP54OaWgl8EAHh4pa/s1600-h/P8300491.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243332939347952514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuhcZLdzHq0sJlcLOuq3lI8d2xb0dyeyugSdUfjsIv6FpaixjSvJRPslXhtMNDmoF_J8BEMs0x6vKzGt_v-QijJxuwP_lO52dQCsxuMD2p2yBZ3S85vbZrP54OaWgl8EAHh4pa/s320/P8300491.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikBXwDjuYw44JCcQbgqVpAumdZ66LGX4nH5MFcDqhCjC3VxH-VTHd52em8s2i4PKHXSN3XgcETf2EvgZIw0Ma6sa1ZIX-oiQjZB2MpUErJFog45wgQGAR1pgoJa7xwH2Arx9TW/s1600-h/P8300493.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243332944498450914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikBXwDjuYw44JCcQbgqVpAumdZ66LGX4nH5MFcDqhCjC3VxH-VTHd52em8s2i4PKHXSN3XgcETf2EvgZIw0Ma6sa1ZIX-oiQjZB2MpUErJFog45wgQGAR1pgoJa7xwH2Arx9TW/s320/P8300493.JPG" border="0" /></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:georgia;">In our occasional series virtually touring Linköping, and choosing a few of the many reasons why it is just so cool to live here, we’ve discovered one colossal cathedral, an oh-so-Swedish 19<sup>th</sup> century-style restaurant, a “jätte roligt” woodcarver’s shop in Linköping’s Old Town and now we arrive to the premiere location to “fika” in all of Linköping….</span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:georgia;"><?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:georgia;">Åbacka Café.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Åbacka Café, though opening only in 1998, sure seems like it was opened in 1898 or even 1798. This fika fare delight found just across the river from Linköping Centrum captures all-too many aspects of Swedish life in one quaint, you guessed it, <i>röd små stuga</i> (little red house). Some examples of quintessential <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sweden</st1:place></st1:country-region> uncovered in this quaint riverside hideaway:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p><ul><li><span lang="EN-GB">If you don’t know where it is, you might just miss it because it is so unassuming.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></p><ul><li><span lang="EN-GB">The humble exterior masks the tasty treats and friendly service found just inside.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></p><ul><li><span lang="EN-GB">Coffee, buns, pastries all around and, best of all, waffles. That’s right, <i>waffles</i>. Did I get your attention, <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">America</st1:country-region></st1:place>?<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></p><ul><li><span lang="EN-GB">The hours are a bit challenging – you need them more than they need you.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></p><ul><li><span lang="EN-GB">Though open and accessible year-round, Åbacka Café is best enjoyed in the summer time.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></p><ul><li><span lang="EN-GB">Outdoor seating in summer or indoors during winter, after a few moments at Åbacka Café, you are convinced your Mom would love this place….<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="FONT-FAMILY: georgia"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="georgia"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></p><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:georgia;">For those here in Linköping, just cross the Drottningatan bridge and turn right. Hours are Saturday and Sunday, 10 – <st1:metricconverter st="on" productid="17 in">17 in</st1:metricconverter> the off-season and daily 10 - <st1:metricconverter st="on" productid="17 in">17 in</st1:metricconverter> the summer.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-31910494660223787902008-09-01T11:19:00.000-07:002008-09-01T11:26:00.088-07:00Die, Wasp, Die!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFUMDRwK3qhGmQJ-7yQq29X7M1DECQgPPz7saO4OCCvmGo8Rbg52oUG59fMR02KMBk7um9W4v5BQOTQSE2tRlmdI41cFYyA2WkNL40WwN_63ylEB0TAdFj3002FpxVCm8aLVTm/s1600-h/wasp+pic+for+blog.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241119504998945602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFUMDRwK3qhGmQJ-7yQq29X7M1DECQgPPz7saO4OCCvmGo8Rbg52oUG59fMR02KMBk7um9W4v5BQOTQSE2tRlmdI41cFYyA2WkNL40WwN_63ylEB0TAdFj3002FpxVCm8aLVTm/s400/wasp+pic+for+blog.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH3VSeWlRt4zBd3GFKmZ5NS4xVh-Q_RPzsbpf5DHwlmNn4-umyg1-gvlu8okZR45PzCREEihy-H8qL6lZRbHMLbf71HTYsBXjZQft-94w1DPo4pmJRuYVdYvPkeawpz0KcBiA1/s1600-h/wasp+for+blog+02.jpg"></a>Despite a splendid summer’s day to start September in Sweden, Swedes know that, in the end, the <em>calendar</em> has the final say. <br /><br />It doesn’t take long to find the silver lining to a fleeting Swedish summer. As the sun departs, so does something else synonymous with a Swedish summer, the only element of a Swedish summer no one celebrates or fondly remembers come December.<br /><br />You can run, but you can’t hide.<br /><br />It ruins picnics.<br />It alters Kubb matches.<br />It makes berry-picking a danger-filled activity.<br />It can make a Midsummer celebration a little less fertile.<br />It turns peace-loving Swedes into militant barbarians....<br /><br />Swedes, and temporary Swedes, develop a sixth sense of unidentified flying objects in the summer time.<br /><br />If there was a vote to increase taxes in order to eliminate this, it would be the first nationwide vote to be unanimously in favor.<br /><br />What would hospital emergency rooms do in the summer time if not for this?<br /><br />Unlike their European neighbors to the extreme south, no Swede would ever name a beloved transportation vehicle after this evil creature (“vespa”).<br /><br />They move slowly, which is <em>clearly </em>divine license to kill.<br /><br />No animal rights groups in Sweden would ever defend it.<br /><br />I’ve heard that without these, and their similar species worldwide, the earth’s ecosystem would fail to the point of extinction of all natural life. If given the opportunity, Swedes would gladly take their chances.<br /><br />Good-bye, precious summer. Good riddance, diabolical wasp.<br /><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-52432818098097405712008-08-25T13:47:00.001-07:002008-08-25T14:09:35.459-07:00In the Swedish Board Room and Working World<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6kPwJiRGoRDefjifU90ryRs_FzwU7zP6MplRU2Y2zir8R44_SZ9d35xP2SPda0CstDMXJm6_aGiZAtUp9EfRt_WGRfxyih212AFoJjeOPkCnSblxCViHUUFl7liF-5O02w56/s1600-h/Ikea+for+Blog.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238560206172990850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6kPwJiRGoRDefjifU90ryRs_FzwU7zP6MplRU2Y2zir8R44_SZ9d35xP2SPda0CstDMXJm6_aGiZAtUp9EfRt_WGRfxyih212AFoJjeOPkCnSblxCViHUUFl7liF-5O02w56/s320/Ikea+for+Blog.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjueVTTJ-Vaik1WzpuuusKkzf2bfU_2lzim-snPVLv5g1w05yOMwKEP710fh0eLAqwOVvw0_yEcx681WfeGxed58Dl2DgFp1jlXgBdb53hrSDx8OhHYzyMhOIaO6Fi0Xo6KwCsV/s1600-h/SAAB+for+blog.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238560214583114546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjueVTTJ-Vaik1WzpuuusKkzf2bfU_2lzim-snPVLv5g1w05yOMwKEP710fh0eLAqwOVvw0_yEcx681WfeGxed58Dl2DgFp1jlXgBdb53hrSDx8OhHYzyMhOIaO6Fi0Xo6KwCsV/s320/SAAB+for+blog.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkbpAojf3AV5tWIT4V1jvduoMNdPLH1SEt9alF1rgF8h4f_UbDNLG4MRr84y3lfZY5J82kpZ3KPyEEezla2UzONhjYZD1KgGZlI8QRfwWK6OWBawcX3i4rGKCCgJKlyUCQgnwY/s1600-h/Volvo+logo+for+blog.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238560216715873570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkbpAojf3AV5tWIT4V1jvduoMNdPLH1SEt9alF1rgF8h4f_UbDNLG4MRr84y3lfZY5J82kpZ3KPyEEezla2UzONhjYZD1KgGZlI8QRfwWK6OWBawcX3i4rGKCCgJKlyUCQgnwY/s320/Volvo+logo+for+blog.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkON-hnD5B1Do5MFoAaA1SKt-Mu93-_UfztecWrJ4fLyObe6UGQXmn-SSndbZ3R0OZweOwQKyMW9eOZx-jWui31h5s-xRPoYeHGV4rHXQWAp3X66WikzUuNigrMj8TUByWuxKI/s1600-h/Ericsson+Logo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238560223493194930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkON-hnD5B1Do5MFoAaA1SKt-Mu93-_UfztecWrJ4fLyObe6UGQXmn-SSndbZ3R0OZweOwQKyMW9eOZx-jWui31h5s-xRPoYeHGV4rHXQWAp3X66WikzUuNigrMj8TUByWuxKI/s320/Ericsson+Logo.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_lThTaVYlqaFs2dtppXKIk2L_WjK9yYSCQ25VFNwoNELZH4mNhgpm9RZNwl__P58LF_akrPKOeM_jBX9oOQnIG6VoQybEwwG_LiEKV6hhOY7Uj89hoAToY4eBr4SM1tIq2iS/s1600-h/BV+Logo.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238560222135481986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_lThTaVYlqaFs2dtppXKIk2L_WjK9yYSCQ25VFNwoNELZH4mNhgpm9RZNwl__P58LF_akrPKOeM_jBX9oOQnIG6VoQybEwwG_LiEKV6hhOY7Uj89hoAToY4eBr4SM1tIq2iS/s320/BV+Logo.gif" border="0" /></a>As August wanes and the shadows become noticeably longer and that breeze just isn’t quite as warm as it was a couple weeks ago, it becomes apparent that summer is leaving us way up here in the north. Even in Sweden, school has started, non-summer cities such as Linköping are startlingly full of people once again and business is in full swing.<br /><br />For the past couple years, the readership of Linköpinglivin’ has been evolving. What started out as solely family and friends quickly became a whole lotta native Swedes. Then came foreigners visiting Sweden who were searching for something else and accidentally stumbled upon this peculiar, but informative, observation of Sweden and the Swedes in English. For any English speaker coming to Sweden to do work, this blog (or so I have been told) comes up repeatedly in all sorts of contexts (from directions to cafés to baby strollers and more).<br /><br />I’ve recently started to consider particularly useful topics for the foreigner (be they American or not) to be aware of should their professional or personal life bring them to Sweden. This week’s topic will probably not be of much use or interest for a Swede, could perhaps provide some small interest to the American who is interested in business and company culture, but will be crucial for the foreigner coming to work in Sweden and wanting to understand the subtly different Swedish work world.<br /><br />As with most considerations of culture and differences when examining Sweden, one must first start with the all-important Swedish <em>Jante Law</em> of “thou shall not consider thyself better than others.” Swedish equality and desire for participation and consensus is the key to understanding the Swedish work world. Bosses are <em>not</em> better than their subordinates and well-educated people are <em>not</em> paid nearly as much as their peers in other countries in comparison with less-educated employees. Decisions are made not necessarily by an authority at the top of a hierarchy, but by a group that only goes forward when consensus has been reached. Meetings are vital. Facilitating, not deciding, is often the role of the Swedish manager or CEO. There is still accountability and responsibility, of course, but this is not nearly as evident in the day-to-day behavior of employees.<br /><br />Communication between colleagues is also a bit different due to the cultural expectation of non-confrontational communication. Communication is simply more courteous and softer, sometimes even sacrificing clarity amongst colleagues or within companies. All individuals in the company are accessible for everyone else – once again, no one is better or off limits to anyone else due to Jante’s famous law. Equality and personal pride are highly valued in all circumstances. In this way, communication and overall business in Sweden is much more like Japan than it is a European or American business environment. <em>Teamwork</em>, not individual achievement, is the most valued element of a Swedish work environment.<br /><br />The Swedish office is noticeably more informal than the American or British counterpart. Jeans or slacks, along with an open collar and rarely a tie, is the norm. One should not stand out too much by dressing up or down (Jante Law, again), as opposed to the American rule of “you should dress for the next job you want.” Though in this age of globalization, one could make the argument that attire expectations are now guided more by industry than country, such as the informal and almost-juvenile dress expected at high-tech companies with young geniuses creating software for the next century.<br /><br />A few other areas or interesting tidbits about the Swedish business/work world:<br /><br />*With few exceptions, an 8 or 9 – 17:00 work day is expected throughout all industries in Sweden. If you work too much or not enough, you will stand out from your colleagues. If you haven't noticed yet, this is <em>not</em> a good thing in Sweden…<br /><br />*Despite their nationwide pride in equality, the Swedish woman often has just as hard a time climbing the corporate ladder as her counterparts in other countries. There are still many “old boys clubs” throughout Sweden connected to University days, sailing clubs and other long-held, male-oriented fraternities.<br /><br />*Unions are strong throughout Europe, but none more so than Sweden. It is virtually impossible to terminate the employment of a Swedish worker, unless there is some blatant breach of trust. This may sound good for the workers, but there are unfortunate consequences such as pushing employees out in other, arguably more emotionally painful ways, as well as lots of short-term contracts without company commitments to their workers. One realizes that there are two sides to every coin with having this much power to the people, in this case the work people.<br /><br />*Emails in Sweden will often go without a response if the recipient is not in agreement or is uncomfortable with the topic of exchange. Rather than confront a difficult situation and cause a losing of face of one party or another, the lack of a response will serve as the clearest form of non-confrontational disagreement, which is understandably misunderstood by (and aggravating for) foreigners.<br /><br />Okay, enough of a boring blog entry. If you have read this far, you must be coming to Sweden to take a job...congratulations.<br /><br />Check back next week for some more fun from Linköping.<br /><br />(Pictures above are of the most famous companies in Sweden, and one close to my heart that is slowly getting there….)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-45198083972570061942008-08-18T12:28:00.000-07:002008-08-18T13:04:37.768-07:00Göteborg (and the introduction of video on Linköpinglivin')<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyrFDUKrDRI5VgrTZH6-DNz7LvKzRpj_S0iryiBeQJRvVkxjcQirYlQxnwcQSPFR_-DXRqrCSR4h0g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />You probably know by now that advanced technological prowess is not my strength in cyberspace, but even <em>I</em> had to enter the world of video blogging at some point. Come take a ride on Linköpinglivin' for the first time as we "do" Göteborg!<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinljFehA6g4lvR8jRIs9IacDR1AcLFaIRzakCw9yD2NczTWoI_Qzx-Y9OGFqP9ykjjP_tERl7iP37Qr0sJCBcFqe0YZbuWfbxJYdMVE3bpbw3pZcgd3AwPykXA0K_dhz4BJE33/s1600-h/Paddan+10.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235944481975098754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinljFehA6g4lvR8jRIs9IacDR1AcLFaIRzakCw9yD2NczTWoI_Qzx-Y9OGFqP9ykjjP_tERl7iP37Qr0sJCBcFqe0YZbuWfbxJYdMVE3bpbw3pZcgd3AwPykXA0K_dhz4BJE33/s320/Paddan+10.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSF4CTbxtr0bAsaIxv6w1VVMm0YQWUQaZu8h7oL5ROVLKKECmJ0mcALq8EeieE5fOPvh_LOQ5zIJ40IuTeNtZSSUM08Tk5g4fxQlRT9ogUWhj_y9AwUdVWTvp6JAOlX3NosWr8/s1600-h/Paddan+duck+01.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235944482936927170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSF4CTbxtr0bAsaIxv6w1VVMm0YQWUQaZu8h7oL5ROVLKKECmJ0mcALq8EeieE5fOPvh_LOQ5zIJ40IuTeNtZSSUM08Tk5g4fxQlRT9ogUWhj_y9AwUdVWTvp6JAOlX3NosWr8/s320/Paddan+duck+01.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjschO_bq58cjDX9243-LhUzxrhWcUge_QJvPoe7n6uAZQsVWEErnaZPRurO0Sh98-oGhuKcRKxjK6YnzJnjbA7gYc_8gM2NZn1YViPMf-_jMzCUslqHWrtfK_sP5RzWfJwK9LM/s1600-h/Paddan+duck+04.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235944488228831986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjschO_bq58cjDX9243-LhUzxrhWcUge_QJvPoe7n6uAZQsVWEErnaZPRurO0Sh98-oGhuKcRKxjK6YnzJnjbA7gYc_8gM2NZn1YViPMf-_jMzCUslqHWrtfK_sP5RzWfJwK9LM/s320/Paddan+duck+04.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBZBCpZJ0-dJ_LtgA77SO9GUWTc03Sa3s-6SB8atyd0OYRfwhqAEn5RWpbgISmwmyJ0otonOjtM1U6OmxmCnljmO-Ge4sr3FY8RGORZlxawVJx7UpE8T0zL1F8oTUduT674-M/s1600-h/Paddan+duck+05.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235944491343168354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBZBCpZJ0-dJ_LtgA77SO9GUWTc03Sa3s-6SB8atyd0OYRfwhqAEn5RWpbgISmwmyJ0otonOjtM1U6OmxmCnljmO-Ge4sr3FY8RGORZlxawVJx7UpE8T0zL1F8oTUduT674-M/s320/Paddan+duck+05.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOtGmWYjgBA9tnC67fhIjTbuhH-HuguTIacOak4v_f7lYRpPdUetRszKJjIOFCKRG3LtFHDJKpYNIvPaAimd3Hv1Lu3r_dSeUnSYlixvT3cyzZsqceavtShl3IdIyrSKoFQpl/s1600-h/Botanical+Gardens+greenhouse+01.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235944498083848434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOtGmWYjgBA9tnC67fhIjTbuhH-HuguTIacOak4v_f7lYRpPdUetRszKJjIOFCKRG3LtFHDJKpYNIvPaAimd3Hv1Lu3r_dSeUnSYlixvT3cyzZsqceavtShl3IdIyrSKoFQpl/s320/Botanical+Gardens+greenhouse+01.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p>Also known as Gothenburg.<br /><br />Americans have never heard of Gothenburg, much less <em>Göteborg</em> (pronounced “Yerte-bori”). Sweden’s second city, located on the west coast, and the leading shipping port in all of Scandinavia is a virtual unknown to my fellow countrymen and women. I should know. I had never heard of Gothenburg until first coming to Sweden.<br /><br />We Americans generally know that Stockholm is in Sweden. We <em>might </em>know that Oslo is in Norway, but the only thing we know about Oslo might be the Peace Accords. We love to <em>say </em>"Copenhagen," but don’t know whether it’s Danish or Dutch, but it doesn’t really matter because we don’t really know the difference between the two, anyway. Finally, Helsinki is an unforgettable English word and most know it’s connected to Finland, but many aren’t sure which is the country and which is the capital!<br /><br />Without further ado, this weekend I finally made the excursion to Göteborg. If Stockholm is the distinguished, responsible, refined, “first-born,” city of Sweden, then Göteborg is the laid-back, enthusiastic, energetic and fun, younger sibling of Sweden’s cities. Göteborg, at least on a summer weekend like we just had, is a playground.<br /><br />In just over 29 hours in Göteborg, some friends and I walked through a botanical garden and found meat-eating (and therefore, one’s imagination can declare “man”-eating) plants, strolled the “Champs Elysées” of Sweden on the <em>Avenyn</em>, ducked under low-hanging bridges during otherwise peaceful canal rides, were soaked, thrashed and dropped 10 stories on roller-coasters at Sweden's most beloved amusement park, discovered the wonderful world of nature and science at yet another impressively planned, presented and educationally-oriented Swedish museum and even managed to make it outta town before the skies opened up and reminded us that Sweden’s summer is quickly fleeting….<br /><br />I almost never went to Gothenburg because I knew I would regret not going more often…Sure enough, that has happened.<br /><br />For you Swedes familiar with Göteborg, here are some thoughts and observations on various elements of this enjoyable city:<br /><br /><strong>Botaniska Trädgården</strong>: A great stroll for a family or couple – and a perfect leisure time activity in between more adventurous parts of this playground. Special bonus points for the Botaniska Trädgården when I even saw drinking fountains, some of the first I've seen in Sweden!<br /><br /><strong>Liseberg</strong>: I thought Swedes only got excited about <em>Melodifestivalen</em> and Zlatan, but Liseberg is pure Swedish childlike enthusiasm. A must on any trip to Göteborg, as you well know.<br /><br /><strong>Universeum</strong>: Fun for kids, fascinating for adults, so leave yourself at least three hours and don’t miss the interactive exhibits!<br /><br /><strong>Paddan Canal Tours</strong>: Watch your head. That tour guide is <em>not</em> kidding! Hilarious….<br /><br /><strong>Avenyn</strong>: Probably better at dusk and evening – not much during the day, especially if you consider shopping poisonous to a tourist weekend, as I do.<br /><br />And don’t forget that splendid <em>Göteborg Pass</em> because if you ever have a chance to save money in Sweden, you must do it!</p><p>Pictures above:</p><p>1. The harbor and the maritime environment is the heart of Gothenburg's past and present.</p><p>2 - 4. The well known, albeit touristy, Paddan Canal Boat Rides are informational and, for a country known for all things-safety, <em>dangerous</em>! Watch your head, as we did....!</p><p>5. Keep the mice and small children away from this plant, known to digest meat and found in the greenhouse of the <em>Botaniska Trädgården</em>, along with certain worldwide jungles and rain forests<em>.</em><br /></p><p><br /></p><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-31431014657900481542008-08-11T11:46:00.000-07:002008-08-12T01:20:24.630-07:00Summer Olympics According to the Swedes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WW8JQVbBm9I6ZmjP1Pe1rAR4my23iifEHdnEjByTrHxLDWw1Cp7w7DApCK9vNFMltGNy9WD19Hh9nmMdDTFNiVEL2S9kPhgHtJejfZ60Nq2QITALx5bVrC0bxw59i1wQPHB3/s1600-h/Beijing+Olympic+logo+for+blog.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233334508338257170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WW8JQVbBm9I6ZmjP1Pe1rAR4my23iifEHdnEjByTrHxLDWw1Cp7w7DApCK9vNFMltGNy9WD19Hh9nmMdDTFNiVEL2S9kPhgHtJejfZ60Nq2QITALx5bVrC0bxw59i1wQPHB3/s320/Beijing+Olympic+logo+for+blog.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsF2L_ZrEVnFM81P4H8sDtgt2RpLuSc0Kp2FfVYcCnoclWtwkN1AaJEgFyeX8uX_gHorpW8h3yrRbuybqjlYhqbHEwmpkvCXl29N16XygsAUyAMV2c7VbKuOWcaXwHtF7YgHKp/s1600-h/Emma+Johansson+for+blog.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233334520077742850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsF2L_ZrEVnFM81P4H8sDtgt2RpLuSc0Kp2FfVYcCnoclWtwkN1AaJEgFyeX8uX_gHorpW8h3yrRbuybqjlYhqbHEwmpkvCXl29N16XygsAUyAMV2c7VbKuOWcaXwHtF7YgHKp/s320/Emma+Johansson+for+blog.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOosG1a3PsAk3m5rgBaQ-8UwRkLxlS9r-MuQISTS2k86RKKzMOFTVFY5SpNsTfufWeNlU5D_ExISjz1SiNZRhPJm0T2g3m1QnbCw-xl5Op_GiwCc1Qkev6nomVeWkQPKnMo4eK/s1600-h/Sarah+Sjostrom+Olympics+for+blog.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233334521726978082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOosG1a3PsAk3m5rgBaQ-8UwRkLxlS9r-MuQISTS2k86RKKzMOFTVFY5SpNsTfufWeNlU5D_ExISjz1SiNZRhPJm0T2g3m1QnbCw-xl5Op_GiwCc1Qkev6nomVeWkQPKnMo4eK/s320/Sarah+Sjostrom+Olympics+for+blog.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTD_uEQIE0zPLMl-Mj1pZm11Y-KNlSi3IBLNRXNqETvpZtlbleUWSSm9ECGT99n2VfL90w2tVFmiYNx727Wk4oZ8fPq5SzwXXnslig_XgOr_QO3yTvZZy6cGY6CCdCE4cLqbj0/s1600-h/Kobe+Olympics+for+blog.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233334525115753682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTD_uEQIE0zPLMl-Mj1pZm11Y-KNlSi3IBLNRXNqETvpZtlbleUWSSm9ECGT99n2VfL90w2tVFmiYNx727Wk4oZ8fPq5SzwXXnslig_XgOr_QO3yTvZZy6cGY6CCdCE4cLqbj0/s320/Kobe+Olympics+for+blog.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8B-11e2yVcDjnJkhCC5uVrsQ7FDL2Pd9ycaWswP5wO5wyhG_Pg3GhL7Fx6EmxnyYMDXTn4pgF3TYDJlSIHTzvIoYGCyE30d5am_JT2xdU8XFKwWBepHOac3veMdMii78OAnb/s1600-h/Russia-Georgia+Olympic+Spirit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233334522192776450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8B-11e2yVcDjnJkhCC5uVrsQ7FDL2Pd9ycaWswP5wO5wyhG_Pg3GhL7Fx6EmxnyYMDXTn4pgF3TYDJlSIHTzvIoYGCyE30d5am_JT2xdU8XFKwWBepHOac3veMdMii78OAnb/s320/Russia-Georgia+Olympic+Spirit.jpg" border="0" /></a>Att dunka – “to dunk” in Swedish.<br /><br />This verb was used early and often in yesterday’s U.S vs. China men’s basketball opener watched by an estimated 1 billion people worldwide. Normally a little uncomfortable with American dominance (this team has had to start over and "re-learn" to play basketball <em>like a team</em> in order to win gold on a world-level, which hasn’t happened since 2000), I now find it fun to actually root for the U.S. basketball team again. If they do win gold, they will have earned it. But this is a blog about Sweden, not the U.S.<br /><br />Let’s make one thing clear in the beginning. Given the choice between the Summer and Winter Olympics, most Swedes will choose Winter. The reasons are obvious and recent national success only increases this Olympic selection.<br /><br />However, this is Sweden. And wherever in the world the blue and yellow is being represented, the country is well-aware and usually tuned in. With not one, but two public (and, therefore, commercial-free) television channels showing almost round-the-clock coverage from "Peking," if a Swede doesn’t know every last thing there is to know about these Beijing Olympics, it’s their own fault.<br /><br />After initially whining that I couldn’t get my American Olympic coverage over the internet, and was “forced” to watch the Olympics from a Swedish perspective, I have enjoyed the experience of watching these beloved (to an American) games from another perspective. Here are some observations so far:<br /><br />*Since we’re only seven hours behind China, most of the coverage is “direkt” (also known as “live”). Always fun to be watching something <em>as it happens</em> and not avoiding seeing scores and results until NBC finally gets to show it 10 hours later….<br /><br />*American Olympic coverage is often criticized for being overly focused on only American athletes. Sweden is guilty of this as well and I am sure every country is “overly focused” on their own athletes – and hey, for non-Americans reading this, it’s good for you to know that at least some people in the U.S. care about what athletes from other countries are doing!<br /><br />*But give the Swedes credit, their excitement around and coverage of the American men’s basketball team, Michael Phelps’ quest and other storylines, both American and others, has been a pleasure to watch. And the minor sports, the ones you only hear about during the Olympics no matter what country you’re from, get just as much coverage as anything.<br /><br />*Handball looks like it would be really, really fun!<br /><br />*If there is a darling of these Olympics for the Swedes, it is 14 year-old Sarah Sjöström. For those dabbling in the Swedish language, yes, her name is Sarah “Lake-Stream.” You guessed it. She’s a swimmer….<em>I love Sweden.<br /></em><br />*As an American, I am embarrassed by our focus on the “medal count.” Does it really matter who gets the most medals? And if it does, then shouldn’t it be a reflection of the population of the country? Shouldn’t the U.S. be doing a lot better than we're doing since we have 300 million to choose from? And shouldn’t China be disqualified from the next Olympics if they don’t get at least 1/7th of all the medals since they have 1/7th of the people in the world? And shouldn’t winning the decathlon count as 10 medals? The medal count is the height of national self-absorption and the opposite of what the Olympics are all about. <em>Go Palau!<br /></em><br />*Speaking of the Olympic spirit, did anyone see the medal podium embrace of the two female athletes – one from Russia and the other from Georgia? That’s what the Olympics ARE all about.<br /><br />*Watch for Swedes Stefan Holm (high jump), Susanna Kallur (hurdles), Carolina Klüft– the most well known of Swedish Summer Olympic athletes since her heptathlon gold in Athens (triple and long jump) and Stefan Nystrand and Therese Alshammar (swimming).<br /><br />*Countries like Sweden will only finish the games with 7 – 10 medals total, but those winners are celebrated like no other. Emma Johansson, the surprise silver-medalist in a cycling event yesterday, became a household name overnight. There’s some more Olympic spirit brought to you by the blue and yellow, a silver is "good as gold."<br /><br />Pictures above:<br /><br />1. Beijing Olympics. I was first introduced to the Summer Olympics when they were almost literally in my backyard in 1984 - Los Angeles. What a great summer that was!<br /><br />2. Emma Johansson wins Sweden's first medal of the games.<br /><br />3. Sarah "Lake-Stream" is a 14 year-old Swedish swimmer.<br /><br />4. "Att Dunka" - Kobe Bryant<br /><br />5. Georgian (on left) and Russian medalists embrace on the medal podium even as their countries were beginning a war.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-23037749117265673742008-08-03T10:48:00.000-07:002008-08-05T04:12:20.663-07:00The Abbreviated Summer (even in Sweden)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPSHWCIgHwBSOCbHU306MVf9Ab4tFc8ClXy_0oNnxLuGbAPFfidWc5TWl4GR9Tln4xv2dRKpuJE9894G-OWFvb47Rw6Ajx1VN9sqhFSADIekuI11ohdHD-ygwrO-XVXJBqEHJg/s1600-h/Vikings+unite.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230350798274465538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPSHWCIgHwBSOCbHU306MVf9Ab4tFc8ClXy_0oNnxLuGbAPFfidWc5TWl4GR9Tln4xv2dRKpuJE9894G-OWFvb47Rw6Ajx1VN9sqhFSADIekuI11ohdHD-ygwrO-XVXJBqEHJg/s320/Vikings+unite.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2sImWmHH5hZ_VgZ1SXYRnxdJ-oSzunrhwBspW1N-GRsLij5LHQpgo2mRhnBA2yhyphenhyphenr6HIzBkLrxZ_hJBWC-bRg0mVzzV_4DOu6xCJ_n4a21BB_49VBPaxkPZGVRlzPpebQjljb/s1600-h/London-Sweden+extravaganza+116.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230350801813579826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2sImWmHH5hZ_VgZ1SXYRnxdJ-oSzunrhwBspW1N-GRsLij5LHQpgo2mRhnBA2yhyphenhyphenr6HIzBkLrxZ_hJBWC-bRg0mVzzV_4DOu6xCJ_n4a21BB_49VBPaxkPZGVRlzPpebQjljb/s320/London-Sweden+extravaganza+116.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPK4FA7-asyo0lyXua4yL1Q31NW0D6wwCJfea66hs1Ntmvef91G5_IlbSZqXaxdMn6epcbBV_cVlZvr6FF6ZFGBR1rGs2dA8Vm4p9slHoxTwv4jx3Afk8zf16z18bRJ2rkrCBC/s1600-h/Los+Angeles+-+Dodger+Stadium.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230350829508800226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPK4FA7-asyo0lyXua4yL1Q31NW0D6wwCJfea66hs1Ntmvef91G5_IlbSZqXaxdMn6epcbBV_cVlZvr6FF6ZFGBR1rGs2dA8Vm4p9slHoxTwv4jx3Afk8zf16z18bRJ2rkrCBC/s320/Los+Angeles+-+Dodger+Stadium.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6A8hn7TMajZQh67o6b3kY9SctJLXzTVIHHcX_uBa6rILFkatEubYNGGOogVRqGN7HYihckyX8_NaRWbb3zrs35Nzto9uCYZW3Vz46JrjyHAw6chn6xjtyw9OrL4c_w-qWHQpu/s1600-h/London-+Big+Ben+from+Buck+House.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230350835477306354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6A8hn7TMajZQh67o6b3kY9SctJLXzTVIHHcX_uBa6rILFkatEubYNGGOogVRqGN7HYihckyX8_NaRWbb3zrs35Nzto9uCYZW3Vz46JrjyHAw6chn6xjtyw9OrL4c_w-qWHQpu/s320/London-+Big+Ben+from+Buck+House.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWfZGzalD2AXCRxB_oZQaqnxLWCF1NhkDZuSOItvekGBaQgMxUQMScUGgQiC7GxA1iF4ovRD276xIOXKJYqUR2G6nsawC93PyIxZg6nKlgsQZOnVRFHa1zwuij3PxYmCgbjcY/s1600-h/Bath+-+Roman+Baths+Eva,+Sean.JPG"></a>It’s August (and, yes, a now-annual re-formatting exercise. Isn't it better than the dark background and light lettering - kinda like the move from MySpace to Facebook, don't you think?).<br /><br />Anyone who has a job that relates to University students knows that August means “Your summer is over. Ready or not, here they come!” Though I live and work in Sweden, a place known for an endless summer holiday, my summer is essentially over (and the recent rain in Linköping only serves as a cruel reminder of the inevitable).<br /><br />However, if summer is concluding, it means that Linköpinglivin’ is back up and running, hopefully better than ever as I begin to give some conclusion and closure to my cherished Swedish experience. My current plan is to terminate my work here in November/December to be home in time for an American-style Lucia and Christmas (I gotcha covered, Mom). You will hear all about my mixed emotions regarding this as the next few months unfold, but for now, know that I will be valuing every moment of my fleeting time in a country I will always remember fondly (and be visiting often - that’s a promise).<br /><br />Linköpinglivin’ is currently receiving approximately 500 hits per week from what I think is about 300 – 400 monthly readers, but since the last entry in late June, it has received over 2,300 hits. Sharing my journey continues to be one of the most surprising and rewarding elements of my time abroad. Thanks for continuing to meet me in cyberspace, Swedish-style.<br /><br />There’s still plenty of Sweden life to be discovered and uncovered in the coming months. Undoubtedly a few fun facts and top 10 lists will grace this blog yet again, as well as a couple more reasons why Linköping remains one of the coolest places to live in all the world!<br /><br />For now though, a few pictures from my summer, which included stops in London, Seattle, Santa Barbara and the hometown of La Canada near Los Angeles and was highlighted by the visit of what will probably be my last visitors to Sweden: Heather Doud, Jennifer Ratcliff and Rachel Owen. While their journey was long and their visit too short, it was indeed as memorable as predicted from Stockholm to Linköping. Thanks for the visit to the land of the Vikings, ladies. See you in December!<br /><br />(And as the Summer Olympics get started before the next Linköpinglivin’ entry, I expect all of you Americans following this blog to keep a special eye out for the blue and yellow Swedish representation. Heja Sverige!)<br /><br />Pictures above:<br /><br />1. Left-to-Right: Rachel, Jenn and Heather strike the Viking pose in Stockholm.<br /><br />2. Overlooking Stadshuset on a classic summer’s day in Stockholm.<br /><br />3. With friends at Dodger Stadium – Los Angeles, California.<br /><br />4. Big Ben says “hello” rising above the English flowers in full bloom.<br /><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-62471640295193751482008-06-22T10:48:00.000-07:002008-06-22T13:05:58.598-07:00"Super-Size Me" - Swedish Style<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFei0w25pULcQ33emMOj8JIr33dAXuxG8g3yLvpw2m7bV8w8zyrvTCiEz1bVi-kdqQo13aqCZcakLA4KNFOCx6lx7AjFAl2Kc_HV7q1LthP_rraBPNpS9ovUbRdSu1jiPNz_st/s1600-h/Cellgrupp+Soderkoping+Rock+n+Roll.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214765291037140050" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFei0w25pULcQ33emMOj8JIr33dAXuxG8g3yLvpw2m7bV8w8zyrvTCiEz1bVi-kdqQo13aqCZcakLA4KNFOCx6lx7AjFAl2Kc_HV7q1LthP_rraBPNpS9ovUbRdSu1jiPNz_st/s320/Cellgrupp+Soderkoping+Rock+n+Roll.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcyXP7Vr7krSBrraNjLBN1UAutEv4IkqAiNYmWddQYteCshyphenhyphenTlOGxBpcGunfW1QFlXfY41WpZCRqjT844qODNLDu8rg1wQaKs7xvFn49TNbOEjM5FfO2Y3cn2kyRBRG8Edxbmd/s1600-h/Cellgrupp+Soderkoping+05.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214765295290676802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcyXP7Vr7krSBrraNjLBN1UAutEv4IkqAiNYmWddQYteCshyphenhyphenTlOGxBpcGunfW1QFlXfY41WpZCRqjT844qODNLDu8rg1wQaKs7xvFn49TNbOEjM5FfO2Y3cn2kyRBRG8Edxbmd/s320/Cellgrupp+Soderkoping+05.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhmYo5zdOdj2xSJMIjS7MCTZW5NnJmIQBVbJhZGGHgri-bjU1d-06oxfBMECurTaPt1rRqdNkxuS_nASTjjLyMaGxJinVS3B30rVmpzpAr-0pGaIYm4EqCtjxzS4ftKoohLOi/s1600-h/Cellgrupp+Soderkoping+07.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214765306697288610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhmYo5zdOdj2xSJMIjS7MCTZW5NnJmIQBVbJhZGGHgri-bjU1d-06oxfBMECurTaPt1rRqdNkxuS_nASTjjLyMaGxJinVS3B30rVmpzpAr-0pGaIYm4EqCtjxzS4ftKoohLOi/s320/Cellgrupp+Soderkoping+07.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>There’s an ice cream shop here in Sweden.<br /><br />In fact, there are many ice cream shops in Sweden as Swedes are known for being some of the top consumers of ice cream in the world. However, there’s no ice cream shop quite like Söderköping’s <em>Smultronstället</em> just east of Linköping located right on the Göta Canal.<br /><br />When you say “Söderköping” to any Swedes south of Stockholm, their eyes light up, an excited smile comes across their face and they ask you about the “<em>glass</em>” (Swedish for “ice cream").<br /><br />Smultronstället is one of few places in Sweden where Swedish cultural moderation is thrown out the window in the face of pure, unhindered, unlimited, extra-large indulgence. “Super-size me,” Swedish style.<br /><br />Smultronstället takes the Swedish cultural law of “<em>lagom</em> - not too much and not too little, just right” and laughs at it.<br /><br />The ice cream servings, toppings, decorations, environment and indeed festival at Smultronstället is larger than any I’ve ever seen anywhere, including my home country, which is known for doing nothing, especially ice cream, in moderation.<br /><br />Speaking of the USA, Smultronstället has close to 30 different themed ice cream presentations ranging from places to holidays to happy occasions of all kinds. All presentations reflect something of that theme, of course. What is the USA theme, you ask? Five scoops of mouth-watering ice cream, topped off with a sugar donut – and one more scoop on top of the donut, just to make sure. Add some apple pie filling in the middle, a flashing guitar icon, an American flag and there you have the USA-themed Smultronstället ice cream concoction named “Rock ‘n Roll.” </div><div></div><div></div><div>Apparently, donuts are as synonymous with Americans as peanut butter...<br /><br />Let it be known that this is the very first time I have <em>EVER</em> had donuts and ice cream in the same dessert.<br /><br />Let it be known that I only ordered this life-shortening creation in order to take a picture of it – with all of you in mind, obviously.<br /><br />And finally, let it be known that the next time I go to Smultronstället, I’ll be ordering the “Rock ‘n Roll” again, because I had no idea how good donuts and ice cream taste together….<br /><br />Speaking of unhindered indulgences of the American kind, I’m off to the USA this week, for the first time since October, and, along with all the Swedes, will be taking the month of July off and away (from the blogsophere), relaxing and vacationing, enjoying and embracing all that summer has to offer.<br /><br />Thank you for regularly reading Linköpinglivin’ and being my cyber-companions on this continually enjoyable and memorable Swedish excursion. I’ll be back in August to give it a few more months in Linköping and, of course, on Linköpinglivin’.<br /><br />Trevlig Sommar och vi ses snart. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-66490237912003785272008-06-15T23:31:00.001-07:002008-06-16T00:49:37.991-07:00Euro 2008<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEsxxxSKEd5dV_jJLpdKIw93qh89veca9PI477koHDQO1hbvvt0NTFeUf0azI0p3fCOQfTJphxDj_vOaLmhNxYKtaGeFtD1o4-5EJoVUzTJE1TG498vbQ-Er7Cgr1cJvKaAol/s1600-h/Euro+logo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212363922331575490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEsxxxSKEd5dV_jJLpdKIw93qh89veca9PI477koHDQO1hbvvt0NTFeUf0azI0p3fCOQfTJphxDj_vOaLmhNxYKtaGeFtD1o4-5EJoVUzTJE1TG498vbQ-Er7Cgr1cJvKaAol/s320/Euro+logo.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLg4TInKXU7x7TkH7aWwUg9a0KFRABinJqfH7uRtJHp3JwhPVcruNUQJHDOdaiGCPuUn6tBn-fuadyZAU7xdVg9C3Olp9wGfFooChyphenhyphenWOMdrqvm7id9WRB8bzPxTMGokYvYfzRU/s1600-h/Euro+in+Sweden+04.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212363934204032274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLg4TInKXU7x7TkH7aWwUg9a0KFRABinJqfH7uRtJHp3JwhPVcruNUQJHDOdaiGCPuUn6tBn-fuadyZAU7xdVg9C3Olp9wGfFooChyphenhyphenWOMdrqvm7id9WRB8bzPxTMGokYvYfzRU/s320/Euro+in+Sweden+04.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiItpU3OxFGhnC8deyBIczQlyHaSexIEh2r_39wp_zAOUSFsXjfA2WyzS184MilI6Vc-m5M0k1URLn0X2ueLttSqL-HT4X-qHtJCf5zU1GAcE99fYKpvoNfgC6fo5fK_fd7BNJI/s1600-h/Euro+in+Sweden+01.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212363937741741906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiItpU3OxFGhnC8deyBIczQlyHaSexIEh2r_39wp_zAOUSFsXjfA2WyzS184MilI6Vc-m5M0k1URLn0X2ueLttSqL-HT4X-qHtJCf5zU1GAcE99fYKpvoNfgC6fo5fK_fd7BNJI/s320/Euro+in+Sweden+01.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGMvpkC2oBCgIS-f-qh6u_uDB-HxFUyL1netvGDHgGLFEgm7N0sMEDyE_iioWECQ2-1lygJV7BZ_v4-8yYIIHEBSxJdRiBVgthgkbWE1hvfl_XX8PUEsfZ9qW5Zko1KbIQwCGg/s1600-h/hejasverige1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212363942714559314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGMvpkC2oBCgIS-f-qh6u_uDB-HxFUyL1netvGDHgGLFEgm7N0sMEDyE_iioWECQ2-1lygJV7BZ_v4-8yYIIHEBSxJdRiBVgthgkbWE1hvfl_XX8PUEsfZ9qW5Zko1KbIQwCGg/s320/hejasverige1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYuViC4MkAZucdHj9EQmNc28UNlZ5N6tDQp1LgvyQqav4t76tXPtWnX7l7zbzR4rvw7ujtqKUEhzOImTmuBdalrEzJ3M0aDk4d0l-yy_-tRoPix2UYbIqWHleS9hlejq9TjRi/s1600-h/Lakers+logo.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212363944820987586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYuViC4MkAZucdHj9EQmNc28UNlZ5N6tDQp1LgvyQqav4t76tXPtWnX7l7zbzR4rvw7ujtqKUEhzOImTmuBdalrEzJ3M0aDk4d0l-yy_-tRoPix2UYbIqWHleS9hlejq9TjRi/s320/Lakers+logo.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div>In the past year on Linköpinglivin’, you’ve heard about the American college basketball tournament, read about not one, but two Super Bowls, been introduced to baseball and had “soccer” directly and indirectly criticized, so I think it is about time to, well, acknowledge some of the finer points and qualities to “the beautiful game.”<br /><br />As surprising as this might be to Europeans who, whether they want it or not, are surrounded by and completely engulfed in football fever right now, most Americans have no idea there is a soccer tournament almost as important as the World Cup (which even most Americans are very familiar with) taking place in Austria and Switzerland right now.<br /><br />Quick insight for the Americans: The Union of the European Football Associations (UEFA) holds a European-wide soccer tournament every four years, coinciding in the off years with the World Cup (which was last played in 2006). After qualifying, 16 teams/countries are grouped in sets of four and play a tournament which lasts about three weeks and started on June 7. The host country rotates every four years. Austria and Switzerland teamed up this year to host.<br /><br />It’s impossible to be breathing anywhere in Europe and not know about the Euro tournament. So, as with most things that I can define as uniquely European or Swedish experiences, I have decided to embrace it and follow it and have a good time with it and have, so far, been rewarded with some very interesting and at times, dare I even say, “exciting” football.<br /><br />Sweden won their first game, lost a heartbreaker in the second, but still look promising to advance to the next round of 8 teams. Other favorites so far look like Portugal, Croatia and Spain, but no one has been as impressive as the Dutch who, with their precision passing, ball control and bright orange uniforms, have simply embarrassed both Italy and France, who just happened to be the finalists in the most recent World Cup.<br /><br />I’ll just say that anyone who has an appreciation for the art and science of sports and athletics can find it in them to be mesmerized by soccer. As I’ve said before, we Americans just don’t really give it a chance, except every four years as long as we’re alive in the World Cup. A well-orchestrated goal really is a beautiful thing. But, I still don’t like the fake injuries, acting and virtual crying that takes place (some teams more than others, I do acknowledge) and seems to be an accepted part of the game.<br /><br />However, the excitement and interest for me lies in the overall spectacle itself. I appreciate the events or moments that bring the whole continent of Europe, with all its differences and past conflicts, together under one banner. While the EU is a fascinating and challenging experiment in this with the things that really matter, events like Euro and even the Eurovision Song Contest (so sorry to put those two things in the same sentence, soccer fans) do this on a temporary basis and it’s very rewarding to watch for an outsider.<br /><br />Meanwhile in the United States, one of the most historic and celebrated rivalries in all of American sports is happening again in the NBA Finals between the beloved Los Angeles Lakers and the hated Boston Celtics. Since it’s played from 3:00 – 5:30 in the morning Sweden time, soccer is astonishingly taking up more of my thoughts than this cherished rivalry. More surprising words have perhaps never been blogged on Linköpinglivin’. <em>I’ve been here too long….<br /></em><br />It remains to be seen just how much soccer stays with me upon my return to the U.S., but for now I have just one thing to say: “Heja Sverige!” </div><div></div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Pictures above:</div><div></div><div>1. Euro 2008 approaches the second round this week. The final will be held in Vienna on June 28.</div><div></div><div>2. Linköping's main square brings out all the fans, despite the chilly temperatures, to watch the beloved home team's victory over Greece.</div><div></div><div>3. Anything blue or yellow will due, and a flag is especially welcomed.</div><div></div><div>4. Friends Emelie and Lisa show their true colors.</div><div></div><div>5. Though I'm a long way from home, Go Lakers.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-32874403852798285952008-06-09T11:35:00.000-07:002008-06-09T13:21:47.646-07:00Top 10 Things I Love To Say To Europeans<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdRZaA77UNVeakNtg9nBqHaMtkQtrC773A52N94G0oNj-GKOxWoGdku2oED4MPgUEwLq5Joa-lH7NrfaEBjB43Bi4VEOoyoepNaJTckcMXdZUu16NF8x382Ekd7bGfFDtMd4Y/s1600-h/Swedish+Summer+Day+and+Sean.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209953067364780738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdRZaA77UNVeakNtg9nBqHaMtkQtrC773A52N94G0oNj-GKOxWoGdku2oED4MPgUEwLq5Joa-lH7NrfaEBjB43Bi4VEOoyoepNaJTckcMXdZUu16NF8x382Ekd7bGfFDtMd4Y/s320/Swedish+Summer+Day+and+Sean.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7tMa1Zab_rrOqZSYlMzyibfmWUX5k8iKcTqvZENsYrdLOQfTuHcvZSy7wOaPJ5becSQhyU-SIj6yCMHqVucREATGblBdLBoxa9eVfMjD6GlHLTmX406K837dVE7IlcDd-dT6/s1600-h/Swedish+Summer+Day+02.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209953087533355154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7tMa1Zab_rrOqZSYlMzyibfmWUX5k8iKcTqvZENsYrdLOQfTuHcvZSy7wOaPJ5becSQhyU-SIj6yCMHqVucREATGblBdLBoxa9eVfMjD6GlHLTmX406K837dVE7IlcDd-dT6/s320/Swedish+Summer+Day+02.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUTC6_iEi2_wEcL9G1msFbXl2AyOTGJLESXVC9l7pW9SeXo9LxsemhmT-cxM-6w24Z1Ry2wRTB9RHBmZZcwVImDGd_VS6TbRtkpT_JInjhYAF0Gd4nP8TtCYbaB3dhPfIRTFtj/s1600-h/Soderkoping+flags.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209953097814451042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUTC6_iEi2_wEcL9G1msFbXl2AyOTGJLESXVC9l7pW9SeXo9LxsemhmT-cxM-6w24Z1Ry2wRTB9RHBmZZcwVImDGd_VS6TbRtkpT_JInjhYAF0Gd4nP8TtCYbaB3dhPfIRTFtj/s320/Soderkoping+flags.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_JmA-DwNafSgn4Zz3uTy3IgqIILGW1bXr1kJtAMHtsxdOPej03M0Gr68W2mbyNHW3FgbY45l8Giarp64LhKxGS77mH0ZhrgZqflqc3DNEcfytbdX2qzOObTsKO3AwsfZP234/s1600-h/Friends+in+Soderkoping.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209953108476537938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_JmA-DwNafSgn4Zz3uTy3IgqIILGW1bXr1kJtAMHtsxdOPej03M0Gr68W2mbyNHW3FgbY45l8Giarp64LhKxGS77mH0ZhrgZqflqc3DNEcfytbdX2qzOObTsKO3AwsfZP234/s320/Friends+in+Soderkoping.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdgbHzlq0NcNsQKlKJlQ-ufjRztTDgqPIescxpYb5Lz9thtO7fYdGOqjIzM1YJI3qO0e5-i_LnAWZ3OqbGQj34IXEG4ueJM6LYEYy6CAIGuQQKmIID7LppJa-Kv5mpPc7y2k7l/s1600-h/Tamara+party+03.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209953151375025634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdgbHzlq0NcNsQKlKJlQ-ufjRztTDgqPIescxpYb5Lz9thtO7fYdGOqjIzM1YJI3qO0e5-i_LnAWZ3OqbGQj34IXEG4ueJM6LYEYy6CAIGuQQKmIID7LppJa-Kv5mpPc7y2k7l/s320/Tamara+party+03.JPG" border="0" /></a> 10. “?Habla ingles?” “Parle vous anglais?” “Sprechen sie englisch?” “Förlåt, på engelska, tack” and my favorite, ”Could you please say that again <em>without </em>your British accent?”<br /><br />9. “I have no idea how much I weigh, how tall I am or how far it is to the next town…”<br /><br />8. “How much did you say the tax was?!!!”<br /><br />7. “Could I have some peanut butter with that?”<br /><br />6. “Soccer. The only sport in the world where crying is both strategic and encouraged.”<br /><br />5. To the question of whether or not every American owns a gun, “Yes, one for each hand.”<br /><br />4. Upon seeing the size of a personal pizza in Sweden, “Wow, I’ll never be able to finish that and I’m an American!”<br /><br />3. Upon seeing anyone holding Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Subway or all three:”Thank you for trying to help that poor American dollar.”<br /><br />2. “Yes, start in New York, but remember that the west coast is the best coast!”<br /><br />And the number one thing I love to say to Europeans:<br />1. “I’m so glad that Obama has finally been selected because now the election campaigning can <em>BEGIN</em>!”<br /><br />And a special bonus quote for all you Swedes:<br />“I love living in a <em>small town</em> like Linköping...”<br /><br /><br />Pictures above from a perfect summer day in Sweden (as the weather continues to be the warmest I have ever felt here):<br /><br />1. On the eastern coast just north of Västervik.<br />2. Classic Swedish coastline full of “röda små stugor.”<br />3. Flags of the Göta Canal at Söderköping, which means…<br />4. <em>Smulltronstället</em> ice cream. Ah, Svensk sommar!<br />5. A recent taco dinner obviously hosted by an American – can you see why?<br /><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-20947428524249373802008-06-01T10:41:00.000-07:002008-06-02T01:49:03.382-07:00Everything You Need to Know About Golf (& Mini-Golf) in Sweden<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJs5i0Cg5nRNrFjdDjWZAE7bIR2A8OrDGyzPvLu-EiMXeMg3UbbyoQu0bAQQys3tVUef7K4OuLIw9JKKG_hR2BbrnFkuWB4jojSFKSzucamU4iNpEOj8iP_EFFZcP4z5Hzxh8L/s1600-h/Oland+-+Minigolf+impossible+hole+01.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206970665626782146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJs5i0Cg5nRNrFjdDjWZAE7bIR2A8OrDGyzPvLu-EiMXeMg3UbbyoQu0bAQQys3tVUef7K4OuLIw9JKKG_hR2BbrnFkuWB4jojSFKSzucamU4iNpEOj8iP_EFFZcP4z5Hzxh8L/s320/Oland+-+Minigolf+impossible+hole+01.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSgNn7s3ythsL4UXX7ImdR3p_0-LQnnJYDkOVoQ-xmq7kVsBT75yvRSToQbjDLHQaNNjypT-cVljZ08ZMncPjq6VqQM93cIzs8k8fpV6HW8tmlfCqwfe9nO7gxNx-KdItBAz-i/s1600-h/Oland+-+Minigolf+Impossible+hole+03.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206970680947917906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSgNn7s3ythsL4UXX7ImdR3p_0-LQnnJYDkOVoQ-xmq7kVsBT75yvRSToQbjDLHQaNNjypT-cVljZ08ZMncPjq6VqQM93cIzs8k8fpV6HW8tmlfCqwfe9nO7gxNx-KdItBAz-i/s320/Oland+-+Minigolf+Impossible+hole+03.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKv649Ap-661xxwa3eozEaYlgJ97KYF81W2VREpSei13JKYmaOmxs9p3kksI0ueu-5Zt52QL5L-K0Tn4zRKj1K4aP0pIZCRIEJQo6duAr40rxeVR8VhrqkqpCgZh9VrwROv8dV/s1600-h/Minigolf+hole+at+Valla.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206970693211504722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKv649Ap-661xxwa3eozEaYlgJ97KYF81W2VREpSei13JKYmaOmxs9p3kksI0ueu-5Zt52QL5L-K0Tn4zRKj1K4aP0pIZCRIEJQo6duAr40rxeVR8VhrqkqpCgZh9VrwROv8dV/s320/Minigolf+hole+at+Valla.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbMYDI46MYjWT8dtT0Lv1qm8vhWTLVGm5CeUF9rB7AGFdbdo9Yk56VN6KeiK2GxRGt046ehISZEVmErzf3fSPyiwYDXtphQ9Av7IbtN0uKURlhPRHQge_8srejoCnNTILwxps/s1600-h/Tamara+party+05.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206970703990722546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbMYDI46MYjWT8dtT0Lv1qm8vhWTLVGm5CeUF9rB7AGFdbdo9Yk56VN6KeiK2GxRGt046ehISZEVmErzf3fSPyiwYDXtphQ9Av7IbtN0uKURlhPRHQge_8srejoCnNTILwxps/s320/Tamara+party+05.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-A4MesEf2x91aQOQExHn7YGkJLAjnkeE-QiBdbpvUlzTuQ0nJ0pC_QQCYCkyCmQvUr9y-QkjeoO1E4nIXV_n9XI7ExKu12VTKK0YY4evYKztPCwNtyH9xVU_pFc5mggZPTta/s1600-h/Linkoping+-+Valla+Minigolf.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206970707857857314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-A4MesEf2x91aQOQExHn7YGkJLAjnkeE-QiBdbpvUlzTuQ0nJ0pC_QQCYCkyCmQvUr9y-QkjeoO1E4nIXV_n9XI7ExKu12VTKK0YY4evYKztPCwNtyH9xVU_pFc5mggZPTta/s320/Linkoping+-+Valla+Minigolf.JPG" border="0" /></a>It was warmer than a summer’s day in Sweden this entire weekend and, along with the grilling, the sun-bathing, the dark-less nights of this time of year and the Euro-shorts, new and interesting tidbits about Swedish life, even after almost two years here for me, reveal themselves.<br /><br />So here’s virtually everything you need to know about golf and mini-golf in Sweden.<br /><br /><strong>Traditional golf:<br /></strong><br />*Yes, it is played in Sweden. Just save your wisecracks about playing golf in the snow.<br /><br />*Not only is it played in Sweden, but you must pass a test and prove your worth to play on Sweden’s courses. There is no room for lousy golfters, “hackers” as we would say in the U.S. In order to get your “green card,” you need the approval of a golf professional at one of the courses. I have a lot of friends in the U.S. who would really love to keep “hackers” like myself off of the courses there….<br /><br />*Since that’s about all I know about traditional golf in Sweden or anywhere, we’ll switch to mini-golf, one of Sweden’s favorite summer pastimes.<br /><br /><strong>Mini-Golf:</strong> </p><p>*First, every country has their own name for this and in Sweden, we call it "mini-golf," not "miniature golf" or "putt-putt."<br /><br />*Sweden was one of the first countries to develop mini-golf along with the U.S., Britain and Germany back in the early 1900s.<br /></p><p>*Predictably, Sweden formed the very first mini-golf “federation” 30 years before any other country had a mini-golf federation – yes, apparently there are mini-golf federations worldwide….who knew?<br /><br />*While American mini-golf courses compete with designs ranging from waterfalls to windmills to neon signs to mazes to anything else that will entertain a family of four or a birthday party of 14, Swedish mini-golf courses are relatively simple collections of 2 x 4s that require you to hit the ball perfectly, with no forgiveness for even small mis-hits.<br /><br />*I would say I am a better-than-average mini-golfer and there is a course on the little island of Öland that I scored a 90 on last summer. <em>A 90!</em> Mini-Golf! Two holes required 10 shots (even though you are supposed to ”pick-up” after six in Sweden, it’s MINI-GOLF for goodness sakes. I’m NOT picking up until my ball is in the hole!).<br /><br />*Swedish rules for mini-golf are taken very, <em>very</em> seriously. There is no going out-of-turn, no going before the person in front of you is completely finished with the hole, no moving the ball anywhere it’s not supposed to be moved. This is mini-golf. This is Sweden. You will play by the rules and like it.<br /><br />*Mini-golf is one more way that the beloved Swedish summer is celebrated. I once again affirm how much I love the seasons around here. And when the warm summer weekends arrive, even a little early and a little warmer than normal, there’s just no place like it. Bring on summer.<br /><br />(Pictures above from treacherous mini-golf holes from Öland to Linköping – You’ve been warned.)<br /><br /></p><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-49557813247762303502008-05-26T12:14:00.000-07:002008-08-07T00:18:26.181-07:003 Meals, 3 Countries, 1 Day<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPf0K56kVdgMGi7GVrWS3Cqz3pmvjmyHybzi1G1aK8DirSF649fIWUpuQm-e2WMVWsRylD_UV9ww2uvhpNbUhDdjRn4lgnjTN1k1UWy7nW0prRvF4wH1KgR066M6eg5W1mWFG5/s1600-h/Bel-La+Grande+Place+children.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204768575548261506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPf0K56kVdgMGi7GVrWS3Cqz3pmvjmyHybzi1G1aK8DirSF649fIWUpuQm-e2WMVWsRylD_UV9ww2uvhpNbUhDdjRn4lgnjTN1k1UWy7nW0prRvF4wH1KgR066M6eg5W1mWFG5/s320/Bel-La+Grande+Place+children.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdbqXqYKrkohY97zF6iLVnG6Aj5GDpVORBj1m-ZwXaa1MqmTmT_xrQ2hIZ91RVZw7qknf_ZS3c4_IzaLhyphenhyphenDuovpNN4d0DgV8KAd7QiDLP24YiCw6VO9KdpXk_zUDDt6nAsDSQW/s1600-h/Bel-La+Grande+Place+-+Sean.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204768588433163410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdbqXqYKrkohY97zF6iLVnG6Aj5GDpVORBj1m-ZwXaa1MqmTmT_xrQ2hIZ91RVZw7qknf_ZS3c4_IzaLhyphenhyphenDuovpNN4d0DgV8KAd7QiDLP24YiCw6VO9KdpXk_zUDDt6nAsDSQW/s320/Bel-La+Grande+Place+-+Sean.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7IoklepfMeIHshfNec7TQ-4tcaLm4OjK-XlgmCS43v2MApZ-ImX4DLxieO9dByVncwP5C_ySH7fjFoyEtM4VcidkvayEwaGaB35qMpcUiet0hMyi8GDX-9_sDPtXxCndZ2FEO/s1600-h/Lux-Andrew+and+Sean.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204768592728130722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7IoklepfMeIHshfNec7TQ-4tcaLm4OjK-XlgmCS43v2MApZ-ImX4DLxieO9dByVncwP5C_ySH7fjFoyEtM4VcidkvayEwaGaB35qMpcUiet0hMyi8GDX-9_sDPtXxCndZ2FEO/s320/Lux-Andrew+and+Sean.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90S-Ps6myBkYXCZ9kKQULu3HuXmi77ge2d8BDfPt0VF3aMi5yAtd_KIvAixNlviPoYPj2_5JPGaQkP8tfFdr6KBgOtFDY78ajjTbZTY4i6Tleo11MKyqCwLqn9XD-jznqxWsv/s1600-h/Cots-Sean+and+sheep.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204768601318065330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90S-Ps6myBkYXCZ9kKQULu3HuXmi77ge2d8BDfPt0VF3aMi5yAtd_KIvAixNlviPoYPj2_5JPGaQkP8tfFdr6KBgOtFDY78ajjTbZTY4i6Tleo11MKyqCwLqn9XD-jznqxWsv/s320/Cots-Sean+and+sheep.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9zdvhjclpuTZ4NYY-2IKUsic00rYcXxLFcaEgBSP49iwfxo1EE2iN2PjjM2s96A1zh2uhhpKCdOHRqX1rxJOnmVGhVzS11zt2axTKkwpMF7XkQY4UyM_NvAduBop2tgqPcNb/s1600-h/Bel-Mannekin+Pis+crowds.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204768614202967234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9zdvhjclpuTZ4NYY-2IKUsic00rYcXxLFcaEgBSP49iwfxo1EE2iN2PjjM2s96A1zh2uhhpKCdOHRqX1rxJOnmVGhVzS11zt2axTKkwpMF7XkQY4UyM_NvAduBop2tgqPcNb/s320/Bel-Mannekin+Pis+crowds.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>And...no plane flights. </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Only in Europe.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>This past week I had a conference in Luxembourg, a fine place which is often overlooked on the tourist map, but will be the subject of a future Linköpinglivin' blog coming soon. </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>When the Wednesday - Friday conference ended, I decided to spend some time in the English countryside across the channel from Belgium, which is just north of Luxembourg. A couple train rides later, I was in London, but not before waking up to breakfast in Luxembourg, a train ride to, lunch in and some sightseeing around Brussels and finally a Eurostar "Chunnel" express train under the English Channel, my first experience of this heralded transportation triumph. Dinner in London then completed my accidental accomplishment.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>3 meals, 3 countries, 1 day.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>And without any plane rides.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><em></em></div><div><em>Only in Europe.</em></div><div><em></em></div><div><em></em></div><div></div><div></div><div>I love this place.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Okay, in looking at a map, one could perhaps pull this feat off in Central America or Southeast Asia, but certainly not North America.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>3 meals, 3 countries, 1 day.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Good times.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Pictures above:</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>1. What some consider the grandest square in all of Europe, Brussels' <em>Le Grand Place</em> is seen here with schoolchildren complementing the impressive views.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>2. Belgium's beer is known to be the finest in Europe (along with the Czech Republic's).</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>3. With my friend Andrew who lives in Luxembourg. The valley below makes Luxembourg's vistas striking, leaving Luxembourg greatly underestimated by most tourists.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>4. A quick weekend in the English countryside of course included a friendly greeting from the sheep.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>5. Brussels' city icon is a little boy called, well, <em>Mannekin Pis</em>. Legend has it that the city was once burning in a fire and one courageous youngster did everything he <em>possibly</em> could to put the fire out. London's Big Ben, Paris' Eiffel, Rome's Colosseum and Brussels' <em>Mannekin Pis</em> (Dutch for "little man pee"). </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-32853141725015722582008-05-18T10:43:00.000-07:002008-05-18T11:00:33.553-07:00Glorified Failure: The Vasa Museum<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2k2gOfsT6mgCP-XhFdLfenMCKyV5gMR4A1CbuQ4H2FTkrZpPqDtYUv6DQ7gamP1sQNfkJTr28ILH18bu4Q86hC6D8MGrU7IQbOSAOO_BUrNs4eWxSfMt9Q3EI1_ZjiVFQ1i6u/s1600-h/Stockholm+Vasa+Judith,+Stine.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201777754830024594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2k2gOfsT6mgCP-XhFdLfenMCKyV5gMR4A1CbuQ4H2FTkrZpPqDtYUv6DQ7gamP1sQNfkJTr28ILH18bu4Q86hC6D8MGrU7IQbOSAOO_BUrNs4eWxSfMt9Q3EI1_ZjiVFQ1i6u/s320/Stockholm+Vasa+Judith,+Stine.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5fqBEDXxQr3DLh3TiUnf4ivUHfwsvGSpm0eWzWV3kgtqs3B10zjf-ck4jFur8dhp9iFXap4-gG48dz98T0K9qrYlpcUTt2xmsMJrTI6PFjjrIOUcXyMt7DFjLS_yEhWTtS_N6/s1600-h/Stockholm+-+Vasa+02.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201777763419959202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5fqBEDXxQr3DLh3TiUnf4ivUHfwsvGSpm0eWzWV3kgtqs3B10zjf-ck4jFur8dhp9iFXap4-gG48dz98T0K9qrYlpcUTt2xmsMJrTI6PFjjrIOUcXyMt7DFjLS_yEhWTtS_N6/s320/Stockholm+-+Vasa+02.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rxBPN8kY_DiJ8eKxOODuBTbxMlFEigSUdlz9DHPqXDnj_eTUP5Y3SLjaHuzEfvG6KbjCSkP7Q5uJoOxqwnT9p3teiOYrGeVjMbxDLLPZKfDQl53Yoy56Dv-jhYAjtosFlaO_/s1600-h/Stockholm+-+Vasa+03.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201777767714926514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rxBPN8kY_DiJ8eKxOODuBTbxMlFEigSUdlz9DHPqXDnj_eTUP5Y3SLjaHuzEfvG6KbjCSkP7Q5uJoOxqwnT9p3teiOYrGeVjMbxDLLPZKfDQl53Yoy56Dv-jhYAjtosFlaO_/s320/Stockholm+-+Vasa+03.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi31hTPTqJJZrqBRwR7zV-Fu11lhuP0cMlboVOLKIOW1yD2NRZ87o4k2wU21Bty3AUDFwH8rDfY_dHvXoIAbfJ2QsmMjJ2plDu9ZXvl6kiO4HEOGoPWBRvRGaWA5pDu88XDcy1K/s1600-h/Vasa+Museet+model+02.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201777772009893826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi31hTPTqJJZrqBRwR7zV-Fu11lhuP0cMlboVOLKIOW1yD2NRZ87o4k2wU21Bty3AUDFwH8rDfY_dHvXoIAbfJ2QsmMjJ2plDu9ZXvl6kiO4HEOGoPWBRvRGaWA5pDu88XDcy1K/s320/Vasa+Museet+model+02.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQthaMNvIp0EiyeYPLRQy7zBzmqPUV3gCrhdZ8pV_7tdu8XBH9mnIabB743ympykFQiWrENHi1YJ3GxfLJT6mu2vFeYt3m6ueFLWkn54aRr55qO2VPE0fxJ2L5pgJ8MEmqbaR/s1600-h/Hinds,+Sean+at+Moosebacke.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201777780599828434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQthaMNvIp0EiyeYPLRQy7zBzmqPUV3gCrhdZ8pV_7tdu8XBH9mnIabB743ympykFQiWrENHi1YJ3GxfLJT6mu2vFeYt3m6ueFLWkn54aRr55qO2VPE0fxJ2L5pgJ8MEmqbaR/s320/Hinds,+Sean+at+Moosebacke.jpg" border="0" /></a>For a country known worldwide for high-quality, extraordinarily efficient products and standards, the story of the 17th century <em>Vasa</em> warship is hard to believe.<br /><br />Back in the Swedish dynastic era of the 1600s, and in the middle of the wars between Catholics and Protestants, the naval battles determined all power, especially for the countries in and around the Baltic Sea. It was then that Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus commissioned (or commanded) a premiere warship. Two years later, with much fanfare and celebration, the <em>Vasa</em> set sail for the Baltic with over 400 crew on her maiden voyage.<br /><br />Astonishingly, after a couple light wind gusts, the slight breeze of Stockholm Harbor proved to be too much for this newly-built and latest example of Swedish quality and, just <em>20 minutes</em> into the inaugural voyage (!), nowhere near outside of Stockholm Harbor, the King’s premiere warship started taking on water and sank, taking down 50 of the 400 crew with her.<br /><br />Almost as amazing as the sinking of the <em>Vasa</em> itself is the fact that, over time, it’s location in Stockholm Harbor was forgotten. Not until 1956 did a Swedish shipwreck specialist finally find the wreckage and immediately the raising of the <em>Vasa</em> was underway. <br /><br />The key element to turning this one-time failure into a modern day success was the waters of the Baltic Sea. These less-salty waters have a unique quality to preserve ships over the course of hundreds of years, whereas normal saltier waters of oceans and seas will have eroded the ships over the same period of time. When the <em>Vasa</em> was raised in 1961, it was remarkably intact and resembled the same ship that sailed for all of 20 minutes and sank 333 years earlier.<br /><br />Today, the oldest and best example of an ancient warship anywhere in the world is found in this incredible museum in Stockholm. The Vasa Museum, with its very impressive organization and exceptionally-informative context and content presentation, tells the compelling story of a failed ship that eventually became one of Europe’s most mesmerizing museums, seen by a now-annual one million awe-struck visitors-per-year. Leave it to the Swedes to turn a miserable failure into a success, after waiting patiently for 333 years.<br /><br />The last picture above is of Dan and Shena Hinds, previously seen in Salzburg, Austria during Christmas ’07, who came through Stockholm this past weekend on their way home to Seattle. They are the latest of what is becoming a respectable list of people who, let’s face it, have gone a LONG way out of their way to come see me in Sweden. <br /><br />Thanks, Dan and Shena. Fika forever!<br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32973186.post-22660819947666981012008-05-12T08:44:00.001-07:002008-05-12T08:52:47.432-07:00European Shorts<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9dfY7hT9sVL2l1bqfDO792Duv1G2ANR3Eh8JflYjXX-_ed2MuPPxuVUt4qsL8AAMjGBCYRssUe1T-kwwsbXVg0idw6ZYTYMVzsAsWswmwz54HutZI9mq32wMoKLh2K_8ViLA/s1600-h/European+shorts+-+blog+pic.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199518155355729746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9dfY7hT9sVL2l1bqfDO792Duv1G2ANR3Eh8JflYjXX-_ed2MuPPxuVUt4qsL8AAMjGBCYRssUe1T-kwwsbXVg0idw6ZYTYMVzsAsWswmwz54HutZI9mq32wMoKLh2K_8ViLA/s320/European+shorts+-+blog+pic.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQBVDUUKC-GTEwB6AKfjjucMT5ZMLsrgtTUeGQxpb806sxHrvWbGUOt8xN7ag9sTk4GdCuds8lmkAoKnQ_bD0WEDr8IKjuIRNvEvX5Tg0e0hZkHqCXMpKXGJz6dl9ylLGZQp3/s1600-h/Capri+blog+pic+01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199518159650697058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQBVDUUKC-GTEwB6AKfjjucMT5ZMLsrgtTUeGQxpb806sxHrvWbGUOt8xN7ag9sTk4GdCuds8lmkAoKnQ_bD0WEDr8IKjuIRNvEvX5Tg0e0hZkHqCXMpKXGJz6dl9ylLGZQp3/s320/Capri+blog+pic+01.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUki611xDy1HdTA8UY0nnzr3fIqveQTemIicWFnQQzYrItTGzAEBmcTn91dbDL3Re1kuMshJtWOzKvGE9E1x5LU2Vkm4-l7mVkzKlwfzNzQwuHHtXtKDGeQlc4L1Kv-PaIs0oP/s1600-h/Capri+blog+pic+02.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199518159650697074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUki611xDy1HdTA8UY0nnzr3fIqveQTemIicWFnQQzYrItTGzAEBmcTn91dbDL3Re1kuMshJtWOzKvGE9E1x5LU2Vkm4-l7mVkzKlwfzNzQwuHHtXtKDGeQlc4L1Kv-PaIs0oP/s320/Capri+blog+pic+02.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I just can’t do it.<br /><br />This past weekend brought temperatures higher than most summer temperatures to southern Sweden and even higher than those in Los Angeles – 23 degrees Celsius/78 Farenheit. We here in Sweden know a good and fleeting thing when we see it, so a summer celebration took place a little early around here, but…<br /><br />I just can’t do it.<br /><br />Whether you’re playing volleyball, Frisbee, KUBB or whether you are lakeside, riverside, sailing or napping in the sun, when that first delightful weekend-long reminder of summer hits Sweden, the celebration is on, but...<br /><br />I just can’t do it.<br /><br />No one can accuse me of not being open-minded or attempting to adapt to my new culture while living abroad. I’ve eaten herring, suffered through strömming, sat in a sauna (only once), drank more coffee than needed in a lifetime, biked through the snow in winter, paid taxes on goods and services at 17% or higher, “danced” around a fertility pole (okay, I was taking pictures and therefore happily “observing”), reveled around crayfish like it was chocolate, taken holidays I didn’t even know existed and even learned a new language (c’mon, be nice). I’ve made an admirable effort to fit in while in Sweden and Europe, but every man has his limits, his dignity.<br /><br />I just can’t do it.<br /><br />I’ll have you know I even tried them on (from the comfort of my own private fitting room, of course). They were admittedly some of the most comfortable clothing I’ve ever worn, but…<br /><br />I just can’t do it.<br /><br />If it's needed to have a true experience of living abroad, then I guess I will just always have to settle for <em>almost</em> having a true experience of living abroad.<br /><br />I just can’t do it.<br /><br />You can take the man out of America, but you can’t take America out of the man. The knees are as far as I go. Though climate change is real, I simply refuse to prepare for the oncoming flood.<br /><br />I just can’t do it.<br /><br />I have not and will not wear "European" shorts. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5