Typical Swedish day

Typical swedish summer day; today I went for a bike ride, a walk in the forrest and a swim in a small lake and picked and ate a few blueberries as I walked in the forrest.

Swedish people are very fond of nature, many own or rent a small red cottage where they spend the most part of the 4 weeks holiday. Swedish people like to grow their own vegetables if possible, favourites are raspberries that hopefully should be ready in time for midsummer.

This summer has been the best for many years, lot's of sunshine and high temperatures. I'm enjoying myself and I will go swimming as often as I can.

Typical male?

Typical male..typical male? don't know.. What is a typical male anyway? Somebody who likes women, who likes sports and to get drunk in bars? I can only relate to the first criteria. Yes, I do like women a lot but not just because they look good or sexy or whatever but I find peronality is at least as big a turn on. A woman who is serious about her life is a very attractive person. A woman who is strong and knows what she wants.

I dont think I "understand" women, it's probably impossible as ones look on women will always be from the opposite side. As John Lennon lyrics says "For the other half of the sky..."

Still I think women are the better part of the sky. With more women in powerful positions in the world there just might be less aggression, less violence and more love.

I love Marianne

Swedish people like candy!

Yes, go into any supermarket and you find mountains of candy at the exits. Cleverly placed at a low level so that families with kids can't pass them without buying a bag for every child so that they can endure the waiting in the line without screaming.....

Kids grow up to be good candy consumers and this is not exactly the healthy kind of sweets that are made of beans etc. This is the red, yellow, blue colored stuff that is made of sugar, chemicals and preservatives, yummy... for the dentists...

So how am I typical in this sense? Well, yes I too have been feed this stuff since I was a kid, I have now managed to get out of my addiction but of course there are some higher quality stuff that I still cannot resist. Like one of Swedish (and Finnish) peoples favorites, Marianne! If you never tried these you are lucky enough to have a great experience ahead.

Treat yourself a few of these and the world suddenly looks a lot better!

Music

I have more and more realized how much music means to us.

Music is a direct injection of feelings into our conscience. Music can release stress, change our mood, make us happy or thoughtful. Music has a direct connection into our brain it seems. No words are necessary, just the vibrations in the air.

Music is also universal. Even if there are cultural differences in music, there is no real need for translations. We feel the rhythm, we appreciate the tonal changes, we hear the humor, we hear whether the musician is skilled or just a happy amateur. Music speaks everybody's language and leaves nobody out.

What is typical of Swedish music? I think there might be an element of melancoly in it but in the global world of today influenses quickly can change that. But many Swedish folksongs do have that element to them.

One of my favorites, "Jazz på Svenska" by Jan Johansson is a great example I think.

Travel somewhere

Image of Helsinki airport departure hall

By the way, travelling is really great. Not so much the actual transportation with times to match, planes to catch and the almost inevitable waiting somewhere along the road as much as the fact that you find new places to be inspired by, take pictures of for your memory and the possibility of finding new friends of a different culture.

1st post

gday! so many thoughts, so many things to tell. If only time permits it might be fun.

This summer has been the best for many years in Sweden, I'm enjoying and appreciating it very much. I think that might not be typical swedish, many people in sweden are not used to warm weather for sustained periods of time and prefer the cooler climate we usually have in summer, somewhere between 15-23 deg.

Another typical swedish thing is that many people leave sweden for holidays during summer! why? this is the best season in sweden, it should be enjoyed. I believe traveling is better to do during autumn, when it's cold, dark and the long winter is ahead.

Already proved that I'm not typical, no way, I'm sure I'm a typical swede....