Straight-up Scandinavia: Reindeer and a national holiday up north

by Anna Brones on

In the far north of Sweden lies Lapland, a place known for snow, the summer midnight sun, and lots reindeer. This is the land of the Sami people and today, February 6th, marks the yearly, festive celebration of their national holiday.

An indigenous group of northern Europe, the Sami inhabit large parts of northern Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Kola Peninsula of Russia. They are known for their reindeer herding, a traditional occupation that has been handed down over generations. Unfortunately this year’s big holiday celebration is marked by a reindeer crisis; almost all of the grazing grounds having been declared disaster zones. Excess snow has led to much of the winter pasture land being inaccessible to the reindeer, and all but two Sami villages have had to apply for catastrophe aid.

The Sami are a strong people however — how else could you cope with almost all day winter darkness? — and despite the dreary reindeer situation, festivities are not being put on hold. Jokkmokk’s yearly market is a center of activity as people from around the region, both young and old, gather to sell traditional crafts to the hordes of tourists that flock in for the occasion. For this northern part of Europe that is stereotypically known for its calm and reserved personalities, the national holiday is an energized event. Elin-Anna Laber was quoted in The Local as saying, “Jokkmokk’s market is sort of a Sami equivalent to Milan fashion week.” Who knew the far north could be so crazy?

Strange travel crimes: “Mini thieves” hide in luggage aboard bus

by Anna Brones on

Whenever a friend is going to an exotic destination I tend to think to myself, “I wish I could fit into their luggage.” I am however relatively tall and I think being crammed in a suitcase would be even more uncomfortable than sitting in half of an airplane seat. Some are physically more inclined to fit into luggage, which is exactly what happened last week in Sweden.

Swedish bus line Swebus recently reported that it had reason to believe a group of thieves had crammed one of their smaller cronies into a large bag and stored it in the luggage compartment of a bus. Once the bus was safely on its way, the person allegedly climbed out of his/her hiding space, searched the rest of the baggage and made off with valuables such as an mp3 player and a camera.

Although allegations are unconfirmed, Swebus spokesperson Pia Kråvall did say that, “It is very possible that a small person is being placed in a bag in order to search through the other bags.”

Travelers on Swebus have consequently been warned to keep all valuables on them to thwart the “mini thieves.” It all goes to show, you never know what someone could be hiding in their suitcase.

###

Ever seen a plane this cool?

%Gallery-9672%

Straight-up Scandinavia: Fika, the quintessential Swedish word

by Anna Brones on

Any trip to Sweden, be it for business, personal reasons or just because you want to stay in the Ice Hotel, is going to necessitate knowing the word fika.

In a grammatical sense it is a verb meaning “to take a coffee break.” But fika is so much more than a word; it is a Swedish way of life. Swedes love their coffee breaks (and I am not stereotyping). Fikas are happy afternoon gatherings between friends, study breaks for university students, and beyond that, absolutely necessary in the workplace. I dare you to try and find a Swedish company that doesn’t encourage a mid-morning fika for its employees; it is practically written into the contracts, although sometimes that fika time can turn into a casual business meeting.

The word can be used as a verb or a noun. Ska vi fika? (Should we take a coffee break?) or vilken trevlig fika! (what a nice coffee break). Originally the word was really only used for coffee, but nowadays there is often an implied consumption of an accompanying pastry, bun or small sandwich. And fika isn’t just about what beverage and food items are consumed, it is also about the social gathering that takes place. This is a time when Swedes gather and relax in a casual setting. A fika is therefore great option, and very standard, for a first Swedish date. Or for catching up on office gossip.

Fika is such an integral part of Swedish culture that MSN Sweden recently ran an article called Fika dig friskare (Fika yourself healthy) about the benefits of getting together with friends and being in a relaxing and enjoyable place like a cafe, or an outdoor terrace in the summer sun. But, as the article clearly noted, to really “fika yourself healthy,” the delicious Swedish baked goods that go along with the cup of coffee need to be switched out for a sandwich made with crisp bread. Not as glamorous as a kanelbulle (cinnamon roll) but tasty all the same.

If you happen to read Swedish and want to check out the article, you can do so here.

Straight-up Scandinavia: The best culinary reason to visit Sweden in the winter

by Anna Brones on

Swedish winters are known for being incredibly dark and cold (unless the sky is lit up by the northern lights). Except for night owls, when dark hours outweigh daylight hours it is easy for most of us to cross such a destination off our travel lists. On the other hand, January is the start of a much awaited for culinary event, one that is worth a visit even in the lack of daylight: the arrival of the semla.

A semla, or fettisbulle (a “fatty” bun) as they are commonly known, is a wheat-flour bun filled with almond paste and topped with whipped cream and powdered sugar. Historically the pastry was meant to be eaten on Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras, the last Tuesday before Lent. Being the last day to fulfill your epicurean desires, it is in fact the last moment to stuff yourself, making a pastry topped off with whipped cream ideal. In modern day Sweden however, the semla has gone commercial, and bakeries begin to fill their display windows with them at the beginning of January. They don’t leave until sometime in March, leading to a national, three month frenzy for the much loved baked good.

The semla is more than a mere culinary indulgence for a Swedish sweet tooth; it is tradition. Swedish newspapers fill with articles on which bakery sells the best ones, including reader taste tests, and recipes on how to make them on your own run abound. Even commercial supermarkets stock up on the much awaited treat. Despite the commercialization and extension of the event (you really are only supposed to eat them on Fat Tuesday), some Swedes still stick to tradition and eat the semla just as it should be consumed; in a bowl of warm milk, which soaks into the sweet bread.

Makes me want to take advantage of those Scandinavian Airlines winter fares to Stockholm right now, but since funds are running low, pulling out the recipe and making them myself is going to have to suffice.

ABBA museum to be built in Stockholm

by Catherine Bodry on

I can’t claim to be a huge ABBA fan, but I am a HUGE fan of their song “Dancing Queen.” I like to shout out whatever age I happen to be at the time when they sing “You’re only seventeen” (sadly, “twenty-seven” doesn’t sound as good as “twenty-three” did). And I like to think that I can dance, I can jive, especially when I’m having the time of my life.

Well, soon I will be able to live out my disco days fantasies in the new ABBA museum to open in Stockholm in June 2009.

The museum includes a dance floor, a recording studio, and a wardrobe so visitors can get an idea of the ABBA experience. And karaoke will also help visitors understand what it was like to be an ABBA band member.

I have a one-word response to this exciting news: Yessssss!