Best of Sweden
We visited Sweden for 7 days from October 16 to October 22, 2013, making stops in the cities of Kiruna and Stockholm. Our experience of the country was touched by the white snow, infinite forest, mineral richness, and the expectation of the northern lights in the Arctic Circle. Stockholm surrounded by the Baltic Ocean welcomed us to walk by the colorful and small streets of its ancient old town, with poetical blue sky of cotton shape clouds, tasty meatballs for dinner, and cinnamon rolls at “fika” time.
During our visit to the country we were excited to learn about the cultural history of this land, where the Swedish empire developed for centuries and one of the most progressive societies that exist today. The wealthy economy of Sweden is highly attached to the exploration of mineral and forest resources across the country. Sweden is also home to the Sami ethnic group, whom are known as the indigenous people of Europe. Despite the important role of the Lutheran Church, a pagan holiday is still celebrated on the longest day of the year, Mid Summer Celebration, and is dedicated to fertility. This holiday is highly practiced and independent from any form of Christianity.
Visiting a country like Sweden brought more awareness about the cultural differences that exist between Latinos like us and citizens of these Scandinavian countries. We were intrigued by the lack of eye contact and acknowledgment of others amongst people walking in the city. Our attempts to smile or make eye contact with other people were persistently frustrated by Swedish distance and boundaries. One more time we confirmed that there are many ways of acting in relationships with others in this world, that what we expect is not always the norm, because humanity is enriched by many cultures and unspoken codes of interaction. Traveling allows us to become more conscious of who we are and what is important to us, as we continue discovering how much we need and enjoy the emotional closeness of communication. Our favorite part of this trip was not necessarily sightseeing, museums, or monuments but definitely getting in touch with people, because only they can tell us the hidden stories behind the walls.
Below are other great things we enjoyed about Sweden:
Food and Drinks
Swedish Meatballs
Portello: sparkling drink
Moose Meat
Cinnamon Rolls
Favorite Sights and Activities
Having a view of snow-filled Kiruna from Loussavaara Hill
Walking around Gamila Stan (old town) in Stockholm
Enjoying the Ferry Ride in the Stockholm Bay
People
Tommy: from Sweden, our CouchSurfing host in Kiruna.
Maria Fernanda: Gisela’s mom traveled with us for 10 days.
Erik: from Sweden, our CouchSurfing host in Stockholm.
Native Words
Fika = To go have coffee/tea and a snack
