Linda and I have just enjoyed four weeks' vacation from work. It's not unusual for Swedes to take this many weeks off, unlike the UK where most people would take a maximum of two weeks off, maybe three, in one go. Anyway, most of the time we were fixing the new house up; finishing off painting, going to the Swedish Place of Worship (IKEA) for more furniture and so on. We also enjoyed visitors coming over for a barbecue, and we went to Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen for a short stay. It's a beautiful city actually, well worth a visit. If you are a Facebook friend of Linda's, then you can view some photos here that she took. Otherwise, click here to see my copy on a web album.
We decided to take the time off now to avoid conflicts with work calendars. There is a phenomenon every year where the Svenssons take a long (four-ish week) vacation toward the end of July, and effectively Sverige AB (Sweden Ltd.) closes down. Lots of small shops, restaurants, cafés and indeed, sections of the government itself, go on hiatus for the vacation duration. Läppstiftet, the skyscraper in which I work, is like a ghost building; hardly anyone is around and the café and restaurant on the ground floor is closed for business.
There is a similar thing in England where most Brits go on holiday at the end of July, but it just seems so much more noticeable over here.
Also, this summer season is when lots of roadworks are performed. A great idea in principle, but I think Sweden has forgotten the hoards of tourists they get! Sweden is a lovely country to visit, but because of the Jante Law (of which I will comment on in another blog entry one day), your typical Swede won't admit to it. So, they close roads off and suspend some tram and bus services, leaving Mr and Mrs Tourist scratching their heads, wondering where the tram is (according to their tourist map) and wondering what the strange Swedish sign says on the platform.
Yes folks, Sweden can be a quirky place. Wouldn't change it for the world though.
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