#slottskogen

Andis on a table

(Post by Greg)

Being so far north, Sweden is a country whose cultural traditions are dominated by the seasons - in particular by the contrast between cold and warmth and between dark and light. The phrase “winter is coming” is not just the slogan of a family in a certain popular HBO series, but is practically a way of life. 

Even centuries after Christianization, certain old traditions remain. Midsommar (midsummer) is one of those. Each year, everything stops for the Friday and Saturday around the Summer Solstice. Everybody gathers with their families, takes to the outdoors, and celebrates the peak of summer. They feast, they drink, they drink some more, and they dance around the midsommarstång (the maypole). In the old days, this was a way to pray for a good harvest and the fertility of the women. Now, the edges have been worn off a bit, and it’s a way to have one hell of a party on one of the longest days of the year - a way to celebrate the beautiful Swedish summers before the darkness sets in. 

Most of the celebration happens on Midsummer’s Eve. Since we had work off, we decided to join in on the tradition and spend the afternoon wandering a local park. We went to Slottskogen (The Castle Forest), a massive park in Gothenburg, and walked all over it. Rain ended up driving us off before some of the revelry began, but we had a great time. The park has a bunch of hiking trails and even a small zoo - with some great penguins. It’s incredibly beautiful, and I imagine we will spend quite a bit of time here.

I took quite a few photos too. Some highlights are below, and the full set is here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tehoh_gg/albums/72157709094858331