You will fall in love with Sweden as soon as you set foot in the country
Let's see who wouldn't want to live in a place whose mantra is happiness ? We talk about Sweden , a country where as soon as you get off the plane, when you come across the first Swedes, you begin to realize how nice which turns out everything
Almost simultaneously, you notice their wonderful and contagious **obsession with lagom**, which could be defined as achieving moderation in everything they do, say and even eat. how can you not want do the swedish, taking into account the bunch of such nice customs , healthy, appetizing and comfortable that they boast? To the facts I refer.
Sweden is a perfect country to go by bike... or by cart
1. They live in an IKEA catalog all the time, but better.
In every corner you find a cool design shop , with that I don't know what that invites you to come in and splurge crowns Without measure. Since E Torndahl , with things for the house, to Ordning&Reda , specialized in Stationery the one that makes you want to get to work, or even Rum21 , a place of furniture as beautiful as it is functional.
two. The healthy custom of fika.
Beyond meatballs, salmon, buttered rye bread or moose meat , gastronomy is not its strong point. But yes it is the philosophy of eat healthy, well and pleasantly. This is how some of their rituals, like the fika.
That's what they call that moment of rest q that everyone takes during the work day, or simply at a meeting with friends to have a coffee with kanerbullar (cinnamon bun) or a chokladboll (chocolate ball) sites like Löfbergs Rosteri & Kaffebar They are always a good option to know what we are talking about.
You will want to copy the custom of the 'fika'
3. The island atmosphere is permanent.
In cities like Stockholm it is usual stay on the decks of the old ships that people have tied up on the avenue Strandvägen -known to the mansions that the great fortunes built at the end of the XIX century -.
Many of the boats are relics It seems that they haven't gone out to the open sea for years, but it doesn't matter, as long as they have a couple of benches to sit and watch the sunset around a wooden table with a bouquet of flowers in the middle. As it is.
Four. Water is free and you don't have to ask for it in bars, cafes and restaurants.
They all have a bar area with tap, glasses and even bottles of fresh water to drink without having to ask the waiter. And the fact is that the habit of drinking water is so widespread that the lunch menu does not include drinks; it is assumed that people will drink tap water. Now, if you want something else, then you ask and that's it.
Staying on the decks of old ships is usual
5. They have made the subway a pleasant place to commute all day and not arrive at work sulking.
The agglomerations and pushes are not usual and to make matters worse good rollism, the seasons are authentic artworks for which it is worth paying a single ticket for go through them in route plan . The metro itself organizes one every Saturday, stopping at some of the coolest interventions , What T-Centralen and Vastra skogen. By the way, you won't see any poorly done graffiti in them.
6. Bike rides are always a good option.
It doesn't matter if you go for the bread, pick up your children at school or to a planned appointment on Saturday afternoon. Here you go by bike everywhere, because traffic permits and because everything is easy, from the bike lane to the parking lots that are all over the city, including up to pump to inflate wheel. So yes.
The subway stations will leave you speechless
7. They love to picnic.
And we are not surprised, considering the amount of outdoor spaces there is, as it happens in the capital.
In a few minutes by boat, or after a quiet walk, you can go from being in the old town of gamla stan to walk surrounded by nature in the Djugard Island, also known for being the island of athletes, amusement park and museums. Here are the ** Vasa ,** the funny ABBA museum and the open-air museum, founded at the end of the XIX century.
8. Sauna culture is so ingrained in their way of life that it is almost an addiction.
And we understand it perfectly, bearing in mind that it is a very good way of get warm in the winter months, but the real reason is the good that a hot tub does the body. dry Steam, at a temperature that can be around 90ºC with very little humidity.
A madness that helps remove toxins, activate blood circulation and, incidentally, enter a state of Total relaxation . All very healthy. By the way, if you dare, do not forget bring towel, because you're going to need it.
They have picnics everywhere
9. Everything, everything, everything can be paid by card.
We insist, everything. No matter the amount, even if it's just a subway ticket , a coffee, u no gum or even the five or ten crowns it costs to enter the public bathroom. All. The most generous will wonder how to leave tip ? Very easy, on most sites they ask you to type yourself the amount to pay, so if you want to leave a tip, it's time to add it to the total amount and voilà.
THE ONE THAT DOESN'T
But as much as they suddenly entered us desire to make us the swedes, there is something going back. And we don't mean the high price of beer -between six and nine crowns, that is, about eight euros for a double! -.
We also talk about schedule of the locals, which makes one lose the desire to stay and live. Yes to who we are from Madrid we know little to close the joint at two o'clock, how to get used to this mania that at nine at night it is almost impossible find a place to have a snack weekday?
Either you go to a good restaurant, or you drop by a seven-eleven . Too much contrast and too few alternative options. It will be because everyone is at home enjoying a very long life.
Now you understand why the Swedes are more of staying at home
You will fall in love with how cute everything is