Swedish Summer
I just got back from a trip to Sweden during which I consumed a staggering amount of marinated herring. I was there with my wife to visit family and celebrate the annual Midsummer holiday, which Swedes observe on the weekend before the summer solstice in daylight that never quite fades. We spent most of our time at her parents' cabin in Stockholm's archipelago, relaxing on beach chairs with our feet splashing in the chilly Baltic sea. It was extraordinary.
With their dim, lingering winters, Swedes make the most of the long, glorious days of summer. They flock to the countryside to bask in the sun, swim in too-cold-for-me waters, and pass the hours playing bocce, kubb, croquet, and other backyard games. Even when evening temperatures sink into the 50s, indoor meals are unthinkable under cloudless skies. They switch on patio heaters, pass out blankets, and find comfort in the cool, salty air. I wouldn't have it any other way.
What struck me most about this trip was the simplicity of it all. Comfortable , streams of sunshine, a good book, and pleasant company. The beauty of it all is that it served as a reminder that I can enjoy this sort of timeless pleasure right in my own backyard. Of course I'll miss family and friends (and those unending plates of mustard sill), but I've got memories of laughter and landscapes to tide me over until we meet again.