Sverige, Sverige älskade vän…

After three years of Sweden existing only in my memories, I was finally returning to the country and friends I love so dearly.

(Spring flowers in Gamla Stan)

Returning to Sweden has been one of the most bizarre and happy weeks of my life. On arrival at the airport I felt as if I was coming ‘home’. I knew the landscape, the language and the system of life. Immediately I noticed all the small things that make this country different from where I come from, things we all noticed when first living there. It was so nice to be experiencing this again, but not as a new comer, as someone who knows this place.

I took the bus into Stockholm Central Station, which was the same trip I made on my very first day in Sweden four years ago, and there was Anna waiting for me with a big smile! Needless to say, three years of not seeing each other disappeared as we started to gossip about life, love, work and the universe…. For two friends who never seem to run out of things to talk about, we had a lot of catching up to do!

That evening we took a long walk through the city, from Anna’s apartment in Östermalm through the centre of town, and across the bridge to Gamla Stan. It was so good to know where I was and recognize things! I am not sure how, or why, but I always felt very peaceful when in Stockholm. That feeling resurfaced again on that night, and I was so happy I still feel a connection to this place.

(my favorite thing about sweden, flowers and candles on the windowsill)

Over the next week I spent time with Anna and friends, taking long walks, visiting quirky shops and galleries, having ‘fika’ with various people, and enjoying being in a large, cosmopolitan, mild city again! (You wouldn’t believe what a joy it was to be able to walk to places again after a year of living in the sort of heat that makes you take a motorbike to the corner shop!)

Darling, darling Stina took a bus for 5 hours to Stockholm to spend one day with me, on the weekend before her master’s thesis was due. It was so lovely to see her again, and talk about Melbourne, music and life since her return to Sweden. She was also in town to have fika with the ‘svensk gang’ from Melbourne last year… Nadja, Frey, Marcus, Petra…

(A long way from Thornbury! Fika with the Melbourne Svenskas)

It was so nice to see everyone, and it was proved to me again that time apart means nothing between good friends, as we all picked up our conversations and friendships from the last time we saw each other.

Stiiiiiiiiiinnnnnaaaaa!!

Manuela, whom I spent Christmas with in 2002, is now working at SIDA (Swedish International Development Agency), and we had a great, although far too short, catch up lunch one day. Her family was wonderfully kind to me when I was living in Sweden, and Manuela had been my first Swedish friend in Lund. It was extremely nice to re-connect with each other and hear about all the events of the past few years, and gossip about our experiences and aspirations for the work we are both pursuing in international development.

(View from National Museum)

(The park near Anna's apartment)

I spent my last night in Sweden in the same way I spent my last night there three years ago; having a lovely dinner at Anna’s parent’s house in Uppsala. Anna’s mum Cathrin made my favorite ‘husmanskost’ meal, Biff a la Lindstrom - Beef, beetroot and caper meatballs with sauce, served with summer potatoes, salad and lingon! Yummy!

(Cathrin preparing some good swedish 'Husmanskost' )

It is always so nice to be in Uppsala. Anna’s parents live on a beautiful lake, which we took a walk around before dinner to admire the new spring flowers appearing. It is such a peaceful place and I always feel very much at home there. Anna’s grandmother Silva joined us, and told me all about the books she has been writing about her numerous travel adventures. The first of which is called ‘Pensionär och kär’ (‘Senior and in love’) about the inevitable romances that take place amongst the many retired Swede’s who spend their winters a more agreeable climate on the coast of Turkey. As yet it is not translated into English, but stay tuned, as Silva and I thought this may be a good task for me if I return to Sweden next summer; she is apparently the master of teaching Swedish to Aussies…

(Bob and Silva at dinner)

Since I was last in Sweden Cathrin and Bob have been very busy renovating their home. Bob has obviously enjoyed the chance to be the architect of his own domain, adding some really lovely changes to the house, the piece de resistance being the ultimate Swedish sauna!

The special reason for our visit to Uppsala was to celebrate Anna’s 27^th birthday with her family. It is traditional in Sweden to be woken on the morning of your birthday, very early, with songs, breakfast, flowers, candles and gifts. I love this tradition; it is such a cozy start to the day. All the family in their PJs laughing. And as proof that everyone still looks about six-years-old when woken in this way, see Anna’s face below!

(The birthday girl!! with her 'Auswedish' cake)

After returning to Stockholm from Uppsala I made a quick trip into the city to pick up my hot new jeans (well, two pairs..) and go to the Stig Lindberg design exhibition at the National Gallery. Then I was off to the airport again and on my way to Belgium…

Sverige, my place of peace in the world, until next time….

The tired, but happy, best friends!