I read "for those of us who are given to nostalgia"... and it stopped me. I had never thought that some of us may not be "given to...". Nostalgia was just a fact of life and (as you know) in Portuguese there's a whole culture of "saudade", so many songs, so many texts...
But, yes, some of us may not like that feeling of longing and memories. I'll have to look into it now that I learned that...
Thanks for bringing us along on your trip! I think it’s probably unlikely that I’ll go to this town, so I appreciate the glimpse into the town with photos and your commentary. Can’t believe so many people were up at 6:35 AM!
What a lovely read! And the pictures as well. Funny thing, cities or perhaps they are rather towns in Finland also have the same resemblance of malls and main streets in the center regardless of where you end up. The difference compared to Swedish cities/towns is that their Finnish eqvivalents are uglier and poorer. Due to historic facts. And yes, I probably exaggerate a bit but Finland is the ruffier little sister who in a way has perhaps a bit more character.
Ok, now I will probably get hate mails but it would be fun to figure out what city Jönköping could be in Finland? Rauma or Nyslott?
Joensuu! Yes! I've been there once but on a confrence and did not have time to see the city. Feel a bit bad bashing Finnish cities now but it's mostly about the very ugly city centers and the tearing down of old buildings in the seventies and replacing them with nondescript boxes. Like my present hometown Åbo (Turku). What the wars did not destroy the tearing down frenzy fifty years ago did. It's still a beautiful city but yesterday I was talking to an older lady about how it makes you both weep and be angry looking at all those buildings lost.
Thank you. Carina! I see what you mean about Finland being the little sister with more character (see Tove Jansson). Sadly, I don't know enough Finnish cities to say what the equivalent of Jönköping would be, but following the method of counting down from the largest tätort, it would supposedly be Joensuu. 🤷
Lovely article with great photographs. Some of your descriptions resonate with me. I have been to Scandinavia a few times. Only visited Sweden once so far, which was to Gothenburg for a research conference. I was really impressed with that city (a cashless city which I only discovered when I landed there!). I do love the Swedish architecture, food and style. The cost of accomodation, food and drink is another matter. Had a memorable train trip from Gothenburg to Copenhagen via that famous overland Bridge. I want to go back to Sweden and explore it further.
Enjoyed reading this as I lived in Jönköping and Bankeryd as an exchange student in high school and returned for a visit (ahem) 27 years later in 2015. My experience with hospitality was different as I found my peers and families quite hospitable. When I was a student, my host mother instructed me about how to welcome my friends to our home, including setting out fresh pastries from the local bakery and beverages. She even had me pick some flowers from the garden to place on the table. As an American, whose typical friend gathering was basically grab and go (grab chips or whatever we could find in the cupboards and fridge), this was quite eye opening and a very memorable get together with friends (and it was similar when I was the guest at friend’s homes). It felt so grown up to the teen me. Even when I visited in 2015 and brought several Oreo varieties for my host sister’s sons to try, we set them out in a display on a cake stand vs just grabbing them from the package. While I may never live there again, I’ll always think of it as my second home. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Thanks for sharing this, Mary. It sounds like you had a really positive experience. I kind of wish I had been an exchange student.
I think we're thinking of two different senses of hospitality here. What you are describing are the "rules" of hospitality, which Swedes will follow very carefully, as they follow all other rules. The other sense, the one I was referring to, is the desire to make people feel welcome and connected—this is the impulse that causes one to invite someone over in the first place. This happens quite seldom in Sweden compared to other countries. But once the decision has been made, the rules (which one could argue are about making the host look good) are certainly followed to the letter.
Enjoyed your Swedish tour. Possibly, you have outgrown your homeland and need the adventure of a new place. Portugal. Comfort and order can sometimes be overrated. Though, I think I would miss the architecture of your Swedish town. But Lisbon ain’t so bad either!
Thanks, John. My homeland is the USA, and I outgrew that long ago. But it's a tricky call to decide when you've spent enough time in a foreign country and say it's time to move on. We are always investing in things, but that doesn't mean we have to stay with them. Sometimes being too comfortable is a sign that it's time for a change, I think.
"Sweden being a country that is extremely low in hospitality." Hahahaa..... Oh dear. Well it's the truth. I have family in Prague and coming back from there to Stockholm, the difference is huuuge. Sweden has other strengths :-). I increasingly feel the need, however, to divide my life between Sweden and Central Europe, something I'm going to write about.
I'm glad you see what I mean, Andrea. People in Sweden don't go out of their way to talk to other people or to make them feel welcome. Which doesn't mean they are bad, just that they have other priorities.
Wonderful post Gregory... and those Elizabeths follow you everywhere it seems!
The photos really bring this alive - I love the variety of all the architecture. I also notice just how clean everywhere is - no trash or anything to mar the streets. And I also notice just how the people are so... blonde!
As far as the expense of alcohol and food (and anything else) goes, I wonder if the salaries there match the expense, or whether it really is expensive for residents too?
I'm also fighting myself not to add the apostrophe in Bishops Arms... oh heck it needs it... here you go... 'Bishop's Arms'. Unless there's more than one bishop, in that case 'Bishops' Arms'.
I completely understand what you mean about the smell of 'home'. Leaving Southern California 6 years ago, I hadn't smelled anything like it until I went to Kew Gardens in London, and stepped inside the Princess of Wales Conservatory with its desert and mediterranean plants. My daughter was with me, and we both immediately breathed in, looked at each other, smiled, and said 'this smells like home'.
And I think you may have just answered a question I asked in a previous comment on a different post about where 'home' is for you. It is possible to have lived somewhere and called it home once, and then to move on, joyously, to somewhere else, and for that to become home with no looking back. I get that completely.
P.S. My favourite photo is the dilapidated houseboat. Now that's a place I would love to do up and call home for a while...
I'm very pleased that you enjoyed the photos, and especially the posts. Swedish towns are indeed very lovely and clean, and the people are indeed very blond.
The salaries are higher than in southern Europe, but not in like with the cost of eating out, so that remains a luxury for most people. Everything else is quite expensive, too, so one's salary doesn't go all that far (especially compared to the USA).
The houseboat is actually a designed to host tours/parties. There are several such boats with restaurants moored in Stockholm and Uppsala. If you want to fix it up, I can try to get you their number!
And yes, the smell of home is a powerful thing. I do think that one can have several "homes", such that we can travel between one home and another, feeling a different sort of comfort in each.
Again a really interesting post. I have never been to Sweden or any of the Scandinavian countries. While you make Sweden sound interesting, alas it is not for me.
I would love to send this article to my stepmother, who is from Västeras (although she has lived in the UK for over 60 years), because it would really resonate with her, but sadly her cognitive powers are not what they were.
I read "for those of us who are given to nostalgia"... and it stopped me. I had never thought that some of us may not be "given to...". Nostalgia was just a fact of life and (as you know) in Portuguese there's a whole culture of "saudade", so many songs, so many texts...
But, yes, some of us may not like that feeling of longing and memories. I'll have to look into it now that I learned that...
Thanks for bringing us along on your trip! I think it’s probably unlikely that I’ll go to this town, so I appreciate the glimpse into the town with photos and your commentary. Can’t believe so many people were up at 6:35 AM!
Thanks, Marisa! I know, I was quite surprised. Do people in Bavaria get up that early too?
They are also early birds- early to rise and to sleep. Which, if I'm honest, works perfectly fine for me 😅
What a lovely read! And the pictures as well. Funny thing, cities or perhaps they are rather towns in Finland also have the same resemblance of malls and main streets in the center regardless of where you end up. The difference compared to Swedish cities/towns is that their Finnish eqvivalents are uglier and poorer. Due to historic facts. And yes, I probably exaggerate a bit but Finland is the ruffier little sister who in a way has perhaps a bit more character.
Ok, now I will probably get hate mails but it would be fun to figure out what city Jönköping could be in Finland? Rauma or Nyslott?
Joensuu! Yes! I've been there once but on a confrence and did not have time to see the city. Feel a bit bad bashing Finnish cities now but it's mostly about the very ugly city centers and the tearing down of old buildings in the seventies and replacing them with nondescript boxes. Like my present hometown Åbo (Turku). What the wars did not destroy the tearing down frenzy fifty years ago did. It's still a beautiful city but yesterday I was talking to an older lady about how it makes you both weep and be angry looking at all those buildings lost.
I know what you mean. There was a similar frenzy in Sweden in the mid-20th century. Very unfortunate.
Thank you. Carina! I see what you mean about Finland being the little sister with more character (see Tove Jansson). Sadly, I don't know enough Finnish cities to say what the equivalent of Jönköping would be, but following the method of counting down from the largest tätort, it would supposedly be Joensuu. 🤷
It’s hard to beat fresh fish and Portuguese kindness. Welcome home!
Thanks, Elizabeth!
Lovely article with great photographs. Some of your descriptions resonate with me. I have been to Scandinavia a few times. Only visited Sweden once so far, which was to Gothenburg for a research conference. I was really impressed with that city (a cashless city which I only discovered when I landed there!). I do love the Swedish architecture, food and style. The cost of accomodation, food and drink is another matter. Had a memorable train trip from Gothenburg to Copenhagen via that famous overland Bridge. I want to go back to Sweden and explore it further.
I'm glad that you have enjoyed your Scandinavian experiences, Lucy, and that my text brought back some positive memories.
Enjoyed reading this as I lived in Jönköping and Bankeryd as an exchange student in high school and returned for a visit (ahem) 27 years later in 2015. My experience with hospitality was different as I found my peers and families quite hospitable. When I was a student, my host mother instructed me about how to welcome my friends to our home, including setting out fresh pastries from the local bakery and beverages. She even had me pick some flowers from the garden to place on the table. As an American, whose typical friend gathering was basically grab and go (grab chips or whatever we could find in the cupboards and fridge), this was quite eye opening and a very memorable get together with friends (and it was similar when I was the guest at friend’s homes). It felt so grown up to the teen me. Even when I visited in 2015 and brought several Oreo varieties for my host sister’s sons to try, we set them out in a display on a cake stand vs just grabbing them from the package. While I may never live there again, I’ll always think of it as my second home. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Thanks for sharing this, Mary. It sounds like you had a really positive experience. I kind of wish I had been an exchange student.
I think we're thinking of two different senses of hospitality here. What you are describing are the "rules" of hospitality, which Swedes will follow very carefully, as they follow all other rules. The other sense, the one I was referring to, is the desire to make people feel welcome and connected—this is the impulse that causes one to invite someone over in the first place. This happens quite seldom in Sweden compared to other countries. But once the decision has been made, the rules (which one could argue are about making the host look good) are certainly followed to the letter.
Gorgeous photos, as always, and a nice recap of what you saw and your reactions to it all.
Thank you, Kathy!
Enjoyed your Swedish tour. Possibly, you have outgrown your homeland and need the adventure of a new place. Portugal. Comfort and order can sometimes be overrated. Though, I think I would miss the architecture of your Swedish town. But Lisbon ain’t so bad either!
Thanks, John. My homeland is the USA, and I outgrew that long ago. But it's a tricky call to decide when you've spent enough time in a foreign country and say it's time to move on. We are always investing in things, but that doesn't mean we have to stay with them. Sometimes being too comfortable is a sign that it's time for a change, I think.
"Sweden being a country that is extremely low in hospitality." Hahahaa..... Oh dear. Well it's the truth. I have family in Prague and coming back from there to Stockholm, the difference is huuuge. Sweden has other strengths :-). I increasingly feel the need, however, to divide my life between Sweden and Central Europe, something I'm going to write about.
I'm glad you see what I mean, Andrea. People in Sweden don't go out of their way to talk to other people or to make them feel welcome. Which doesn't mean they are bad, just that they have other priorities.
Wonderful post Gregory... and those Elizabeths follow you everywhere it seems!
The photos really bring this alive - I love the variety of all the architecture. I also notice just how clean everywhere is - no trash or anything to mar the streets. And I also notice just how the people are so... blonde!
As far as the expense of alcohol and food (and anything else) goes, I wonder if the salaries there match the expense, or whether it really is expensive for residents too?
I'm also fighting myself not to add the apostrophe in Bishops Arms... oh heck it needs it... here you go... 'Bishop's Arms'. Unless there's more than one bishop, in that case 'Bishops' Arms'.
I completely understand what you mean about the smell of 'home'. Leaving Southern California 6 years ago, I hadn't smelled anything like it until I went to Kew Gardens in London, and stepped inside the Princess of Wales Conservatory with its desert and mediterranean plants. My daughter was with me, and we both immediately breathed in, looked at each other, smiled, and said 'this smells like home'.
And I think you may have just answered a question I asked in a previous comment on a different post about where 'home' is for you. It is possible to have lived somewhere and called it home once, and then to move on, joyously, to somewhere else, and for that to become home with no looking back. I get that completely.
P.S. My favourite photo is the dilapidated houseboat. Now that's a place I would love to do up and call home for a while...
Hi Sally!
I'm very pleased that you enjoyed the photos, and especially the posts. Swedish towns are indeed very lovely and clean, and the people are indeed very blond.
The salaries are higher than in southern Europe, but not in like with the cost of eating out, so that remains a luxury for most people. Everything else is quite expensive, too, so one's salary doesn't go all that far (especially compared to the USA).
The houseboat is actually a designed to host tours/parties. There are several such boats with restaurants moored in Stockholm and Uppsala. If you want to fix it up, I can try to get you their number!
And yes, the smell of home is a powerful thing. I do think that one can have several "homes", such that we can travel between one home and another, feeling a different sort of comfort in each.
Again a really interesting post. I have never been to Sweden or any of the Scandinavian countries. While you make Sweden sound interesting, alas it is not for me.
Thanks, Jan. I hope you enjoy the little visits you get here.
Love your writing.
I would love to send this article to my stepmother, who is from Västeras (although she has lived in the UK for over 60 years), because it would really resonate with her, but sadly her cognitive powers are not what they were.
Always look forward to your posts!
all the best, Kelly
Aw, thank you so much, Kelly! 🙏 I hope your stepmother still retains some fond memories of Västerås.