Vasa Ship and Museum
Not many countries would commemorate one of their greatest failures, but Sweden does! The Vasa Museum contains the Vasa ship, which was commissioned in 1625 by King Gustav II Adolf to be the most powerful warship of its time. It was powered by ten sails, carried 64 cannons and 120 tons of ballast, and was decorated with hundreds of sculptures. As the ship was loaded with cargo and supplies, it was rolling so much that the captain was concerned. However, the king wanted his ship to sail, so it took off on its first and last voyage on August 10, 1628. While still in sight of the shipyard in Stockholm, a gust of wind caused it to tip over. Water rushed in and it sank rapidly in over 32 m of water, where it stayed for over 300 years. In 1956, engineer Anders Franzén found Vasa. After a lot of work, on April 24, 1961, Vasa appeared above water for the first time in 333 years. Preservation started and in 1962, the first museum opened to the public. In 1990, a new museum was built and in 2015, it was named one of the world’s top 10 museums. It is definitely worth a visit.
Nobel Prize
Alfred Nobel, a Swedish chemist, inventor, and industrialist who invented dynamite, created the Nobel Prizes with most of his fortune, to be awarded annually to those who bring the “greatest benefit on
mankind.” The original prizes are in Chemistry, Physics, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace; Economics was added later. Winners receive a gold medal, a diploma, and a large monetary award. The
Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo, Norway; the rest are awarded annually in Stockholm with a banquet at the City Hall.
Fika
This is the Swedish concept of a break, almost always enjoyed with coffee and often with a treat, such as a cinnamon or cardamom bun. Whether it is at the workplace with colleagues (often at 9:00 and 15:00), or among friends on a weekend afternoon, this is a time to re-caffeinate (Sweden ranks sixth in the world for coffee drinking at 8.2 kg per person), build team spirit, and relax. Swedes spend an average of 9.5 days per year having fika. While this might seem wasteful to managers abroad visiting Swedish companies, it is often seen as increasing productivity because relationships are built and improved, and working time itself is more productive.
Å, Ä, Ö
Maybe you noticed that 'ittle Bear’s friend, Mårten, has a strange letter in his name. The Å is pronounced kind of like “oa” in boat and is one of three letters that the Swedish alphabet has that English does not. Ä is pronounced like “ay” and Ö is pronounced like “uh.” Swedish is a Germanic language and shares the Ä and Ö with German. City names containing these characters often have both a different spelling and pronunciation in English and Swedish. For example, Gothenburg, which is mentioned in the story, is the English name for the city that is known as Göteborg (Yote-a-bor-ye) in Swedish. Even the country's name
has a different spelling (Sverige) and pronunciation (Svear-ee-uh) in Swedish.
Link to a long explanation and pronunciation of Å, Ä, Ö on YouTube
Archipelago
This is a big word for a group of islands. Sweden is lucky to have beautiful archipelagoes on both of its coasts. Which is best? It depends who you ask. Stockholmers are, of course, loyal to their archipelago (over 30,000 islands), but people on the west coast say it is the best coast (8,000 islands from Gothenburg to the Norwegian border.) On both coasts, the islands are a giant playground for Swedes, as well as other countries in boating range. Boats from neighboring countries Norway, Denmark, and Finland are commonly seen, as well as farther countries like Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. During the summer vacation months, you’ll see boats ranging from kayaks to super yachts cruising and anchoring in the many natural harbors and villages. The islands also provide protection, giving calmer seas on the leeward (downwind) side.
Link to all Swedish archipelagos
Link to a road trip of the West Coast archipelago
Link to Stockholm's archipelago
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IKEA
Many people around the world know Sweden for its famous store, Ikea. Pronounced “Ee-key-uh” by Swedes, the blue and yellow buildings are filled with furniture and home goods with Swedish names and Swedish food (a lifeline for Swedes living abroad who miss their herring and lingonberries.) With every furniture purchase comes the challenge of assembling furniture yourself at home. Ikea was founded by Swede Ingvar Kamprad. The name IKEA comes from the initials of his name (IK); plus Elmtaryd (E), the name of the family farm where he was born; and the nearby village Agunnaryd where he was raised (A). Although IKEA is known as a Swedish company, it is actually based in the Netherlands.
Buns
Baked goods are an important part of fika and are enjoyed year-round. The most common buns are cinnamon and cardamom, but there are also many variants inspired by the flaky Viennese pastries (known in the United States as danish.) They can be found in bakeries, grocery stores, and even gas stations!And if you can’t find a bakery, there are always the delicious little Gifflar (mini cinnamon buns in a plastic bag.) Cinnamon rolls are symbolic of Swedish hospitality and warmth, and they even have their own day of celebration on October 4. Unless you are in an American-themed bakery, you won’t find icing or frosting on the bun. Instead, a light sprinkling of pearl sugar is the most common.
Link to cinnamon buns information and recipe
Link to where to find the best cinnamon buns (in Sweden) and information
Link to an article explaining differences between Swedish and American cinnamon buns
Marstrand
This city and island on the west coast of Sweden is well known for many reasons. Historically, it was a free port (meaning that goods coming in and out were not subject to taxation) and was known for herring fishing. It also is home to the famous fortress, Carlstens Fästning, that was built in the 1700s to protect the island and includes many ingenious designs to secure the fort. Once the herring industry declined, Marstrand became better known as a resort and home of important sailing races such as the Match Cup Sweden, part of the World Match Racing Tour. Marstrand is a popular resort for Sweden’s elite. It’s not uncommon to spot a member of the Swedish royal family in the restaurants or stores.
Sjöbod
If you visit the coastal areas of Sweden, you are likely to see these little red houses lining the waterfront. They were traditionally used to store lobster pots and other fishing gear, but are now often luxurious retreats for swimming and sunbathing. About half of Swedes have or have access to a second home, often on or near the water.
Link about why the houses are red and another from Smithsonian magazine
Swedish Summer Vacation
Can you imagine a country where most of the major cities and companies shut down at the same time for vacation? This is Sweden, where all employees, regardless of age or length of employment, are entitled to 25 days off per year. Furthermore, most employees are entitled to four continuous weeks off between June and August. Many support systems, such as daycare, are built around the main holiday period of mid July to early August. This practically means that many cities empty out as Swedes head to boats, campers, or their second homes on the coast or in the forest. Planes also take many Swedes abroad for a week or more of vacation in the sun. After all, Swedes need as much sun as possible to make it through the long dark winters. You can notice a seasonal difference in Swedish attitudes and clothing. Summer Swedes are more friendly and outgoing, with white or brighter color clothes. Winter Swedes are more subdued, often with grey or brown clothing.
Link to The Newbie Guide to Swedish Summer Vacation
Mysa
You might have heard of the Danish word “hygge.” It has been very popular in the international press for the simple concept of creating coziness in your home and life. Swedish has a similar word and concept,
“mysa.” Particularly in a country with long, dark, cold winters, it is very important to create living spaces that are cozy and bring warmth and comfort. A simple candle, gentle lighting, a soft blanket, or a fire in the fireplace all help Swedes to be cozy, or to mysa. As Sweden is so far north, winters are harsh. In the worst case, there is no daylight at the winter solstice in the north, and only six hours in the south—and that is usually grey and cloudy.
Northern Lights
This natural phenomenon is also known as the aurora borealis, at least in the Northern Hemisphere. It is also possible to see in the Southern Hemisphere, but then it is called the aurora australis. Many people
come from all around the world to northern Sweden, because if you spend at least five nights there from November through March, you have a pretty good chance of seeing the northern lights at least once.
The aurora is caused by disturbances in the Earth’s magnetosphere from solar wind, but viewing it also requires darkness and openings in the clouds. It is regularly seen in areas around the Arctic, but it has also been seen as far south as the Mediterranean and the southern states in the US, particularly in 2024. The aurora appears in many colors, such as red, green, and blue. To the naked eye, it often appears as a
glow in the sky, but use your phone or another camera to take a longer exposure picture, and you’ll see the light patterns in arcs, rays, patches,and coronas.
Link on when and where to see Northern Lights in Sweden
Link to a live webcam of Abisko Sweden
Link to NOAA's Aurora forecast (see if you can see the Northern Lights where you are!)
Moose
Sweden has more moose per kilometer than any other country in the world, with populations between 300,000-400,000 in the summer! Maybe this is why many people associate moose with Sweden. You will
certainly find many stuffed moose and pictures of the famous highway sign warning of a moose crossing in any Swedish souvenir store. Moose live all over Sweden, except for the island of Gotland, but it can be rather hard to see them. Anyone traveling by car is glad for that, as hitting a moose is very dangerous. The Swedish automakers Volvo and Saab were famous for their moose safety testing. Now, most larger roads have fences to keep moose off the roads, with overpasses or underpasses to allow moose (and other animals) to safely cross. In Europe, you will hear moose called elk, as European elk and moose are the same species. However, the American elk is not the same. Only male moose have antlers, and they shed them each winter.
Link about moose at Skansen (Sweden's oldest open-air museum in Stockholm)
Link about moose and why it is the unofficial animal for Sweden
Meatballs
Known as köttbullar (shut-bool-ar) in Swedish, these little balls of meat (with a few other ingredients) are one of the foods most associated with Sweden. The origin is somewhat disputed, as www.sweden.se
claimed that they came to Sweden with King Charles XII in 1714 after his imprisonment in the Ottoman Empire (present day Turkey), but an expert at Stockholm University stated that they more likely came from France or Italy. Wherever the origin, meatballs are now quintessentially Swedish. There are as many recipes as there are cooks (and grandmothers), and most Swedes will claim their family recipe is best. Meatballs are always served with potato (either mashed or boiled) and lingonberries, and usually with a sauce or gravy. You can also find them at IKEA, either inthe restaurant or the freezer section.
Sailing Words
You might have noticed some new words when 'ittle Bear and Mårten were on the boat. That is because boats have vocabulary of their own.
Here are some of the most common words:
Port: left
Starboard: right
Fore: front
Aft or Stern: back (or rear)
Berth: bed
Line: rope used for docking
Sheet: rope used for sail rigging
Halyard: ropes that control the sails
Windward: side towards the wind
Leeward: side away from the wind
PFD (personal flotation device): life vest, advised on any boat!
Dinghy: a small boat or raft
Tack: slight turn in sailboat
Going about: turning sailboat into wind
Jibe: turning sailboat across wind
Link to places in Sweden accessible only by boat
Link to American Sailing Association parts of a boat
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