Royal Addition

Big news in Sweden today...looks like there is going to be a royal addition very soon. Read more about it on The Local

Bicycle repair!

Living in Lund and owning a bicycle means that you are likely to run into some bicycle problems at some point or another...

Sadly, that time came for me about two weeks ago when my chain decided to start jerking around and giving me a bad time. Low on cash and not wanting to walk my bicycle all the way into town I let it sit idly by until I could muster up enough cash.

Then, I spotted an advert, this advert:

I sent Lawrence a message and he came over (yes that's right...he comes to you!)...realised I needed a new chain...he then went and bought the new chain (amazing right!) and came back and fixed my bike! It's now operating better than ever!!

The best part is he loves what he does and he is a student so he takes whatever you can give whether it is beers or money...as long as it is inline with the quality of work you think he's done.

So support a fellow student and give him a call.....

Lovely Lomma

Lomma, like most beach towns, is quite during the off-peak season. But it is incredibly beautiful, especially on days like today when the weather is warmer and the wind is calm. Just a twenty minute bus ride from Lund heading to Lomma for a short break is a great idea. Walking along the promenade it is easy to see why people love this little town in the summer but it is also breath-taking in the winter with the sea frozen and a nice view of the Oresund bridge.

Here are some pics from my latest stroll:

Semlan...nom nom nom

One of the greatest things about living is Europe is the seasonality of food! There are tons of foods and drinks which are only available certain times of the year. I guess this is the case everywhere but because of our great whether in SA I feel like we get everything (or at least most things) all year round.

One of late winter's seasonal pleasures is semlan! It is a treat which is unlikely to leave you wanting more because it is soooooooooooooooo sweet! But is also delicious!

Soothing cemeteries

I don't know if it makes me weird but there is definitely something soothing about cemeteries, especially these old cemeteries in Sweden. I find myself drawn to them. They are quite and the trees  sway with a wisdom that only they know and which seems just out of reach of those that wander the paths beneath them.

Money, money, moneeeeeeey

It seems rather fitting that the title of this entry happens to also be the name of Sweden's most famous export, ABBA. To be honest, I had no idea when I wrote the title and then was pleasantly surprised!



So what about money in this rich man's world? What can you get for your money up here in Sweden..... and what is the history behind the images on the money?

The Language cafe

The language globe taken off of olemiss.edu

Yesterday, quite by accident I stumbled upon a language cafe right here in Lund. I had heard murmurings about it but had never really ever had any idea where it was and what it entailed.

Thoughts this Valentine's Day

Being in Sweden this February has been quite a different affair to what I experienced in both South Africa and South Korea. There hasn't been a barrage of hearts, flowers, and candy filling shop windows. There have been a few decorations but not the Valentine's mayhem you would see in SA.

Actually the only odd thing I did notice is that as soon as February hit a lot more lingerie adverts started to spring up. There is now one at almost every bus stop. Is this just coincidence? I have also seen more vanilla heart pastries in stores and being advertised in the paper and of course there are invites to all sorts of Valentine's Day parties including tag parties.

Yummy looking Vanilla Hearts (taken off of kingarthur.com)

The advert that's at most bus stops

I don't know if it's just me but tag parties strike me as being totally weird. What is a tag party? Well you go to a party and you were a tag or a different colour shirt to indicate your status: single, taken, not sure. How primitive? I don't mean to sound like a bitch here but seriously! So what if you happen to be wearing a taken tag at a party that is clearly made for a bunch of horny people only looking for single tags, or hoping to sway the likes of a confused tag, you are likely to be spending the night playing with your straw. It just sounds like a party that as you walk into the room all you would be able to smell is sex and desperation. And then, what if you are wearing an available tag (putting yourself totally out there) but still noone approaches you. Eish! OK, ok maybe I am overanalysing this and being a little to catty here it's more than likely just going to end up being a big piss up like any other party.

Moving right along....as I was saying, not much commercial hype around Valentines in Sweden (or should I say Lund because I have no idea what the rest of Sweden looks like at the moment).

The only tie Sweden has to Valentine's Day is that in the 1960s flower sellers inspired by American counterparts started to promote flowers for Valentine's Day (so it had commercial beginnings) and it started to gain some momentum in the 1980s. And that is about as detailed a history there is for Sweden and Valentine's Day but from what I can tell people still like going out for dinner and spending some quality time with people they care about (whether a lover or not) and Valentine's Day appears to provide the perfect excuse.

I like this! Although the commercial side of Valentine's Day back home could get overwhelming it was always a nice excuse to stop and do something with someone you loved. And yes I know there will be people saying but you should appreciate the people you love everyday but unfortunately, I'd hate to break it to these die hard romantics, that's just not reality. Inbetween stressful jobs, studying and all the other crap that requires our attention on a daily basis loved ones don't get the attention they deserve and Valentine's Day provides the perfect excuse to remind yourself to do something special for someone who is special to you!!

So Happy Valentine's Day everyone I hope you have a great time whether you are reading a book, cuddling with someone special (which would be epic considering the snowy weather today), going to a tag party, or just watching a movie.

Some Swedish Ads

It's not very often that I get the opportunity to watch Swedish television....actually one of the only ways I get a chance to is when I log onto SVT which shows all of the programs and movies currently aired on national Swedish television. This is a great site to have if you want to watch more Swedish television to help you learn. I am still watching children's programmes because the adult stuff is too difficult for me.

But, I digress. Often when I watch something on YouTube Swedish adverts come up before so I thought this could be a nice and fun post where you can watch some funny Swedish ads.....





I saved the best for last and ofcourse showing you adverts without showing you something from IKEA would be incomplete...so here you have it :)



This IKEA ad was banned in Sweden and I guess you could see why but it is funny nonetheless. Actually, quite a few ads have been banned in Sweden but not all of them are as lighthearted....the one below actually made my jaw drop, and not on a good way



I could keep posting but there seems to be a plethora available online including everything from a Lufthansa ad about Swedish Women to Condom Ads so for now I will leave you with these...enjoy :)

The Polar Plunge!

Yesterday, myself and some mates from class made a mission to Kallbadhuset (literally translated to Cold Bath House). I was a little nervous about the whole thing....one, you had to be naked while relaxing in the sauna and two it involved jumping into icy cold water.