Valborg

Today is Valborg in many Northern European countries. What is Valborg? Well up until today I thought that it was just a massive piss up here in Lund but it turns out that there is a whole lot of history to this day and it is one of their biggest holidays, second only to midsummer.

It is the eve of May Day and it often also known as Walpurga's night in English and Valborgsmässoafton in Swedish. Started as far back as the middle ages it was orginally a pagan festival that was meant to watrd of evil spirits and welcome fertile soil to the lands as spring approaches. In that same vein, minus the religion, Valborg today is more about welcoming spring and saying goodbye to winter.

One of the biggest parts of the tradition is lighting huge bonfires and it appears that this starts at around 20:00 when things start to get dark. Then people go about singing traditional Swedish songs. Lund and Uppsalla are said to have two of the biggest and oldest festivals with students gathering to get merry from as early as 08:00. Generally students start with some champaigne and strawberries before working their way to the harder liquor to make sure they are in the merry spirit by the time 20:00 comes round.

I don't think I have the liver or kidney capacity to get started that early but plan on heading over at around 11:00. I'll be sure to give you a follow up entry outlining what I am sure will be both mad and awesome!

Till then :)

14 Random facts about Sweden

1. Sweden has a population of roughly 9.4 million people
2. Pippi Longstocking is Swedish
3. Swedes are known for their Innovations. Swedish Inventions include: the zipper , marine propeller, the refrigerator, the computer mouse, the pace-maker
4. The Nobel Prize Ceremonies are held in Sweden and Norway every year on December 10th. The Nobel Prizes were founded by the Swedish inventor and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel, who invented dynamite in 1866.
5. The favorite food in Sweden is usually meatballs with potatoes and lingonberry sauce. (a berry type jam). Swedish pancakes are also a favorite.
6. IKEA and H&M are both Swedish brands
7. Sweden is full of music! Sweden has produced many famous musicians and musical groups over the years such as: ABBA, The Hives, Millencollin, The Cardigans.
8. Sweden is the land of the Midnight Sun! Every year, Swedes celebrate Midsummer (Midsommar) on the twenty-third of June. On this longest day, in many parts of Sweden the sun never sets.
9. All the Tsars of Russia including the last one, Nicholas II, were Swedish. This is because in the 9th and 10th centuries Swedish Vikings invaded Eastern Europe and founded the first Kingdom of Russia (might explain why they both value good Vodka)
10. Per capita Sweden has the most number of McDonald's chains in Europe
11. Sweden was neautral in both World Wars
12. The sun rises at 3:30 in summer and sets at 15:30 in winter
13. The first ice-hotel in the world was built in Sweden
14. On Christmas Eve every year at 15:00 most Swedes settle in to watch Donald Duck