‘Tis the night before the night before midsummer and instead of swatting mosquitoes on an archipelago island, we’re home in our ‘burb just north of Stockholm.
There are surely some relieved varpa champion hopefuls (see 2009 misummer blog entry ) knowing the Swede will not challenge them for the trophy this year. He still hasn’t won it, but he got close again last year. In fact, I nearly took home the women’s trophy last year. I seem to be some sort of Viking rock tossing natural. We have year to gear up for next year.
Tomorrow is Midsummer’s Eve and while it’s not an official public holiday (also known as a “red day” in Sweden), it is THE day to celebrate midsummer. Schools , preschools and most businesses are closed and everyone and anyone with a summer cottage to escape to has left the city.
The major highways leading away from Stockholm were bumper-to-bumper already at 4pm. Eerily enough the streets around Stockholm are nearly deserted in the twilight.
One midsummer eve six years ago we drove home to our condo on Södermalm after the day’s dancing around the maypole. Normally finding a parking spot outside our front door is on par with winning the lottery. That night we had the entire street of parking options to chose from.
This year we have guests from the US visiting us and we’re still unsure where we shall dance like ducks around the midsommar pole.
Skansen is always an option, though I think we’re going to try to find somewhere closer to home.
At least I’m certain we won’t eat our midsummer lunch at McDonalds as we did 3 years ago.
Tags: midsommar, midsummer, stockholm midsummer, sweden, varpa
you are so insightful
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