Neil Shipley on Swedish culture - the strange, the special and the sublime
In English, when we suspect something isn’t quite right we ‘smell a rat’ or say something is ‘fishy’. In Swedish, they suspect ‘owls in the moss’. The expression – ‘att ana ugglor i mossen’ – has a Danish origin. The original saying dates to the 1600’s and was ‘det är ulve i mosen’ which translates … Continue reading Swedish expression: ‘to suspect owls in the moss’ →
With Midsummer arriving on Friday, it is time to start planning for your survival. Midsummer’s Eve is the craziest custom in the Swedish calender and the time of the year when Swedes go a little bonkers. As a non-Swede, get ready to brace yourself. Here are a few hacks to make sure you make it … Continue reading 11 hacks for surviving Swedish midsummer →
On 6 June 1523, Gustav Vasa was crowned King of Sweden. He was one of the few survivors of the Stockholm Bloodbath, in which his father and 80 other nobles were murdered, Game of Thrones style. He ruled the country until 1560. During his reign, he released Sweden from the Kalmar Union consisting of Sweden, … Continue reading Swedish National Day – a new king, an old king, a new constitution and…
I’ve decided to challenge myself with something different. That means I am focusing most of my efforts on creating video reels and short clips on Instagram. I will write here, but it will be less frequent. If you’d like to still follow me, please check me out on Instagram.
Musical cabaret legend and cruising enthusiast, Jane McDonald, is having somewhat of a revival in the UK, with her new album rocketing up the charts. One song she covers in her repertoire is DNCE’s ‘Cake by the Ocean’. In her naivety, she thought it meant ‘having a cup of tea and a slice of Victoria … Continue reading A Swedish mistake that led to a language change – and a huge hit! →
Today is ‘Long Friday’ in Sweden, ‘Good Friday’ in English-speaking countries. If you hold to the Christian belief, it’s the day Jesus was crucified on Golgata, outside of Jerusalem. Why the differences in names for this day? In English-speaking countries, there are differences of opinions as to why it’s called Good Friday. Some people claim … Continue reading Swedish Long Friday, English Good…
This is an election year in Sweden and already the parties are manoeuvring. The most recent change came from the Liberal Party yesterday. The Liberals are a very small party, but in Sweden’s system of proportional representation, they sit in the center-right government. Historically, the Liberals have vehemently said that they will never allow the … Continue reading Swedish politics – a…
Today, the world’s longest cross country ski race takes place in Sweden. Called Vasaloppet, it entails participants skiing 90 kilometers from start to finish. It’s an extremely popular international race, which can take up to 12 hours to complete, and which is broadcast live on tv. When tickets to participate are released, they sell out … Continue reading The world’s oldest and longest cross…
2026 in Sweden it is a general election year. The current conservative government hope for another 4 years, and of course the left-oriented parties hope to replace them. I have one simple hope for this election year and the political campaigning that it involves. This is my request to the politicians of all colours. I … Continue reading 2026 – an election year in Sweden. My humble request… →
At the darkest time of the year, Santa Lucia (St Lucy) pays us a visit early in the morning on December 13th. Lucia has candles in her hair and is surrounded by her handmaidens and boys, and shines light into the dark depths of our spirits. And slowly, slowly, the day awakens. Santa Lucia is … Continue reading Sweden’s Lucia Celebration →