Midsommar 2007

J and I are in an abandoned city today. June 21, midsommar (mid-summer) holiday is probably the most cherished Swedish holiday. The residents of Stockholm have all left for the countryside and the archipelago to celebrate the longest day of the year with traditional foods, drink, folk songs, and friends and family. Based on the number of cars around the apartment, I'd estimate that 80% of the residents are not in the city. It's practically a ghost town. J and I meandered to Odenplan this morning and found a coffee shop that was open - there's almost nothing else open - and had a couple of coffees and Swedish desserts as we watched even more Swedes leaving the city (we assume a rolling suitcase means leaving). Then we came back to the apartment and watched a movie or two, writing to this blog. We opened a bottle of Barbera d' Asti, a package of Färdiga skivor (excellent cheese), and a box of Breton original wheat crackers and did very little else. We probably should have gone to one of the many public celebrations but, honestly, we need some rest.

The weather today is overcast. We hope it will improve tomorrow because we've planned a party for my management staff. They've been fantastic in supporting the new guy: me. They represent the best of humanity to me. We have our disagreements but they are professional differences: as people they never cease to impress me.