Nils Holgersson and Selma Lagerlöf

This is the Google image that popped up this morning.  Every Swede knows this character, Nils Holgersson, and it's author Selma Lagerlöf. Today, November 20th, 2013, marks Lagerlöf's 155th birthday (or födelsedag).

The two book series' title that correlates with this adorable illustration is Nils Holgerssons underbara resa genom Sverige, which translates into  Nils Holgersson's Wonderful Journey through Sweden. [Notice the svenska (Swedish language) lack of capitalization and punctuation.]

The series has been used for decades as a reader in Swedish geography. It is about Nils Holgersson, who gets turned into a leprechaun (because he is naughty and mean to animals) and travels throughout Sweden on a goose's back.  The books have been translated into many languages, and until Astrid Lindgren's Pippi Longstocking, it had been the most widely translated Swedish (children's?) book, at over 60 languages.

Selma Lagerlöf (1858- 1940), in 1909, became the first woman and the first Swede awarded the Nobel Prize for literature. 

The pictures below are of the 20 kroner bill (~$3).


 

I told you she and Nils are popular!

Autumn (höst) Holidays

Autumn (höst) Holidays

Halloween

Halloween is getting more popular in Sweden.  It gets only a fraction of the attention that it does in the U.S.(and Canada), but it is recognized.  It is not very Swedish.  I saw the squash pictured below and it made me smile. 

By the way, I looked up "Boo" in Google translate. 

 Apparently the sveska ord is "Bu", and is pronounced about the same.  But it looks funny to me.  

~~~~~

All Saint's Day.

This is a federal holiday and many workers get at least a half day off, and many shops have shortened hours.  Commonly Swede's remember their lost loved ones by placing a candle at their grave site, or possibly by going to church.  We walked to a Brahms concert at a local church.

~~~~~

Father's Day (Fars Dag)

This day, which falls on the second Sunday in November, is celebrated similarly to in the U.S.. 

We didn't realize it was Fathers Day until we got to church.  Here is one of the jokes we heard on Sunday morning:

A teenager, who just got their driver's license, "Dad, can I use the car?"

Dad, "Well, son, first I need to see some changes.  You will need to study harder, read your bible more, and cut your hair."

...one month later...

Teen, "Well Dad, I have studied more and my grades are improved, and I have been reading my Bible, so can I use the car?"

Dad, "But son, you haven't cut your hair.  Why?"

Teen, "Well Dad, I've been reading my Bible, and all those men had long hair."

Dad, "That is true son.  But they walked."  

The little gift all the Dads received.  

~~~~~

Thanksgiving (an American holiday, in our apartment...in Sweden)

*This picture was taken prior to Thanksgiving 2012. There are a number of important points when looking at the above picture.  

*First let's look at the package of lingon.  Lingon is, as defined by Merriam-Webster, a mountain cranberry. They taste almost identical to American cranberries, and can be found, in one form or another anywhere and everywhere in Sweden.  Year round.  They do differ in that they do not gel like cranberries do, and so the sauce (sås) tends to run on the plate. But that is OK.  I'll take them!

*Next to the lingon you see ground pork.  Why ground pork?  Because it is the base for pork sausage which is essential for my stuffing recipe.  You have probably guessed by now that what the average American calls pork-sausage, or breakfast sausage, is nowhere to be found.  Somehow Swedes eat breakfast without it. The reader is directed to a previous post on Scandinavian Frukost (breakfast)  http://carolyninsweden.blogspot.se/2012_11_01_archive.html

*I believe I have mentioned the oven size in a previous blog post, but just for the record: it is pretty small. Considering most cooks in the U.S. (and Canada) would love to have two ovens for Thanksgiving dinner, it is really small.  It is 16.5 inches wide, by 13 inches high.  But it works, so I am grateful (oops!: "thankful").

* Lastly: the turkey.  The turkey in this picture is 4.36 KG (9.6 pounds).  This year I happily found a bigger one that is 5.7 kg (12.5 pounds).  It is just as well that it is not any bigger as it wouldn't have fit in the freezer or in the oven.

And so it goes.  Dinner is just that: dinner.  Thanksgiving is so much more. 

We have so much for which we are thankful.. 

Geneva, Part II

"Geneva", in this part of Sweden, is pronounced (something like), "Whe (with wind) -nev".  It is a pronunciation derived from the French...Hey! - I'm trying!

One of the many interesting sites in Geneva is CERN.  CERN, which stands for...something I suppose...is a European organization for nuclear research.  That's pretty cool.  Below you see the CERN's "Globe of Science and Innovation".  The globe is beautiful from the outside, but, to be completely honest, I am not particularly impressed with the building.  The inside is primarily exposed particle board.  Also, the lavatories are, unbelievably, outside in what appear to be portable buildings...

OK - I looked it up.  Apparently CERN stands for "Conseil Europe'en pour la Recherche Nucle'aire" which is French for European Laboratory for Particle Physics.  Which is, of course, exactly what I thought.

OK- so that is pretty much above my head, so on to more everyday things...

While walking past a laundry, we saw this old iron.  Hopefully you can see that there is a heat source in the center and ~ 5 irons which were placed in the cylindrical holder to heat up.   Pretty neat. 

Maison Tavel is a a historic building and museum in the old part of the city.  The building's foundation dates back to the 12th century.  This museum, which documents the history of the city, was my favorite.   I took way too many pictures to include in this post.  But I will include the two below, primarily for David.  The tiles depict St. George and the dragon.  They date back to ~1350.  

At the end of a long and lovely afternoon walk we ended up at the Ariana museum.  We really needed a cup of tea.  To our delight, we were able to enjoy it on this balcony.  And although I do not think you can see it, the building ahead and to the right is the U.N.

Sunday afternoon we flew home.  This sign at the airport caught my attention.  Yup.  This is Switzerland!