The great Luleå desertion
Posted by Guano & Associates | Posted in | Posted on 12:12 PM
As you see in the previous post, we are in the process of remodeling our offices. It’s very conducive to a good business and technical environment to have to go out in the parking lot and sit in your car to be able to speak on the phone. The noise from the jackhammers and sheetrock workers is so loud that simply closing your office door or going to another part of the office is not enough.
I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived on Thursday to note that the jackhammer operator was not onsite and it was quiet. Then at noon, everything was quiet and all construction stopped. It took me a while and then I figured it out. I had to figure it out on my own since none of our Swedish coworkers even came into the office today.
Saturday is June 21st, day of the summer solstice, celebrated as Midsummer and Midsummer’s Eve all over the world. However, as one of our most reliable Swedish consultant’s put it,
“Remember that Midsummer (coming weekend) is probably the “most holy” of all the holidays we have in Sweden over the year. I have worked on Christmas day as well as Boxing Day … but it would take much to convince me to work during the midsummer weekend.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MidsummerI was pleasantly surprised when I arrived on Thursday to note that the jackhammer operator was not onsite and it was quiet. Then at noon, everything was quiet and all construction stopped. It took me a while and then I figured it out. I had to figure it out on my own since none of our Swedish coworkers even came into the office today.
Saturday is June 21st, day of the summer solstice, celebrated as Midsummer and Midsummer’s Eve all over the world. However, as one of our most reliable Swedish consultant’s put it,
“Remember that Midsummer (coming weekend) is probably the “most holy” of all the holidays we have in Sweden over the year. I have worked on Christmas day as well as Boxing Day … but it would take much to convince me to work during the midsummer weekend.”
or in Swedish with other photos:
http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midsommar
So here’s my basic analysis, it’s not an official state holiday (not a Red Day) but informally recognized by everyone. Since it fell on a Saturday this year, everyone is taking Friday off. And, no one wants to rush into a holiday, they all took at least half-days off on Thursday.
I drove out around 4pm to go get some groceries before everything closed up yesterday and noticed an abnormal amount of activity in the town center. Upon closer inspection, they were all parking and going into the state-run liquor store, System Bolaget. The cars were parked on the sidewalks and filled all of the paying parking lots. Lines were all the way outside and filled bags clinked loudly as customers filed out.
I drove out around 4pm to go get some groceries before everything closed up yesterday and noticed an abnormal amount of activity in the town center. Upon closer inspection, they were all parking and going into the state-run liquor store, System Bolaget. The cars were parked on the sidewalks and filled all of the paying parking lots. Lines were all the way outside and filled bags clinked loudly as customers filed out.
From the grocery store, I drove to fill up my car with gas and get a soda. There was a line at the pumps, cars two and three deep, waiting to get fuel. I parked and went in; these were all people in flip-flops, cutoffs, and t-shirts. Their cars were packed with coolers, boats, camping gear etc. It took me 20 minutes to get to the pump for my fuel.
I tried to stop at one of the 15000 Chinese restaurants in town to get some dinner on my way but it was closed. There was a sign on the door saying they shut down on MONDAY for the celebration.
My only conclusion is that they go buy a bunch of alcohol, head to the woods and spend it getting drunk with the mosquitoes and moose!
I was told by my Swedish co-workers that I needed to go to Old Church Town (Gammelstad) to see what a true Midsommar’s Eve celebration was all about. So, about noon today, I drove out, parked and wandered around the town. Down in one far corner is a educational, museum-like…thing. It’s not a museum, more like a park with a bunch of buildings, displays, working gardens and animal pens, etc.
I tried to stop at one of the 15000 Chinese restaurants in town to get some dinner on my way but it was closed. There was a sign on the door saying they shut down on MONDAY for the celebration.
My only conclusion is that they go buy a bunch of alcohol, head to the woods and spend it getting drunk with the mosquitoes and moose!
I was told by my Swedish co-workers that I needed to go to Old Church Town (Gammelstad) to see what a true Midsommar’s Eve celebration was all about. So, about noon today, I drove out, parked and wandered around the town. Down in one far corner is a educational, museum-like…thing. It’s not a museum, more like a park with a bunch of buildings, displays, working gardens and animal pens, etc.
I walked around taking pictures for a while. There were lots of families there, all sitting on blankets in the grass, just enjoying the sun. Not knowing anyone else there, I hung out for a while and then walked around the rest of town.
The part that really got me was the small size of these little “cottages”, they seemed so small that no one could really live in them. I didn’t see anyone in them (the sidewalks are right next to the house, so you can’t help but look through the windows) but there were enough varieties of things on display that you’ve got to assume different people decorated them. Finally, as I was leaving, I saw one couple on bicycles stop and enter one of the cottages. Another had the door open and a family was in have a late lunch. I couldn’t picture actually living in one of these things!
Speaking of looking in the windows, this is one of the articles in one of the books I bought. I’m sure it’s completely innocent, but … in my Blattman-boy mind, I couldn’t help but laugh when I read the caption!
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