Sweden and Thailand—both fascinating countries, yet so different from each other.
When the hot and humid months of March, April, and May arrive in Thailand, I always start longing for fresh air and cool breezes – and naturally, my thoughts turn to Scandinavia.
This year, however, I left Bangkok later than usual.
On June 20th, I boarded Finnair – my favorite airline when travelling to Sweden. I was a bit concerned about the flight route, but was reassured that we wouldn’t be flying over India or Pakistan, and that the plane would also steer clear of Iran, which sounded comforting.
As always, the onboard service was satisfactory, and the journey was peaceful, with no crying children or other disturbances.
I landed at Landvetter Airport on Midsummer’s Eve-hardly ideal timing, as there are certainly more festive ways to spend the evening. The nearly deserted airport greeted us with drug-sniffing dogs and police officers, some of the female officers wearing flower crowns-a striking contrast to their otherwise tough uniforms.
We were just a small group arriving from Bangkok via Helsinki, and naturally, we were all asked to come along for a baggage inspection. None of us had anything to hide, so after a thorough check, the officers politely thanked us and let us go on our way.
I had pre-booked a Mini Taxi from Landvetter Airport into the city. I had received a confirmation by email that they would pick me up, but when I came outside, there was no sign of a mini Taxi.
The price difference between Mini Taxi and Göteborgs Taxi is often more than 100 SEK, and if you’re not carrying too much luggage, Mini Taxi usually works very well. Naturally, I felt a bit disappointed and considered when no red Mini Taxi was waiting for me, and considered to take the airport bus instead-when suddenly, the small, almost square-shaped red car appeared.
The driver apologized; they had just switched to a new booking system, which had caused some confusion. I also noticed that in just one year, the fare had gone up from 400SEK to 450 SEK.
One of the first evenings after my arrival, I went with a few girlfriends to a place called Grindstugan. I had no idea was it was or where it was located, but it turned out to be quite a large outdoor venue just inside the gates of Trädgårdsföreningen (The Garden Association) in Gothenburg.
On summer evenings, different bands play there. It’s a popular hangout where they serve light meals, beer, and wine-and then there’s dancing. An amazing mix of young people, middle-aged folks, and seniors.
It was wonderful to see an older lady – surely in her 80s – slim and stylish in tight black jeans, a black top, and black heeled sandals, dancing by herself. Then a polite young man, probably in his 30s, joined her for a dance. It got a big round of applause. Just imagine how fantastic it is to be that age, on your own, and brave enough to take to the dance floor with all eyes on you.
I was just as surprised when I was suddenly asked to dance – not by someone quite as young, but still significantly younger than me. It was such fun to to let loose and dance. It’s really true that music brings people together – it just makes you happy.
Another must for me is a visit to the Saluhallen (Market Hall). Not as fancy as the Östermalm Market Hall in Stockholm, but cozy in a typically Gotheburg kind of way-and fried pork with onion sauce and potatoes is never a bad idea.
I now have almost two months to explore Gothenburg and its surroundings.
Unfortunately, a large part of the city feels like one big construction site, and both tram and train traffic are heavily reduced as new tracks are being laid. Of course, it’s necessary – but still, it’s a bit of a downer.
On the bright side, I’ve been pleasantly surprised to see how many new and charming restaurants have opened up in the city center-a definite plus.
I’ll be shaping more updates about what has happened and is happening in our long, narrow country, so stay tuned for more news!
