Svenska
Monthly Archives: July 2023
It is a classic Swedish summer. Greenery, not so hot, rain interspersed with the sun. Sometimes it is as if the rain of the tropics has reached Sweden. It is like someone pouring water from the sky and suddenly it stops because the bucket is empty. Climate change is talked about on the news. Europe is about to reach a heat record. Tourists are evacuated from fires in Greece. These are probably small variations considering that there was an ice age a long time ago, in a time-space that is difficult to understand.
I was lucky. I had a few sunny days in France at the beginning of June. Just the right temperature for a walk to the harbour. As usual, I tend to talk a little with people I meet. Sometimes I ask for help with a photo. This photo happens to be taken by a real photographer whose profession was photographing boats. How lucky I am!
Every summer I think more about what I eat. Vegetables are so much tastier in the summer. It is like New Year’s when you have to think through your resolutions for the upcoming year. The last few summers I have been reading about anti-inflammatory foods. It is good to eat for example salmon, but preferably wild salmon caught directly in the wild sea. These salmon are almost impossible to find today. Organically (ecologically) farmed salmon exist that have had more room to swim in than conventionally farmed salmon. A bit like free-range chickens.
This summer I got inspiration from a friend about heart-friendly food as you can see below. My trip to France also made me remember the Mediterranean diet. It is fantastic to have a salad in the shadow in the middle of the day. Above is a salade niçoise. I got inspired and made tuna salad the other day. Moreover, it is important to have unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, the kind of fats that don’t solidify in the fridge. I have found a wonderful lemon oil dressing to go with my salad. All for my heart.
During summer life is more tranquil. There is time to change fast carbohydrates to slow carbohydrates. Nuts and not so much sweets. But, no summer without ice cream. I truly hope this heat wave stays for a few more weeks. The best season for my salad. Bon appétit!
It is a rainy summer. I am happy about my sunny days in France. It is calm in Stockholm. The town is more or less empty during summer.
2028. How will future years be? When will the war be over? Everybody is affected by the war. The energy prices are high. We really have inflation in Sweden. Coins are almost worth nothing. I have been a bit reluctant, but I will soon go for paying with my cellular phone. Russia has succeeded in affecting not only Ukraine but also Europe and other countries in the world. The armaments industry is busy.
In these times, I feel that it is important to look forward. We do not have to worry since Finland is a member of NATO. I am more concerned about young people shooting and killing each other in Sweden. The government should more focus on domestic policy. And, let´s hope there will not be terrorist attacks after the police allowed burning a holy scripture in the middle of Stockholm. Anyone understands that it can lead to serious consequences.
Let´s enjoy summer 🏖️
Wonderful that summer is here. We are so well-deserved of summer holidays. I try to keep up the training even though it is very hot. Therefore, I have for craving for salt and it is perfect with herring and potatoes. I was lucky to get a few sunny days by the Mediterranean in the south of France before summer started in Sweden. To stay on the safe side. I remember rainy Swedish summers even if they are few.
Somehow it felt safe to be in France. Right now there are riots, but the police and sometimes the military quell the unrest. In Sweden, people are shocked to see someone in a military uniform. President Macron claimed at an early stage of the pandemic that we have an invisible enemy in front of us. I had a chat with the man at the hotel reception and he said that “like all other countries, France shows sympathy for Ukraine”. Even though I was on vacation, I had Ukraine on my mind when I flew over the Alps.
I remember the breakfasts in France. At that time, I stayed with a real Madame. At the top of the house, I had access to a small balcony where I saw the Pyrenees every morning. At breakfast, I had coffee, a croissant or a petit madeleine. Then it was time for the wooden stairs, as you can see in the picture below, and I was off for the university.
French breakfast is still delicious, and I tried this week to have some baguette with ham and cheese for breakfast at home, but it can never be as good as in France. Tried prawns for dinner an evening in Juan les pins as a change to fish balls in my everyday life. French cuisine just cannot fail. Also great to enjoy the incredible fresh tomatoes from Provence. A concentrate of sunshine.
Back home in Sweden, I felt grateful to Finland, which has recently become a member of NATO. Our Nordic neighbors have always protected us Swedes. We have two centuries of peace, but Finland, Norway, and Denmark know that war occurs, with all that it can mean.
