Tjena allihopa!

So I'm back and this time I'm going to tell you all about my Midsommar (Eurotour is coming a little later on so stay tuned! There's a lot to cover in a few different posts).

In Sweden, summer is a very important part of the year. As they go for nearly 8-9 months without sun, it can be quite exciting to have warm (20°C+) weather and sunlight almost consistently and, as Swedes, they choose to celebrate this turn of good weather. Mid-summer (eller Midsommar på Svenska) is when there is the most light during the day. Unlike Australia so much, as it nears summer here in Sweden the duration of daylight gradually gets longer and longer until there is daylight until about midnight every night and the sun rises about 3am. During Midsommar, the daylight is at a maximum and it is almost never dark for a few days. In places like Kiruna (way up north), they have the Midnight Sun, where the sun never sets. Anyway, in celebration of ridiculously long days, Swedes usually go away to their summer houses (another house nearly every Swedish family has, usually on the West Coast somewhere near the beach) and drink Snaps and dance and sing. The one dance I can remember is "The Little Frogs" or "Små Grodorna" where you hop around the pole in a circle and generally look pretty silly. It's all in good fun though here in Sweden.

My Midsommar was a little different though. We went to my host family's summar house at Hunnebostrand, right near the water. Unfortunately for me, on Midsommar afton (The day before the longest day) we decided to take a summer swim and instead of your regular dive or walk in to the freezing (not actually too freezing) water, we decided it would be fun to jump from a diving board. 10m above the water.
Push comes to shove and I jump off last and fracture a vertebrae. Never mind though, I'm all good for anyone stressing! I just had to take it easy for a couple days. But by the end I missed all the celebrations and didn't even get to embarrass myself around the Maypole.

Also, as we were staying right near the coast we would walk down to the waters edge nearly every night and go fishing for Mackerel. I managed to catch a couple while I was there.

 Anyways, enjoy some pictures and stuff :)

The view from the mountain at Hunnebostrand

Me with my second two fish of the trip

Some nice fresh fish fillets

Where we would fish (The diving board in the background)

The beast that broke my back :P No but for real, it was so damn high...

Me with my first fish of the trip

Dan and his fish

Dan and I's fish from the second night

Anyways, that's my Swedish Midsommar for you, photos and all (You're welcome Mum...).

Much love guys,

The Swedish Adventurer