Summer in April

Summer has come to Sweden. The sun is out and it's hot on the skin. For the past 4 days I have spent every imaginable moment outside. I went to the beach, the park, rode my bike for hours along the coast, paddle-boated around the canal, met up for ice-cream with friends in the square, had a picnic in the park, had a bbq in the park, read my book on my balcony, read my book at the side-walk cafe and every other possible moment I had I was soaking up each sun ray of the long day in some capacity. Yes, the days are long here in Sweden now. The sun rises at 5:30 am and sets at 9 pm. It'll just keep getting longer until mid-Summer when I hear the sun sets at 2:30 in the morning!

It's funny because I can't complain about my winter. It was very tame. But having the sun and heat back makes me feel like I've faced the longest, darkest most cold winter of my life. The sun makes me feel so happy. How is it possible for the summer to distort the reality of my winter?

The crazy Finn went swimming in the water

They are high-fiving because they paddled with the wind and my friend and I had to paddle against it.

Tomorrow is Volborg. It's exactly 6 months since All Saints Day and I believe has some former religious significance. However, now it consists of drinking champagne and eating strawberries for breakfast, listening to choirs perform in the park all day and lighting bonfires all night to welcome spring. Yes, everyone thinks we are just starting spring while I am quite positive this is summer. Then Thursday is May Day which is Sweden's Labor Day. It's a national holiday and everyone hangs out in the park bbqing and soaking up the sun. It seems the Swedes are as enthusiastic as me about being outside enjoying the sun. I think their holiday's were intentionally placed. Bring on the sun!