fredag 3 juli 2009
Swedish Nature during Summer
Hello there! I was just going through some of the pics that Anna and I had taken since the advent of the so called beautiful Swedish summer. And, thought about writing on the blog about the Swedish nature during summer from my perspective. I grew up in a very big city, Mumbai. I also spent some enjoyable last few years in another mega city, Singapore. Both of them are a huge concrete jungle! So I have never really experienced nature except for a few adventurous trips in the outskirts of Mumbai with my friends as a “trying to be cool and hip” teenage guy! And you all know that nature is the last thing on a teenagers mind.
Well, back to the point, I had heard a lot of the Swedish summer and how beautiful it is. Anna loves Singapore and she says that the excellent weather in Singapore is no match for the Swedish summer especially in Kalmar and Öland. I am fascinated at how many exclusive flowers of Asia are growing on the streets here and no one really spoils it by plucking it! Roses, probably the most expensive flower in Asia is ubiquitous here in every garden and street. Some of the bushes are so superb that I have actually regretted so many times for not carrying my camera around to take pics of it. They are simply amazing! It’s so artful how many Swedes make their garden so beautiful. Not as organized and fake looking as Singapore but just plain simple and natural looking, as if no one really planted it there but it just grew there on its own to make the place look pretty! I hated creepers as they just create a mess and look terrible on walls in Asia. But here these creepers grow so fast and cover the entire wall. Best of all they are super green, thick and full of flowers!!! It looks so beautiful when you have a flowering plant in front of or next to your window and it's full of flowers.
Swedes also seem to me that they love this beautiful greenery around. I have seen so many people just sitting around town enjoying the sun or just the shade under a nice big tree in a garden, next to the lake, near the castle etc. After spending half winter here, I can kind of understand it. I have not been to the beach yet but am sure it must be full of people sunbathing. Kalmar, although a small town with not too much commercialized entertainment opportunity (you know..big shopping centers, IT malls, huge theme parks, multiplex cinemas, car shows etc) makes you appreciate and enjoy the good old stuff like a nice walk in the forest, nice dinner with your family, biking around town all the more.
I am lucky and happy to have experienced..rather experience the lovely nature in Kalmar and Öland. It makes me really happy to think that these are the only 2 places I have seen in the whole of Sweden so far and how nice and lovely it will be when I get an opportunity to visit other places in Sweden. And yes..Anna, you are right. The excellent Singapore weather is no match for the Swedish summer!
Vimal.
P.S: Do let me know what you feel about my perspective on summer in Sweden and other things that you might feel I don't understand about the Swedish culture yet!
0 Comments:
