Real Scandinavia

A Swedish Disney Christmas

2009-12-25T08:22:00.000-08:00

Real Scandinavia is on hiatus over the holidays, but here's a great article from Slate about one of Sweden's more surprising Christmas traditions: the annual Disney special that captivates much of country for an hour every Christmas Eve. The author is right on the mark in his description and analysis of the Swedish love affair with Kalle Anka (Donald Duck). This is just how I remember it from my

St. Lucia traditions in Sweden

2009-12-13T20:05:00.000-08:00

Today, December 13, is one of the most famous of all Swedish celebrations: St. Lucia Day, a festival of light in the long dark Scandinavian winter. Traditionally the oldest girl in a family rises at dawn on St. Lucia Day - not necessarily as early as it sounds, given the few hours of daylight! Dressed in a white gown with a red sash around her waist and a wreath of candles on her head - these

In the footsteps of Nobel laureates: Locations and attractions associated with the Nobel Prizes

2009-12-11T15:59:00.000-08:00

In my last post I wrote about the Nobel Prizes, which were awarded to President Obama and the other laureates at ceremonies in Stockholm and Oslo yesterday. If, like most of us, you’re unlikely ever to win a Nobel Prize of your own, you can still act like a winner and visit the various sites associated with the prizes. Most of the Nobel Prizes are awarded in Stockholm, Alfred Nobel’s hometown.

All about the Nobel Prize: History and trivia

2009-12-10T12:33:00.000-08:00

Every year on December 10, I think of my grandfather, who would have been 94 on this day this year. For most of the world, however, December 10 is significant for a different reason: it’s the day the Nobel Prizes have been awarded since 1901. In celebration of this year’s awards, here is a brief history of the most prestigious prizes in the world. The Founder Alfred Nobel was a Swedish

'Tis the season for Scandinavian book awards

2009-12-01T16:43:00.000-08:00

This time of year brings with it a slew of book award announcements from all over Scandinavia. Here's the latest news from the world of Nordic literature. (Note: English translations of the original titles are given in quotation marks where no official English title exists.) Svenska Deckarakadmin, the Swedish crime writers' organization, announced on Monday that its award for the best Swedish

Helsinki named World Design Capital for 2012

2009-12-01T15:09:00.000-08:00

The International Council of Societies of Industries Design (Icsid) announced last week that it has designated Helsinki the World Design Capital (WDC) for the year 2012. The Finnish capital is the third city to receive the designation, which is given out every other year. It has previously been awarded to Turin (Torino), Italy, for 2008, and Seoul, South Korea, for 2010. According to a press

Finland remembers the Winter War of 1939-1940

2009-11-30T21:19:00.000-08:00

Today Finland marked the 70th anniversary of the start of the Winter War, during which the country fought to hold of the massive force of Stalin's Red Army, which attacked Finland on November 30, 1939. The conflict lasted for 105 days, claiming the lives of approximately 27,000 Finns and wounding 43,000 more during a winter that was so cold it caused hallucinations. Soviet losses were reported to

Christmas markets in Copenhagen

2009-11-30T18:38:00.000-08:00

Earlier this month Real Scandinavia listed some of the best Christmas markets in Sweden. Of course, Sweden is not the only one of the Nordic countries to have a great tradition of holiday markets. Laura Stadler-Jensen, an American living in Denmark, has compiled a list of Christmas markets in Copenhagen. She writes: There is no place like Scandinavia during Christmastime. And although it’s often

Cow's milk and more: Energy efficiency in Samsø, Denmark

2009-11-23T10:22:00.000-08:00

As the Copenhagen climate summit draws ever closer, climate change and clean energy are on the minds of many. It's fitting that the summit will take place in Denmark, which continues to be a leader in addressing these issues. The Danish island of Samsø is one example of sustainable energy development, as the news service Tierramérica reports. Samsø Island, Beyond Fantasy by Julio Godoy,

Christmas markets in Sweden

2009-11-20T14:20:00.000-08:00

Christmas is just a little over a month away, and that means the holiday markets are in full swing in Sweden. The markets start up in early November and continue on until Christmas. Some last for just a few days, while others are open daily for a month or more before the holiday. Most are annual events, so even if it's too late to attend some of the fairs this year, they'll come around again next

Sweden tops 2009 Commitment to Development Index

2009-11-10T12:14:00.000-08:00

At the risk of turning this blog into a Nordic love fest, here's yet another recently released set of rankings that place the Scandinavian countries at the top. This time it's the Center for Global Development's (CGD) Commitment to Development Index (CDI), an annual compilation that rates the world's 22 richest countries in seven "major policy areas that support the development of poorer

Denmark and Norway honored among most peaceful nations in the world

2009-11-05T18:39:00.000-08:00

Denmark and Norway were among the nations honored at the recent Global Symposium of Peaceful Nations, held in Washington, DC, November 1-3, 2009. Eighteen countries from nine global regions were invited to attend the event, which was sponsored by the J. William and Harriet Fulbright Center and the Alliance for Peacebuilding. The countries represented were the two most peaceful nations from each

Norway tops list of best-rated sustainable destinations

2009-11-05T12:36:00.000-08:00

The National Geographic Society's Center for Sustainable Destinations has ranked Norway's fjords region as the world's best destination in terms of stewardship and sustainable development. The rankings, which were announced last month and appear in the November/December issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine, list 133 destinations around the world. The rankings were determined by a

Lonely Planet names Iceland one of best value destinations for 2010

2009-11-05T12:16:00.000-08:00

Leading guidebook publisher Lonely Planet has just released its new title, Best in Travel 2010, containing 17 top travel lists. One list ranks the "best value for money" destinations in the world - and Iceland is one of the 10 places included. Known until recently as an expensive place to visit, the country's banking collapse and the overall global economic crisis have made Iceland a surprisingly

Swedish prime minister urges US and others to follow EU lead on climate change

2009-11-03T14:48:00.000-08:00

Sweden's Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt today urged the United States and other developed countries to follow the European Union's lead and make concrete emissions cuts to address climate change. "With just over a month left until the climate summit in Copenhagen, the EU is more united than ever," Reinfeldt wrote in an op-ed piece in Sweden's largest newspaper, Dagens Nyheter. "But efforts by

Scandinavian travel companies see sharp decline from last year

2009-10-08T16:57:00.000-07:00

It was a tough summer for the Danish hotel industry, which recorded 1.4 million fewer overnight stays this summer (June, July, and August) compared to last year, according to the Scandinavian travel industry publication Take Off. August was particularly slow, with numbers down 6.4 percent from 2008. Both foreign and domestic tourism suffered a substantial decline, with vacation home rentals,

Danish musician-in-residence program launched in Austin, Texas

2009-10-08T16:11:00.000-07:00

The Austin Business Journal reports: There's something musical from the state of Denmark This week, a small house in Travis Heights turned into The House of Songs — a Denmark artist-in-residency program — where Scandinavian artists can come to work on their craft while experiencing the Austin music scene. Funded by the Danish music society, the House of Songs is a one-year program for

Sold-out Iceland Airwaves Music Festival takes place next week

2009-10-08T15:57:00.000-07:00

Iceland's biggest music festival, Iceland Airwaves, kicks off next Wednesday at various venues in downtown Reykjavik. One of the biggest events on the Icelandic calendar, the festival runs for five days, October 14-18, 2009. The lineup includes approximately 200 bands, solo performers, and DJs, with local talent making up roughly two-thirds of the program. An "off venue" program of side events

Swedish King and Queen to attend 2010 Olympics

2009-10-07T11:57:00.000-07:00

King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden will attend the upcoming Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, according to a spokesperson at the Swedish Embassy in Ottawa. The royal couple is expected to be in British Columbia for a large portion of the Games, which will take place February 12-28, 2010. The Games are close to the heart of the King and Queen, who met at the 1972

Norway has world's best quality of life, says UN

2009-10-06T20:32:00.000-07:00

Norway has the best quality of life in the world, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which unveiled its annual Human Development Index (HDI) yesterday. The report ranks countries according to various health, education, and standard-of-living indicators, highlighting the global discrepancies in overall quality of life. The 2009 HDI report ranked 182 countries. All five

Nordic Lights Film Festival in Seattle

2009-09-30T18:15:00.000-07:00

The Nordic Heritage Museum in Seattle, Washington, presents its first annual Nordic Lights Film Festival October 23-25, 2009 at the SIFF Cinema at McCaw Hall. The festival will feature contemporary, award-winning films from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland. All movies are subtitled. Admission is $7 for Museum members and $10 for non-members. Admission to the children’s

Stunning Iceland photos by a local photographer

2009-09-30T14:48:00.000-07:00

I just discovered the spectacular work of Icelandic photographer Örvar Atli Þorgeirsson. Check out his gallery on Flickr. These gorgeous images perfectly capture the beauty of Iceland (and some other places as well). To whet your appetite, here are just a few of the photos: Check out the rest of Örvar Atli Þorgeirsson's photos here Photos used under a Flickr Creative Commons license

The lowdown on Danish hot dogs, pastries, and other food

2009-09-30T11:37:00.000-07:00

With President and Mrs. Obama in Copenhagen this week to promote Chicago's bid to host the Olympics in 2016, Denmark is suddenly getting a lot of press. Lisa Donovan of the Chicago Sun-Times takes a look at Danish food. Danish eat a lot -- just not danish Believe it or not, Denmark is famous for hot dogs - but (gasp?) with ketchup All eyes are on Denmark this week as President Obama and first

Stockholm International Film Festival to feature giant ice screen

2009-09-29T16:07:00.000-07:00

You may have heard of the Ice Hotel, but have you ever heard of a giant movie screen made entirely of ice? That's what organizers are planning for the twentieth annual Stockholm International Film Festival, which will take place in the Swedish capital November 18-29, 2009. According to Reuters, the screen will be nearly 5 meters (16.4 feet) wide and will weigh about 10 metric tons. It will be

Ingmar Bergman items fetch $2.6 million at auction in Stockholm

2009-09-29T14:18:00.000-07:00

STOCKHOLM (Associated Press) - A chipped and incomplete chess set believed to have featured in one of Ingmar Bergman's best known films fetched one of the highest bids at a special auction for the late director's belongings, auction house officials said Tuesday. The set, which had been valued at around 10,000-15,000 kronor ($1,430-$2,150), sold for 1 million kronor ($142,000), said Charlotte