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I assume most of you have heard about Sweden at some point, so I won't bore you with things such as the area or population of the country. I have recently written a paper on Sweden and am fascinated by how interesting the country is. Here are some of the facts I found truly intriguing.
When visiting Sweden, you can stay at a hotel made of ice
Sweden boasts the very first hotel ever made of ice called the ICEHOTEL. It is available only from December to April since it melts down every spring. As the rooms hold a temperature between -5 to -8 °C, guests have to sleep in thermal sleeping bags on wooden beds with thick mattresses and reindeer hides. Despite these measures, staying in the ice room is not recommended for more than one night. Fortunately, the ICEHOTEL has rooms made of stone, too. Therefore, you can thoroughly enjoy your visit for as long as you like. Staying at the hotel also gives you the perfect opportunity to witness the northern lights.
The system of naming IKEA products
If you have ever been to IKEA, you have probably noticed that the products have weird names. Anyway, did you know all of them are proper Swedish names and words? This isn't an accident. IKEA's founder, Ingvar Kamprad, was dyslectic, so he created a system to make the products easier to identify. It works like this: bathroom items are named after rivers and lakes. Sofas, coffee tables, and bookshelves are called after places in Sweden; beds, wardrobes, and hall furniture after places in Norway; carpets after spots in Denmark and dining tables and chairs after sites in Finland. Swedish men's names are used when naming chairs and desks, whereas materials and curtains are women's names. Children's stuff is named after mammals, birds, or adjectives. So, for example, VÄNSKAPLIG, children's coat-hanger, means friendly.
Sweden imports trash from Norway and the United Kingdom
Sweden is known for reducing the trash sent to landfills in the long term, but why do they import yet another garbage from abroad? Roughly 50 percent of Swedish household waste is being incinerated in power plants. The heat is then transformed into steam. Consequently, the steam spins turbines and generates electricity. Even though waste doesn't cover much of Sweden's overall power supply, it's a much-needed piece of the puzzle during the cold months. However, here comes another problem - there isn't enough waste to keep producing the energy. As a result, two birds are killed with one stone when the UK and Norway pay Sweden for taking their garbage, and Sweden has enough waste to keep the lights on.
Stockholm subway aka the longest art exhibit in the world
Subway stations are usually dark and murky places we don't want to spend a lot of time at, but Stockholm's subway is not the case. Since 1957 over 150 artists have participated in decorating 100 stations. On your way to work, you can see fabulous paintings, mosaics, graffiti, installations, and sculptures.
Fika: Swedish tradition of coffee breaks
The word fika (pronounced "fee-kuh") is translated as "a coffee break" or "to have a coffee" and can be used as a noun or a verb. In Swedish culture, it means much more than that, though. Fika is a Swedish tradition that involves spending time together with family, colleagues, or friends over a cup of coffee and a snack. For the snack, cinnamon buns are very popular. Fika's more about socializing than coffee, and you can practice it any time you like.
Sources:
https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/vaenskaplig-childrens-coat-hanger-30333272/
Nela Kadrlová
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