Sweden is an interesting country: 449.965 square kilometers and 10.508.669 inhabitants (september 2022): the quality of life is very important for the Swedes: focus on the public tranports and on the bicycles, but also recycling of the garbage. About health the sport at work, many firms encourage their employees to practice sport and thave special gyms for that purpose. The Swedes also enjoy to go to the saunas (to be there with their friends) and to public swimming pools,Quality of life means also the parental leave: husband and wife can share the parental leave and so the fathers are more involved in the education of children.
The Stockholm archipelago with its 30.000 islands (only 1.000 islands are inhabited) is a very nice place for the weekends, we see the example of Malin and her family spending their holidays and weekends on an island (solar panels and wind turbine for their electricity). Besides there is a new sport born in this archipelago: the swimrun, running through the islands and then swimming between the islands.
We discover also the archipelago of the Koster Islands near the Norwegian border: the captain Anders shows us the harbour seals (or common seals):On the main island , Sydkoster, there are about 300 persones, the people are fishermen, but Stefan von Bothmer is producing vegetables and breeds sheep: the Welsh diver Phil Davies explains there are beautiful sea beds in this area.
About cuisine the chef Magnus Ek (Oaxen Krog) works with natural herbs and fresh vegetables, his colleague Hannes Högberg organizes cooking workshops in the forest; the guests must harvest herbs, fruits in the forest and he shows them how to prepare them.
Sweden is a country with many forests: Christer Salsing is a forester and for every tree he cuts he must plant three new trees: the wood is very important for the construction of buildings and furniture (Staffan Holm is a famous furniture designer).
In this quiet and peaceful country the Swedes are very fond of crime novels (Murder in Sandhamn of Viveca Sten): there are special lectures for people who want to write a novel.
I enjoyed very much the encounters of Tiga with William Gilman: the talks about Sweden, the "fika" (hot beverage and pastry), the old town and the kayak trip in the Stockholm archipelago, then comes the encounter with Astrid Eckerbom in the Viking Shop, an interesting talk about the Vikings (the hnefatafl , their history), the Viking stone and the warm ambiance of the Viking restaurant (welcome , hurdy-gurdy music, turkey and chicken meats),then comes the nice moment at Grebbestad with Hanna Karlsson, the boat tour, the fishing of crabs, the eating of fresh oysters and drinking beer and the walk through the natural park and finally the encounter in Göteborg with Erik Davies, manager of a clog store, the walk to the old fortress, the fishmarket (where they meet Sandra, Erik's wife) the bakery and the Liseberg amusement park: Göteborg is a very nice town with a very friendly ambiance.
I appreciate the kindness of the Swedish men and women.