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Finally! Spring has sprung. And not a moment too soon. The flowers have been pushing earnestly through the ground for the past week or two. We were almost able to walk about with no jacket on Saturday. Almost. Maybe another couple of weeks for that feat. But, seriously, where do Swedes get their tolerance to frolic about in t-shirts or a short skirt in cold weather? They've been doing it all Winter long. Certainly, my time here has not been long enough to master those chillin' skills.
Anywho, this was the scene this Spring weekend in Kungsparken in Göteborg. Flowers are blooming. That's blommor är blommande if you are following along in Swedish. Hard to believe that it was just 6 months ago that Autumn had settled in.
Just a little reminder...
What a difference a year makes. So, yes, let's acknowledge that milestone. I arrived in Sweden on February 15, 2008. It was cold and gray...and raining. And it continued to rain for many a days (weeks) to come. What an introduction. This year, things are a bit different weather-wise. Much colder. Less mud. And, even some measurable amounts of snow. The canals froze over and ice appeared in the harbor. It was like a Swedish version of a glacial lagoon.
It also reminded me of Portland, Maine. When our family first moved to the area in the mid-70's, I remember reading about abnormally cold and harsh winters of days gone by. In Casco Bay, off Portland, there are numerous islands on which people have lived since the area was first settled. The main transport to the islands was by boat. But, on several occasions over the past 200 years, the bay froze solid. There were stories of people taking horse drawn carriages or driving cars across the bay to the islands. That thought has always stayed with me. And for a brief moment, I thought the harbor just might freeze over here in Göteborg. Not quite, but I'll take what I can get.
A few days after this scene on the harbor, we had a wonderful snowstorm. It has snowed lighted for a few days. With little accumulation to show for the effort. But, then, it just came down. TJ and I had our friends and neighbors, Sofie and Kalle, over for dinner. And, I was itching to go outside and play in the snow. As were the dogs. They told me so. So, into the white we did go.
Dogs like snow. Although Lily had her fill by this point. Zoey, not so much. And everyone was all smiles until the snowballs started flying. The snow had become heavy and made for great snowballs.
We regrouped for one final photo before heading back into the warmth of the apartment. Sofie and I enjoyed tea and hot chocolate while TJ and Kalle continued with beer. A perfect winter nightcap.
By the next day, the temperature had risen and a lot of the snow had melted. Still, it gives me hope that I might see more snow through the rest of the season.
So, you may have noticed that I like to talk about the weather. Some people do. Though, in most instances it is because that is a safe and easy subject with which to initiate and advance a conversation. But for me, it is more. I love weather. I trace my interest back to when our family lived in Elizabethtown, Kentucky in the early 1970's. One afternoon, I remember coming out of the dentist office with my Mom and sisters. Up in the sky were the strangest clouds I had ever seen; they looked like cotton balls. I now know their name is mammatocumulus. They are sometimes associated with tornadoes. We went to the town center and continued errands. Coming out of a store, a huge gust of wind blew down the street. Later, we were informed a tornado had touched down within a mile of where we were. It was April 3, 1974; the day of a major tornado outbreak in the US. I've been fascinated ever since.
There are a few things most people don't know about me. One is that in 1991, I was accepted into a meteorology program at the University of Washington in Seattle. It would have been a second BS degree. I had dreams (perhaps, delusions) of working for the Weather Channel. Instead, I took a job with the Defense Department. Delusion deferred. And so, I talk about the weather. Humor me.
You have just returned to Sweden from a vacation in the Canary Islands where the temperatures were in the mid-20's (that's 70+ degrees for you Yanks). It's cold. Colder than usual for the West coast of Sweden. The ground is actually frozen. So, where do you go? Well, North, of course. To Norway. To attempt a little skiing. Of course. We've never claimed to be sane. Photos of the trip can be found here.
We stayed at a beautiful hotel in the foothills northwest of Oslo: the Holmenkollen Park Hotel Rica. It has some of the best views of Oslo and the surrounding area. And, it had a big fireplace which made TJ happy.
Did I mention that it was cold outside? At one point, it was -18C (which is around 0F). C-C-C-Cold. We observed an interesting cold weather phenomenon that occurred in low-lying areas. The surfaces of all objects, both natural and man-made, were coated with ice crystals.
It was a beautiful thing to see. From the inside of a warm Volvo. Okay, we did get out to see it up close and personal. Very cool. As a side note, as we went to pick up the dogs at the kennel a few days later, we observed the same phenomenon in the areas East of Göteborg. My guess is that a moisture-heavy valley fog or low clouds is responsible. And, I'll believe this until someone tells me otherwise.
Now, our idea was to try and do some skiing. We had read the ski reports which indicated there was snow at the resorts around Oslo. Just not a lot of it. This turned out to be the case. So, we (I) reasoned that cross-country might be a better option than downhill. TJ was a novice. And I had not been on CC skis for over 10 years. Those were our excuses. It was not pretty. Funny, but not as much fun. Unless you call bruise-producing spills fun. The trails were practically ice. Poor TJ did not get a good introduction to cross-country. And, I, well, I apologized a lot. And fell almost as much. Though, we did have some fun sliding down a large snow hill without skis.
We squeezed in a day trip to Lillehammer and then it was back to Göteborg. Where, surprisingly, it was still cold. But, not for long.
We're back from holiday. Actually two holidays that will be handled in two separate posts. Up first, the Canary Islands. We left Göteborg on December 23rd and after a night's stay in Frankfurt (damn you Orbitz!) we headed for Tenerife on Christmas Eve. Spent the night in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Quaint city. Absolutely shut down on Christmas Eve. But, that didn't stop us from walking about and enjoying the festive holiday decorations. Note: The images below link to my Picasa photo album with all trip photos.
The next day we headed South down the western coast of Tenerife. We stopped at a couple of towns including Puerto de la Cruz. Saw the lighthouse at Punta de Teno. And drove along some pretty steep and twisting roads before arriving in Playa de las Américas. Now, Playa de las Américas is a true resort town (for better or worse) that seems to cater predominantly to Brits. Every restaurant served an English breakfast (lots of beans and sausage). There were more English pubs than in SoHo. And some grocery stores even advertised "we sell English food." Cause who would want to eat paella all the time? Um.....I would. But, at the end of the day, you could always count on a great sunset and cool drink to refocus attention on where you were...
The next day, we headed up. Not just North, but up. To El Teide. The highest point in Spain (of which the Canary Islands is a part) and the Atlantic Ocean at 3718 meters. We waited over 2 hours for the gondola cables to be cleared of ice before we were allowed to head up. Unfortunately we didn't have time to get a pass that would allow us to climb to the summit and inside the crater, but we made due at 3600 meters just below the top. And we were rewarded with awesome views of the surrounding volcanic landscape, nearby islands, and a winter wonderland.
The next day we headed by ferry to the nearby island of La Gomera. We stayed two nights in San Sebastián de la Gomera. La Gomera is a small island that has a large park (Parque Nacional de Garajonay) in the center and coastal towns and beaches at the peripheries. We toured the entire island the first day. Did I mention how steep the roads were? Very. Scary. On the way back, [I made] TJ pose for this photo.
We spent the remainder of the afternoon in Playa de Santiago. At a brightly colored beach cafe, we enjoyed beer, some fried calamari, and a lot of sun. Then back to San Sebastián de la Gomera for evening sangria and dinner. San Sebastián is small but vibrant. The building facades provided a great subject for my photography. The next day, we headed back through the cold, foggy mountains to the warmth of Valle Gran Rey. This little beach and port enclave is well-known by German tourists. The highlight of our trip. Then back to San Sebastián de la Gomera for evening sangria and paella. The paella took 40 minutes to make but was well worth the wait. The wait included a few Dorada cervezas and some almogrote spread made with goat cheese and mojo sauce.
And, then, all too quickly, back to Playa de las Américas on Tenerife. There, we met up with Jenn and Bridget. TJ and Jenn went to Kellogg together. We celebrated TJ's (43rd) birthday. I opted for a variety of treats instead of a cake. The cakes I looked at were the size (and shape) of a log. Still, the four of us did some damage on what we had.
TJ, Jenn and Bridget stayed out until 3am both of our final 2 nights in Playa de las Américas. I was the old man who goes to bed [relatively] early. I did, however, go the distance on New Year's Eve.
We drove back to Santa Cruz de Tenerife. And, as was the case on Christmas Eve, most restuarants were not serving dinner in preparation for the evening's festivities. Luckily, we found a cafe off the main square where we were able to sample Canary Island cuisine. Bars were not opening until AFTER midnight. So, we walked around town for a bit. This small park with tiles benches afforded a nice backdrop for a group photo.
Then, to the hotel to have some cocktails, count down to the new year, eat our 12 grapes by the 12th strike of the clock at midnight, and toast with champagne. And into the streets we went. There was a street with a live band and a group of trendy bars/cafes. We stayed there until the wee hours. The locals, especially, the young, were dressed in their finest suits and dresses. We didn't mind slumming it a bit. A great way to end our winter holiday. You can find all the photos from our Canary Islands trip here.
And one more thing...
The sun has just set. It is 3:40pm. That is another reason why lights are such an important part of the holiday season in Sweden; they help chase away the darkness of Winter. Most store fronts also now have candles burning outside on either side of the entrance. Inviting.
Back to the fading daylight. In December, the sun sets around 3:30pm for nearly the entire month. At the beginning of the month, the sun rises at 8:30am; later in the month this tops out at 8:54am. On December 21st, the shortest day of the year, the times are as follows:
Sunrise: 8:52 AM
Sunset: 3:25 PM
Daylight: 6 hours 33 minutes
Good times!
So as not to succumb to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), I have a six-month supply of St. John's Wort. Hopefully, I won't have to resort to a lightbox. But, just picture it: me and the dogs sitting in front of a lightbox every day.
Sure. It all seems so pleasant and unassuming at the moment. Looking out my window, there is not a cloud in the sky. Truly beautiful. But, the air has a slight chill. A hint of what is to come.
The weather stopped being warm a few weeks ago. The turn came in late August. Snap! Just like that. One morning, I awoke to this scene.
A gray day. An ominous cloud stretching across the sky. Gray days are nothing new here. But, coupled with the change in temperature, the falling leaves, and the sun's rapidly advancing march South, the signs all pointed toward the impending dormant cycle. So, I took the picture above to illustrate the change. But, this is what I really saw.
Seasons shift rapidly here. Although technically Fall now, it seems as though we've moved past it already. The leaves just need to catch up. The final nail in the coffin will be when all the outdoor seating areas at cafes and restaurants are disassembled and put away until next year. I hear that will take place in mid-October. Then, outdoor life here will slow down noticeably. And it will all be about dressing in layers. Crisp morning air. Frost. Runny noses. Hot chocolate!
Still, on a day like this, I think Winter just got pushed back a bit. But, it's out there. Waiting.
UPDATE: Okay, we're in Day 2 of Indian Summer. Who knew?
The sun was shining for nearly the entire trip down to Italy. Could not have asked for any better weather. The weather gods were smiling indeed. And so, there are two sunsets that rate as the best of the trip. Both are from Italy. No surprise there. The Mediterranean skies are the most vibrant.
The first was on the walk back from the cliff-side towns of Manarola to Riomaggiore in Cinque Terre National Park.
The other was on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence. As always a large crowd had gathered. We enjoyed the moment with them.
TJ is sporting the must-have Goteborg cool weather accessory - a [cheap, IKEA] blanket. Every establishment has them for patrons who eat, drink and be merry outside. So, we [read: TJ] purchased one for our deck so we could enjoy a nice beverage [a pint, in this instance] while admiring the setting sun. We do have a few other blankets that can be used in a pinch.
Not sure why I am going on about cool weather since it has been quite warm for the past few weeks and looks to be even warmer next week (25C aka 77F). Ominously, I was told that this weather pattern was similar to last year. Warm and sunny up through Midsommar and then cool and rainy for the remainder. Hopefully not. But, I took this picture a few weeks ago and knew I had to post it. Hopefully, the blanket won't be in use again until Fall.
Cumulonimbus clouds. They were everywhere today. This signifies severe instability in the atmosphere. It also heralds the arrival of Spring (var, in Swedish, with a circle over the "a") here in Goteborg as far as I'm concerned. Having looked at intermittent banks of flat gray clouds for the past 2 months, I am excited (as ever a weather geek can be) to see these new puffy shapes. Change is in the air. And so was hail. Hail! Pea-sized. How exciting.
How else can I tell that Spring is imminent? Well, for the past week or so, all the restaurants, bars, and cafes in the city have set up their outdoor seating areas. While some have set up semi-permanent [enclosed steel] structures, others simply roped off a few tables out into the sidewalk; they all take this very seriously. I'm waiting to see if the 7-Eleven stores have an outdoor space. It wouldn't surprised me. Oh, I plan on being there in the thick of it. I do. When the weather actually warms up. Which should be when the next season (which is supposed to be Summer) rolls around. Okay, I kid, I kid. It has been warm-ish of late.
Side Note: After we both arrived in February, TJ and I noticed people sitting outside at a few cafes and restaurants. It was barely above freezing. Most establishments provided blankets for their customers. Still, this seems indicative of a hearty populace.
Store displays started advertising Spring back in February. The color for Spring 2008 in Goteborg is a pale green. It's a tasteful green. Not too pastel. Certainly not too Kelly green. The landscape is starting to turn green as well. Cherry trees have blossomed. Other deciduous trees are beginning to bud. Soon, very soon.
And with the change in seasons is the change in daylight. It's on the increase. Daylights Saving Time (yes, they do have it in Europe) just switched on 2 weeks ago. We are closing in on 14 hours of daylight. Currently, the sun sets at 8pm and there is twilight until 9:15pm. The sun not only is appearing longer, but it is also on the move northward. Exhibit A below illustrates this point.
The photo on the right is from my first post and was taken in mid-March. Notice where the sun is setting. The photo on the right was taken yesterday. I have marked on this photo where the sun set last month with a red arrow. That is a big gap. We were worried that the beautiful sunsets we have been experiencing were going to be obscured by the hotel - behind which the sun currently is setting. Now, we realize that will not be a problem. Because by the time June 20th rolls around, sunset on the horizon will be visible again. Just much farther North. By that time there will be close to 19 hours of daylight. Twilight should last until midnight...or later. If you are coming for a visit this Summer, be sure to bring a sleep mask. If you don't have one, you may have to make do with what we have available....
Finally! Spring has sprung. And not a moment too soon. The flowers have been pushing earnestly through the ground for the past week or two. We were almost able to walk about with no jacket on Saturday. Almost. Maybe another couple of weeks for that feat. But, seriously, where do Swedes get their tolerance to frolic about in t-shirts or a short skirt in cold weather? They've been doing it all Winter long. Certainly, my time here has not been long enough to master those chillin' skills.
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