The streets were filled with trucks of recently graduated high school students who drive around dancing to loud music and screaming, cheering and pouring beer on each other. It makes the whole town feel like a party at 2 pm on a Tuesday.
It was also Sweden's National Day on June 6th! It seems like a random day to pick although it is meant to honor the day that King Gustav was elected in 1523. It is also the day that the Kalmar Union (Danish rule) ended, but I don't think many Swedes think about that. Most seem to think it's just great to have a holiday in the middle of the week and not much else. It was really fun to be in my neighborhood though! Everyone was outside, several bands had started playing just on the street corners. It felt very lively.
Instead of celebrating the National Day, we celebrated Micke's birthday instead. We went to an adorable island in the archipelago called Fjäderholmarna, did a beer tasting in Gamla Stan and then went to Smaka på Stockholm (where tons of local restaurants set up kiosks in a Kungsträgården park.)
And Princess Madeleine got married on June 8th! Maybe you know that Sweden has a royal family? And maybe you also know that one of the royals lives in New York? Well that princess married a Brit named Chris O'Neill (who seems to be considered a bit of a douchebag around here). It was a big affair with a huge parade and a boat trip to Drottningholm Palace for the reception.
It's very interesting to me that Sweden still has a royal family, considering how important equality is in their society. From talking with Swedes it seems like the royal family is quite popular, and respected, especially the crown princess Victoria. Below is Victoria and her daughter Estelle (age one and a half) sitting on her mini chair at the wedding. So cute!
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