Systembolaget vs. Midsummer

The Systembolaget has been mentioned before and so has Midsummer. Here is the queue when the two collide. They shut at 7pm on the day before Midsummer Eve - then they remain closed for 3 whole days and only reopen by the time you are back at work on Monday. Imagine if you had to do all your shopping by 23rd Dec to cover your consumption for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

By the time I left the store, the security guard at the door was treating it like a nightclub - one in, one out.

Midsummer 2012

We celebrated midsummer by going for a cycle - by the time we got to the lake we were heading for we decided it wasn't actually that warm and maybe we didn't need a swim. On the way home we saw this fantastic craft cruising across the water. Note the birch branches for decoration - very Swedish and also the flag just in case you are unsure where these people are from.
I like the fact they've got a table and chairs so are probably having their midsummer meal. The gentleman in white on the left also looks like he has made an effort on the costume - complete with natty little white hat.

It is possible that this is so they can open a tin of surströmming - fermented herring which smells so bad you cannot open a tin indoors. We have not tried it and I know plenty of swedes who feel a bit ill even if you mention it. That's one to leave for the locals.