Scandinavia in the 2010 Winter Olympics

There is an old saying that Scandinavians were born with skis on their feet. Yet again, they have put up a good fight this year in the 2010 Winter Olympics, Vancouver.

Sweden's Medals:

Gold- Women's curling, Cross-Country Skiing - Men's 4x10 km Relay Classic/Free, Cross-Country Skiing - Men's 30 km Pursuit (15 Classic+15 Free), Biathlon - Men's 12.5 km Pursuit, and Cross-Country Skiing - Ladies' 10 km Free

Silver- Cross-Country Skiing - Ladies' Team Sprint Free, Cross-Country Skiing - Ladies' 15 km Pursuit (7.5 Classic+7.5 Free)

Bronze- Cross-Country Skiing - Men's 50 km, Mass Start Classic, Alpine Skiing - Men's Slalom, Cross-Country Skiing - Men's 30 km Pursuit (15 Classic+15 Free), Alpine Skiing - Ladies' Super Combined

One Swedish Olympic favorite is Anna Haag. She is 23 –years-old from Köping, Sweden and has been competing in cross-country skiing since 2003. At this year’s Winter Olympics, she took Silver in both the 15 km pursuit and the team sprint.

 

(Photo by: Oskar Karlin)

Norway's Medals:

Gold- Cross-Country Skiing - Men's 50 km, Mass Start Classic, Biathlon - Men's 4x7.5 km Relay, Cross-Country Skiing - Ladies' 4x5 km Relay Classic/Free, Cross-Country Skiing - Men's Team Sprint Free, Alpine Skiing - Men's Super-G, Cross-Country Skiing - Ladies' 15 km Pursuit (7.5 Classic+7.5 Free), Biathlon - Men's 20 km Individual, Biathlon - Women's 15 km Individual, Cross-Country Skiing - Ladies' Individual Sprint Classic

Silver- Curling – Men, Cross-Country Skiing - Ladies' 30 km, Mass Start Classic, Cross-Country Skiing - Men's 4x10 km Relay Classic/Free, Alpine Skiing - Men's Giant Slalom, Freestyle Skiing - Ladies' Ski Cross, Biathlon - Men's 20 km Individual, Alpine Skiing - Men's Downhill, Biathlon - Men's 10 km Sprint

Bronze- Alpine Skiing - Men's Giant Slalom, Ski Jumping – Team, Freestyle Skiing - Men's Ski Cross, Speed Skating - Men's 1500 m, Cross-Country Skiing - Men's Individual Sprint Classic, Cross-Country Skiing - Ladies' 10 km Free

Who can resist the four Norwegian blondies that took gold in the Women’s Cross Country Skiing? On the team is Vibeke Westbye Skofterud, Therese Johaug, Kristin Størmer Steira,  and Marit Bjørgen.

Vibeke Westbye Skofterud is from Askim, Norway and has been competing in cross-country skiing since 1999.

(Photo By: Iso76)

Therese Johaug is from Os, Norway and won the bronze in the 2007 World Championships in Sapporo during the 30 km mass start.

(Photo By: Iso76)

Kristin Størmer Steira is from Mo I Rana, Norway and has cross-country skied for Norway since 2002.

 

(Photo By: Bjarte Hetland)

Marit Bjørgen is from Trondheim, Norway and is a cross-country skier from Midtre Gauldal. She has won the most medals during the 2010 Winter Olympics.

(Photo By: Author Unknown)

Finland's Medals

Silver- Snowboard - Men's Halfpipe

Bronze- Ice Hockey – Men, Ice Hockey – Women, Cross-Country Skiing - Ladies' 30 km, Mass Start Classic, Cross-Country Skiing - Ladies' 4x5 km Relay Classic/Free

Peetu Piiroinen is a young 22-year-old who took the Silver in snowboarding for Finland. He is from Hyvinkää and his home mountain is Sveitsin Hiihtokeskus. Peetu has been traveling the world and competing since 1997 and is sponsored by Burton Snowboards.

(Photo By:copyright: http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/m9_1y2nbXNl/Snowboard+Day+6/yawueiFiGYG/Peetu+Piiroinen)

Portions of the above information are from the online website:
http://www.wikipedia.com

http://www.vancouver2010.com

Sincerely,
John, Don, and Lena (Our new intern)

 

Ponies Replace Yachts in the Västervik Wintertime

One would think that visiting Sweden in the winter time would not be ideal. However, in a town like Västervik located on the south-east coast of Sweden, some unique experiences can only be had during the winter months. Since the 16th century, Västervik has been a shipping industry. It is no wonder that it is notorious for its summer home to the yacht club. But as soon as the first flurry of snow takes place, there is a wonderland of adventure to be had.

Winter Activities

One of the best ways to fully immerse yourself in all Västervik has to offer is to saddle up and embark on a guided tour of the town on horseback – Icelandic horses to be exact. As highlighted by the name, the pony-sized breed is reared in Iceland and is well regarded as a sturdy, dependable horse well suited to the harsh rigors of winter. Led by a knowledgeable guide, the excursion can be experienced individually or with a group of up to seven other enthusiastic riders per tour keen to soak up all the town has to offer. With a plethora of accommodation packages available, visitors can enjoy the experience for a couple of hours or over several days.

Food & Drink

With a focus on ingredients reared, tended and harvested locally, the town’s restaurants offer some of Sweden's best culinary experiences. A mainstay since its inception in 1991, the Briggen restaurant is one of the town's oldest eating and drinking establishments and along with a wide assortment of tasty meals to choose from, the restaurant and pub also has over 60 different types of beer and around 150 different single malt whiskeys for punters to select from. Briggen also holds weekly quiz nights throughout the year. For tasty dairy treats, then look no further than Saltmagasinet. An ambitious enterprise that also houses conference facilities, the establishment has been voted Västervik’s best restaurant every year since 2006 and is regularly on the list of top eateries in Sweden for its variety of organic dishes. While locally revered for its dairy delicacies, Salmagasinet also serves up a veritable feast of cosmopolitan cuisine, peppered with traditional Swedish favourites. It is a must for connoisseurs of fine cuisine.

Getting Here

Regional train services run regularly from most major cities to Linköping, which in turn has trains that travel to Västervik daily. The town is also a few hours’ drive from at least three airports: Skavsta, Linköping city airport and Norrköping airport. All of the above as well as being easily accessible via all major modes of transportation make Västervik an attractive and ideal destination to unwind and while away the winter blues.

Portions of the above information are from the online website:
http://www.thelocal.se/

Sincerely,
John, Don, and Lena (Our new intern)

THE SAMI PEOPLE AND THE LAND OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN

The Sami People are among the largest indigenous groups in Europe and inhabit parts of northern Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia and their ancestral lands cover an area roughly the size of Sweden. Numbering somewhere around 100,000 the majority of the population is located in Norway followed by Sweden, Finland and Russia.

Livelihoods have ranged from fishing, fur trapping, and sheep herding but they are best known for reindeer herding where approximately 3000 are actively involved and herding is legally reserved only for the Sami people in certain regions of the North.

The Sami People have survived for over 2500 years by adapting to the Arctic north and are represented by three Parliaments with limited influence and controlled largely by the Scandinavian Governments. The representatives are concerned largely with border questions and the promotion of cultural autonomy.

In Kautokeino approximately 90 percent of the population speaks Sami and it is the home of a high school and reindeer herding school here also is the International Center for Reindeer Husbandry and it is considered the cultural capital for the Sami People.

Karasjok is the home of the Norwegian Sami Parliament, located here as well are the Sami Collections Museum and the Sami Art Center.

A one and ½ hour flight from Stockholm to Kiruna will provide a convenient starting point for a more detailed study visit and at the same time an opportunity to visit Jukkasjärvi the home of the famous Ice Hotel.

For those looking for peace and tranquility the natural beauty of the arctic north provides a perfect setting and a few days spent at Kronogård Viildmark at Kåbdalis will be just the thing. Daily excursions are arranged for guests encountering wild life and magnificent views. While here you will also have an opportunity to stand on the Arctic Circle just a few kilometers to the north.

During the summer months beginning in mid May and continuing through mid August the North of Scandinavia becomes the land of the Midnight Sun. At the end of June areas of the north enjoy 24 hours of daylight.

Portions of this article were found through a Wikipedia search.

Sincerely,

John and Don

Stockholm's Grand Hotel

In many of Stockholm’s panoramic views one of the most recognizable buildings is The Grand Hotel. Ideally located, this 5 star property offering deluxe accommodations is a far reach from lodging offered in the 17th and 18th century.

In the late 18th century the Swedish Pomeranian officer Georg von Pollet commented “The Inns are altogether bad, one could scarce be worse served in the Marburg Post House than in the foremost inn of Stockholm “Malmens Källare”. Small unkempt rooms, inferior food and inflated bills are the lot of every stranger”.

Even in the beginning of the 19th century conditions seemed largely unchanged although by this time there were a few exceptions. Bergstrahlska huset by Riddarhustorget, Kastenhof on Gustav Adolfs torg, Reisen on Skeppsbron, Franska Värdshuset on Regeringsgatan, and Den Gyllene Freden on Österlångatan were some of the better taverns and eating houses in the city.

The Hotel Garni could perhaps be regarded as Stockholm’s first real “hotel” as we know it today. It was opened in 1832 by the court confectioner Abraham Christopher Behrens. The hotel’s trade card stated in Swedish and French “ In this tastefully decorated Hotel, located at #3 Drottninggatan, are three floors of furnished rooms for travelers , for families as well as individuals, with adjoining Servants’ quarters. Stables and servants rooms also provided”.

In January 1858 the Hotel Rydberg was opened to the public. Stockholm finally had a continental-style hotel. It was an astoundingly luxurious building for its time. In addition to rooms for travelers, the ground floor contained storerooms, a carriage room, lodging quarters for the hotel manager and a wash-house with a water pump. Gas pipes were installed and the hotel was illuminated with modern gas lamps. There were also bathrooms with bathtubs and bath attendants. Not even the royal family had such splendor in the Palace.

Just one year later Régis Cadier (who would later play the crucial role in the creation of the Grand Hotel) managed to purchase the leasehold for the hotel. Calmly and methodically, he built up the business.

Few things have been more significant to the development of Stockholm than the opening of the rail link to the capital in 1862. In one stroke the journey time from Gothenburg to Stockholm was cut to 14 hours opening Stockholm to the outside world. Never before had the Swedish capital seen so many travelers arrive.

It soon became clear that a new hotel was needed and Cadier was asked to come up with a solution. Attention was turned toward the harbor and Cadier discovered three interesting properties on the southern side of Blasieholmen.

Work began on the new hotel in March 1872. From records it would appear that the roof was completed by the end of the year and work on the interior continued throughout 1873.

How did Cadier finance a project of such magnitude? One story has Cadier filling a wheelbarrow with silver coins at the Hotel Rydberg then wheeling it to the new building site to pay the construction workers. The story may be a myth but it makes for a good antidote.

By the spring of 1874 the interiors were nearly completed and the first guests checked in. It was at this time that the name of the new hotel was made public: THE GRAND HOTEL.

Today elegance abounds in the Grand Hotel’s 368 rooms each room being one of a kind. 42 spacious suites, with conference facilities accommodating most needs. To remind you of Régis Cadier enjoy a refreshment in the Cadier bar appropriately named “From the Founder to the Future” and breakfast, lunch or dinner in the Veranda Restaurant overlooking the Bay. A fine dining experience awaits in Mathias Dahlgren’s Restaurant specializing in “Natural Cuisine”. A 2,800 square meter spa and health club will be completed during 2009 in collaboration with Raison d’Etre and available for hotel guests.

And of course, location in the center of Stockholm with a magnificent view of the harbor.

Portions of the above information are from the web site http://www.grandhotel.se/

Sincerely,

John and Don

A Swedish Walled City?

Yes, there is one right in the middle of the Baltic Sea on the island of Gotland and it’s called Visby.

Just 56 miles from the Swedish mainland and easy to reach either by regular air service from Stockholm or by ferry from Nynäshamn just south of Stockholm.

Visby is on the west coast of the island and is populated by 22,000 inhabitants and is listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

With a background spanning 5,000 years the city and island abounds with history having been a Viking stop off and trading port and one of the most important ports during the years of the Hanseatic League. The port is still active today hosting numerous cruise ships and ferries.

The wall (Ringmuren) surrounding Visby is 3 kilometers long and one of the best preserved in all of Europe. When walking through the town visitors are greeted with the fragrance of roses and quaint homes restored to their original form. Magnificent panoramic views of the city and sea meet your eyes as you approach the 12th century Visby Cathedral officially opened in 1225. The cathedral, was dedicated to Saint Mary and reshaped in the 13th century to its current appearance.

But there is much more to see on the island including sandy beaches, a number of unique churches and at the north end of the island another island called Fårö. This name is often misinterpreted as meaning sheep island although there are many sheep on the island the name actually comes from “far” to travel and “ö” for island or travel island. It is connected to the main island by ferries and is known for the stand rocks, quaint fishing villages and the home of the late and well known film producer and director Ingmar Bergman.

A visit to Gotland and Visby may be just the answer to add a special compliment to your Scandinavian adventure.

You may wish to visit www.Gotland.net for more information.

Sincerely,
John and Don

Visit Lillehammer Norway!

No doubt most of you know Lillehammer as the host city of the 1994 winter Olympics but there is so much more to Lillehammer and it is just two hours northwest of Oslo by train or car.

In the city centre there is a collection of wooden houses from the early 1800’s and it is in a picturesque location with the influence of Lake Mjøsa the largest lake in Norway.

Of course, there are still venues left from the Winter Olympics of 1994, yet there is another attraction that should be of interest to all visitors and that is the Maihaugen Museum.

Anders Sandvig, the founder of Maihaugen, came to Lillehammer as a young dentist in 1885. He had contracted a serious lung disease and thought he only had a few months to live. The climate in the town was considered to be good for people with lung disease and he gradually recovered completely. He later passed away in 1950 at the age of 88.

As a dentist, Sandvig was responsible for all of Gudbrandsdalen. On his travels, he began to collect objects from the old farming culture that was in the process of disappearing. Nordiska Museet in Stockholm was buying old objects in Gudbrandsdalen at this time. Sandvig thought it was important for the old objects not to disappear from Norway.

He not only collected precious, special objects, everyday objects were just as interesting. He also bought old buildings and reerected them in his own garden in the centre of Lillehammer. This gave him the space to exhibit the objects. The collection was moved to Maihaugen in 1904.
Today the museum has nearly 200 historical buildings.

How about a visit to the Norwegian Olympic Museum it is the only museum in northern Europe that tells the entire history of the Olympic Games from 776 BC up until the present day. You will see collections from Sonja Henie who was the youngest Winter Olympics participant at 12 years old in Chamonix, France in 1924, and Kjetil Aamodt the most decorated alpine skier with 37 international medals.

Then there is the Norwegian Post Museum giving the visitor an historic view of the development of the Norwegian postal service.

There is much more to see and do including the Garmo Stave Church from 1200, hand craft and farm life exhibits from the 1890’s.

When planning a visit to Norway a visit to Lillehammer and the Maihaugen Museum should be a part of your itinerary.

Portions of this blog are taken from the Maihaugen Museum Web Site. You may wish to visit the site for further information.

Sincerely,
John and Don