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Crime & Fjords: 9 Scandinavian writers you should read
As a child, I read all Agatha Christie novels during my summer holidays. When I moved to the UK, I read them all over again, but in English. Up until recently, I used to mostly read whilst on holidays, either on the go or on the beach. However, since I moved to London and started commuting on the train, I have also been reading on my way to and from work. I am ever so thankful to the Scandinavian crime writers for providing me with plenty of material. I still wonder how it happens and the Nordic countries score high on happiness with murder rates being so high, or is this…
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Hygge, Lagom & Lykke: 10 books about Scandi happiness
Denmark, Norway, Finland. According to the United Nations World Happiness Report that gets published every year, the Nordic countries are thought to be the happiest on Earth. Controversial as this may be, the Nordic countries do score highly on six key variables associated with happiness: income, healthy life expectancy, social support, freedom, trust and generosity. One may argue that it is the social welfare system in these countries that allows them to score so high and top the list of happiness. Yet, I think there may be something more… Could hygge be the answer? Or lagom perhaps? The Scandinavian word ‘hygge’ has recently entered the English language. Defined as ‘the practice…
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White Nights & Jazz: 10 Summer Festivals in Norway
Norway, renowned for the beautiful fjord scenery and railway journeys that offer spectacular views of ravines, waterfalls and mountains, also boasts a thriving jazz scene. Every year from May to August, when the days just don’t turn into nights, no less than 10 festivals take place across the country. Hamar Jazz Festival Also known as AnJazz, this festival takes place in Hamar over five days in early May. Located on the shores of Mjøsa, Norway’s largest lake, this medium-sized town in eastern-central Norway is about an hour and a half away from Oslo either by car or train. Maijazz As the name suggests, this is another jazz festival…
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Fjords & Jazz: Explore Norway in 9 days
23rd of June 1998. I first set foot on Norway exactly 20 years ago. This was the day that Norway beat Brazil in the World Cup. It was also the day that the critically-acclaimed music video for Madonna’s ‘Ray of Light’, directed by the Swedish Jonas Åkerlund, was released on VHS only to become the best-selling video singles of the Nielsen SoundScan era. It was almost midnight when I first watched the iconic video on MTV, high-speed images of Madonna dancing, whilst Norwegians were celebrating all over Oslo. Outside, there was still daylight. Madonna’s iconic ‘Ray of Light’ directed by Jonas Åkerlund. 20 years on, I am still…
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The Traveling Psychiatrist
“I’ve won!” six-year-old Alex exclaimed, as he moved his pawn to Oslo. Born and bred in Thessaloniki, the second largest city in Greece, I would spend hours and hours playing ‘Traveling in Europe’, the board game that introduced me to traveling and to Europe. Once I learned all the continent’s countries, capitals and major cities, I moved to ‘Traveling in Greece’ and got to know every single island of my home country. Then came ‘Traveling in the World’ and soon afterward I was onboard my first plane. Spending two weeks in Far East Asia expanded the horizons of the eight-year-old me, brought me in contact with different civilizations, religions…