Summer in Stockholm

Three blog posts in three days??!! When was the last time I did that? Umm... when I started blogging (my first 10 posts came on 10 days). :) Why this sudden rush of blogging? More time to think, more time to observe, more time to ponder and more time to write. Why more time? Because of the Swedish summer holidays. Oh you didnt know about that one? Well let me tell you about it then. I found it wierd at first but have now gotten pretty used to the idea. It all originates from the fact that Sweden has an extremely hard and gruellingly cold winter and a beautiful, heavenly lush, warm summer. So the Swedes work hard during the winter, without any reprive and with a determination that makes you admire them. And come summer, they all close shop, pack their bags, put on their bermudas, caps, tanning lotions and shades and head out. Where? Anywhere, it doesnt matter, as long as they head out somewhere. Everything shuts down, shops, government services, schools, colleges, offices, even the visa office is close to non operational! I always marvel at how a whole country can completely shut down and go for vacation for one whole month! The favorite destination is Thailand, because its cheap, its exotic and its a far away country. Closer to home, vacation spots include the general touristy parts of europe.. Greece, Spain, the Mediterranean, anywhere with a lot of sun and some beaches to get tanned. Those who cannot afford exotic far away places settle for the swedish archipelago, but getting tanned is a basic neccessity of every Swede in summer.

Hence currently nearly all my clients are on vacation. All of my swedish colleagues and swedish managers are on vacation. The work load is considerably less. Are you going to ask me why I am not on vacation? Well, my client is a global company and people around the globe are not on vacation, hence someone has to be the backup for all the people who are on vacation. And that guy is me. No, dont feel bad, I get to take my vacation during Diwali in India. (>> crosses his fingers and says "hopefully!")

I have to end on a good note, so heres what Stockholm looks like on a bright cheerful summer day, every person in Stockholm is out enjoying the sun!!