In Sweden, we have a wonderful coffee break culture called “Fika”. According to Wikipedia, it says “Swedes have fika (pronounced [ˈfîːka] (
listen)) (back slang of kaffi (coffee, dialectal)), often with pastries,[28] although coffee can be replaced by tea, juice, lemonade, hot chocolate, or squash for children. The tradition has spread throughout Swedish businesses around the world.[29] Fika is a social institution in Sweden and the practice of taking a break with a beverage and snack is widely accepted as central to Swedish life.[30]” - Wikipedia
Having a “fika” is my favorite time in Sweden. ☕☕🍩🍩 It is very relaxing to have some sweets and drink some coffee and tea. It seems that the time period is not fixed, but we usually have a fika around 2 to 3 o’clock in the evening. In my company also has a fika room (it is kind of a chat room with a table and chairs) which everyone can use to have a chat and fika. I have heard that some companies even pay for some fika snacks every day. The phrase, “Wanna have a fika?” is used a lot to have a chat as an icebreaker with friends and colleagues in Sweden. I believe that having a fika helps us make things smooth in many ways. It enhances communications with friends and colleagues. Well, who does not like sweets and drinking some coffee and taking a break? In Stockholm, there are many nice cafes and I went to Veta-Katten which is one of my favorite cafes in Stockholm!
スウェーデンには素晴らしい「フィーカ」と言う文化があります。 コーヒーやお茶を飲んで、そして少しお菓子を食べながら友人や家族と話す時間を持つと言うカフェ文化です。 正式な時間は決まっていないようなのですが、昼過ぎの１５時頃に１５分程度、会社や学校でもフィーカを行っている姿をよく見かけます。 会社のオフィスにはフィーカを行うカフェルームが設けられ、会社内でのコミュニケーション推進の為に、フィーカで飲むコーヒー代や、スナック代を支払うスウェーデン企業もたくさんあると聞きました。 フィーカはもはやスウェーデンには無くてはならない文化で、そのフィーカ文化を支えているのが街にあるお洒落なカフェです。
Veta-Katten means “Wheat Cat”. Veta-Katten is one of the famous and popular cafes in Stockholm. It was opened in 1928! It has been there almost 100 years! Sweden was never been in World War 1 and 2 since Sweden had a neutral treaty with neighboring countries so that the buildings in Stockholm never have been destroyed by raid. The building where Veta-Katten is located is also very beautiful! You can feel that the building has some history! Inside the cafe has been already renovated pretty nice, so that you would not feel any inconvenience. Every time I go there, it is just so hard to pick up which sweets I should try! There are many choices so that I pick up a different one every time I visit there. So good! Sitting on the couch is pretty comfy but I would recommend going to a small inner garden. I love having a fika there so much, especially on a sunny day. In the inner garden, local Stockholmers come here with a dog after they take a walk. And, I saw some tourists who were visiting the town. It is a nice place to take a break after you go sightseeing to the City Concerthal where the Nobel Prize ceremony is held every year. It is very close to the hall, so visit there for some fika when you have a chance to come to Stockholm 🍩🍩🍪🍪☕☕
先日、ストックホルム市内にあるVete-Katten（ヴェーテカッテン、小麦のネコ）と言う、ストックホルム市民に愛されているカフェに行ってきました。 ストックホルム市民だと、一度は行ったことがあるのではと言われるほど人気があり、１９２８年に開店というとても長い歴史のあるカフェです。 スウェーデンは第一次世界大戦、第二次世界大戦共に中立を通し、市内は戦火を免れているためこのヴェーテカッテンもとても歴史を感じる建物になっています。 しかし、店内は綺麗に改装が行われ、１００年近い歴史があるとは感じられないバリアフリーの改装が行われています。店内はとても広く、並べられたスイーツを見るとどれにするかいつも悩んでしまいます。店内はとても天井が高く広々とした空間がとても心地よいです。ゆっくりとソファーでくつろぐのもお勧めですが、天気の良い日は中庭がお勧めです。 犬の散歩の後にカフェをするためによる地元のお客さんやストックホルム観光を行っている観光客など、いつも店内は賑やかです。
In Sweden, from the end of Stempeber, almost all Covid19 related regulations have been removed, so that people are coming back to the city! The government recommends citizens wear a face mask, but most people do not wear it any longer. It seems that people are enjoying some freedom from Covid19! The city is getting back to normal in many ways, and more and more people and tourists from around the world are visiting Stockholm. So, after the fika, we went to a flea market in Hötorget, Stockholm. The place is pretty close to Veta-Katten, so I would recommend visiting there. Sometimes, you can find the good stuff, like pretty expensive silver wear with a very reasonable price, old books, small interior goods, and other good stuff. Now in October, they were selling mushrooms and berries. The price was a bit expensive, but it was fun to take a look around the market.
スウェーデンは９月末にCovid19に関連するほぼすべての規制が撤廃されました。 まだフェイスマスクは推奨されているのですが、殆どの市民はフェイスマスクもこの頃は付けていません。 市内にも活気が戻り、毎週末行われているHötorget（干し草市場と言う意味です）広場にある市場に行ってみました。 ここでは毎週末、フリーマーケットが開催され、市民が思い思いに商品を展示しています。 結構高い食器や、ちょっとした置物、本、昔のCD、などなど、時間があるときに少し寄ってみて時間を過ごすのはとても面白いです。 秋ごろからは旬の食べ物を売っていて、今ではキノコや木の実をたくさん売っていました。
The weather was pretty good so that we decided to take a walk to the King´s Garden in Stockholm. It is getting a bit chilly now, so I did not see not so many people, but we saw some people were enjoying their day off there. People were taking a walk, sitting on the bench and chatting, etc. There is a big artificial pond in the garden, and the water fountain is very beautiful. But, it seems that the pond and the water fountain are only for summer! In April, a Cherryblossom Festival is held every year here. And, it is one of my favorite seasons in Stockholm to see beautiful cherry blossoms. The cherry trees were given by the Japanese government as a symbol of friendship between the two countries.
天気も良かったので、フリーマーケットの後は王立庭園まで足を伸ばしました。 王立庭園は市民の憩いの場で、１０月になると少し冷えてすこし人は減るのですが、わたしが行った時もまだまだベンチに座り友人や恋人と散歩をしたり、おもいおもいの休日を過ごしていました。 中庭の水は抜かれていて、夏はそこに噴水があるのですが、季節により雰囲気が変わるのもこの庭園の特徴です。 そして、春には日本政府から贈られた桜が満開になり、その時期に合わせて桜祭りが開催されるのもストックホルムに住む多くの日本人にとって心待ちにしている年中行事になっています。 日本政府に送られた桜の木のしたてお祭りが行われ、年中行事が開催されることは２国間交流の象徴にもなっており、うれしい限りです。
There are many bars and cafes around the King´s Garden, and I love drinking a glass of beer and sitting there. It is fun and relaxing to sit at the bar and enjoy the day off. It is not a special day, but this kind of normal weekend is also fun and relaxing. It is getting cold and I believe that we will not be able to sit outside and drink beer anymore after November. It was pretty relaxing and fun to have some time outside in Stockholm. I hope you also had a good weekend!
庭園の周りにはカフェやバーがたくさんあり、わたしはそこのバーで🍺ビール🍺を飲むのがとても好きです。 人の行きかう姿を見ながら、携帯でニュースを見たり、ビールを飲んだり、友達を話をしているとあっという間に時間が過ぎ去ります。 わたしの好きなストックホルムでの休日の過ごし方の一つでもあります。この頃は少し肌寒くなってきたのですが、１１月になるまではまだまだ外でビールを飲む人を見かけます。 膝にショールをかけて、温めるとやっぱり外で日光浴をしながらビールを飲むって最高ですね。 このような何気ない週末を過ごすのもとても気分転換になっていいものですね。
This is a rough map of where I visited Stockholm. (Sorry, super rough! lol!)
Vete-Katten - the cafe!
Hötorget - the flea market (only weekends)
Kungsträgården - The King´s Garden, the beer!!
🥦Ha det så bra! 🥦
🥦See you again! 🥦
🥦じゃ～またねぇ～🥦
