Travel Stories - Sweden, Food and Culture

[@ConnectionIsLost]

I am Swedish and I think you presented everything correct. Nice to watch a video that is not so stereotyped about everyone going to Fika and listening to ABBA all the time. Thanks and greetings from Sverige!

[@susannechickenmom5621]

Totally agree with you! I'm from Sweden as well. God Jul och Gott Nytt År!

[@ConnectionIsLost]

@@susannechickenmom5621 God Jul & Gott Nytt! ❄⛄

[@thatgearguy]

@@ConnectionIsLost Thanks although I did talk about a lot of Fika. Mainly because I love Fika!

[@erikstenviken2652]

@@thatgearguyfika is not something most swedes do all the time. I think its a tourist thing and a big town thing.

[@kristofferhellstrom]

As a Swede I really enjoyed this video. Keep it up!

[@caritup]

As a Swede, you probably stay behind locked doors most of the time wishing your new masters would let you walk the streets.

[@jespergranstrom5267]

sandwich cake is a luxury, and very delicious, so thats why we get exited ;D

[@GoolagThemTube]

Sandwich cake, Kalles kaviar, Julmust, (Soda), Cloudberry jam and salty licorice are the best things in the world. 👌

[@anderswiik7432]

This was very refreshing.As a Swede living in the US that miss Sweden a lot.I keep watching reaction videos of foreigners visiting Stockholm or whatever....After a few,they kinda all seem the same.Your take of my amazing country/culture is so different and really capture what we are all about.Thanks brother and have the most amazing holiday ever ❤❤❤ Y.N.W.A.

[@tangfors]

Much of the wooden houses you see in the USA came from Swedish/Nordic constructions, it was the emigrants who brought that knowledge with them when they emigrated and started building that type of house there.

[@mikaelhultberg9543]

It's funny, I'm from Gothenburg (Sweden's 2nd largest city), and I too get surprised at the lack of people out and about in the evenings in small Swedish towns whenever I visit them. I think that this is one of the best videos about Sweden I've ever seen. You really have us down to a t.

[@akersjon278]

I'm Swedish and I live in the rural north. To all non Swedes watching this video I can say it is pretty much spot on. Well, maybe we drink a bit more outside the big cities then portrayed here, but the part about us not taking kindly to braggards is correct, also sadly the bit about crime and immigration. We do like to stay at home and get cozy more then going out on the town (but can you blame us, it gets freaking cold outside up here...). Oh, and if you come for a visit, do try our fika t's excellent and so is the sandwich cake by the way....

[@antheaxe7340]

funny thing is that logg houses and such are from nodic counrtys and it was brought over usa by us thay did not exost in usa untill we got ther

[@erikholmlund9716]

About Smörgåstårta. At funerals in Sweden, there is almost always a gathering afterwards in some facility in close proximity to the church where the people go. Smörgåstårta is almost always served at such post-funeral gatherings where I come from (northern Sweden). Of course, smörgåstårta is eaten at many other occasions too, but I strongly associate it with the post funeral gatherings, because at those, it is a must.

[@fredosinsemilla3896]

Enskedeterassen is the place to go in Stockholm :D

[@MikeRakowski]

Sweden sounds like what Minnesota used to be. I miss that culture.

[@annicaesplund6613]

Have you read Ola Larsmo's book Hollow Swede about the immigrants life there? I can recommend it!

[@MikeRakowski]

I have not, thanks for the recommendation. I will check it out.

[@SuperWabo]

300,000 Swedes emigrated to Minnesota from 1850 to 1930. Maybe it isn't a coincidence you find Swedish culture familiar.

[@MikeRakowski]

@SuperWabo yep, my great grandparents were two of them.

[@matsfrommusic]

Minnesota I believe is the most Swede populated state.

[@M.E.G.A]

Its the chit chat that makes it a "Fika" Coffee and a bun you have when alone.

[@jackstreet6979]

Spot on!

[@Juliannaebrown]

What a well done video. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!

[@JessieJoystick]

Very good representation of smaller cities in sweden 👍

[@springbay1]

Nice video. I would say that your experience seems very true to the area you visited. One thing about the candy though. The reason why the Norwegians travel to Sweden to buy stuff is that their money is like gold in Sweden. For a Swede to visit Norway the cost will be extremely expensive even for the most basic stuff. So, you vill find hordes of Norwegians travelling across the border to buy food, alcohol, candy and Swedish snus. Marabou used to be a Swedish brand that was started by the same Norwegian that started the Norwegian chocolate brand Freia, but Fazer is actually a Finnish brand and make some of the best candy in my opinion. Nowadays Marabou is owned by Mondelez International, and Marabou got into hot air in Sweden for their connection to Russia after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.

[@thatgearguy]

@@springbay1 very interesting! Is it true that Swedes travel to Norway to buy cheap diapers?

[@springbay1]

@@thatgearguy I have actually no idea about if diapers are less expensive in Norway. Perhaps someone can fill in on that. But for comparison. The latest Big Mac Index is from July 2024. A Big Mac would cost £4.59 in Britain, while it would cost SKr60.00 in Sweden and NKr74 in Norway. The exchange rate between the countries is 1 SEK = 1,0257 NOK, so the diapers would have to pretty cheap to make it worth the while. 😅

[@RobertGustafsson-r8i]

As a swede i got to say the ”Demolition man” comparison was spot on!!! Thanks for a good review of us

[@GregoryTheGr8ster]

I would like to visit Sweden someday. I'm from the USA, and you are so right about how we always want more. I am proud to announce that I am not that way--until I realize that I probably am. Now I feel sheepish.

[@GregoryTheGr8ster]

I have been to Japan many times. They have a similar attitude toward ostentatious displays of wealth as the Swedes, it would seem. It is powerfully frowned upon. All forms of bragging are a major no-no in Japan.

[@anetteandersson2778]

You are welcome . Just remeber our way of way of beeing people will be oki

[@Elgba]

​@@GregoryTheGr8ster have heard Sweden and Japan are similar in that way

[@OCW301-79]

​@@ElgbaA big different must be how much they work. Japan has one of the highest work hours per year. Sweden has the lowest. Many hollidays and six weeks paid vacation. One year paid leave from work for every children (should be charged equally between the parents)

[@susannenymanback]

​@@OCW301-79Sweden have 240 days leave for both, so 240 + 240 with 80% (of your salary) pay to each parent. During birth and the days at hospital costs 100 sek/day. And the first 5 years we have totally free healthcare for the baby at childrenscare. If you should need more help at hospital every visit, no matter what, is also free until the child is 18. Then its 100 sek again. Free dentist until 23 years. Im sure its things I just forgot. But I have followed 2, 1 from Afrika and one from USA, both beeing a parent here in Sweden recentley. And you get these benefits if you worked in Sweden 1 year. If not, you get it all for free but since there isnt any salary the wellfare sets in.

[@erik....]

I think you can see people get drunk everywhere in Sweden, if you know where to look. There's usually a place where people go on fridays and saturdays no matter the size of the town.

[@caritup]

That won't last. The Muslims won't allow it.

[@Kevin-zz9nc]

You'll be tripping over them on the ferry BEFORE you get to Sweden!!!!

[@Jonsson474]

There is no milk at all in surströmming. It’s just herring, salt and water that has been fermented. An old preservation method used in most cultures. The reason why it ferments is that the sodium level is lower compared to when you preserve “properly” using ore salt. It’s delicious.

[@thatgearguy]

🤢🤮

[@Dystopix]

Sour herring, It's about lactic acidosis which is a fermentation process and has nothing to do with milk. It's simply fermented fish but opening a can and eating straight from the can is just madness, for example you would never drink Worcestershire sauce like it was soda, right?

[@6purity6]

Well done! Love from Sweden!!!

[@susannechickenmom5621]

I really liked your video, it was "lagom" from one swede to an english, hope you having a nice Christmas and a Happy New Year. Stay safe

[@flyer617]

I always like hearing your take on things. Kind of the same unusual things I notice on my travels. Some travel and seek out what is familiar to them; when I travel I try to find the big differences and get a real feel for the people and place.

[@joachimfalk4149]

The Wooden houses are not some usa ting! You has a good side. And you give a better picture of Sweden then most do

[@karinsgarederobe]

Sweden is one country in the winter and another in the summer. Just as introverted we can be in winter the opposite in and around midsummer. Surströmming is fermented fish never tryed it my self it’s more of a north of Sweden thing.

[@Soxandnicole]

Merry Christmas anad enjoy your time off. Looking forward to seeing you videos.

[@momma636]

If the smörgåstårta only tastes of mayo they did it wrong. It should be mixed with a little light creme fraiche in order to cut the richness of the mayo. This "cake" is very popular and many of us swedes do make them ourselves for bigger celebrations. But they are also extremly expensive to make I rarely get under 220 pounds in making these. My late husband loved this "cake"

[@thatgearguy]

@@momma636 😵‍💫 220! Holy Moly!!!

[@momma636]

@thatgearguy think of the price for shrimp, salmon, salad and other veg. Then we have length cut bread. And the ones I made served about 20 people. I always had to make two different ones as well. Since my allergy to seafood

[@michaelhansen5353]

Not evrery smärgåstorta is the the same like every food are the same. the one i do is 50 - 50 maayo and cremefraiish.

[@gohr13]

Surströmming is fermented in brine with a lower salt content. There is wikipage that tells the history behind the fermentation and also make comparison to other cultures with foods that were fermented ie. ancient times. About Fika, you dont have to eat something baked with your drink of choice. It can be just a plain cup of coffee, and in swedish it would be called "en slät kopp kaffe" (a smooth cup of coffee). 😊

[@Coole-ee1vg]

First time watching. Great video. Keep it up....🤞🤞🤞

[@bengtekman8616]

Thank you! I think you nailed pretty good 👍

[@dropas4136]

Comfy inside with snacks= its called "fredagsmys"😊greetings from sweden

[@toresaetre7793]

I was born an raised just across the border of Arvika where you were. You basically been visiting my childhood home town. Your dumle pronounciation wasn't that far off, just lacking a more fat L sound. Swedes like "mys", the Norwegian "kos". The same thing. We are much the same people. Swedes "lagom" the Norwegian "passelig". Honesty anx politeness we also have in common. And being reserved. But if you start a conversation, they will out of politeness always answere. So be prepared to pull the conversation a little in the beginning before it starts flowing naturally. I think the most Swedish dish is köttbullar och potatismos. (Meat balls snd mashed) With lingonberry. Both our nations like lingonberry next to our dinner. Luckily I managed to secure a glass for Christmas. IKEA sell som Swedish food items if you want to try. It is drunkeness also in rural Sweden. They usually choose a sober designated driver or party in their homes. And in home parties, watch out for "hembrent", local homemade liquor.

[@orig66Super]

I saw an interview with Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen where he attributes his success to the U.S. because in Sweden a person is not allowed to get ‘above’ another.

[@CabalCadabraTv]

Sounds like you had a good trip that’s what’s up! Thanks for the content & Happy Christmas 2U&URS!!!

[@GoolagThemTube]

Thanks for the review of our country. I think you're absolutely correct about us. We're very peaceful and friendly people, but also very naive and we're learning it the hard way now, unfortunately.

[@groovechampion1462]

Swede here. About the Surströmming ( the stinky fish) im 47 and have never met a swede who eats it. It´s the sort of thing you buy just to open and leave i a locker i school before the hollidays ( yeah we did that back in the 90´s). To be honest i don´t know why it even exists.

[@Lenakickan]

I am swedish and I eat surströmming, fermented fish, with my friends.

[@jarlhedberg435]

Surströmming's a cult and the eaters are fanatics.

[@alexplayford3628]

Always excellent content

[@thedukeofnorton]

Bandy is the word for the hockey game.

[@SuperWabo]

The word Lagom comes from *Lag* - _Team_ and *om* - _around_ . So the literal translation is "around the team", don't take too much, there has to be enough for everyone. In modern times it has taken on a less literal meaning, "not too much, not too little - just enough".

[@martinafredriksson9392]

This is a myth, please Google the real origin of the word. God jul!

[@84com83]

"According to the law"!

[@JohnHallberg-v4o]

Merry Christmas ❤ from Dj John Göteborg Sweden.

[@kebman]

No crazy night life in Arvika? You went to the wrong place, pal. xD I went to one of the best parties there in 2024 lol. Some techno show at Olssons Brygga. It was epic! And way more friendly than I'm used to in here in Oslo.

[@noelht1]

Been to Sweden a dozen or so times over the last 20 years. Got some good friends out there. Don’t know if you noticed but there aren’t many overweight people in Sweden. Due to the outdoor lifestyle you mention mostly. And yes. Sweden is pretty much the same size as Italy, but with half the population of London. Go figure. It’s nice to drive between cities because there’s not much traffic out there

[@freewill8218]

Sweden is bigger than California. We are 10.000.000. USE GOOGLE next time. 😂😂😂

[@Jonsson474]

Na, Sweden is much larger than Italy and the population is larger than London (8,8 million to 10,5 million).

[@freewill8218]

@@noelht1 Sweden is larger than California.

[@perandersson548]

Spot-on 😁👍

[@kebman]

Oh I have some relatives in Arvika. Skål from Norway!

[@thatgearguy]

Skal!

[@orig66Super]

Not flashy but Saabs were fantastic cars.

[@matswinberg5045]

You got the Swedish culture alright. The best things about Sweden are IMHO the right to access nature "allemansraetten" which gives everyone the right to roam both private and public lsbds as long as you don't destroy or dusturb, the lagom culture and the trust between people in society. I will pass over the negative sides...

[@gorankarlsson8741]

Surströmming has nothing to do with milk. It´s fermented fish and the tradition is very old. I guess somebody found out that way of preserving their food by coincidence, but that is my personal guess. If you get to try it little by little most people can learn to like it. The famous british chef Jamie Oliver got to try it some years ago on swedish TV and if my memory serves me right he didn´t think it was so bad. I personally love surströmming.

[@thatgearguy]

Hmm the Swedes I was with told me there was milk in it!

[@gorankarlsson8741]

@@thatgearguy In that case they are misinformed. They are fermented in water and salt and a little fluid from earlier batches. I live near one of the most popular producers of surströmming and have visited them many times

[@henriklundstrom4543]

Dumle is a product of a Finish producer called Fazer

[@tovep9573]

We had huge amounts of MC-related gang violence in the nineties. Today's gang violence in part started as a result of us joining the EU when the long open borders made Sweden into something of a transit for drugs and weapons from the east. Domestic violence has continued to drop, regardless of immigration, but gang related shootings have increased a lot. Since that is a lot more flashy the feeling is that we have more murders today even though there hasn't been any big statistic changes when you look at murders per capita over a longer time. Partying has gone down with more young people being at home in front of their computer or hooking up via tinder or the likes today. But generally Sweden is part of the vodka belt and traditionally Swedes can party quite hard and drink a LOT. You won't find them at the local bar because it's too expensive. They will either party at home drinking moonshine and other spirits or go on a party boat to Finland. Another thing - being honest isn't the same thing as being naive. If you look at the amount of successful companies started in Sweden you will be amazed. We definitely punch above our wheight as a nation. My guesss is that those friendly guys are playing into the stereotype that will make you like them. :-)

[@kebman]

Butter Goose Tart. No idea where the goose comes in, but perhaps it's the meat between the tart and the mayo.

[@Jonsson474]

The word ”gås” in smörgås comes from when you churn butter. Lumps of butter then floats on top of the milk like “goose”. We used to say ”bröd med smörgås” ”bread with butter goose” but the bread was dropped so now it’s just smörgås.

[@kebman]

Ahaha as a "guy from Norway" yes, I do go to Sweden to stock up on candy. Norwegian candy... Because it's cheaper in Sweden...... xD

[@jongarratt5383]

Try mixing walkers plain salted crisps with a kit-kat bar eaten together tastes great

[@A-se2ur]

Epitome of British cuisine.

[@karl53133]

Have a great Xmas chap all the best ....

[@thatgearguy]

Thanks, you too!

[@annikamyren3026]

Bandy ! Hockey with a ball

[@lilleaton]

Mys indeed!

[@74Wicket]

I can recommend a restaurant 2 blocks from the hotel called "Kokoro", next time you are here in Arvika. 😉

[@thatgearguy]

@@74Wicket Hope you are well Sir!

[@freewill8218]

-12 cold? It's t-shirt weather. 😂

[@axeldahlmark1398]

4:21 Your analysis on Swedes not being into nightclubs and nightlife I agree with, but I would beg to differ regarding Swedes not being into getting shit-faced.... XD Cheers from the north of Sweden!

[@thatgearguy]

Ha yes I am hearing that a lot! I guess I just never saw it. I need an invite to the cool parties next time I come!!

[@henriklundstrom4543]

surströmming has not beeing laid in milk but salted water

[@ccg1404]

Did you practise "gråtrunka"?

[@ElToro2000UK]

I'm sure that I heard about this whilst over in Sweden. I believe it has the same effect as meditation and yoga and is practiced by the whole family whilst in the Sauna (Home saunas are very commonplace in Scandinavia), especially on a Sunday afternoon, after lunch and a few drinks.

[@mindmodulation]

Wtf haha

[@freewill8218]

​@@ElToro2000UK😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@freewill8218]

😂😂😂

[@Kevin-zz9nc]

Gra with an accent on the "a" is Irish for love which is why we love to do that.

[@henriklundstrom4543]

Yes !! mys

[@noelht1]

0:20 Nice grouping!

[@RobertGustafsson-r8i]

And i have to ad-theres no mayo in a smörgåscake(or a very little amount) Only bad ones has alot of it! If youre unlucky and theres a bad chef they do it that way and it taste like shit🤢Instead we use sour cream that we whip up with some other shit. In a smörgåscake thats done the right way theres no mayo taste at all

[@ElToro2000UK]

Please can you show us some footage of the guns you tried out in Sweden? Merry Christmas! 🎄⛄

[@thatgearguy]

@@ElToro2000UK I struggle on YT as it blacklists my channel :(

[@matsrafstedt6000]

Smörgåstårta is to my knowledge never bought by private swedish persons. To me it is food at funerals, quarterly company informations, or neighbourhood parties where everyone is too lazy to cook. It's not partiicularly tasty if not eaten with moderation.

[@annikamyren3026]

Fika is protected by law in Sweden

[@thatgearguy]

@@annikamyren3026 I am guessing the same laws protect the sanctity of sandwich cake!?

[@annettehansson782]

I wish you a Merry Christmas & a Happy New year 🎄🤶🏻🧑🏻‍🎄🎄 From Stockholm Sweden...

[@benwinter2420]

He likes the finer things in life . . the perfume , alright . . Charles men , a book long out of print . . Finns under Sweden Rus fights , an account in book of Swedes saying in book of Finns staying outside of Swedes in Rus fires at night . . come in , but Finns declined & stayed outside of obvious attack

[@PatrickRiendeau-m3v]

Great country. They didn't bent down during the "big sneeze".

[@IgorVolyn]

Clearly you know nothing about Sweden.

[@benwinter2420]

Across the border we Finns there . . old mum said in agriculture school . . essential same in Australia for the rural same . . that Swedish hard to learn , but Finn in return hardest , cold war to segway , to hard to learn Finnish coldwar off of the bat & why hard penetrate . . not case these days as Finland fully under WEF thumb . . I Finn speak decoded an last years back Finn parliament episode where an young Finn clone female of NZ WEF enemy within trans . . called president bragged that only important persons like her get invited to Davos WEF dep conference 2030

[@zink9698]

Marabou support russia war against Ukraine so don't buy that

[@caritup]

I love the cuteness of these comments. Everyone playing make believe about a fairytale land called Sweden. Pretending it hasn't been transformed into Saudi Arabia.

[@lennartoden7613]

Well it's more transforming into "the Fourth Reich" under the political influence of the neonazi party - SD.

[@draug7966]

Well i live here and i haven't seen any camels, deserts or oil sheiks so no, it hasn't transformed into Saudi Arabia.

[@thatgearguy]

I have to say the small villages I go to were very Swedish and traditional. I didn't see any other nationalities apart from Fins and Polish.

[@caritup]

Then why does Alex Jones keep ranting about the camels and oil sheiks he sees in his visions of Sweden? Can you answer that? Didn't think so. Your probably Reptilian anyway. I also love the way you completely ignored the extraterrestrial presence there as well. Glad I'm not drinking the Kool aid.🤣

[@jacobrans9269]

Highest rape cases in Europe as well

[@thatgearguy]

@@jacobrans9269 really? I did not know that.

[@annicaesplund6613]

Is it true? Yes. The Swedish police recorded the highest number of offences - about 63 per 100,000 inhabitants - of any force in Europe, in 2010. The second-highest in the world. This was three times higher than the number of cases in the same year in Sweden's next-door neighbour, Norway, and twice the rate in the United States and the UK. It was more than 30 times the number in India, which recorded about two offences per 100,000 people. On the face of it, it would seem Sweden is a much more dangerous place than these other countries. But that is a misconception, according to Klara Selin, a sociologist at the National Council for Crime Prevention in Stockholm. She says you cannot compare countries' records, because police procedures and legal definitions vary widely. "In Sweden there has been this ambition explicitly to record every case of sexual violence separately, to make it visible in the statistics," she says. "So, for instance, when a woman comes to the police and she says my husband or my fiance raped me almost every day during the last year, the police have to record each of these events, which might be more than 300 events. In many other countries it would just be one record - one victim, one type of crime, one record."

[@uniquename111]

Oh look there you are again. And even though i explained exactly why you think this is the case you keep on spreading missinformation. Troll begone! For the rest of the people. Yes it is true the rape cases have gone up BUT the reason to this is due to Sweden changing sex offender legislation to include a lot more then it did in the past and a lot more then most other countries include and also women feel safe to report sex offence crimes and higher. Could we do better? Hell yeah we could and should. Just like any other country could and should as well. But the guy is showing up in every video with several accounts wrting the same troll post even though the person know exactly why it looks like it had a huge raise when there is a prefect explanation to it.

[@Oscaarchaos]

@@annicaesplund6613 And you have to think about how many of these crimes are reported and stored in the data in comparison with India for example! You can imagine how many crimes are not reported in 3rd world countries.

[@Elgba]

Pls! in sweden its called rape of you slap a girl on the butt. You cant compare the word rape in Sweden and India for example.