Today is 6th June, Sweden's National Day, and this year "extra special" since it's exactly 500 years since Gustav Vasa / Gustav I was elected king here; which is considered the foundation of "modern" (?) Sweden. The day has only been called National Day since 1983, though - before that it was celebrated as 'Swedish Flag Day'. And it wasn't until as late as 2005 that 6th June also got the status of public holiday.
This year it's also 50 years since our current king Carl XIV Gustaf ascended the throne on the death of his grandfather, Gustaf VI Adolf (15 September 1973). So even more reasons to celebrate and wave flags about...
I remembered to put my small flag out on the balcony this morning (top photo); and there it's been waving in the wind all day.
We also got a perfect weather day for such celebrations: Summer temperatures around 23'C in the afternoon, and the sun shining from a clear blue sky.
There was a main celebration in our town park at 3 p.m. I took a little detour on the way there to buy myself an ice cream, as I suspected the queues to the café in the park itself would probably be endless (I didn't check once I got there, but no doubt they were). I arrived in the park just about when the program there started (a bit of music, and a few speeches), and I'm pretty sure there were more people gathered this year than I've ever seen before. There was no way to get close to the action on the stage, so I just kept way in the background. The music and the speakers could be heard even by us who couldn't see much, though. And I had both my cameras with me - the 'proper' camera as well as the phone - so I managed to get a variety of photos.
"Panorama view" shot with my separate camera. The stage is somewhere close to that black building (café) in the background between the trees...
From pretty much the same place where I was standing for the panorama view, my camera managed to zoom in this children's choir on the stage.
I didn't stay for the full program but left when I began to find it too tiring to stand still.
Even Google is celebrating with us today,
I noticed when I turned on my computer at home:
But I suppose that's just here in Sweden... (?)
11 comments:
I can see what a beautiful day it was, lots of sunshine and shadows. If I could walk to a celebration like this, i would try it, but here everyone there would be in a car and the traffic horrible. looking forward to what you saw with camera and phone. no flag on google here. Happy Holiday if that is what you would say.
They sure had the celebration in a beautiful setting!!
Thanks Sandra. "What you see is what you get" from this occasion, though - i.e. these are the best of my photos taken with both cameras...
Ginny, the park is an oasis this time of year and certainly a better place for this kind of event than for example the main square.
Perfect weather and a perfect location.
That really IS a lot of people! I guess I would have done the same as you, kept to the outskirts, so to speak, and not even try to get near the stage or the café. The park was the perfect choice of location; I just hope those many people did not leave too much rubbish behind (they would have done if it was in Germany).
Meike, I hope so too. I haven't been back to check! But I think that after events like this, they also include extra cleaning afterwards in the budget... People's carelessness with lilttering is (alas) usually more obvious in less central parts of town (i.e. in places where no one is paid to pick it up...)
I don't remember any such festivities in the UK. Perhaps I just didn't take any notice. In fact I bet if you ask most Englishmen (sic) when their national day was they would have no idea.
Graham I can't recall having heard of British national day either. Do you have one?!
Monica there is no such thing as a 'British' national day because there is no such thing a the British nation. There are Scottish, Welsh and English National Days. I'm not sure how Northern Ireland celebrates because it is a very divided 'nation'. Scotland celebrates on the 30 November. In 1320, St Andrew officially became the patron saint of Scotland when the country's independence was declared with the signing of The Declaration of Arbroath. There here was a Welsh bishop of Mynyw (now St Davids) during the 6th century and he is celebrated as the national day of Wales - St David's Day takes place on 1 March. St George's Day is celebrated in England on 23 April, in honour of St George, the patron saint of England.
Ah. Thanks for the info! I kind of suspected something like that (different days). I recognize the names of St Andrew and St George (and possibly St David as well) but don't really know their "stories" and also wouldn't have a clue as to when or why they're celebrated...
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