Okay Hiba, here we go, I declare it on my blog, I hate museums!
Why the hell do I have to walk all that stupid distance to check out a couple of ancient tools, some stones, and some skulls and skeletons for the vikings? Yes, I do find it interesting to know more about the history of Sweden, and yes, it is so cool to know more about the Vikings, but I would prefer to get those information through a documentary film.
Do you people really like to go to museums when you visit a country for tourism? I mean what is the point? getting to know the culture? but wouldn’t a historical museum represent an old culture of the country rather than the one exist now? what about going to bars and restaurant? going into the metro station and mingling with people of the specific country? wouldn’t that give you a better insight and better perspective of the cultures of people of this country?
Even that won’t really help in getting you to know the culture of a country. Every major city in the world is becoming a conspolitan place. There are many nationalities in Stockholm, and many people coming from different backgrounds, some are more open than the other, but some are so close so that not to lose their identities in the new society they live in. It is the same in most modern cities. This is more of a universal code of a modern life.
It leaves me with a big question, what is the most essential thing you need to experience when you visit a new country? I really have no clue…
Fadi Zaghmout فادي زغموت 
Haha, i love this blog! I would say the biggest problem with museums is they TOTALLY lack any form of communication. If you want to learn about a culture or a history, my favorite way is always through people… Taxidrivers, drunks, children, friends or who ever happens to be around. Also, you learn a lot from what dey DON’T tell you. What is missing? Where is the gap? There lyes many answers to secret codes… 🙂 Nice to see you today!!/Ul
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heyyy ulrikam, i am so happy to know you agree with me! It killed me today to spend all that time and walking all that distance (and getting lost) to check some stones and skulls! :S. I could have spend more time in Gamla Stand, checking the shops and bars and cafes! It was nice seeing you too, and your cute daughters 🙂
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Hello.I will answer your question! I have been to sweden a couple of months back as part of a mini euro-trip I did, I’m 23 yo Jordanian.Anyway,1) You need to try to go a swedish house, spend the night there, wake up b4 they do, take a look around, how they talk..their life.2)Did you do the Fika? my favourite was and still is 7eleven at that main street near the bus station. Write about the fika BTW! 3)you need to take the bike and do a bike-tour!4) Try to learn some phrases.5) Try to learn a dance, a recipe..etcYa3ni , this applies to everywhere.My best swedish experience was by far the night I spent alone in a farm house, it was completely dark, and started to thunder, in August! , there was no electricity and I had to think swedish to know what to do. I lit some candles and sat reading a story, made some filtered coffee, and thought alot. Try to think swedish (or whatever place you’re in) in a certain extreme situation to have a better understanding of the place and the people!
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check my reply on sunscreen08.blogspot.com
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I love Musemums not because of the historical artifacts that occupying the space mainly because of the silence.
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Fadi i agree with Awonderingcatalyst, u really have to, IF you have the time to:“You need to try to go a Swedish house, spend the night there, wake up b4 they do, take a look around, how they talk..their life.” and take a bike tour, remember how great the Vélib bikes in Paris were! 🙂learn some phrases, learning some words from their language makes all the difference, i think u instantly feel like one of the locals…Anyway u need to experience sth very Swedish, for u to get to know the country and the people more 🙂 because as u said, the whole world became a cosmopolitan place!Have a great week, and hope next weekend will be more fun 😀
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Living there like a citizen (not a tourist) for at least 3 years. Thats the only way to really know a culture, IMHO! It is unrealistic to expect that you can know Sweden in a trip!
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awonderfulcatalyst,what is the Fika? there is 7eleven everywhere.I will try to do all these stuff, thanks for the advice 🙂Hiba, read it, and commented 🙂Marie, you are a light peaceful creature :), xxxxhaithoom, thanks, I will try to do all, and keep you posted
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DM, tell them that man! hehehe. I just want to enjoy my time and have fun. No long walking exhausting trips to museums for me! 😛
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their food 🙂
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Most important thing to do when visiting a country is having fun. So, if you don’t have fun in museums don’t go there. Some people do enjoy museums though.I usually try to do and see everything that is normally not available to me. Mingling with local people is always fun.
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Ok the Fika!I don’t know if you are that type of person, but I am; wanting to do the following: -Have a grat cup of coffee with a desert (cakes, donuts, … etc) and do that whith a best friend in a cozy place. Well, we all do that but in Sweden they gave it a name which is “Lets Fika!” = “Let us go, you my best friend to enjoy a cup of coffee with a desert in a cozy place!” In 7eleven the have these coffee corners (inside the shop) where you could do this. Right?
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I personally love museums, not only are they are an aesthetic feast, but also very informative. I believe that studying a nation’s history, heritage and culture is interesting, and I think that they form a huge part of a country’s contemporary identity. In psychology, Piaget said that our first five years of our lives significantly shape our character, behavior and personality. I think that the same can be applied to nations and cultures. To me, the most essential thing I need to experience in a country is:-To head to its downtown.-Experience the local cuisine. -Read its daily paper.-Head to non-touristic hangouts.-Visit a local park (or public beach).
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tama, that is a sure thing 🙂a different perspective, fun is what is I intend to do, that is why I was upset with the wasted day of going to the museum. a wondering catalyst, yes, I understand now, I like that. We have been to cozy bars and stuff. It was nice.Ph, thanks for the advice 🙂
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One marvellous thing about “fika” is that it’s both a noun and a verb!
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hey, i am commenting on the whether to visit museums or not when ivsiting a country,, but i am itching to tell u to visit hte open-air museum in sweden… it’s “skansen” in Djurgarden (not sure of the spelling of hte last) it’s a live experience of how the swedes used to live in the 17th century i think..i liked it, and you won’t feel it’s a musuem:)
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are u still in sweden?how long are u staying?i can dig in some info 🙂
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