Sweden & Denmark. The happiest countries on Earth

How nice it was to be greeted at the arrival gate by my good friend Stefan and to not have to hail an Uber as usual.  In Europe, you do not stand in line at Customs with an agent who asks: "What have you got to declare?” while your suitcase is opened, and your dirty laundry picked through. Simply head to the sign which reads: Nothing to Declare and casually look the uniformed man in the eyes as you pass through the doorway.  Practice this technique well and you may get a job as a smuggler.

The Oresund bridge from Copenhagen to Malmo. Half tunnel / Half bridge

We crossed the Oresund bridge and drove the Volvo 45 minutes to their modern and aromatic home where Beata prepared a roasted free-range chicken dinner. With jet lag I lasted for about an hour of conversation before falling dead asleep in the pillowy guest house bed.

Behind their house is a football pitch. I just came from my sister's place the day before where they have a Little League diamond beyond the house. Same idea, different results.

Feeling refreshed after a 10-hour nap and a steamy, full pressure shower, I joined Stefan for a Swedish breakfast: strong coffee and fresh bakery rolls smothered in butter and topped with ham and cheese. Stefan spreads “Kalles” on his bread, Swedish caviar he calls it, a slightly sweet fish paste. He says Swedes who live outside of Sweden always ask visitors to bring this from home.  Beata scoffs, “I don’t like this, it’s for kids”

What do you want to do today?” asks Stefan. I replied, “How about something fun.”

“Fun? You don’t come to Sweden to have fun.” He replied dryly.

Swedes are perceived wrongly as aloof and cold, but rather their demeanor is to be respectful of individual preferences, to avoid conflict, be fair minded and to accept an egalitarian society. Boastful behavior and insincere compliments are unwelcome. They do like their privacy. There was a joke after Covid that people no longer needed to keep a 6-foot distance (2 meters) and the Swedes could go back to 4 meters apart.

Helsingborg to Helsingor

What did we do to have fun in a land where people respect each other, respect nature, and are still governed by royalty? We took a cruise to Denmark for lunch. 

Boarding the ship with Stefan, we took 20 minutes to cruise past Kronborg Castle, known as “Elsinore” in Shakespeare’s play Hamlet.  The charming 15^th century town has scrubbed red brick and tile roof buildings housing restaurants, shops and apartments; the train from Copenhagen and the ferry from Sweden arrive at the same location to bring throngs of visitors daily.

Kronborg Castle.  Hamlet’s digs.

Lunch was great. My ribs were better than Texas and Chicago, and two meals with beverage came to 360 Danish Krone (about $50).  Use a credit card whenever possible in Europe and when they ask if you want to pay in dollars or the local currency always pay in local - U.S. cards give better rates than their banks. When the check comes it’s exactly the price as stated on the menu with tip and taxes already included.

                    Danish ribs - better than Texas!

Danish cheese shop. I was surprised - more cheese than France. Smells like sweaty socks.

Go online and Google “happiest countries”.  There are many sources to confirm this subjective ranking that the Nordic countries are always at the top of this list.

Would you be happy with 6 to 8 weeks paid vacation, free health care, free university, low crime and an incorruptible government which works for the benefit of people?  It sure sounds like utopia, something that U.S. politicians might promise to get lots of votes. How can the Swedes do that? 

In Sweden, your paycheck is docked 52 to 70% for taxes and you pay 25% national sales tax. If you are very sick you will be taken care of, but if you are a little sick you will wait a long time for service – perhaps becoming very sick and going to the front of the line. Universities are stuffed with 20 and 30-year-old students having yet to decide on their calling and working towards a degree which they cannot use to get a job.

Sweden's population is about the same as Los Angeles County.  While they have immigrants, they are not the working underclass of countries such as the U.S. who were historically and currently imported for cheap labor.  Therefore, labor costs are high, and industry is forced to sell its products at higher prices and lower margins. Although, they have clever engineers to constantly design machines and systems to reduce the labor headcount.

There are many countries (you know who) where such a social system does not fit the current realities, and it would be impossible to implement without a calamitous disruption.

On Friday, Beata’s boss gave her the day off for having done good work that week and we drove out for a day at the coast. Sweden is a peninsula with scenic roads running through heavily forested hills arriving at neat rows of village houses by the sea and large plots of farmland.  It reminds me of Wisconsin, which is probably why many Swedish immigrants ended up there.

By the autumnal equinox, Sweden loses 20 minutes of daylight per week and the cold winter begins its steady progression.  This week my visit had remarkably warm, sunny weather, the exact temperature as San Diego. We had a wonderful day with a great lunch and thanks to global warming enjoyed a rare late September outing. 

FIKA!

FIKA is a Swedish traditional coffee break.  Everywhere throughout Europe cafes are commonplace and it wasn’t until Starbucks that America picked up on this idea. But in Sweden it is essentially a part of one’s day to drop everything and enjoy a special treat of coffee and sweets.

Friday Fika:  Swedish coffee break. This is an essential Swedish rite; many people do this daily. They stop work and relax with coffee and a sweet. No wonder they are happy.

Saturday Fika. Kasimir and Stefan are building a BBQ. Work stops for a 30-minute Fika.

Beata prepared a Swedish feast. Roast pork, sausages, potatoes, red cabbage and yes, Swedish meatballs.

Theresa and I met Stefan and Beata on a cruise eight years ago and we cruised together two other times since then.  This was the first time I visited them at home, and I was very impressed. They are two warm and special friends living in a cozy country with a unique vibe.  Thank you for giving me an exceptional welcome.

Outside the King of Sweden’s summer home.