It first started with mini hops to get the blood flowing, blood moving to my brain. I needed to keep moving.
Feeling around for the shutter release button with fingers numb from skin-biting cold, puffs of cold smoke escaping me like an air vent, my mind was devoid of thought. Then came the tears. At least I think they came as I felt ice race down my frozen skin.
This was a whole new level of frigid.
Stockholm in winter is a dichotomy – gorgeous soft colored architecture, garnished with dirty snow beneath gray skies. Ironically, most of my time in Scandinavia has been spent during blistering winter months – from tracking Aurora Borealis in Iceland to ice racing in Swedish Lapland, including an upcoming trip up to Jokkmokk to cover the winter Sami market.
So you’d think I’d be used to Nordic cold by now.
With only four hours of daylight, we had to rush out to go get some supporting photos for an assignment I’m currently working on. The wind chill seemed unbearable at the time. I huffed and puffed like a frustrated child.
But it was temporary. I knew I was going home to warm tasty glögg, pepparkakor, and a toasty blanket.
My mind immediately went to the homeless. I turned to my husband. How do people survive this?
People with nowhere to go?
Comments (9)
It’s funny how people that don’t see snow often wishes for it. And those that see it all the time, well…the opposite.
I was there in July and it was freezing then!
Four hours of sunlight? Crap, I thought eight hours was bad…
I know exactly what you’re talking about. i don’t live in a Nordic country but Chicago is pretty close. Today there is a blizzard warning, a foot of snow and below zero temps.Glogg and pepperkor sound heavenly about now. We have shelters for the homeless that I’ve volunteered for, they are spread across the city, with some churches setting up space. Does Sweden have anything similar?
@Dave – You’re exactly right!
@Anil – For real.
@Candice – Now I understand why depression is huge in these parts
@Fly Girl – I hear Chicago during the winter is brutal. Yes, there are some homeless shelters in town, thank God!
I love Sweden, but I don’t think I’d last a winter there. I don’t even like it in southern Spain when we get a little rain or clouds, rather than the normal sun. Spoiled, I know.
I grew up in Michigan & that was enough winter cold and snow for me to last a lifetime. I love snow, but prefer a sunny warm place with mountains nearby if I should need a dose of snow to play in.
It IS wearing to live in cold & snow and I remember right when one is REALLY sick of it by March or so, another huge snow storm arrives. sigh.
Sweden’s summer is so sweet that it’s sad that it is so short!
Stay warm and have good fikas!
Too cold weather is not that pleasant! But when you know you’ll come home to a warm place and tasty fika, you can cope with the cold for some time.
I also wondered about the homeless recently, how they handle the cold. Like you said, thank God there are shelters!
@soultravelers3 – Sweden is truly sweet in the summer!
@Erica – Absolutely!
Whoa I thought Wisconsin was cold… don’t know how I would deal with all that darkness. How do you manage?