Wednesday 26 January 2011

THE ICE BEAR COMETH ANEW!


Barely had I foretold a mild winter season in the latest blog post than weather conditions changed again abruptly. The harsh Polar High is back, edging uncomfortably close to the Icelandic Low, and impeding the western winds that bring mild and humid air to Stockholm. We are again shivering at temperatures in the minus tens and ice is anew forming on Hammarby Sound, as can be seen in the picture taken this morning at 8 AM.

I think I have had enough of this! This weekend, off I will go to warmer climes. Gran Canaria is beckoning with unusually green coasts (due to early winter rain). If you would like to follow me on my voyage, have a look at http://emilsfelicitousisle.blogspot.com/ where I will keep a diary of the trip.

3 comments:

kari_lantto said...

Thats the way to go! Adapt to, not fight, the weather/climate. Soon the almonds are blooming down there.
Kari

Elvy Svennerstål said...

Hello Emil,
Lucky you to go to Gran Canaria, what a fantastic contrast to Sweden right now! Warm, sunny, beautiful sand to put your tows into, sea to swim in, green landscape, wonderful evenings on terrasses with a cold bear, just looking at nice people.....BUT, could I just remind you about some beauties with the Swedish "grim" winter? First, just think of the ice, woooaaooouu, to scate on the sea, for the moment the ice is like a mirror, you can scate with the wind in your back, it is just like a miracle. You could also have almost the same sensation on the lake of Malaren. You can scate the whole day, stop for a picnic, under the sun. Another sensation was some weeks ago to go cross country skiing, for example on Djursholms golf greens, where a number of tracks have been laid by some energetic persons in the commune. But since some weeks back, the snow is destroyed; first the rain and then the decreasing temparature converted the snow into ice in the tracks and made them difficult and even dangerous for skiing. As a consequence, the scating equipment was quickly relocated. Scating and cross country skiing are activities many Swedes do to survive winter - if they do not escape to Gran Canaria, or make beautiful winter landscapes eternal through photos, to the satisfaction of those who are not as good a photographer as you, Emil.

I see on your photos that there is no ice to skate on at Hammarby Sound; never mind, to look at your photos is enjoyable, and I'm sure you like walking around, admiring the surroundings there in spite of the arctic cold, until your plane takes off to Gran Canaria!

Enjoy your trip!

Emil Ems said...

Dear Kari and Elvy,

Thank you kindly for your encouraging words. I am writing this in Brussels "en route" and will arrive in the "Elysian fields" on Saturday morning. Watch out for my new blog that I am starting to write just now.