Mind Games

I guess I don't know how the rest of the world works outside of the little red dot, otherwise I wouldn't be so puzzled as to why certain things are done here.

For example, it was only explained to me why they have to thoroughly wash their cars every week manually. And no. The automatic car washes are insufficient. Although, I know they use salt on the streets, it never occurred to me to put the two together. Salt corrodes the metal pipes very quickly.

I still can't figure out why they add so much calcium to the tap water here, so much so that the pipes, sinks and whatnot can end up calcified. And they have to spend extra trouble to clean those things up. Is it because of the cold? Or are they trying to build stronger bones?

I've also noticed from my many many walks here at night that there are always two buring lamps just outside of pubs and restaurants, one on each side of the door. Why is that? To drive away flies? Or to tell people that they serve food? I haven't seen flies here. And no ants too. Great! And isn't the sign board obvious enough that those are restaurants or pubs? Even I can figure it out, and I can't string a proper sentence in Swedish.

Does anyone know the answers to these? Or I may have to ask one of the locals here then.

Their working style is also so different here. They are so relaxed. For some reason, they have fika (fee-ka) two times a day or more, where they stop all they are doing, and take a coffee break for 30 minutes or more. Wow! The pace is so slow here that an Iranian commented to me today sometimes he just wishes for some action of sorts.

My nose capillaries broke ever since I reached Sweden and I keep getting bloody boogers. Dang. On the bright side, every day has been a good hair day. Unlike in Singapore where the humid air simply causes my hair to explode.

Swedish phrase of the day: tack så mycket (Thank you very much)