Fysk
No fishy business here.
Photo: Wix
Here fishy, fishy, fishy!
I remember watching an episode on Sesame Street where Ernie and Bert went fishing. Bert was having much difficulty catching a fish while Ernie seemed to have such a jolly time catching fish without a fishing rod. Do you remember that scene?
Swedish Fish
Photo from ScandiKitchen
When I googled 'Swedish fish', I was hoping to find the types of fish found in Sweden but what I got was not fish, fish but some chewy, fruit-flavoured, candies. These fish-shaped dummies were developed by Malaco, a Swedish candy producer in the late 1950s for the U.S. market which became popular in the 1960s and 1970s.
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You can find them in Singapore's Cold Storage ONLY during the sale of Halloween goodies. In Sweden, you can find them in the Pick and Mix section at any supermarket, and they are known as 'pastellfiskar' (which means pale fish).
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Why are they called 'Swedish Fish'? Err..because they originated from Sweden and bare the shape of a fish.
Photos courtesy of Peter Lindblad
Kyrka
A place of worship.
This is the majestic Domkyrkan in Gothenburg which I visited in 2022.
Brief summary of Christianity in Sweden
Sweden is well-known for their Viking heritage and the Norse Gods. The Vikings converted to Christianity in the 900s due to trade and political pressure from the German Empire. By the end of the Viking period, most Vikings were Christians.
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Christianity was introduced to Sweden in the 9th century by Saint Ansgar, a monk from Germany. It became the official religion of Sweden in the 11th century. Today, about 67% of Swedes identify as Christian. The largest Christian denomination in Sweden is the Lutheran Church of Sweden, which has about 60% of the population as members. Other Christian denominations in Sweden include the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, and various Protestant denominations.
Christianity has had a profound influence on Swedish culture and society. The Swedish legal system, education system, and social welfare system are all based on Christian principles. The Swedish language is also influenced by Christianity, with many words and phrases derived from Christian terms.
Christianity is still a major religion in Sweden, but its influence has declined in recent decades. The number of people who identify as Christian has been declining, and there is a growing secularization of Swedish society. However, Christianity remains an important part of Swedish culture and identity.