Today was a really long day in Uppsala. We woke up early, excited for the spring festival at Uppsala University. We reached the bus station in Uppsala and quickly made our way to the Forsränningen competition. We saw hilarious boats made by students, including milk carton boats, cardboard box boats, pink cupcake boats, and many more. Watching them fall into the water while everyone yelled “Hoppa!” was really fun.
We then proceeded to have lunch at a café, where everyone tried different types of bröd sandwiches.
Next, we walked up to Uppsala Cathedral, a church that houses Gustav Vasa’s tomb, along with those of many other prominent figures. Gustav Vasa was the person who united the small regions of Sweden into what we know as the country today.
Next on the schedule was Uppsala Castle, which today serves as a beautiful art museum. It was closed because of the Valborg celebrations, so we enjoyed the stunning view of the city from there instead.
On the way to the main building of Uppsala University, where the Vice Chancellor gives the annual Spring Festival speech, we passed by the Uppsala University Library. It is a massive seven storey library with a wide range of collections and categories.
A huge crowd gathered around the statue of Erik Gustaf Geijer in front of the main university building to welcome the arrival of spring. Everyone who has graduated from Uppsala University traditionally raises their graduation caps at the end of the speech. It touched my heart to see even the oldest people, perhaps in their seventies, making their way to the square to honour this tradition with their graduation caps.
At about 4:00 pm, we took a bus back to Enköping and then headed to Kerstin’s house for a lovely barbecue. We helped by chopping vegetables, setting up the sauces, and preparing salad bowls for the tacos, while Kerstin and Malin grilled the burger patties. After a hearty dinner, we played a game of the traditional Swedish outdoor game Kubb.
At around 7:00 pm, we walked to a hill behind Enköping Church, where the entire town had gathered around a huge bonfire. We sat for a while, enjoyed some rhubarb pie, watched the mesmerising flames, and listened to speeches delivered by local gymnasium students.
After a really long day, we finally took a bus back to our cottages. Today truly felt like a cultural immersion, an experience I believe we will never forget.
