Scandinavian Fair

A Jewel in Northern Europe

The Scandinavian Fair in São Paulo has reached its 51st edition and has already become a tradition in the city!
The event starts today, November 8, 2016, and runs until tomorrow at Esporte Clube Pinheiro on Rua Tucumã, 36, with free access to the public!
But what is Scandinavia anyway? Scandinavia is the region of northern Europe that includes Denmark, Sweden and Norway, and may also include Finland and Iceland.

There are several stalls with different products, but the one that caught my eye was the Círculo Salvai as Crianças stall, with a very interesting proposal: all the handicrafts sold will be donated to organizations that help children.
Around 800 people work at the fair, all volunteers, 50% Brazilians and 50% Scandinavians. All the money raised at the fair goes to charity, helping 10,000 children spread across 22 institutions in the state of São Paulo.

It's possible to experience the culture, flavors and traditions of each country up close and personal. This year's highlight is Sweden, which has a rich history dating back to the 9th century, along with the famous Vikings, explorers who contributed to the formation of the Nordic countries.
Have you ever thought you could experience a bit of this culture without even leaving Brazil? But beware, you could fall in love! Unfortunately we weren't able to see it up close, but we were very well represented by our friend Will Barradas who showed us all the details and with every piece of information, my desire to take the first flight and send myself there grew!

At the Swedish stand he talked to Gabriela Klink, who is the daughter of Swedes, and we were amazed at how much cool information she had to offer. She said that you can't miss a visit to Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, and visit some museums like the Vasa, where the warship that sank in 1628 was brought back to life, it's unique in the world, imagine being in front of something so old? There's also the ABBA museum, which anyone who likes music will love, and recently the Viking museum, which is amazing! I particularly find their history incredible, it must be really enchanting to be able to have contact with so much history, and of course take a boat trip through the archipelago, always remembering that Stockholm is a set of islands, I don't even like water, imagine if I will like this country, lol.
And then there's the delicious food! If you're going to Sweden, don't miss the Smörgasbord, a table of typical Scandinavian hot and cold dishes, a must, if you can't compare it to our colonial coffee in southern Brazil.

Oh, and if you're looking for a typical Scandinavian drink, be sure to try the Aquavit.
It's in the north of Sweden that we can start to see the much sought-after Aurora Borealis, I'm crazy to witness this phenomenon at least once in my life, and it's also where Santa Claus' house is located, can you imagine #bbpelomundo seeing the snow and Santa Claus together? What incredible magic could I not give my son?
Speaking of which, a great option for those traveling with children and a must-see is the Skansen Museum. Founded in 1891, it is open-air and includes a zoo. Sweden's historical and cultural heritage is very much in evidence, so there's plenty of fun for all the family.
In the Norway tent, Cecília made us even more eager to visit Norway and see its beautiful fjords. She told us to go hiking on Preikestolen mountain, where at the top there's Pulpi Rock and one of the most beautiful views in the WORLD, you know those landscapes that look like they've been painted so perfectly? Well, this is one of those places!
She also told us about Oslo, which looks more like a nativity scene, is beautiful and full of interesting things to do, such as the Folk Museum, which is a very beautiful folk museum, as well as Vigeland Park, which is also beautiful, with impeccable vegetation, open space ideal for playing and running around with the little ones, take the opportunity to go to the King's Castle, which is a very interesting walk!
There are a thousand other options in the city, and in addition to the wonderful cuisine, you can't miss the smoked salmon. Here's a tip: are you curious and want to try some of this flavor? Just go to the Scandinavian Club restaurant in Morais de Barros, São Paulo.
We also met Sirlei Madsen, who is married to a Dane. She told us what it's like for a Brazilian to experience the cultural impact of living in such a different country.
The behavior is extremely disciplined, the people are happy and relaxed, the landscapes are beautiful and the sights are well worth seeing, such as Tivoli in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, with great restaurants and a perfect option for family travelers, where the little ones will have a great time while their parents enjoy the local cuisine.

This fair made us want to visit all the Scandinavian countries even more! Especially at this time of year, when Christmas is approaching and this culture is very strong there, you just have to go to understand it, don't miss it!
Take the opportunity to talk to the exhibitors and discover more of the charms of each place.

Useful information:

Date and time: November 8 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and November 9 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Venue: Esporte Clube Pinheiros (Rua Tucumã, 36 - corner with Av. Brigadeiro Faria)

Lima)

Free admission (until stocks last)

More information: feiraescandinava.wordpress.com

*William Pereira Barradas represented us at the fair and gave us all this valuable information to put together the text.