Thursday, September 23, 2010

GOTHENBURG BOOK FAIR 2010

For book lovers, The Gothenburg Book Fair is a paradise that lasts from Thursday to Sunday. It is one of the biggest events of the year and it is packed!
"No other book fair in the world offers such a comprehensive conference programme as the Göteborg Book Fair. In 2009 it included 448 seminars with more than 800 participants from 27 countries, running over four days. In addition to the seminars, there are events on the different stages and activities in the exhibition stands throughout the whole Fair. The Book Fair 2009 offered more than 2,700 different programmes and events with more than 2,100 participating speakers.
More then 800 exhibitors cover most sectors of the book trade, including fiction, non-fiction, books for children and young adults, educational books, picture-books, magazines, comic books, libraries, art and much, much more." 


The Gothenburg book Fair is the largest in Scandinavia
Here is a discussion going on on the subject of translating the American poet Emily Dickinson into Swedish
The much loved Alexander McCall Smith will appear in
 various discussions and seminars.
Ralp Nader will make an appearance here at the Book Fair this year.
On the weekend, there will be long lines to get in.

Monday, September 20, 2010

FINISHED !

The Swedish election (parliament and local government) is over. The temporary wooden houses, placed downtown, where the various parties handed out information, are being hauled away. The present "conservative" (they are to the left of American Democrats) alliance continues to have the power, so there will not be much of a change. People can go on with their lives and enjoy the common pastime, a visit to one of the many, many, coffee places in downtown Gothenburg.

In Sweden there is no need to register to vote. If you are a resident of Sweden, you get a voting card in the mail well advance and you simply vote earlier or on the day of the election which is always on a Sunday to make voting possible for everyone. The voting is done with paper ballots and all very efficient and peaceful. Electronic voting has never even been discussed. Far too risky.

Friday, September 17, 2010

SEPTEMBER BY THE CANAL

This seagull had two chicks that kept pecking on her for food. They'd better grow up fast, winter can come early!
This strange sculpture is by the old moat, canal in Gothenburg, Sweden

Saturday, September 4, 2010

MORE VINTAGE TRAMS

This vintage tram driver sells postcards of the old trams.
See earlier entry on vintage trams.
He was proud of his tram badges from Australia and San Francisco

Note the practical ventilation at the top of the roof. No overheated trams in the summer!
Even the electric fuses are nice to look at.
The lamp fitting is lovely in its simplicity
The brass handle-bar has a functional beauty

Even the handles are beautiful