Tuesday 18 July 2017

There is no cow on the ice



I've had a few messages asking me if all is well as BacktoBodrum has been uncharacteristically off-air for two weeks. I can happily reply that 'Ingen ko på isen' - 'there is no cow on the ice' which will immediately reassure all my Swedish friends that there is nothing to worry about. I've been visiting Skåne, Sweden, enjoying how different life is there to my existence in Bodrum - not better or worse - just poles apart. 


Things that are different

Licorice
I've eaten more licorice in the past week than in the last two years (ie since my last visit). Sweet, or chocolate flavoured but even better - salty - I wonder whether a licorice shop would work in Bodrum?

Berries
Giant blueberries, gooseberries, endless raspberries and who could resist a fruit called 'cloudberry'. I discovered that a handful of fresh red currents mixed into lightly picked cucumber is the best accompaniment to baked herrings. 

Cinnamon buns
OK, I can make these at home but buying them warm from the Bakery for breakfast is almost as good as taking home a fresh crispy simit.  

Road Safety
Swedes step out on to pedestrian crossings without even looking, so confident are they that cars will stop. Please don't try this in Bodrum.  I'd prefer you didn't do it in front of me in my first few days - I'm already struggling with speed limits that go from 40 to 70 to 30 to 20 in a less than a kilometre and a car that brakes for me if I'm too near to the car in front or shouts at me if I stray too far to the right or left. .  

Bicycles everywhere
As above - car drivers acknowledge their presence; again - don't try this in Bodrum in Summer.
(One question - if Swedes are so health and safety conscious - explain the candles on the head on 13th December) 

Crispbread 
Big wheels of it offered with every meal, but very difficult to store - I would have to build a special Ryvita cupboard if I could buy it here. 

Place Names
I childishly delight in visiting Paarp on my way to Boarp and then on to Bastad.  (I know there are little circles on top of some vowels that change the sound, but can't be arsed to find them) 

Whipped cream with every dessert
Not so sure about the green cakes. 



Roses
Rosa Rogusa grows everywhere and has a heavenly scent.  Locals consider it a weed and prefer less rampant varieties to grow up their houses, but I love this Beach Rose and stop at every opportunity to literally smell the roses and hope to be figuratively doing the same, and writing about it, now that I am home. 



19 comments:

  1. Buz üzerinde inek yok ... I will try this out in Marmaris ... I've always been fascinated by the differences in sayings between languages ... the roses sound heavenly ... and the berries ... my favourite dessert as a child was when mum mixed a punnet of raspberries and a punnet of redcurrants, sprinkled with castor sugar and left in the fridge overnight ...

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    1. The Swedish berries are so sweet they don't need any sugar at all - It's nice to make the juices run though.

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  2. Sounds like you're getting a good command of the Swedish language. ;) Things are improving *slightly* in Fethiye with regard to stepping out onto crossings. Still not for the novices, however. :)

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    1. Cars aren't even stopping when the green man flashes now in Bodrum.

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  3. . . loving being out of circulation for a while (and for at least another ten days) - the difference? No one noticed!

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  4. Lovely post, enjoy Sweden! My next door neighbour is Swedish and I love their passion for outdoors, enjoy all the treats there! Ozlem xx

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  5. So you're a Swedish chef now? 😁

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  6. I love cloudberry jam but it is very expensive - glad you had a lovely trip to Sweden.

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  7. B to B, Good thing you posted because we were on the verge of writing to you and asking what was going on as well. Relieved to hear there was no inek on the buz. Sounds like you had a lovely getaway.

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  8. Love this Annie, and as for the pedestrian crossings. I was only saying the other day, it is my biggest struggle back here, in Ireland,remembering to stop.when crossing myself I definitely do not step out without waiting to see if the cars will stop. I am constantly surprised when they do.

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    1. Are you the only Turkish driver in the village - you'll get a bad reputation

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  9. Thanks​ you took me down memory lane 😁
    I still consider Scandinavia as where my roots are!!
    If a liquorice store should ever open ( one can always dream 😁) please let me know. Xx

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    1. I'm sure the raw material grows here - i should learn how to make it.

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  10. Thanks you took me down memory lane 😁
    I still consider Scandinavia as where my roots are.
    If ever a liquorice store should open ( one can always dream 😁) please let me know. Xx

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