Ven na jolméyanta tes te blog eri simpél biliston igé te plaze tes ven haräiz, no et tsën tes et bikümne an sort randomi travelog.

Welzo, me tolk dëturnave wrun an korti besnasräiz ï Stockholm; intplaz ew wëth gaugi (ëg tsohni) fotos ete tstät, me will bipaptts temt tes tem trink int Sweden. Auntts, ye vis lavte an flass ete Swedaz mineralwatar tes wä inte konferenz-zomts inte hostel. Na tsno, ye thakje, no meü Finnaz kolegas tes axwäitha te konvenaton tallta tes »Loka«, int Finnaz, méyan »fuilth«.

(Jund et wés int Sweden an tsokolat-tablenja nimeni »Plopp«; petstsé ye thakje tes et'st kentesem 'e hlaken ax et, no: was mackta item thakjen tes 'e nimenen iet »Plopp« wä an guti jidiy?)

Welzo, trinkes: lav ime 'e optbiaden »Fläder«, an sort Swedaz eléfesanz tes smez pasts tsröblossma. Natürlauk, et'st stran, no mol ohnyinim. Me woh pringen an flass homz, no Swedaz alkohol-layas n'örta iet. Wés et an Swedazbütik int Londe ansau?

It was not our original intention that this blog simply document the various places we visit, but it does seem to be turning into some sort of random travelogue. Not to worry.

Anyway, I've just got back from a short business trip to Stockholm; I'll spare you the obligatory photo of the city, attractive though it is, and concentrate this time on a linguistic gem from the Shouldn't Have Called It That department. The hotel conference room was amply stocked with the Swedish mineral water you can see illustrated in the photo above. It seems an unremarkable product, but my Finnish colleagues present at the meeting advised me of the fact that "Loka" means "dirt" in Finnish.

On a similar theme, Sweden is also the home of the chocolate bar named "Plopp". You may think it puerile to laugh at such things, but I can't help wondering what made them think it would be a good idea to call it that.

Returning to the subject of drinks, I will just add at this point a hearty recommendation for "Fläder", a type of Swedish akvavit flavoured with elderflower. Strong, of course, but very pleasant. I would have brought a bottle home, but the stringent Swedish licensing laws prevent the purchase of alcohol in duty-free shops unless you're leaving the EU. Is there a Swedish Shop in London anywhere?