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Funny... I had this dream last night where a bunch of angry people came climbing in through our window demanding that I post to my blog. Today's word, boys and girls, is megalomania.

Anyway. Apologies for not writing the promised last part of the Walpurgis description yesterday; I had to write this job application... We woke up at about 9:30 this morning, consequently we have neither champagne breakfasted nor watched the boats. But it is still Valborg!

When Orphei Drängar have finished singing, the day continues with aimless wanderings and mingling; bumping into friends you haven't seen for years and not managing to find the people you have decided a rendez-vous with -- in short, it is a time for care-free strolling. Or for hurried running through the rain to the nearest shelter, of course. Many people picnic or have barbecues, again depending on the weather of course; after all it is still April and some years it snows.

At 9pm, there is more singing; this time it takes place by the castle, under the Gunilla belltower. The student choir Allmänna sången comes out from their ball in the castle to perform, and the head of the student unions holds a speech about spring. Very rarely it is a worthwhile speech, once in a while it is downright embarrassing but usually it's merely predictable, which is not such a terrible thing after all. Also in the evening, the bonfires are lit, and for those who don't care so much about the traditions of academia, they are the main symbol of the magical evening of Valborg, Walpurgis, whose name comes from Saint Walburga.

But not everybody finds Valborg attractive. As I have hinted at several times already, it is a very alcohol-fuelled day, which of course means that too many people will be drinking too much. For a lot of teen-agers, Valborg is the first occasion they get really drunk, which I find sad indeed. And many students also have too, too much to drink, because it is tradition, and end up sleeping under a shrubbery at 11am, or throwing up and miserable while around them the joyful celebration goes on. The merry picnickers often just leave their litter behind; Castle Hill is a disgraceful sight at the end of the day.

Despite this, I still love this day. Even if I don't do much of what you are 'supposed' to do (today I believe we'll probably just go to the cap-waving and singing, and then stroll around for a bit -- oh, and we'll eat herring of course, but not in any organised form with schnapps ditties) the mere fact of its arriving despite the cold darkness of the preceding winter is enough.

Labels: Swedish stuff