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Drinking
the water
of life
You slip out
of the Stock-
holm night,
into one of
the city's
vibrant bars.
All around
you, Swedes
are loosen-
ing up, en-
joying each
other's company,
discussing the
day's events:
politics, relation-
ships, and, un-
doubtably, the
weather.You amble
up to the bar
a bit nervously. You have
never been in a Swedish bar
before. Ja? the barman asks. Sti-
cking to the familiar at first, you
order a beer. That's fine. There are
many good beers in Sweden, some major
names being Pripps, Falcon, and Spend-
rup's.When it arrives, you take your
first sip and start to feel more at
ease. To your right is an animated
group of people. They probably recog-
nize you as a foreigner and smile po-
litely. You've been wanting to meet
some locals, and here's your chance.
You know they speak English, because
virtually everybody in the country
does. After introducing yourself, you
suddenly find yourself making friends.
The mood continues to elevate. The
group decides that it's time for
some snaps. This is a good sign:
it means that you are about to become
an initiate into one of the country's
most enduring traditions. Snaps, which
is also often referred to as Akvavit
or Brännvin, is a spiced drink distil-
led from potato or grain alcohol. Some
of the more common flavors are fruit,
berries, and lemongrass. People in
Sweden once thought it cured just
about any ailment ("Akvavit," trans-
lated literally, means "water of
life"). In the 17th century, snaps
was refined and mass marketed, and
since then various labels have
achieved connoisseur's status. It
is a mainstay at every Swedish cele-
bration. Once the shots are poured,
it is time for the toast, or skål
(spelled pronouncation is skoal).
This is the moment of truth. Lift
your glass up to about neck level,
look your drinking partner in the
eye, and nod slightly. Shoot it
quickly, look them in the eye
again, and set your glass back down.
Congratulations.You are now part of the tribe.
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