Geoff wrote:I found most of the same experiences that you've found on your visits. One thing you didn't mention is that many people speak a fair amount of English and many restaurants and cafes have English menus
We met a lot of people that were surprised to see "American" tourists (especially because we weren't part of a tour group!). Some told us that they're wary of the British travelers because "they come and misbehave."
HELLO GEOFF,
YEP BACK IN 2007 WHEN WE FIRST VENTURED TO SCANDINAVIA,WE HIRED A CAR IN NORWAY,CATCHING THE FERRY TO SWEDEN.......
TRYING TO FIND OUR ACCOMODATION IN 'MELLERUD',ON SHORES OF LAKE VANERN......I WOUND THE WINDOW DOWN,TO ASK SOME PEDESTRIANS.......ELDERLY PEDESTRIANS.
THEY LOOKED AT THE NORWEGIAN LICENCE PLATES,THE SWEDISH FLAGS STUCK OUT OF BOTH WINDOWS,AND LISTENED TO OUR NATIVE TONGUE.......
A LOOK OF BEWILDERMENT FOLLOWED
,BY A SHRUG OF THE SHOULDERS..
THIS YEAR WE STAYED AT 'BITTERNA' JUST NORTH OF 'HERRLJUNGA',BORAS..........
THE FARMER AND HIS WIFE WERE AROUND 40 YEARS OF AGE,COULD SPEAK ONLY BROKEN ENGLISH....I MANAGED WITH A LITTLE 'SWE-NGLISH',WE GOT ALONG FINE.....
THEY TOLD US THAT THE MONEY/RESOURCES WAS NEVER INVESTED IN THE RURAL FARMLAND SCHOOLS,SO ENGLISH WAS NEVER CONCENTRATED ON AS A SECOND LANGUAGE WHEN THEY WERE GROWING UP.......
TO REINFORCE THIS NOTION,WE HAD DINNER OUT IN THE GARDEN ONE EVENING WITH THE FAMILY......THE ELDERS COULD SPEAK NO ENGLISH AT ALL.
IT WAS FUN TO DRAW,AND TO QUESTION THE VARIOUS ITEMS AND FOODS ON THE TABLE.......? MY FAVOURITE WORD SO FAR.......? JORDGUBBAR..........=STRAWBERRY
I ALWAYS TRY TO CONVERSE A LITTLE IN THE NATIVE SWEDE TONGUE,EVEN IF IT SOUNDS MAYBE A LITTLE ODD TO THEM?
CLOSER TO THE CITIES&TOWNS SWEDES HAVE ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE &SEEMED TO BE MUCH MORE PREDOMINAT&FLUENT AS A RESULT OF THAT.....
A SMALL RESTARAUNT NEXT TO 'HOTEL AVALON' IN GOTEBORG,BY THE NAME OF 'BRUNSTORGET'.......INDEED,THE MENUS CAME IN ENGLISH.........ON I-PADS
IT WAS MENTIONED THAT BRITISH TOURISTS,MADE UP THE LARGER PERCENTAGE OF VISISTORS,CERTAINLY TO GOTEBORG WHILST WE WERE THERE........