Gävle had a problem. In 1966, the Swedish town center wasn’t attracting many tourists. Naturally, the solution was to build a gigantic straw Yule Goat. At 13m high, 7m long, and 3 tons, it became an epic draw for the region. The dividends for Gävle have been astounding, just not in the way they expected.

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Scandinavian countries may lead the world in the areas of technology and social welfare, but their love for their royal families remains a beloved tradition amidst a sea of futuristic developments. Walk down the Strøget, Copenhagen’s central avenue, and notice whole postcard stands dedicated to the fairytale romance between the Crown Prince of Denmark and his Australian commoner bride. Visit the Stockholms slot (Stockholm Palace) in Sweden’s capital and enter a room filled with an interactive personals ad-style dedication to unmarried heiress apparent to the Swedish throne. So what’s all the fuss about? It seems that the royal families of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway do a more than a respectable job of all-out fairytale, salacious scandal, and completely cuckoo. Though most of the their duties are symbolic, the royals  remain in the forefront of the Scandinavian hearts and minds.

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Look what we found on the bookshelf of our new friends in Malmö, Sweden!

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